Photographer's Note
We got up extra early yesterday in order to check out a bakery about 50 miles from our house in Edwardsville, Illinois. Yeah, I know, we are nuts, but my wife had been wanting to try one of the cinnamon rolls they make for a long time, and I wanted to try out my freshly cleaned and dusted sensor, so with a shared sense of adventure we headed over there to experience the coffee and rolls. We took the super highways there, but I stayed on small, back roads on the way home.
I'm convinced that one could make a living just driving the back roads of Southern Illinois and shooting the interesting scenes along the way. I have to take a couple days to do a travelogue this summer.
Southern Illinois is one of America's best kept secrets - it's home to some of the most honest and hard working people who are incredibly proud of their heritage, farms, stores, towns and (for the most part) show them off like you wouldn't believe. I heard Sir Paul McCartney spent a couple days on old Route 66 in Illinois last summer and that he had a grand time. The key to this is that Paul was by himself, driving his own car. He felt safe enough to actually get out and meet people in this part of the country. I don't know if anyone else thinks that's special, but I sure do. Especially after growing up with the Beatles and seeing movies like Help! and A Hard Day's Night. Could you imagine all those babes chasing Paul nowadays? It's almost comical to envision Paul McCartney running through the streets of Edwardsville, or Benld, or Normal, Illinois being chased by 60 year old women! I imagine he'd have a few younger ones after him too, wondering what all the ruckus is about, but it's still funny to consider.
Dang, there I go again, expounding totally off topic. Sorry, again, to those of you waiting for me to get to the freakin' point here...
This old, boarded up brick house was actually about three blocks from the bakery, right in the middle of a neighborhood of regular, well kept homes. From the looks of things, it appears to have been boarded up for some time. You see stuff like this in Southern Illinois, sometimes right on main street. This is an incongruousness that is somehow not out of the ordinary and perhaps even expected when traveling through these towns.
I thought the weathered green paint on the boards was a great contrast to the weathered old brick. Note there is no front stoop, either, no stairs to get to the front door. I had to move a large fallen tree branch out of the way to get this shot. The surrounding homes were very nice, with well kept yards. I guess I could have shown that contrast, too, but only just now considered it.
Well, I got some interesting stuff yesterday. I'll be posting some more this week, after Blue Monday. I don't have too many more decent shots of the Blues, so that can't last a lot longer, either, unless I meet some more old bluesmen...
Have a great Sunday and I'll see you tomorrow!
mikeyeats, KLB, baba_flies, phwall, Waylim has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
mikeyeats
(136) 2009-03-08 8:07
Reed,
Good story, kept me going for a fair bit of sunday afternoon, the picture is also a cracker, good colours and visual texture.
All the best
Mike
KLB
(23723) 2009-03-08 8:20
Hello Reed
You've done a very effective framing to bring the graphism of these windows and door out. It's perfectly presented, nothing too much, nothing is missing.
The contrast between the green elements and the red bricks are very interesting to give a strong impact since the thumbnail, and you've done a great work to enhance the textures of the wall and of the worn wooden shutters.
Very well seen.
Regards
Karine
baba_flies
(8829) 2009-03-08 9:13
Hello Reed! Oh I do the same, I easly drive one hour or more to get the cheese I want or a bread that I have in mind :))) Very nice detail from this house, I guess it can tell stories and you wonder who once lived here. This seems like a lovely house to live in and maybe one day life comes back and people open the shutters again. The green paint is indeed an eye catcher, it makes a wonderful contrast. Nice framing too, you did a great job. Very very good! I am looking forward seeing more and what other street you found for us. You too, have a wonderful Sunday ... Barbara.
phwall
(6787) 2009-03-09 2:20
Hi Reed,
Wonderful textures and detail in this shot. Flat light but I'm sure the no contrast look adds to the image.
Excellent definition, you can even see the paint peeling off the shutters.
I'd go fifty miles for a beer but..... a loaf of bread, now that's stretching it.
Cheers
Peter
delpeoples
(60342) 2009-03-09 4:48
Hi Reed, this shot's very different from your usual (have to say I'm disappointed no catchy dirtbag titles :)). The clarity and saturation are excellent. I love green against the earth colours. It's very Karine-esque and Zeynapesque. Great job, Lisa.
cdmonson
(5304) 2009-03-09 16:52
Hi Reed:
Love it! This is a great shot of one of my favorite subjects--old buildings. You couldn't have composed it much better, and the green door/shutters are a perfect complement to the red brick. Great job.
Clark
Waylim
(25436) 2009-03-09 20:09
As I was reading your lengthy note, I didn't know you actually had a point to make. ;) Kidding aside, as you said the weathered green paint on the boards is a great contrast to the weathered old bricks, I would like those old brick for my fireplace. I actually did buy some used brick, immetation of it anyway for my fireplace, I like the weathered look. It give me a sence of nolstagic and rustic charm. This is perhaps one of you most artistic POV and composition. Love it. Thanks, Hope you found the cinnamon rolls at last to make one lucky lady very happy.
Way
Loucoz
(592) 2009-03-14 4:45
Hi Reed,
i like this strong atmosphere, good texture of the wall and nice colours, good framing too, very well seen
regards
Louis
dcawker
(5717) 2009-03-14 16:05
Excellent graphical composition here.. I like your images a lot too! Regards, Doug
marietom
(34611) 2009-03-16 14:35
hello Reed,
de superbes matières, textures, et couleurs. J'aime ce genre d'image !
Bonne soirée
Marie
trewheeler
(1971) 2009-03-26 6:34
A good study in geometry here Reed. The saturated colours are complimentary and augment the rich textures of the brick and wood. Good take, TW
jimmyjimmy
(6164) 2009-05-31 18:25
Hello Reed
I was looking thru your images when I came across this one. Awesome contrast between the brick and green. Just graeat Image. Excellent POV.
Regards
Jimmy
Photo Information
-
Copyright: Reed Radcliffe (rlrad)
(1845)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2009-03-07
- Categories: Daily Life, Architecture, Ruins
- Camera: Nikon D300, Nikkor AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
- Exposure: f/4.5, 1/160 seconds
- More Photo Info: view
- Map: view
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Theme(s): Doors Windows & Gates [view contributor(s)]
- Date Submitted: 2009-03-08 8:04
Discussions
- To mikeyeats: Greetings Mike! (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-08 08:16 - To KLB: Bonsoir Karine, (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-08 08:25 - To gmg: Hi Giuseppe! (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-08 11:21 - To baba_flies: Sunday :-D (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-08 11:25 - To phwall: Only 50? (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-09 05:33 - To delpeoples: Usual??? (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-09 11:55 - To cdmonson: Mornin' Clark! (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-10 08:34 - To Waylim: Greetings Way - (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-10 08:41 - To Loucoz: Hi Louis, (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-14 11:53 - To dcawker: Doug - (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-15 02:05 - To marietom: Bonsoir Marie! (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-16 04:01 - To trewheeler: Geometry - (1)
by rlrad, last updated 2009-03-27 02:29