Thursday, October 9, 2008

Walking in the light...

There is something different and almost hyperreal about the light in Southern California. I've never been able to put my finger on exactly what it is -- a layer of smog? A saturation of the copious amounts of psychedelic drugs passed around here in the late 1960s? A giant hole in the ozone layer directly above Los Angeles? Magic?

Whatever it is, I never get tired of it. Golden, sparkly, too-many-gamma-rays Southern California light. Seen here as I wandered through the Farmer's Market.

(Ken Mac, this one is for you!)

26 comments:

USelaine said...

Ah, and that smiley bag just punctuates it even more as a SoCal environment. 6^)

Sally said...

You're absolutely correct about the heebie-jeebies setting in if you get 'disconnected' these days! Thanks for visiting me at Sydney Daily Photo while I was away. I’m back from Queensland now and transmission should resume as normal.

Tanya Breese said...

Don't go towards the light ;) That poor lady looks blinded!
So, what did you buy?

Webradio said...

it's blinding !
Is the lady pretty ???
Smile to You...

Hope said...

Blinded by the Light...do you know the woman in front of you? I notice she is carrying a very nice camera! Were you out on a photo gathering excursion!

I really like this photo...especially the way you captured the woman holding her hand & arm up to shield herself from the light.

Also...thanks for the Wiki link to the definition of hyperreal. It's nice to learn something new every day...and with all these CDP blogs to visit, I more than meet my quota!

Sharon said...

Have you ever had one of those feelings that the sun is just not in the right position? I've had it happen to me a couple of times and I'm not quite sure what causes it. Maybe it is that whole in the ozone letting too many rays through.

(Work kept me busy all day yesterday, so I didn't get a chance to visit my favorite sites until late last night. I just couldn't go to bed without taking my little tour of the world.)

Virginia said...

I am voting for the psychedelic drug theory. Not that I took any mind you, I was far to busy teasing and spraying my hair!

Good example of sun flare being your friend instead of the bane of your existence!

Dixie Jane said...

"Let there be light." And there was, and it was good. And your part of the world got more than its share. I used to lie on the beach with my fair skin, with baby oil and wait to be a California Girl with a tan. And the type of tan was as golden as the sunlight as opposed to what happens under the Texas sun. Here one can look like an old leather purse if left out too long. Laurie, the Universe provides the rays for you, but what you do with them is what is magical.

Virginia, I had to laugh at your hair teasing and spraying. Don't forget wrapping your hairdo in toilet paper before going to bed. It is a wonder any of us from that era still have hair.

I agree with you refering to Yak Pate. After reading her I feel like, "See Spot run."

Yakpate said...

See Spot Run? Someone's got some 'splaining to do!

Now I almost feel hesitant about commenting. NAH!!!

Your blog has become a kind of Rorschach test for me, because I get instant reads from your compelling images. Today: the woman viewed from behind is moving forward into her future, and is blinded by the dazzle of its unknowable potential. The approaching passers-by seem disconnected, as others passing through our lives so often do.

And the colors are purty, too!!!

Hilda said...

Bright! Shops there must make a killing in sales of sunglasses! :)

Halcyon said...

I like the sun effect. It turns a rather ordinary photo into something special.

Wayne said...

Virginia, breathing hairspray is the same as taking drugs.

Laurie is much braver than me, as if it weren't obvious. I wouldn't even try taking that picture. If I had it would be impossible to make out anything.

Victor said...

Hi Laurie. I see that lens flare is your friend too. Love it! This would make Lee Friedlander smile. Works for me!

Dixie Jane said...

In an e-mail I explained to Yak Pate that my reference to, "See Spot Run" was that compared to her excellence in writing I feel reduced to the simplicity of a first grade reader. You just said it better, Laurie.

Anonymous said...

This is the time I come out of my bat cave. The OGs are up.

Mister Earl said...

The lady with the camera creates a paradox. I mean, "Who would bring a camera to the farmer's market?" ;-)

Ken Mac said...

Laurie you know how much I love your shots of local light. This looks like Hockney. I love it. The colors, the light, the woman shield+ing her eyes..

Barbara Rahal said...

well this photo just came out perfect to me, the girl and her action , the sun and your position...just PERFECT!

Judy Williams said...

HEE HEE - I thought "heh, that blouse is like mine... oh it IS mine." You're right about the light. I don't know if it has to do with the location near water, or the smog or just the far westerly position on the continent, but you have some great contre jour going on there in that photo. With the people coming and going, it makes them almost like they are in another place - somewhere filled with light that's more than just from the sun.

Rob said...

Sparkling gamma rays from deep space nine. Number nine, number nine, number nine.

Cafe Observer said...

Is this the southpasa farmers mkt?
L, this is a super color pix! Who knew u could do color as well as b/w?!

Petrea Burchard said...

I know just the spot, just the time of day. It's like the sun is right at eye level! And it's golden.

Laurie Allee said...

Hi all,

Tanya, this Farmer's Market is particularly loaded with great prepared food. So, in addition to local produce, you can gorge yourself on a great meal. My favorite thing is the roasted corn on the cob... (It is so good, it's close to a religious experience.)

Hope, yes I DO know the woman in the picture with the camera. She is my gorgeous sister and photographer/digital artist extraordinaire Jutilda. We spent more time shooting pictures than shopping that day... By the way, she just launched her new photography site. Check out her phenomenal work and be sure to sign her guestbook!

Sharon, I've definitely had that "the sun is in the wrong spot" sensation. It's usually when I'm driving toward it on the freeway...

Virginia, I'm chuckling at the thought of you with a can of Aqua Net. (And Wayne, you stay away from that can!)

Snapper -- Lee Friedlander, YES! Thank you!

Ken, glad you came by today. :-)

Oh, and if anyone wants an analysis of this photo -- what YakPate said!

Thanks so much for all the nice words, everyone. You guys are amazing.

www.niamhphotography.com said...

i love backlit shots like this. beautiful. niamh.

Patrizzi Intergarlictica said...

I could be mistaken but that chick looks like the actress that plays the old sister in Ugly Betty.

Jane Hards Photography said...

My laptop and I seem have reached a concord of sorts. Now I can catch up on posts. I did a post about light in the early days. My island is opaque grey/purple, or deep blue light. It ceratinly affects the photos I take.