photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Two: Travel Incongruities > A face in the window, Bodie Historic Park, California, 2006
previous | next
21-OCT-2006

A face in the window, Bodie Historic Park, California, 2006

The rangers who work in the abandoned gold mining town of Bodie in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains bring a touch of warmth to this ghost town’s windswept streets by placing jack-o-lanterns in two of the windows of the Cain Residence, the most elegant of Bodie’s semi-preserved houses. It came as an incongruous shock to see Mr. Cain’s windows come to life again with these illuminated faces. I made this image at dusk, structuring it as a geometrical study, using diagonals, along with repeating horizontals and verticals, to animate this haunted ruin of a house with a touch of the incongruous.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50
1/50s f/3.6 at 44.2mm iso100 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time21-Oct-2006 18:01:44
MakePanasonic
ModelDMC-FZ50
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length44.2 mm
Exposure Time1/50 sec
Aperturef/3.6
ISO Equivalent100
Exposure Bias-0.66
White Balance
Metering Modemulti spot (3)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Programprogram (2)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Phil Douglis26-Jan-2007 00:12
It is always a pleasure to share insights with you in the field, Iris. We did it in the Mohave, in the Sierra, and will do it again soon in Death Valley. Looking forward to it.
Iris Maybloom (irislm)26-Jan-2007 00:01
Phil, thanks for sharing your composition with me. In your image, the old weathered wood, the geometrics, and the balance of blues combine to create an eerie environment for a very eerie looking "vision" in the window.
Phil Douglis11-Nov-2006 00:41
Thanks, Ade. One does not generally knock on the door of houses in a ghost town. I would be rather disturbed is someone was to answer my knock.
Guest 10-Nov-2006 19:40
If only u could of knocked the door and asked them to move the ppumpkin a tad to the left:-) this is wonderful. Love the focus textures and contrast.
Phil Douglis02-Nov-2006 17:09
Thanks, Jude for noting the composition and the expression provided by the weathered wood. This is more than a picture of jack O' lantern - it is a haunted atmosphere, structured geometrically, and brought to life through its incongruity, colors, and textures.
Jude Marion02-Nov-2006 13:29
The first thing we see is the carved pumpkin, but then the wonderfully balanced composition leaps out along with the play of lines - all those horizontals and verticals slashed by the diagonals. The unpainted, weathered wood of this older building is brought to life with the jack 0' lantern ... wonderful incongruity (And just a little spooooookey! ;) )
Phil Douglis01-Nov-2006 18:42
Thanks, Jenene -- I thought this image would pay suitable homage to yesterday's holiday. As for fire, the risk is always there. (Bodie lost 90 per cent of its houses to fire in 1932.) This is the only house in Bodie that seemed to have pumpkins in the windows, so the Rangers are able to keep a watchful eye on them.
JSWaters01-Nov-2006 17:38
Perfect Halloween image. A lighted Jack-O-Lantern in the window of an abandoned house in a ghost town. (I would think they'd be afraid of fire danger!)
Jenene
Phil Douglis01-Nov-2006 01:27
Thanks, Sue. Maybe I should have put this image in my "Atmosphere and Mood" gallery?
Sue Roberts01-Nov-2006 01:24
evocative photo....very moody
Phil Douglis31-Oct-2006 23:40
Thanks Christine and Ana --- it is no accident that this image is just in time for Halloween. Even as I was making this picture, I was saying to myself "here's a shot I'll post on Halloween itself." When I posted all of my other new pictures last week, I held this one out, waiting until today. Glad you both enjoyed the colors, textures and, I hope, the incongruity of that face looking at us from a house in a ghost town.
Ana Carloto O'Shea31-Oct-2006 23:36
And it works in a very interesting way... The old wood is rich in textures and character and the lantern there with that big smile brings life into the composition.
Just like Christine said: Just in time for Halloween...
Christine P. Newman31-Oct-2006 22:51
Just on time for Halloween, Phil. I was struck by the colours, the combination of blue and brown.
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment