Boxes


Sitting and playing.

T

he next day. We needed coffee. Good coffee. It turned out that a coffee house was less than two short blocks from our hotel.

Even better were the people who worked there. The were friendly and energetic. One of them took us to this place, an empty club.

Apparently, it was fully functioning until a movie production company used it to make a James Brown biopic. When they tore the set down, they gutted the building.

Those are the kinds of stories that you won’t hear if you just pass through a town, keeping to yourself. I suppose you could look around and never say a word to anybody, but what would be the fun in that?

Anyway.

This little bar or club or cafe is now being rebuilt back, good as it ever was.

One of these days we’ll pass through Natchez again and see it for ourselves. But, not this year.

T

here is some post production technique to discuss.

As you know, I’m about feeling more than seeing.

The picture was easy to make, especially if I didn’t want to show you the guitar player beyond what I did.

The club felt smokey, with a little bit of mist drifting in and out. I could see people standing around listening to the band, drinking beer and hanging out.

But, the club was empty. There wasn’t a finished wall in sight.

So, I softened everything. I made the scene glow a little bit.

The rest is in my imagination. Or, yours.

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Comments

10 responses to “Boxes”

  1. Kim of Glover Gardens Avatar

    On a picture like this, it would be really interesting to see the Before picture, to better understand the post-production impact. This is the kind of thing that you make look simple, that I think is really hard, knowing what to do to make the image display the mood that it most deserves / works the best for it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ray Laskowitz Avatar

      Next time. This one is just something out of my head. It is hard. But, that comes from the inside. How did whatever you saw make you feel? Now show me how you felt. It’s almost impossible because everyone feels differently.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Debra Avatar

    I haven’t been many places in this world, to be honest, but because of family in Mississippi I have been to Natchez many times–spread out over a lifetime, it’s not statistically that impressive. 🙂 I have thought of places just like this photo a lot over the past year. I have to say that I wonder if I’ll ever be in that “space” again. I really feel this photo.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Ray Laskowitz Avatar

      I’ve been there twice. I like it well enough. There are interesting things there especially if you like the Civil War. If you haven’t read greg Isles, you should. Their re seven books about thee area that are wonderful. They are fiction but he writes about what I thought.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Debra Avatar

        I am smiling that you mentioned Greg Isles. Last year I “found him,” although I’d known of him by reputation. And now I’m working my way through them all. I have enjoyed each one!

        My grandmother was born and raised in Mississippi and was in good health until she passed in 2001. I accompanied her several times to visit family and haven’t been since she passed. I hope I do again!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Ray Laskowitz Avatar

        He’s got the feeling down. I went into the swamps as he described them. They are just plain scary. I’m not talking about alligators or snakes. I’m used to that. I mean the feeling. Just weird.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Fairy Queen Avatar
    Fairy Queen

    I hope they rebuild the bar the same as before.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Ray Laskowitz Avatar

      I’m sure they did. They were working on it while I was there. It’ll probably be rebuilt too good. It was a dive in the past, my kinda place.

      Liked by 2 people

  4. Cara Lockhart Smith Avatar

    This feels like a painting, I like the atmosphere you have captured.

    Liked by 2 people

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