A Touch of Blue by Chipka
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Description
The world is such an interesting place when you’re able to capture things that aren’t actually there. The world was an interesting place last weekend—partly because I’d captured something that wasn’t actually there, but mostly because of fantastic company. Tara and Bill made a grand entrance on Thursday night, and Chicago, seemingly aware of their arrival, turned on all of its lights. Yvonne made it into the city on Sunday, and so the city was on its best behavior; Yvonne was born here, however, and so she already knew the other Chicago: the city with big shoulders and a surly attitude. She grew up in an area I’m vaguely aware of. You have to pass a vertical lift railroad bridge in order to get to it. Well, there are other ways into the area, but if you have a camera, go by the vertical lift bridge: there aren’t many of those things in these parts and so it pays to see at least one of them. Ah, but this isn’t about a vertical lift railroad bridge…that’s actually a part of Chicago. This is about things that aren’t there: specifically, eye-searing, blue flowers. I rather like blue blossoms. There aren’t many. Nature, I assume, finds blue to be a distinctly non-floral color…at least in the Midwestern USA. I don’t know about flowers in places like Denmark, the UK, or even Seattle, but I suspect that blue (of the floral variety) might be a bit difficult to come by. I could be wrong, however, since floral stuff isn’t my strong point.
On the day I snapped this photo, Corey and I were wandering with Tara and Bill through the nice, temperate ambiance of Millennium Park; we’d all seen da Bean on numerous occasions, but on one particular Saturday, we not only saw da Bean, but a bit of its intimate anatomy, known simply as, the omphalos. The navel. Of course in Chicago speak, it would probably be called da omphalose…Chicagoans love to be different. The omphalos gives the bean a nice Escher-like quality. It distorts and refracts, making Chicago into something else…an oddly recursive, multidimensional place ruled by at least 4 different gravitational sources (visually, at least.)
Needless to say, after capturing numerous shots of da Bean and its multi-dimensional navel, we felt the need for coffee…or at least the chance to sit around a table and talk, laugh, talk some more, and sip nicely caffeinated warm stuff. Tara spotted a place on Michigan Avenue, and as I was in the midst of a cigarette, I entered shortly after everyone else did. Because of that delay, I saw floral things in a planter. For an instant, I saw a flash of blue—it was, however, non-floral blue. My artist’s eye had other ideas, as an artist’s eye might, and so I imagined that there were actually blue flowers, and not the wonder of a misplaced shopping bag, carried by a breeze. I snapped countless photos of flower-things in a planter.
I spent the weekend, plus a couple of days, at Corey’s place, and on the day that Bill and Tara left Chicago, for destinations more remote (at least by Chicago standards) I went through the massive load of photos I’d taken in their company. Chicago is a wondrous city when seen with non-local company: especially non-local company generous with laughter. My artist’s eye re-emerged when I saw this particular shot, and thanks to The Gimp, I was able to shift this photo into what I imagined seeing, moments before taking it. This is the end result, and I must say that I’m rather pleased with it, though I suspect my sense of pleasure comes more from the company I enjoyed for the duration of one particular weekend.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week.
Comments (32)
mbz2662
Beautiful... And a great tale of an afternoon with friends. Very cool :)
helanker
HA! Great shot and postwork. They really look.... blue and very different. I like it, as I also liked the story behind it :-) Makes me remember that sometimes you can give a flower color in the water and the petals will get the same color. They have done it often with cloves. Atleast in DK :)
Sepiasiren
this picture id one of those renderosity masterpieces that make you gasp as soon as the item loads. Magnificent and beautiful--the blue clusters just leap out atcha
anaber
Beautiful and warm time together:) i liked how you described it... and to me the blue depict it very well:))Great choose of colour and the light is wonderful.
Feliciti
..one can with some natural facts or chemical things ,change the color of the flower, i have seen hydrangea they change her colours by itself during the growth, or see blue roses and blue or black tulips... like this blue tones from your picture !!
flavia49
fantastic image
Faemike55
Very lovely flowers
auntietk
What a gorgeous blue! If someone could reproduce this shade in a naturally growing flower, it would set the botanical world on its collective ear. You got quite an education on the pretty things on the ends of the green things last weekend, didn't you? LOL! Between this beautiful offering and the foreground stuff out on the river, you're good to go for quite a while! :D
charpix
That is a huge WOW!!! Like it probably is even better in real life? Or maybe this says it all, but I love blue..love it, love it. You did excellent with this one!
NefariousDrO
Lovely shot, I really wish they were that color for real. I love what you did with this one, those are beautiful flowers to start off, but you've made them truly eye-catching!
blinkings
Beautiful Chip and quite different from anything I have ever seen.
MrsRatbag
Hmm, I've seen some blue flowers, but not these kind of flowers and not this shade of blue...nicely done, if you could grow these they'd be quite popular, I'm sure!
MrsLubner
You have made me gasp...something few have done. This is exquist!! I adore it.
brewgirlca
Being a biologist I was going to say that shade of blue is so powerfully unusual it is almost blinding to my well-trained eyes! Then I forced myself to read your commentary before firing off a comment, for I do enjoy your prose as well as your pictures. And AHA- I knew it! You are darn good Chip, damn fine photographer and beautiful postworker, but this one.... well, I have to admit I've oversaturated scenes to make them more striking too.... so power to ya babe, you did a good one but you didn't quite trip up this old mutt. Ya came close but not the whole banana! LOL.
kgb224
Amazing work my friend. Stunning capture and post work. God Bless.
lonely_wolf
Impressive!
fallen21
Splendid capture, the blue color is so beautiful in your picture.
bmac62
You have every reason to be pleased with your end result! What a gorgeous blue. I have such a huge load of Chicago photos...you'll be seeing more of your home town than you may have bargained for;-)
durleybeachbum
A most engaging read, as ever, and I'd be willing to bet this colour is artificially induced even before it got a digital going-over!
West_coaster07
Fantastic work and a great read!!!
dreampaint
really nice, cool capture.
Jay-el-Jay
Such an unusual color to be found in a display of flowers.I have seen similar effects with carnations placed in water with food coloring.Cool shot.
Orinoor
This is indeed a lovely blue you've created, perhaps you will enchant a botanist into creating this version. Sounds like you had a wonderful time!
flora-crassella
gorgeous picture!!!!
sandra46
EXCELLENT AS USUAL!
MagikUnicorn
B E A U T Y
wotan
Love it!
RodS Online Now!
A wonderful photo, and love what you did with the postwork, Chip! And I can realate to your comments, my friend! Bill and Tara are definitely excellent company!
jac204
Beautiful.
beachzz
Oh yes, this is blue and beautiful!!