Bear with me…
February 23, 2008
For the casual visitor to my Flickr photostream it may appear that I take an inordinately large number of pics inside Bedford’s “The Bear” pub. And they could therefore be excused for thinking that I spend a lot of my time in a rather inebriated condition.
Now I’ll readily confess that I’m a tad partial to the odd glass of whisky (or, even better, the Irish whiskey) here and there (and here, and here, and here) but that is not actually the real reason that the Bear’s becoming one of the most photographed pubs in the town.
The reality is that I have connections with that establishment (and the staff and management thereof) going back quite a few years… more than I care to think about in fact.
Consequently whenever I’m in town (usually about once a week) I tend to end up there for my lunch and liquid refreshment (no, not alcohol but coffee… of which I consume prodigious quantities).
And it just so happens that the bar manager there is a close friend of long standing; and that over the past couple of years or so we’ve both, coincidentally, developed an active interest in photography.
Also coincidentally, The Bear just happens to lend itself to photographic experimentation by virtue of the fact that the lighting in there is really unusual and provides an exciting challenge, at least for novices like us. And of course there’s lots of interesting objects to play around with.
Consequently, between the two of us we’re beginning to amass a rather large collection of licensed premises pics. Unfortunately, most of them will eventually end up in the Recycle Bin… one of the most prevalent “issues” with the unique lighting conditions therein is that so many of our pics end up really “noisy”.
(As an aside, I’m gradually beginning to suspect that noise is not as much of a detriment to a photograph as I’d been led to believe. Yes, on some shots its clearly unacceptable but, ever so slowly, I seem to be developing the confidence to assert “I don’t mind about what’s normally regarded as acceptable. I like this!” For it seems to me that some shots are actually enhanced by a bit of noise. And removing or minimising it can have an adverse impact on the overall visual impression.)
Another of the issues that afflicts us is blur due to camera shake caused by a combination of the odd lighting and the impracticality of using a tripod in there… whilst we try to find things to rest the cameras on that’s not viable for many of the shots we want to take.
Anyway, from all the shots of The Bear we’ve taken over the past months we’ve still managed to salvage a reasonable number. And of the shots I’ve taken (as distinct from those by my mate) there are just a few that I really like.
Now the curious thing is, I don’t actually know why I like them. To my eye they all seem to share something in common (aside from being shot in the Bear) but I can’t really determine what.
I didn’t take any of them to achieve a particular effect, or visual “style”. Its just the way they turned out.
If anyone has any thoughts on it feedback would be appreciated.
February 24, 2008 at 2:27 36
I wish I had a suggestion for your camera shake issue. Maybe your monopod could help? If nothing else it might remove shake in the vertical axis.
Regarding why you like the pictures…..two things leap out to me about them. Well, three actually.
1) Warmth. They ‘feel’ warm to me. Warm colors. A comfortable sensation. I can’t quite explain it, but ‘warm’ is the first word that comes to mind.
2) Linear. Or maybe symmetry. Or maybe symmetrically linear. Notice how all the pictures have strong vertical lines? Window panes in the first. Door, windows and other vertical elements in the second. The third has all those chair and stool legs as well as chair back uprights. And the final picture, again with the chairs and the lines created by the wood floor. Maybe you are attracted to this sort of symmetry?
3) The ‘feel’ lonely. You see no one in any of the pictures. Hell, you don’t even see anything that may belong to someone. Perhaps it is a reflection of some sort of internal struggle.
February 24, 2008 at 8:42 12
Wow, I’m impressed!
The term “idiot” isn’t in this blog’s name for nothing y’know. I can’t believe (or rather, I can unfortunately) how stupid I’ve been not to have thought of using the monopod during my Bear sessions. After all, I’ve been promising myself for weeks now that I really should get a bit more acquainted with the ‘pod (only used it a coupla times since I first got it).
Anyway, getting on to your impressions…
That “warmth” one is completely unexpected. With the possible exception of pic 3 (bottom left) - and then only when I look at it closely - its not a quality I would have associated with any of them. In fact, almost the reverse. Hmm, strange.
Symmetrical linearity (lovely phrase). D’you know, I’d not consciously noticed that, but now you’ve pointed it out I can see exactly what you mean. I’m gonna be looking at all the other pics I’ve taken with a new eye from hereon. Its also made me start wondering what this may subliminally suggest to me. Why should I find a resonance with it. Interesting.
Number three. This is just too damn perceptive for me to want to even comment on it at the mo’. Scary.
That’s superb feedback, an’ I really appreciate it. Thanks.
February 25, 2008 at 1:30 42
Hey, to be frank, I have no idea how much the monopod will help, but at least it should to some degree. And I only remember your monopod because I went back the other day and read all of your WordPress blogs. (which is also from where the idea of loneliness came - hope that wasn’t too personal, but since you mentioned it previously….)
Well, these are simply my opinions and perceptions. One man’s ‘warm’ is another man’s ‘tepid’….or something like that.
You also take plenty of pictures of buildings, which also exhibit strong symmetry, especially in the vertical. Of course landscapes are the exception to this rule, but remove landscapes and you seem, to me, to enjoy verticality (my new made up word for the day) in your photography.
As I’ve said before, I’m just here to help
February 26, 2008 at 20:34 24
They all have a crosslit (is that a word?) feel — like my favorite portrait of my friend Michael (sixth picture down on this page).
The color of the light reminds me of the abandoned cafe picture on this page, too. (Third shot down.)
I think it’s the quality/tone of the light that gives them all a similar feel.
February 27, 2008 at 1:14 48
Hi redforkhippie. Yeah, I see exactly what you mean. Looking at them closely yet again (for the umpteenth time, yet I like them so much I never get bored of this) it seems that once more the third one (bottom left) doesn’t precisely fit, yet the other three (to my mind now) definitely seem to share a similar quality of light. Another thing that strikes me is that although they’re all relatively dark, they seem to me to be quite “clean” in some strange sort of way (can’t think of a better word to describe it).
Thanks.
February 28, 2008 at 0:25 35
I love to shoot in settings where light is coming from two directions at once — like from the back and from the side — because it brings out things you wouldn’t otherwise notice.
One of my favorite shots I’ve taken, just for the sheer grace of the light, is the second one from the bottom on the first link I posted above. It’s not exactly crosslit, but the walls are so light that the light coming in the prison window is reflected off the wall beside it, giving a similar effect.
February 28, 2008 at 6:46 06
Yes, you’re absolutely right. And its a superb shot.