An Indian Chief, a Grouse and a Dodo Bird

It is said that many people look but a few see.  During a recent hike in the red rock formations of Sedona, Arizona, I experimented with angles of view under different light situations to see faces in what seemed just mountain ranges and rocks.

The interest in doing so came from reading articles about rock formations that look like man- made. There are numerous pictures from around the world that depict such anthropomorphic interpretation of rock or mountain formations, and in most situations it is really the timing of the view or picture taking that makes the difference.  The time of the day determines the contrast, the silhouetting of shapes and the vantage point put all in context. Examples are:

• The Dead man or The Sleeping Giant near the Blasket Islands, off the coast of Ireland. The Sleeping Giant seems to be asleep on his back in the very ocean that surrounds him. An aquatic mortuary house perfect for thinking about peace.
• The Sphinx in Hingol National Park, Pakistan.  This is perhaps my favorite as the proportions and posture of this naturally wind-carved rock resemble closely that of the Sphinx of Giza, Egypt.

And of course there are numerous images of how people have not only associated natural rock formations to human or animal faces, but have also built mythology and folklore around them.

So, I took a 1970’s “primitive” varifocal zoom lens (35-135mm) made by Kiron with me on this hike. I like this practically now unknown lens maker as the company was created by ex-Nikon engineers wanting to take their knowledge to the next level. Unfortunately they were not as great product promoters as engineers and the lenses never made it big. I have a few of these lenses (prime and zoom) which are now called “cult lenses” given the small group of devotees who still use them.

The hike was about 6 miles long to reach the “Devil’s Bridge”, a bridge-like formation hovering over a deep valley. At almost 5500 foot altitude the air was clear and the Arizona sun most pleasant.

While most hikers were amazed by the mountains and valleys round us, I was looking for natural rock carvings that could seem man-made. As expected a slight change in vantage point or shadowing variations seemed to change the appearance of what I saw dramatically.

By the time we reached the Devil’s Bridge I had already achieved the aim of my hike: I had found three sets of rock formations that either looked like an Indian Chief’s face, a grouse or a “ménage à trios” between a hawk, a humanoid and a Dodo Bird!

Here they are, in that order:
A. This Indian Chief’s profile was a few hundred feet before the Devil’s Bridge. He seems to be looking at the deep gorge under it. I especially like the mouth and chin as it gives it a pensive look.

And here is the close-up in case I am the only one who notices this natural carving…

B. As I was looking at the mountain range, the head, neck and even the left wing of a grouse seemed to stand out.

The close up shows the beak and left eye as the light was perfect at that instant for giving the needed shade and contour.

C. This one was great fun—I immediately saw, from left to right, a hawk’s head, a humanoid in the middle, and a Dodo Bird at the right! See it? Or all looks like just rocks to you?

Well, does the zoomed picture help? Do you even see the feathers atop the Dodo Bird’s head at the far right?

… This was a unique “street photography” session for me. The subjects did not move, walk around or do unpredictable things. Instead, my challenge was to find the subjects or perhaps “make them up”.

No matter, the hiking path is a street where many walk every day. And the naturally carved shapes, anthropomorphic and capricious, were there for me to fantasize and let my imagination free in these mountains of red rock and deep gorges basting in the desert sun.

October 29, 2014
© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2014

Classic Cars and Polka Dot Shoes

I think there is something nostalgic about going to classic car shows. As a collector and user of antique cameras, I understand the excitement of witnessing mechanical machines that have survived time and stand witness to the ingenuity of those who relied on form following function, and gave us the opportunity of remembering the first time we push on the pedal of a 1970 Dodge Charger. Or rewound to the next frame of a 1969 Nikon F.

But as in any show, there is that car you have never seen, or the engine you have never heard roar. This 1920’s car, closely matched by its owner, was the first one I noticed.

Ten there was the undeniable allure of the Ford Mustang. People have fallen in love in it, I was told, while others had divorced because of it. No matter, it is the car that defined an era. Yet, the lady in the chair behind the Mustang was texting on her iPhone rendering the moment delightfully anachronistic.

Sometimes, the feeling was more subtle. For example the dashboard and steering wheel of this 1940's Chrysler was romantic and perfectly suited for B&W photography.

And suddenly, I saw the unmistakable tail lights of a 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass!  It was my first car, although mine was a 1969 model with a humble Straight-6 engine. But the bumper and tail lights were the same. Now I was happy to be at the show, and wanted a picture of that car. Not the entire car, just the bumper. And since the chrome was mirror-polished, I managed to get my reflection (albeit a bit distorted..) in that bumper. You can see it if you enlarge the picture right above the "V" of the plate. Now, after 55 years, I was one with that car again!

But I was not there to take pictures of cars. I went to the show because there would be many people there and, as a street photographer, wanted to capture the show through the people.
And people always have something to say to a photographer who places himself in the right spot, waits, and is quick on the shutter release.

