Friday, September 16, 2011

MUSINGS AT A TRAIN STATION


On an overcast Sunday morning several weeks ago, I found myself in the Carlisle, UK railway station, with two hours to spare before the arrival of the train that would take me to London.  Having just completed my walk of the Hadrian's Wall path, I was still hungry for the incomparable beauty of the English countryside.  Inside the terminal, however, everything appeared to be hard-edged, gray, and lifeless.  The details of individual features seemed to be lost in the sheer vastness of the place.



While these were my initial impressions, I abandoned them immediately because I have learned through the years that we limit our perspective when we confine ourselves to beauty that is obvious.  Whatever the circumstances, there is always another kind of beauty that is calling us.  Its a shy beauty, one that hides from plain sight, one that needs to be seduced.  This is the beauty that attracts painters and photographers.  Like snake charmers, we want to coax beauty out of the shadows, make it visible, let it speak — perhaps even sing — in its own inimitable voice.

Thus motivated, I set out to see if I could find anything of visual interest in the train terminal.  My goal was to find compositions in which something interesting was happening in the dance of light and line, color and texture, shape and shadow. Camera in hand, I simply asked the terminal to speak to me, either loudly or in whispers.



My first shot was beneath the crosswalk that towered above the tracks.  I loved the geometrical aspects of this view, the contrast between the intense colors and the neutral stone walls, and the continuity of the blues from the crosswalk's ceiling to the doors and stair rails.



After walking to the other side of the tracks, I took this shot because I loved the juxtaposition of colors and lines — the red bench in contrast with the backdrop of greens (placing complementary colors next to one another always creates intensity) and the diagonal lines of the ramp rail in contrast with the vertical and horizontal lines that otherwise dominate the composition.



This composition appealed to me for several reasons.  First, it has two situations (luggage carts and the row of columns on stairs) in which there are repetitions of form, which always help to establish unity in any composition.  Second, the intensity of the colors in the door and the stairs offers an interesting contrast with the neutral grays of the remainder of the composition.



The reflections in this window to a small cafe also caught my interest.  They seem to create a triptych, with the lower third being somewhat whimsical, the middle third revealing an mysterious interior, and the top third revealing the complex geometrical lines of the terminal roof.



Turning back toward the tracks and looking upward, I found myself entertained by the  abstract designs of the steel and glass work in the train station's roof.






I found the above composition to be interesting because it was asymmetrical but balanced, and the three primary colors screamed with intensity against the background of the neutral walls and walkway.  The question that remained, however, was whether the photo would be improved by eliminating the yellow cone and thereby simplifying the composition.  That photo is below, and I think I like it a little better.  There is something to be said, however, for finding three, intense primary colors against a neutral background.



Finally, before boarding my train, I took this little abstract (below) from the face of some kind of industrial storage locker.  I liked the texture, the dominance of the turquoise blue, and the radiance that is often exuded from things that have been in use for a long time.



That's it.  Nothing more than a few musings about photography — a passion of mine — as I remember waiting in the Carlisle railway station for my train to London.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

40 comments:

  1. This is a fantastic post. I've stood in that same train station myself and felt oppressed by the ugliness, which is all I was able to see but you managed to capture beauty there to share with all of us. I especially love the photo of the red benches with the painted Victorian ramp behind. Next time I find myself somewhere I perceive as bereft of beauty I am going to remember this and try what you've done here.

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  2. An interesting set of high-quality images. I would guess that your reaction to the immediate environment was more acute because it offered such a contrast to the Wall-country that you'd just left. I remember returning from the bleak mountain landscapes of the Cairngorms and then wildly photographing every tree, bush and flower I could find.

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  3. Thanks for your comments, JOHN. Yes, a change of environment — in this case from countryside to urban architecture — always heightens one's sensitivity to the present moment. Just as you were attracted more to the trees, bushes, and flowers after returning from the bleak landscapes of the Cairngorms, I suspect that those bleak landscapes would be more attractive if you have just returned from wildflower-studded woodlands.

