Monday, June 2, 2008

Is He Dead? Get the Video Camera! PB#3

Many of you tell me you enjoy that my pictures have personal meaning. At first glance you might think these pictures have no story. When I started shooting, they in fact had nothing to say except, "I'm blue. Shoot me, shoot me." By the time I returned through my front door, I knew I had my post!

My quest for blue took me outside our front door. I began looking at our morning glories, in full bloom, but looking oh so purple instead of blue. So I proceeded. I intended on looking for other blue florals, but came across the small water cover in the street near the fire hydrant. I didn't know how exciting it would be but since it was blue, I figured I'd snap off a few.

Here it is from directly above. I liked the result but I also noticed the raised lettering and thought it would look good from down low.

So lying prone on my stomach, I shot away getting this image. I liked this even better.

I then decided to move to the center of the street and shoot the blue reflector used to indicate the location of the fire hydrant to firefighters. Once again I was laying prone on my stomach, but now dead center in the middle of the street. After capturing the images and returning to vertical I headed back to the safety of the sidewalk. On my approach something caught my eye. Two doors down, in his driveway, I saw my neighbor lowering his video camera. He had that, "Oh, it's you" look in his eye. He gestured a hello so I made my way down to greet him, all the while curious as to why I was the star of his home movie. Without having to ask, he began explaining. "I came outside and saw someone lying in the middle of the street. I thought someone had collapsed or was hit by a car."

Interesting. So if someone is dead or badly injured, your first thought is to grab a camera? Now even my wife says I'll shoot pictures of anything but I sure hope in a moment of potential crisis my first response wouldn't be, "Hang on a sec while I grab my camera."

All my Project Blue posts:
1. Dodger Blue 2. Blue Wheels 3. Is He Dead? 4. I'm Burnin for Blue 5. I Will Shoot Anything 6. This Little Photographer 7. Behind Blue Eyes 8. Morning Glory 9. Under the Big Blue Tent 10. Blue Tow

Please visit Anna's website to see her Project Blue posts and the links for all the other participants.

31 comments:

Robin said...

The pictures are fantastic, but the story is priceless! At least you know if you ever did collapse in your street it would be well documented for the autopsy... Sheesh.

Anonymous said...

What a classic story love it, you set the scene very well!!I am having a good old chuckle here, fantastic photos, is that what i have to do to get photos, lie down in all sorts of dangerous places!! :0)

Gina said...

Wonderful photos!! and such a funny story :D I love the powdery blue of the fire hydrant and the reflector is amazing.. Great job indeed!! :)

Anonymous said...

That story is so funny and speaks to all of us photographers...and your efforts were worth it. I particularly like the second photo where the raised lettering is seen from the lower perspective.

Melli said...

ROFL! I think THAT was just his excuse! He was caught in the act of video taping you - and had to make it SOUND good -- he was really HOPING something hysterically funny was going to happen and he'd get RICH on America's Funniest Home Videos! (well... I like MY version better than thinking he really would rather video a collapsed soul rather than help!) hehehe....

At any rate ... it's a great blue! I might have one to "go with" it later in the week!

Kim from Hiraeth said...

Oh, dear. What a story! I hope Melli is right!

(oh, and the photo? Fabulous!)

Unknown said...

Haha! I'll sound like you when I say it -- I loved the pictures when I first saw them, then read what you wrote and loved them even more! Great images and story!

maryt/theteach said...

Oh Robert, what a story! I hope that I would call 911 first of all! Your photos are marvelous! Since participating in these projects don't you find you look at things differently like your excellent off-center shot from above? And yes I'm getting closer using the macro function of my digital camera. Thanks for the compliment! :D

If you visit my other blog: Work of the Poet you'll see I have a "Ruby (Red) Tuesday" meme going posting RED things...Feel free to join :D

Karen Coutu said...

That's a great story, Robert. It's the truth too. You have to wonder about people sometimes. I guess you were lucky that you weren't really in need of help and only your neighbor was around to see you. LOL!!

Anonymous said...

Love the story and the shots! Well done all for the sake of blue!!

Anonymous said...

OMG....only in LA I guess!
That is too crazy....and lucky for you help was not needed cause you would have most likely gone to the highest bidder!

Great shots once again...and really imaginative.

brittaffeldt said...

