I don’t usually erase something essential in a photo. A stray utility line here and there that I could not find a way to keep out of an otherwise pristine scene? Sure. But not something that is organically part of what I’m photographing. This time, however, I did. It distracted from what I wanted the image to do. Now that the “apology” is out of the way . . .
These guys are in a downtown window in Grand Rapids. Perhaps something from Artprize last year. (It was cancelled this year.) When I saw the two guys with a strong beam of light shining down, and the one guy looking up into it, I thought “alien abduction”! So, that’s the picture. I’m not sure why the guy in the suit is looking annoyed. Maybe it’s not a convenient time to witness an alien abduction.
I know it’s on the cover of this blog post, but here it is again, so you can see a larger version if you like. [Double click on it or any of the other images to see larger versions.]
I took this shot in the middle of the lunch hour on Saturday, but the streets were almost deserted and the outdoor eating areas were empty. Last Saturday was warm and the restaurants were busier. Yesterday was cold.
Some of the streets were blocked off in a way that looked designed for some kind of event. I saw signs and people standing around for what looked like an anti-abortion event. They were trying to engage people, but there were few people for them to talk to. Maybe the event was scheduled for later in the day.
Here’s a few shots from the restaurant section of Monroe Center that suggest the empty streets.
The last three images are, once again, a few reflections and windows images of the sort I’ve been doing for the past couple of weeks. None of this type from yesterday turned out to be quite as engaging as the best from last week. But there were a couple worth keeping.
I like this first one for the way the building you see directly merges into the one that you see reflected in a window and glass door.
This second one is engaging, I thought, for the details. With all of the reflections, everything is tripled. So, there’s a lot to look at and make sense of in the image. It somehow feels both chaotic and anchored.
Finally, the last one I liked for the play of light, shadows, and lines. The frame of the windows and door almost makes it look like you’re inside the building and if you go through you’ll end up outside.
It has been a formidable week, as daily new COVID19 case numbers have risen to shocking levels in the US. That, plus the cold made the streets depressing. I think that’s why I so liked the the image of the two guys. A bit of whimsy in a bad time.
Stay warm and stay safe.
No Ordinary Light 