Saturday, July 13, 2013

Sepia Saturday 185 : A Static Print That Strains To Move


Looking through my collection of old photographs for something to fit in with this weeks' Sepia Saturday theme of rain, puddles, umbrellas and all things wet, I quickly realised that photographers avoid the rain like ducks avoid orange sauce. The problem isn't so much that dull scenes make dull photographs, it is that camera equipment isn't all that fond of rain. At best you would get raindrops blurring your lens, at worst you would get moisture in your mechanisms : when the rain clouds burst, most photographers would duck into their darkrooms.

I spent some time searching through my negative files looking for things like puddle shots or umbrella patterns without too much success. But I did come across this rather pleasant photograph I took thirty or forty years ago. It is not raining, nor is there an umbrella in site : but there is a bit of water in the bottom left of the photograph. I can't really remember taking the photograph, but clearly it was on the Oxford Canal and I think that is my mate Des on the right of the photograph. There is a lovely feeling of movement in the shot : a static print that strains to move.


To see how other bloggers responded to the rain, dash on over to the Sepia Saturday Blog and follow the links.

19 comments:

  1. I just cannot locate my copy of Wind in the Willows this moment, to check, but isn't this where Mr. Toad wrecked the car he "borrowed" and is trying to elude the police.

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  2. Enjoyed your quip "I quickly realised that photographers avoid the rain like ducks avoid orange sauce" and pleased you did come up with a water based photo.

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  3. My curiosity says , "What in the world are they doing." But then having never seen a canal how would I know. I'm guessing they are moving through a narrow canal.

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  4. We have a telescoping pole to prevent too much banging into the dock. Your friends seem likewise determined to stay off that wall. Is that a boat up ahead? What am I looking at?

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  5. Yes, you actually did have a tiny bit of water in your photo. And that being England, I'll bet some rain was just around the corner.
    Nancy

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  6. It's an excellent shot. Having done a bit of manoeuvring of narrow boats through tight spaces, I know exactly what it's about. Actually, the marigolds are drooping a little, so perhaps it hasn't rained for a while.

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  7. As you say, a photo that wants to move, or shove the cameraman overboard! I've done two narrow boat adventures, one in Wales and the other in Scotland, and found it to be the most civilized of recreation vehicles, despite the grunting and shouting needed to grapple with locks and turning basins. I remember that umbrellas and rain gear were shipboard necessities too.

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  8. It is a great shot showing frozen movement and very crisp for so long ago. I too found it hard to find any old rain shots for the same reason.

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  9. Do you know what, Alan? It's all I can do, not to offer an extra hand with that barge pole!

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  10. At first I thought the two guys were trying to uproot a ball of grass or something until I realized it's a man's head!

    Hazel

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  11. Anonymous6:08 PM

    A great shot, althoughI need a bit of explanation, too. Others have offered some explanation, but why the potted flowers?

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  12. This would make a wonderful canal-side sculpture..... you could be collaborating with your brother!

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  13. Jill beat me to it. When I saw your link on FB I thought it WAS one of Roger's sculptures!

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  14. Oh Alan, I just find out from reading your comment at Ladies of the Grove that you were recently in my neck of the woods. I wish I'd known. I could have shown you about and have explained how incredibly rare that rain was that you experienced. Our lack of rain season usually starts at the end of April or early May and we go until October without a drop. So what you experienced did have all of us freaking out. Should that have happened in August or September you would have seen a lot of teeth gnashing as the grape growers tried to figure out how to keep the crops from getting mildew.

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  15. Now that is something I haven't tried; but I enjoyed looking at how others did it - struggle or not.

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  16. Certainly Des, but who else? By a strange coincidence we were in this very spot yesterday. If I could turn off predictive text I could tell you where it is, but I can't. Can't upload the photo I took either. I'll try again tomorrow.

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  17. Oh horror!!
    I see SOCKS and sandals!!!
    :D~
    HUGZ

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  18. I never did understand what is wrong with socks+sandals :)(although I do tend to put them on the wrong way 'round!).a lovely photo Alan.Sorta Muscular Nick Drake ?

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