Nous habitons Provo : la Vallée de joie, un communauté d’étudiants, une « bulle ». La population de cette ville est quatre-vingt-huit pour cent mormon et les stéréotypes de cette culture sont aussi répandu. Quels stéréotypes ? la joie permanente, le soleil toujours, le mariage trop rapide, des familles avec une dizaine d’enfants, l’idée de « mormon fashion blogger » etc. Peut-être que certains sont réels, mais est-ce que « Provo » est vraiment toujours heureux? À la tombée de la nuit, cette « happy valley » devient un autre monde, en particulier, quand il pleut. Il pleut, et le monde de montagnes douces avec une couche de givre, le campus d’étudiants amoureux qui marchent la main dans la main, la cité animée avec la circulation bondée évoluent dans un univers vide, mais aussi plein : plein d’obscurité, de réflexions, de lueur néon et bizarre. Provo de pluie, avec ses lumières étranges et ses rues désertes, est un monde de miroirs qui reflet une réalité : la vie n’est pas toujours éclatant et belle. La vie n’est pas toujours le soleil et la joie, mais nous pouvons toujours trouver quelque chose d’intéressant ou de nouveau. Les gouttes de pluie tombent au hasard partout la ville, ces gouttes de réalité touchent tout, et pour quelques instants, le monde, les réflexions, la réalité sont amplifiés. C’est un goût bref de l’au-delà, et c’est fascinant…
I definitely love the color in your photos! It kind of makes me think of the 20s. But, I think that maybe because of the color, the pictures didn't really fit text for me. The colors seemed to portray an excitement, and then the text talks about more dismal things. I get where you are coming from, but I didn't quite feel it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Elisabeth in that the text is darker than the photos. You say that Provo is another world when it rains, apart from "Happy Valley". But the photos, in fact, portray a very bright, fun looking place, even if they contain no people. There isn't a sense of the sinister. That said, I think the concept of capturing the reflections the rain was really inventive and you absolutely pulled it off. I like how the first photo is green reflected, the second is a bunch of different colors (I don't really see a reflection), the third is pink, then red, and the last is yellow. The bright colors really pull the whole essay together.
ReplyDeleteLike others have said, the color is great. I also like the way it's kind of hazy at times. I think it communicates the message trying to me conveyed. Also, the man in the second picture standing outside the bar makes that photo the strongest in my opinion. Talk about decisive moment. I don't know how you did that in Provo. The light theme is great, but the third doesn't seem to have quite as much going on as the others.
ReplyDeleteAs everyone else has said, I absolutely love the colors. To me they make the story of the photos come together in a way that the structures themselves, and even the individuals present in them, could not do on their own. To me, the photos are reminiscent of another city in another decade; especially given the rain, I certainly don't feel like these photos capture Provo, but another, much more urban landscape. In that regard, I think the text does a great job discussing how the rain does indeed transform what we see.
ReplyDeleteIt's very hard to argue with what everyone else has said, the colors in this essay are fabulous and really help it to stand out among the rest. I really liked the sequences as well because to me the night goes on, it starts with the OPEN sign and people and the last photo looks like the empty parking lot of the dollar theatre as if everyone has gone home. The reflections and highlights of the rain really add to the effect as well. It also has a retro-modern feel which is a lot of fun. I thought this was a great essay.
ReplyDeleteTHe awesome, almost eerie glow of the bright, gaudy lights is great! When most people think Provo they think Mormon town. But the time of night you took this, coupled with the rain really gives a new aspect. Taking a picture of the bar is also a great twist.
ReplyDeleteI think the choice to do color over black and white actually helped you here. It's just too bad that, for the most part, the rain isn't actually visible, just the wetness of the ground. The color in the night almost gives the impression that part of the photos are actually in black and white while only certain things are in color. Its a feature that has been used in certain movies to create an interesting effect.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this project because, like some of the other essays, it depicted Provo in a different light. The neon colors give Provo a very urban feel. I feel like these pictures could have been taken in downtown LA or New York, yet they were taken just blocks away from BYU. To me your strongest images are definitely your first two (althoughI wish the first one were just a little tilted to the left). Image two is exceptional. The subject is perfect and is standing in a perfect position, a real decisive moment. I like the composition of image five, but it is a little blurry and overexposed on the edges, but I like the wet concrete of the parking lot that leads to the theatre. Great job.
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