There is something about night-photography from a moving car that feels incredibly decadent to me. Probably the simple fact that it was utterly impossible to do, hand-held (certainly with cheap gear), only a few years ago. But motion around a subject can impart a curious dimensional effect, and the colours that come out at night are quite unique in saturation and interest. Though blurry, painterly effects often emerge. These photos were all taken on the way home from our very cool Hamilton steam-expedition, a few weeks ago (thanks again, Neville!). ;o)
Night watch (Top photo)
I hope ships never stop seeming romantic to me. A whole branch of technology with it's own aesthetic and ultra-deep history. The idea of walking the deck at night adds to that a level of noir-mystery - dramatizing the splendid naval geometry, ever-surrounding. And of course - the whole wide world-by-sea can turn about the prow. For uncounted centuries, not just trade arrived, but magic, too!
Foul Behemoth
I meant what I said in my post about taking a positive eco-approach, but there's also still a lot of work to do when it comes to really appreciating our costs to the world. Part of the work is to re-enchant nature, and another part is to remember to actually feel how anti-nature our modern infrastructure can be, and use that disgust to try to find ways to invoke much less of it, over time.
Mind you, I am serious about not being a tribalist - and so, also embracing contradictory details (especially weird ones), so I am bound to note that the huge undeveloped tract of land across from this venerable and noxious refinery was inhabited, until quite recently, by a large population of wild (and yet urban) reindeer!
Moved for their own safety, recently (lot of high-speed traffic, and new development coming), but it's amazing the pocket-habitats, nature will find. (Reminds me of the smart-ass escape-artist mink, who was making a home in a disused sailboat in the local marina - talk about gaming the system!).
Plant not-plant
Why exactly do we call them 'plants' anyhow? Is there anything less plant-friendly or plant-oriented than a cement-manufacturing plant?
I used to have the idea that the stuff, for all it's many obnoxious misuses, had some ecological virtue relative to quarrying stone and clay brick manufacture - but learning of the extreme heat-inputs involved (especially for the much-overused portland variety) and also about beach-sand loss in poor areas around the world has changed my mind on this question greatly.
It is still uniquely useful stuff where it's absolutely needed (Portland, for sure) but we really have to start acting like we care about how many wasted ergs we're consuming (they are not nearly so friendly, when reflected back at us, as extreme-weather events). And sand, my friends - is LAND!
Sparkle-line
Curious how nice a simple line of gems can be, set against black velvet. Not a new compositional discovery, of course - but I thought I ought to leave you with a pretty one. ;o)
Technically speaking - not only is yellow-sodium road lighting far more economical than the systems it replaces, it is also a lot easier on the eyes, spectrally.
Less like a warden's klieg-light, and more like a torch to guide you home safe! (And do get home safe, my friends - wherever you may travel).
¯\_(ツ)_/¯