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  4. These are all wonderful! I almost prefer this kind of photography, the industrial in the everyday, the lines and juxtapositions. I think my favorite is the one with the luggage carts. They really add to the narrative. The yellow cone vs. no cone: they each make an interesting composition. Without, it's much calmer, of course, but the color intensity of the yellow, the cone itself and what it adds, appeals to me very much. I enjoyed this so much. What a great photo opp. You are so right. We just need to ask for our eyes to open a bit more and be ready. You certainly found some great things in this station.

    Oh, and that triptych.... very nice.

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  5. Thanks so much for your lovely comments, TERESA. I, too, like this kind of photography, the search for beauty in everyday scenes and everyday things that usually do not pass for beauty. I'm inclined to think that almost anything can be beautiful if photographed in the right light with good composition. And, yes, it's always about keeping our eyes open to unexpected possibilities.

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  6. Thanks for your generous comments, FIREWEED. I'm so glad that you like these little pockets of beauty that I found in a place that was otherwise quite austere. I heartily recommend that you take your own camera and explore the next time you are in a similar situation. If nothing else, you will see things a little differently. Have a great weekend!

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  7. George, I can see from the way you have found beauty in the mundane that you are a glass half full kind of person - these are excellent photographs. I am glad you were not tempted to take a photograph of one of those British Rail Sarnies advertised on the window. That would for sure have lowered the tone.

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  8. Thanks for the nice comments, PAT. To be quite honest, I would not recognize a British Rail Sarnie if I saw one. Maybe this is a case where ignorance is, indeed, bliss.

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  9. Hi George, I've been commenting on your walk but don't see that they're appearing. Hope this one makes it to you! (I loved the Firth shot with the blue boat and also the stonework featured on the last post.) I like when you walk and photograph architectural and industrial landscapes. I remember that you did it at Inner Harbor one time. The energy in these photos amazes me. You have a keen eye for angle, depth, and contrast. I really like the red bench and ramp photo and the reflection in the window. At first I thought the last "abstract" was one of your paintings because of the use of blue - I don't think most people would "see" that composition the way you have. I think it's because you paint and your photography is an extension of that art. Great trip, George - I've enjoyed going with you on the walk.

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  10. Thanks for your lovely comments, BARB, and I'm sorry if some of your comments have not appeared. According to my check, I received comments from you on the first and second Hadrian's Wall postings, and both your comments and my responses appear on those pages. Also, I have just discovered that I received a comment from you on the fourth posting (The Final Two Days). Unfortunately, it got lost in my list of incoming emails and I missed it. Sorry, but I have now posted it, as well as a response. I have not, however, received any comments from you on the third posting (Days 4 and 5)

    In any event, I always appreciate your comments and apologize for my oversight with regard to the my last posting on the wall. Your comments are always welcomed and enjoyed.

    So glad you enjoyed the walk with me, and I'm delighted you like these photos. I'm equally entertained by the photos on your site. The photos you have currently posted are just sensational. They made me want to board a plane and fly out there to do a bit of hiking.

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  11. George: You DID coax magic from the shadows! Love these. Now, what I really want to know is have you already created paintings that foreshadowed these shots? Remember???

    I was 'loitering' around a local commuter train station last weekend (while on a walk with my DH) and took a similar, angular shot of the little station while standing under the pedestrian overpass.

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  12. Thanks, BONNIE, for your kind comments. Glad you liked the photos.

    I assume that your question has to do with Photo Art Friday, the program you have started on your Pixel Dust blog. I looked at that initially, Bonnie, but I'm not quite sure what one should do to participate. I assumed that this was only for photographers who are working with their images creatively through Photoshop. Since I have not mastered Photoshop's creative tools, I didn't see any way for me to participate. Am I missing something here?

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  13. I’ve got my coffee in hand, and my attention riveted.

    I couldn’t be more delighted than by your desire to set aside an initial impression that all was dull and lifeless in that station. Funny, looking at your photos, I wonder how you could have felt that? But you have done the work for us, composing art and beauty that moves me.

