I’ve recently taken to carrying my Canon Elph around during some of my late night prowling. Among other things, I’m fascinated by the interesting results you can achieve with a simple digital camera in the absence of light and minus the flash. Actually, while I may successfully frame a shot in almost complete darkness, it isn’t until I get home and load the photos on my computer that I discover many of the interesting details. In fact, I’m often delighted and surprised by the results, revealing scenes that my naked eye failed to see. Sometimes the effects are ghostly and othertimes quite erotic (at least to a queer eye.)
And then sometimes I find a very willing subject who is happy to be revealed in the full truth of light.
Anyhow, I’m a bit hung over at the moment so this week’s post is light on the writing. I hope the photos are sufficiently entertaining. In fact in the interests of balancing out the lack of prose, here’s one more photo of the hair of the dog that bit me. (An American expression having to do with hangover cures.)
Richard,
The black shadow areas you get in this kind of photography make the color quite different from your usual. You may well be going for that lurid effect, but I wonder what you think of these black and white versions:
Richard, I think these photographs are fantastic. The high-key colors and strong contrast perfectly illustrate the mood and atmosphere in a gay bar/club.
Often when I’ve been out (yeah, I occasionally go clubbin’) I can’t help be be enthralled by the beauty of lights and shadows, bodies shiny with sweat, and the bold flashing colors. Maybe its the effect of the alcohol, but I’ve often found that the long exposures and the inability to focus correctly in situations like that are perfect for capturing the essence of the place.
The first picture reminds me of Erice, Sicily of all places. During my morning jogs, I ran by a group of men having their coffee outside a cafe. Just some guys having fun. Exclusive male-clubbiness.
Chantal,
It sounds as though you have some interesting night pictures as well. Your description makes me curious.
Richard,
Fascinating images. The last two serve to emphasize the “other-wordly” character of the darkness photos. I agree with Chantal, the “lurid” lighting is an important part of the mood. Steve’s black and white versions, in particular the second, have something to them, but the queer effect is much lessened.
I find the black & white versions to have a more objective and distant journalistic reporting quality than a mood quality. The colors in this case are very important in capturing the feeling of the experience.
The last photo made me shiver — and not in excitement, either.
Good weird stuff. I wonder if it hadn’t been entitled “Queer New York at Night” if the impact would have been different. I don’t know the answer; just wondering. Although with a couple of the photos, no title would have revealed much more….
You might be interested in the photographer Brassai; your photos (especially in black and white) reminded me of his work in Paris, the first of its type. “Starting his art career in 1930, Brassai took photographs of architecture, prostitutes, opium addicts, lovers (both homosexual and heterosexual), street hoodlums, and performers.” I haven’t found many good examples on the web, but the museum text quoted above accompanies a Girl Playing Snooker, and an example crowd scene is Gala Soiree at Maxim’s.
I like the fact that, in the last picture, the two men appear to be of the same age – young.
This picture reminds me of historical settings, two kids in Rome or Athens who are having fun.
This would have been a better example of lush black and white photography in this vein.
Steve,
That is indeed a lovely photo, but it lacks the immediacy and grittiness of Richards night picture’s. There is a thematic but not stylistic relationship. I think you are going to have to take a break from rocks and cars and do a bit of clubbing yourself with your black and white digital camera, bringing the dark room back into photography . . .
Agreed, Richard’s color works best for his purpose. It’s quite likely that earlier photographers like Brassai would also have chosen color if they’d had the option. If that had happened, I wonder if black and white would now look edgier, more gritty and immediate?
I don’t think that black and white has any lack of being immediate. It is simply at a bit of a disadvantage when a major theme of the work is color. The digital process enhances the color here I suspect, which could also be done with watercolors on black and white photos.
Also, if Richard were to select the images through black/white viewing, he probably would come up with some that are perfect for that. That might be an interesting exercise, Richard.
I’ll consider that an assignment from my editor.