I read—somewhere—that there is a man in Chicago history known for setting himself on fire, before jumping off of a gantry into Lake Michigan. This, as I remember reading, was one of the many forms of entertainment available in turn-of-the-20th-century Chicago. He was one of many showmen, nearly all of whom based their acts on plunging into the lake…either on fire or in barrels, and probably—knowing Chicago lore, if not Chicago history—in flaming barrels. This, I was led to understand, was turn-of-the-20th-century family entertainment. I was wholesome, though it had the unfortunate effect of inducing swoons among the more sensitive viewers of such acts. After a time, such entertainments were outlawed. To this day, Chicago has not been entertained by flaming human projectiles plunging into the shallows of Lake Michigan. I wasn’t thinking—initially—of flammable entertainment when I started fiddling with this photograph. I was thinking about…well…nothing in particular. I’d gone wandering—as is my habit—after work, and—as is my habit—I snapped photo after photo of…well…stuff. I happened upon Oak Street Beach, and a bunch of guys practicing their tight-rope walking skills. I nabbed a few photos, but they weren’t entirely impressive. There are times when too big a crowd simply ruins a photo. I liked the tight-rope walkers though, and I wanted to do something with at least one of them; the idea came to me to simply create a scene...to put him pretty far above the crowded beach. That was when Chicago’s more incendiary forms of past entertainment came to mind, and rather than set someone on fire, I decided to try my hand at something Vintage. I wanted something in color, but stained and besmirched: something old and possibly found in the bottom of some forgotten shoebox. I came up with something I rather like. As with many of my images, this is a composite: it’s actually a stack of 6 images…a cutout of the tightrope walker, stuck on a high-angle view of the city, and a few overlays of rust, concrete, and splatters, all blended to look…well…old. Just ignore the anachronistic shorts, sunglasses, and architecture; you’re seeing this from the future, no doubt. Or not. As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week.