    Turquoise is George’s signature color. How nice that the Carlisle station provided you that color inspiration. It’s wonderful to imagine some souls creating these reds and turquoises to punctuate the scene, highlighting the lovely architectural elements. Each photo is wonderful, and I love your inspiring descriptions of what you saw, which also provide a sort of tutorial for me, opening my eyes to angles and possibilities. What would another photographer see and frame in this same scene? Or what would you have seen in another two hours? The possibilities are endless.

    I love #4, I mean the photo with the 4 in it. The way the turquoise structure at the top of the frame eases into black behind the graphic 4, then splays out into the turquoise doors and walkways is beautifully balanced. I’m simply captivated by each and every photo, and you know I love that last abstract.

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  14. Thanks, RUTH, for your very generous comments. My initial impression was driven by the broad expanse of cool, hard-edged grays that are seen in the second photo. The third photo (No. 4, which you like) was taken beneath the pedestrian bridge that can be seen in the top right corner of the second photo, but, as you can see, I could not find what I was looking for until I stood under the bridge, narrowed my focus, and looked at things from a different angle.

    Speaking of the third photo (No. 4, as you say), look to the left and the right of the bottom of the photo and you will see where I photographed the fourth and fifth photos, respectively. These details were lost in the composition of the third photo, but when I crossed the other side of the tracks and moved in closer, I discovered that the red bench area and the stairs/baggage cart area presented unique possibilities for visual exploration.

    Turquoise as my signature color? I've never thought about that, but perhaps you're close to the mark. I might have said blue, but turquoise, of course, is a kind of blue. Blue skies and blue water symbolize freedom for me, and I've even been known to get the blues when that freedom is compromised.

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  15. Hey George! No, I was not referring to Photo Art Friday. I was remembering a post of yours that I found amazing in so many ways. It contained photographs of buildings and water (if I recall correctly) by a waterfront. After taking the photographs, you began to notice how some of them were SO similar to already existing paintings of yours. You had many of those painting posted on your sidebar. I recall finding an uncanny resemblance between another of the current photos, and one of the paintings from the past.

    I was struck by the improbability and synchronicity of it all - and was wondering if you have discovered any previous paintings that foreshadowed these photographs at the train station?

    Sorry to be so obtuse in my previous comment.

    P.S. Photographs SOOC that you consider to be a piece of photo art qualify for submission at PAF. They do not have to be edited in PS - which means you have many that you could submit, should you be interested.

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  16. Thanks for the clarification, BONNIE. You were not obtuse; I just misunderstood. Now that you mention it, I find it interesting to note that the reds, greens, and golds in the fourth photo (red bench and stair rail) are very similar to those of my painting, "Treelife," which currently situated adjacent to the photo.

    With your clarification, I would be interested in participating in PAF. Forgive my ignorance here, but could you please tell me what is meant by "photographs SOOC?"

    Have a great weekend.

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  17. Hi George: We are having the most glorious weather here in Montreal - blue skies, 70ish degrees, no humidity. So, yes, we are having a great weekend. Hope yours is the same.

    (SOOC = Straight Out Of Camera)

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  18. Thanks again, BONNIE. Glad you are having a lovely weekend, as are we, and I greatly appreciate your clarification of SOOC. I will be away for about ten days, but I will check out your Friday series once again when I return. Perhaps I can submit something.

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  19. I most certainly must remember to look around me without impatience the next time I find myself marooned in a railway station. What a fantastic series of pictures you have come up with. You have an excellent eye, George.

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  20. Thanks for you supportive comments, FRIKO. Sometimes I think that my searches for nice photos in places like train stations is a bit like the treasure hunts we embarked upon as kids. The fun lies in the uncertainty, coupled with the intriguing possibility that one might actually discover something of value. Yes, by all means, take your camera to the place you least suspect to find beauty, and then see if your patience and imagination can yield something of value to your eye.

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  21. Excellent pictures, George, and a nice way to kill time before a departure. I take it you were travelling alone? I've found a great advantage of solitary travel is the freedom to dawdle with camera without an annoyed partner voicing their, er, frustration...

