The Smoker's Lounge

[Pol]

A comfortable chair in a room with a view across the lake. An outdoor facility, provided by fly-tippers, for chain-smokers who like to sit in comfort as they smoke themselves to death.



Pol

[Josh Bear]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

I really like this. I think it is the colours on the packet, They look subtle. Any special post processing or from the camera?

Best regards

Josh

[Pol]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

I really like this. I think it is the colours on the packet, They look subtle. Any special post processing or from the camera?

Best regards

Josh

Thanks Josh. I didn't do much post processing on that one. It was the chair I'd been after - dumped over the fence from the side of the roadside overlooking a lake.

I'd been scrambling through the long, wet grass to get shots specifically of the chair when I noticed the discarded packet in the dead weeds as I made my way back to the 'van. I'd been thinking what a waste of a good chair and after spotting the Golden Virginia pack amongst all the dead 'stuff' along with the faded chair, I mentally connected the various components along with thoughts of the smoking bans in public places. The gradual move towards smokers being outcasts who have to go wherever they can for a ciggie. So that was how my train of thought flowed. The empty chair of a chain-smoker left abandoned behind the chain-link fence after he 'crossed to the other side' wafted away into oblivion on his cloud of baccy smoke. Something along those lines anyway.

The PP on the picture was mainly just with the contrast. It was a fairly colourless scene and the packet was faded quite a bit but still much brighter than the rest of the scene - so I toned down the green ever so slightly on the paper to blend it in better with the rest of the image.

I'm going through the other shots this evening actually. Here's an attachment of a shot of just the chair - I'm still playing with it so it's just a work in progress which I may or may not eventually bin. Haven't decided yet.

Pol

[Stephen]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

Pol, I love the concept of the OP and your train of thought. What worried me was that the chair which is an important element of the concept was too out of focus, therefore reducing the link between the tobacco packet and the chair, even the chain link fence is a barrier. Then you posted the second image, which is exactly how I envisaged the chair should be in the first one, it just needs the empty wrapper

[lumix]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

Thanks Josh. I didn't do much post processing on that one. It was the chair I'd been after - dumped over the fence from the side of the roadside overlooking a lake.

I'd been scrambling through the long, wet grass to get shots specifically of the chair when I noticed the discarded packet in the dead weeds as I made my way back to the 'van. I'd been thinking what a waste of a good chair and after spotting the Golden Virginia pack amongst all the dead 'stuff' along with the faded chair, I mentally connected the various components along with thoughts of the smoking bans in public places. The gradual move towards smokers being outcasts who have to go wherever they can for a ciggie. So that was how my train of thought flowed. The empty chair of a chain-smoker left abandoned behind the chain-link fence after he 'crossed to the other side' wafted away into oblivion on his cloud of baccy smoke. Something along those lines anyway.

The PP on the picture was mainly just with the contrast. It was a fairly colourless scene and the packet was faded quite a bit but still much brighter than the rest of the scene - so I toned down the green ever so slightly on the paper to blend it in better with the rest of the image.

I'm going through the other shots this evening actually. Here's an attachment of a shot of just the chair - I'm still playing with it so it's just a work in progress which I may or may not eventually bin. Haven't decided yet.

Pol

Cooor! I wish I could find a chair like that by our lake. I'd never stop fishing.

[Pol]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

Pol, I love the concept of the OP and your train of thought. What worried me was that the chair which is an important element of the concept was too out of focus, therefore reducing the link between the tobacco packet and the chair, even the chain link fence is a barrier. Then you posted the second image, which is exactly how I envisaged the chair should be in the first one, it just needs the empty wrapper

Exactly! Everything you've said was going through my mind as I tried various angles and various exposures. I took loads of shots after I spotted that paper and tried all ways to see if I could manage to get the paper and he chair in focus but with the chain link not in focus. It was a losing battle of course.... LOL

I eventually decided the chair might be sufficiently visible and discernable as an abandoned chair fading away in the distance (as did the smoker) - and the fence represented the idea of an 'outcast' as well as going over to the 'other side'.

I should have slung the paper over the fence towards the chair but there was none of that 'fire scorched' type of dead weed on the other side. Very frustrating.

Pol

[Ian]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

Exactly! Everything you've said was going through my mind as I tried various angles and various exposures. I took loads of shots after I spotted that paper and tried all ways to see if I could manage to get the paper and he chair in focus but with the chain link not in focus. It was a losing battle of course.... LOL

I eventually decided the chair might be sufficiently visible and discernable as an abandoned chair fading away in the distance (as did the smoker) - and the fence represented the idea of an 'outcast' as well as going over to the 'other side'.

I should have slung the paper over the fence towards the chair but there was none of that 'fire scorched' type of dead weed on the other side. Very frustrating.

Pol

I must admit I missed the plot because I didn't recognise the chair connection - sorry!

I do like the way you narrate your image though

Ian

[Pol]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

I've just been looking through the shots David took yesterday. I found a snapshot he'd grabbed of me when I was photographing the chair (just the chair). It shows something of the more general environment with part of the chair showing on the left and me against the fence.

Copy attached.

Pol

[Ian]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

I've just been looking through the shots David took yesterday. I found a snapshot he'd grabbed of me when I was photographing the chair (just the chair). It shows something of the more general environment with part of the chair showing on the left and me against the fence.

Copy attached.

Pol

Is that the first shot we have of you Pol?

Ian

[Pol]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

Is that the first shot we have of you Pol?

Ian

Well I really dunno? Is it?

Nope. There's a self portrait in my gallery and another partial shot of me in there. Both were used for Salon entries in the past.

The Darkside


Bridges




Pol

[Pops]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

Is that the first shot we have of you Pol?

Ian

Well I have one of Pol playing a guitar

NO I will not show it

[Ian]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

Well I have one of Pol playing a guitar

NO I will not show it

Sounds... interesting (or was it really bad?! )

Ian

PS I'm sure Pol's musical skills far surpass mine...

[Pol]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

Well I have one of Pol playing a guitar

NO I will not show it

I'd forgotten about that one!

Pol

[Pol]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

Sounds... interesting (or was it really bad?! )

Ian

PS I'm sure Pol's musical skills far surpass mine...

[Pops]

Re: The Smoker's Lounge

I'd forgotten about that one!

Pol

Whenever I check through my disc/s, looking for something or other, I always seem to stop for a look at it. It's a wonderful natural pose with a hint of shyness.