Thematic Photographic 6: "Light" v.3.0 - One Last Shot

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"Wind and Water"
Carolina Beach, NC - August 2002

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"Sunlight and Evergreen"
Mt. Mitchell, NC - August 2002

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In the course of trying to bring order to my Picasa account, I came across the first shot which I took at Carolina Beach in August of 2002. I don't remember the exact chain of circumstances that led to me taking this shot, but I've always thought the play of light on water is fascinating. so it's little wonder that it wound up here.

When Carmi asked for backlit shots I didn't immediately think about this one. Though I'm not sure why because it's one of my favorites. Unlike the beach shot above, I remember the circumstances surrounding this shot very distinctly. It was February, at the summit of the highest mountain east of the Mississippi river. Which is arguably the coldest and windiest place in the Eastern US on some days. On this particular day you'd have gotten absolutely no argument from me on that point because I had left my ski jacket at the cabin and was wearing little more than a heavy shirt under a hoodie, and a photography vest (which has no insulation). In other words, I was so not dressed for this hike. But I managed to find a hollow that could at least shelter me from the wind, and it was from there that I got this shot of the sunlight filtering through the native short needle white pine or possibly blue spruce (it's hard to tell from this shot). Both are indigenous to the area.

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Thematic Photographic 6: "Light" v.1.0

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"Torchlight"
Pittsboro, NC - July 2003

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"Lit bulb"
Raleigh, NC - July 2003

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While it's not exactly the suggestion I made, the Light theme does include the element of Fire, which is the kind of theme I've been saving the first shot for. It's is one of my most favorite photographs ever (at least of my own work). Partly because I like the color and contrast elements, but mainly (I think) because it represents the point where I really started putting things off-center on purpose. My so-desperately-wanting-to-be-ordered mind would have gone apoplectic over that much empty background at one time.

The subject is a simple patio torch shot at a barbecue in Pittsboro, NC almost exactly 5 years ago (That's July of 2003 in case you're an archaeologist reading this 500 years from now).

The barbecue was hosted by a local band that (if you're from here) we know as The Never. (Although if you were at this particular barbecue, you'd have still been getting used to not calling them The B-Sides.)

The second shot was one of an experimental series that involved very long exposures, fast film (yes, film), a dark room and a laser pointer. And for this shot, an ordinary incandescent light bulb. I noticed that the coating on the inside of the bulb refracted the light from the laser and made the whole thing glow. So I shot a few frames of it. The finished shots were severely underexposed though and required quite a bit of adjustment afterward. An interesting experiment, if not quite the result I'd hoped for.

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