Through the Looking Glass
My particular photographic Waterloo is taking pictures through the looking glass. That is, trying to capture image material from behind a glass store window or portal. Getting whatever is beyond the glass is a tough challenge, because glare will reflect and catch inside the image with cruel clarity. And the flash will white out any detail behind it.
I have learned to get around this stymy-ing problem by using the video recorder inside my digital camera. At 30 frames per second, holding the camera still while executing a video capture means about 30 frames to select. And the really dirty Microsoft secret is that I don’t have to have frame capture software loaded to get the image. The spotted glass snapshots get deleted and stop taking up valuable memory stick room.
Why is it in life that the most tantalizing things are under glass?
Is it the case that modern culture embodies rarity and cultivates it to celebrate it desirability photography is certainly a medium that serves that purpose. The detail I have been trying to capture is the moody interior of Chili John’s, a wacked out authentic diner in a curious location I only get to once in a while. The logo sign inside shines every night, and the curving glass exterior window just begs to have the whistle stop cafe interior shown up.
But how to get the shot? I have tried and tried, wrestling with my Kodak until the cows come home. The glass keeps throwing back the light the camera automatically. When i try the video option, the clarity is difficult because I can’t use the micro lens option. The glare from the night shooting option flies off the neon sign, which reduces every part of the logo sign to a blur. This shot became more important than ever.
I am wrestling over one shot for thirty minutes, unheard of (for me). I can see somehow what the best shot will look like but I can’t seem to get it. The red color of the neon is echoed by the red color of the leather seats. The dim red glow bathes the room in light. Perfect silhouettes of table and chairs lie under the necessary light, but focus to get the neon defined and articulation of the letters is killing me.