Ah, I see your LA hat pictures now... But with (at least) 2 former Braves on your team, how can you hate?! haha
Great pictures though!

Raven said...

What a funny story! I suspect he wondered what you were up to and figured he catch you in the act if you were an evil terrorist tampering with the water system... and then didn't want to tell you that. We do live in a world of such sad paranoia these days.... back to the pictures. You are brave than me to lie in the middle of the street, but that's a very cool photo.

Anonymous said...

I believe you have just uncovered the neighborhood Watch spy in your area. If men in black come and knock on your door, you have this blog and your blog buddies to back up your story -- unless of course we all vanish along with you.

Yes, I do read sci-fi. What's your point?

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

That's quite a story to go with your blue photos! Perhaps you'll see yourself on YouTube one of these days, taking these photos! Great shots, by the way.

Carletta said...

Robert these are great pictures - just the kind I've come to expect seeing when I drop by - you do take the time to do it right!
While the story is funny it is also a reflection of today's world when one reaches for that camera first instead of giving a helping hand. He could have at least shouted down the street to ask if you were ok and if he thought you had collapsed or been run over he didn't call 911 cause I don't see any police or paramedics arriving in your story. Promise not to lie down near his part of the street anymore - we want a more responsible neighbor looking out for you!!

Jeanne Damoff said...

Excellent shots, and I LOVE your story! Better watch out for that neighbor. ;)

Jientje said...

Love the story!!
And the pictures that came with it of course!

I've made some funny moves to get my pictures for today too, but it was in the privacy of my bathroom, not lying around in the middle of the street! I would check You Tube if I were you! LOL!!!!

Grafted Branch said...

Grabbed the camera?

Time for new neighbors, I think. Lots of teaching ops for you and playgroups for J and Lily over here in the Alamo city!

I'm laughing at the picture of you lying in the street. Glad you're not dead. lol.

Anna said...

Your neighbor's response is hilarious! The funny thing is my cousins would do that exact thing and have done similar things before... not quite in crisis situations but close. In reference to your comment on my post you should give soccer a chance. However, NOT the MLS I mean real soccer. Euro Cup starts on saturday and there are going to be some amazing games (all of which will be on ESPN) so try to see one or more of those games... you can get more info on www.uefa.com

Lacey Lichi said...

Love the second shot. That story is fantastic, my husband and I are both still cracking up! No, I sure hope that my first impulse wouldn't be to grab my camera! What kind of neighbors do you have? Maybe you ought to consider moving.

Willow said...

Well, the camera would be my 2nd thought...

That is a really funny story!

I love the blue coverplate. I will have to start noticing them now.

Anonymous said...

I can see your point :) One of my favorite statements as well, "hang on while I get my camera" :P

Dillo said...

Reminds me of that story where the photographers are being chased by a tiger and one says to the other..."One of us is going to get some great pictures!"

Love that shot! Almost worth dying for 23 comments! Gotta love it! And why does everyone want you to move, anyways? I loved this set!

Mark said...

Great job of doing what most people won't, and as a consequence never end up getting interesting photos. I love the raised lettering shot. Not sure I would have thought of that.

Shelly said...

I'm cracking up, you're laying in the middle of the street and he grabs the cam? Bubba huh? Great shots, thanks for hittin' the dirt for us ;) It's raining like crazy here, I need to gear up if I'm going to hit the ground.

Anonymous said...

~Man oh man, you just can't make this stuff up!!! I laughed my head off at this one...

I especially liked the view from the ground with the raised letter perspective.

Sis

juliana said...

wow, stunning photos!
love the story behind... they are weird people, are photographers! :o)

Dorothy said...

Great blue photos! I love the one with the raised lettering shot from street level.

But your story! Wow! Neighbors can be REALLY interesting, can't they!?

photowannabe said...

Very clever shots and I love your story explaining the photos. A funny way to get to know your neighbor.

Anonymous said...

1) your pictures are great, I like the second w/raised lettering the best; mainly because it's a perspective I've never seen :).

2) Your neighbor? CRAZY! Reminds me of the finale of Seinfeld, though...be careful, he must be one of "them" ;).

3) I've gotten myself into some pretty contorted positions in public to capture a shot, too. Photographers "get" it; everyone else? thinks I'm a nut! :)