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  22. Thanks for the nice comments, GOAT. Yes, I was traveling alone, and you're right; traveling alone does provide a great opportunity to experiment with the camera.

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  23. Great photos, George. Carlisle station is just "up the road" from here, but I can't say I've ever been there.

    As for finding beauty in such places, when I'm in cities I tell myself that we're animals - and so all the concrete and buildings around me should be as interesting and impressive as a termite mound. Sometimes it works!

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  24. That's it?
    You are marvellous!!!
    I find beauty in your words, your photography.
    You took a simple train station, and saw the hidden beauty in it all.
    Please write a book.
    I'll be first in line to buy it.
    Love,
    Anna
    x

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  25. Thanks, DOMINIC. Glad you liked the photos. I like your open-minded approach to experiencing your environment with preconceptions.

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  26. Thanks for your lovely comments, ANNA. I'm so delighted that you appreciated the hidden beauty I found in an otherwise gray train station. I've always toyed around with the idea of a book on my approach to photography. Who knows? With encouragement like yours, I may do it one of these days.

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  27. A lovely exercise in finding the striking within the scruffy and dull. Great selection.

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  28. Thanks for your generous comments, RACHEL! "Finding the striking within the scruffy and dull . . . " — that sounds like an excellent way to approach life in general.

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  29. Thanks, MARGARET. I'm delighted that these little photos have inspired you to take your camera out and search for beauty in unexpected places.

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  30. Fantastic pictures! Love the way colors and lines are played out. Very interesting to read your thoughts on them too!

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  31. Thanks for your generous comments, OMSTREIFER. I'm delighted that you dropped by and found something of interest. I also hope you will return.

    I've taken a quick look at your blog, "Sub Rosa," and like what I find there, especially the very creative and entertaining photos of how to have a midlife crisis. I'm also quite interested in the movie you recommend, "Le Havre," and plan to order it from Netflix.

    Thanks again, and I look forward to following your blog.

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  32. I confess that Carlisle station isn't a place I would choose to spend two hours but you made the best of what could have been a very boring time. There are stations which are really worth seeing though - St Pancras in London is wonderful, if you haven't been there and you get chance do try and see it.

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  33. Thanks, ROWAN. One does what one can to make a place interesting. I haven't seen St. Pancras, but will definitely go there on my next trip to London.

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  34. Wow--this is amazing.. how you first saw gray and drab and immense.. and then became very Zen-like- zooming in on each moment and each composition and finding the interest and beauty-- especially the last on of the up close textures.. wonderful images!

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  35. Thanks, DONNA, for the supportive comments. As you know so well, it's all about allowing the eye to see beyond what it "sees."

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  36. George, you are a snake charmer par excellence! Each image is a work of art - all beautifully composed, balanced in optical weight and in color. I like both photos, with or without the yellow cone. I slightly prefer the one with the yellow cone because it has an edgy urban feel and the yellow balanced out the large plain of turquoise.

    Speaking of turquoise, I believe it's George's signature accent color.

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  37. Hi, DUTCHBABY. Good to hear from you and thanks for the generous comments. It's always nice to hear a fellow photographer's perspective. I didn't know I had a signature color, but now that you're the second person to make that observation, I will have to look at that more seriously. I do like turquoise, the color of stones, water, magnificent birds, perhaps life itself.

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  38. Mine was not exactly a separate observation; I was merely narrowing Ruth's observation. You use turquoise like jewelry.

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  39. Hi George.. You have the eye and the ability to recognize the beauty of design and composition, wherever you turn your head, wherever you go... it is like taking a friend along... a trusted companion, who agrees with you or challenges you whichever is the need. It is a kind of freedom, wouldn't you say?
    Thank you for this Beautiful post.

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  40. Thanks,GWEN, for your lovely comments. Yes, there is, indeed, a freedom that comes with the camera. It always challenges me to distrust initial impressions, to understand that the eye can become hopelessly constricted by a conditioned mind. What we think we see is not always what is there. We must set aside our presumptions, move in closer, remain still, and allow the universe to speak to us in its own unique way. EVERYTHING HAS A VOICE. We need only listen.

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