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Chuck Inglefield | all galleries >> Pre 2/14/2007 Archive >> Other Stuff That Seemed Important at the Time >> urban melancholy project leftovers > conditioned
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conditioned

This image has evoked strong emotions of those who have commented on it to me. It also has some mood due it's subdued processing and detached/voyeuristic perspective. But, I think this is a stronger example of just evoking emotion with subject matter. The mood would be stronger if this were part of a series of images about a particular subject.


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Guest 24-Jan-2006 15:46
Just coming back to this now I've seen more and more of the project develop... In light of recent pics I now agree it does unbalance the understated tones of melancholy. Is still an awesome capture - there's no disputing that.
Guest 08-Jan-2006 12:52
Just saw this for the first time and very interesting to read all the commentary below. It's a great pic and I do not think it's too strong for the project. I also opt for a title containing the word "indifference" by the way as like some others, my mind was racing all over the place until I read the story. Wondering how many more amazing pictures you have in your collection.
Chuck Inglefield21-Dec-2005 19:31
Rene, by your comments and others, I guess I didn't realize how disturbing this image could be.


And Jeff, funny you should mention that title, as I had originally had this titled "conscious indifference" but decided to change it so as to leave the interpretation more open ended for the viewer
Rene Hales21-Dec-2005 19:18
Powerful, disturbing and thought provoking. Your description in some ways reminds me of the movie "Brazil" where customers keep right on eating when the restaurant is hit by a terrorist bomb. Great technique with the processing.--Rene
Guest 21-Dec-2005 19:16
Thanks for posting the explanation, Chuck. My sick mind went immediately to an episode of CSI! "Indifferent" may be another title. Well seen! This fits well into your theme, no?
Chuck Inglefield21-Dec-2005 14:03
The story behind this image...

This was taken in Gdansk, Poland in the summer of 1994. Alcoholism was and probably still is a problem and it was not too uncommon to stumble upon a scene like this. The man laying down is just passed out drunk, and the man walking by is typical of the conditioning (hence the title) you get when seeing this on a somewhat regular basis.

The rest of the elements just seem to present themselves as part of the sometimes bleak, but often beautiful Polish landscape. This is obviously one of the bleak areas.

I originally thought that this would be a good fit for the project, but realized as soon as I posted it that it was much too strong from a photojournalism standpoint to fit the subdued mood of the other images.
Ray Rebortira21-Dec-2005 05:15
The ambiguity magnifies the dread --- is this a crime scene or a morbid sex game, a moment of rescue or an instance of apathy? Using the faded colours of old detective magazines is a brilliant stroke.
Guest 20-Dec-2005 23:23
This is pretty disturbing - is that a person or an animal?! Touches of the good Samaritan story here
Guest 20-Dec-2005 22:42
!!!!! Absurd....
Craig Persel20-Dec-2005 22:34
Am I actually seeing what I think I'm seeing? That is what makes a great image. Mystery and method. Great stuff.
Guest 20-Dec-2005 15:35
The last man on earth barely notices the body of the second to last man on earth lying in a field next to the abandoned and useless highway to nowhere. Perturbing.