Glimpses of South Pasadena: Ballerina in the Window

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Ballerina in the Window

"Dancing is poetry with arms and legs."

--Charles Baudelaire

11 comments:

Mister Earl said...: Great photo, with the pattern of the window and the light on the floor. There's even the bonus of having the Oaklawn Bridge in the window!; August 11, 2012 at 5:11 AM
Anonymous said...: Great shot! Cute kid!; August 11, 2012 at 7:25 AM
LOLfromPasa said...: What a terrific photo. Thanks to Mister Earl for identifying the Oaklawn Bridge. Brings back memories. I recently visited home in Pasadena and ventured into So Pas to use a laundromat across the street (before walking over the bridge for the first time ever). I did notice the building pictured here.; August 11, 2012 at 7:56 AM
Mister Earl said...: This is the War Memorial Building. The city owns it. It's rented out for classes, meetings, and special events - even weddings. They tell me some classes of SPHS had their proms there. Gymboree uses the floor below the main room that you see here. Most people don't even realized there's a room below.; August 11, 2012 at 8:31 AM
Judy Williams said...: You are on a roll this week. Love the shadows with Miss Ballerina as the focal point! Where do you find such wonderful quotes???

Have a great weekend.; August 11, 2012 at 8:39 AM
TheChieftess said...: Wonderful shot Laurie!!! So hard to take a shot like this one with the stark contrast...you did it well!!!; August 11, 2012 at 1:04 PM
Auntie S said...: This image is so direct, it's wonderful!; August 11, 2012 at 5:44 PM
Laurie Allee said...: Thank you so much, you guys!

Good eye, Mister E. I just love the Oaklawn bridge, and the fact that it's next to that beautiful War Memorial building is an added bonus. I'll confess, even after all the times I've been in the building I never knew there was a bottom floor. (Must...go...exploring...)

LOLFromPasa, I don't think I've ever properly welcomed you to the blog. Welcome! Next time you walk over the bridge, go around UNDER it and admire the beautiful stone benches incorporated into the bottom of the arches.

I appreciate the kind words, everyone. I've been really playing around with shadows and light lately. I've always loved high high contrast, vignettes and deep focus. Lately I've been watching entirely too much film noir and can't seem to get John Alton, Ernest Holler, Gregg Toland, Nicholas Musuraca... any one of their frames from a film holds up as a brilliant still. They are painters of light that truly inspire me. In fact, I am starting to photograph happy kids in the playground with a style that makes a jungle gym look downright sinister. (I feel another series coming on...)

thanks again, everyone!; August 11, 2012 at 6:57 PM
Laurie Allee said...: Make that I truly cant get enough OF the cinematographers I mentioned. Darned typos!; August 11, 2012 at 6:59 PM
LOLfromPasa said...: Thank you, Laurie, for the 'welcome'. A couple of years ago I was trying to find out the name of the tunnel that has the Girl Scouts mural of 'make new friends and keep the old...' and 'Google' directed me to your blog. (http://southpasadena.blogspot.co.uk/2008/10/tunnel-vision.html) You answered my question. I so enjoyed looking at your photos, many of places familiar to me. I am from Pasadena and have lived in the UK since 1974. It was via your blog I discovered CityDailyPhoto and your neighbours who, like you, have wonderful photographs of 'home' for me to view and so much more. I guess I became inspired along the way - now I am doing the same thing. Thought you might enjoy this little story.; August 12, 2012 at 9:26 AM
Laurie Allee said...: I love your story, LOLfromPasa!; August 14, 2012 at 12:37 AM