So, I noticed a rat, its head in a paper cup, next to the cars. Clearly it was a fake, and someone wanted to add some excitement to the show. Or perhaps it was a social scientist doing an experiment on how people would react to a rat during a car show.

I wanted to play social scientist for a few minutes.

Most people did not even look at the rat, or did not see it—they were too busy saying “Ooh” and “Aah” while looking at the cars. They had a single focus and a single aim: looking around was not one of these.
I wanted to capture that indifference but needed a vivid example. This man noticed the rat, decided it was a fake, and kept going. Ok, he was my illustration of the indifferent group. (Notice the smiling lady on the left: could she be the social scientist conducting the experiment?)

Next, I needed a representative of the more skeptical group.  It did not take long until this lady noticed the rat, perhaps wondered “Can it be real?” and cautiously approached to check. Voilà, that was the reaction of the other (or “control” group) in my social experiment.

Finally, I wanted to find an indicator of sophistication among the crowd to match the impeccably kept cars’ color and timeless attitude.  What can be more à propos than a lady wearing polka dot shoes?
Clearly she was wearing these shoes to be noticed, and she got my attention. But how to combine a photographic reportage of a car show with polka dot shoes? Simple—by representing her reaction to a car through the posture of her feet!

Silly? Perhaps. But I was happy to be at the show, see”my” Oldsmobile Cutlass again, and remember the show without taking pictures of the cars!

October 27, 2014
© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2014

Naʼnízhoozhí, New Mexico

That is the Navajo name of Gallup, New Mexico.

I had first visited that small city of less than 20,000 people in 1985 as part of a nostalgic drive on Route 66. As a kid who grew up in other lands and under different skies, I never forgot the ceremonial playing of an old 78 RPM record of Nat King Cole where he sang the 1946 Rhythm and Blues song “Get Your Kicks on Route 66”. Gallup was a railroad junction city, as the trains passed almost through the city at a non-stop schedule 24 hrs a day. I recall being in a truckers’ motel then and unable to shut my eyes due to the noise from the trains and the shaking of the spring-bed, with every passage.

On this trip, driving from Albuquerque to Flagstaff, a stop in Gallup seemed mandatory, for good ol’ day’s sake.

Not much had changed, although the city looked more modern, with more expensive jewelry stores and well paved roads. I learned that Gallup was named as the Most Patriotic Small Town in America in the 2013-2014 Best of t Road Contest.  Wow!

The city streets have the same ambiance, however, with Pawn Shops everywhere.

And the trains still pass almost by the center of the city….

October 3, 2014

© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2014

Driving Across America: Impressions in B&W

“Go West, young man, go west – that is where IT happens!”

There seems to be a time, when young or not, one packs the car, the dog jumps on the back seat, and heads West. Once it was for gold, for the unbelievably open spaces, or for that bohemian lifestyle we all have a different way of defining. No matter the reason, our 10 year old dog jumped on the back of the Jeep, and last week we said goodbye to the East Coast.

The drive was expected to be fast in the first two days, then more scenic and slow for another 3 days. A total of 4000 kilometers of asphalt, passing through mountains, forests, cities of steel and concrete, over the mighty Mississippi, then the increasingly arid and desertic plains of Oklahoma, Texas and new Mexico, to end up at 2000 meter high mountains of Arizona.

The journey took us through Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.  Although the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia wear mysterious shades at sunset, the real attraction for a street photographer started in a small town of Texas, called Vega.

Vega, Texas

I may be the only blogger who writes about Vega… Located in the Northwest of Texas, the sign to the town said “Population 841”. Surrounded by huge electricity generating windmills, Vega is a stereotypical Small Town America. A courthouse, a short main street, a General Store and sand, heat and windmills surrounding it. I stopped for petrol and was surprised that it was more expensive than in previous states that did not produce oil… Reminded me of the Port wine price in Portugal or the price of Medoc wine in Argentina—I was able to buy both of these cheaper in the United States than in the country of origin.

The General Store had two gas pumps. The first sign I saw was about a local bar. What was interesting was the picture of the two ladies advertizing the good times one can have at that bar. But what got my attention was the seemingly left arm of a man on the left of the picture appearing to reach the ladies! Why leave that arm in the picture? Needless to say, it was intriguing enough that I took my first picture of the journey.

Then I looked across the street and here was the name of the organization one enters through an iron arch.

A minute later my Jeep had left Vega and soon the Great State of Texas.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

I have been in this lovely city many times and have written about it on this blog. This time however it was different – it seemed to have become a more “generic” city with big store names, predictable street signs, and taller buildings.

However, a bit of the old Albuquerque I knew was found in the decoration of the men’s toilet in a small pizza place we stopped for a goat milk cheese and pesto pizza because heavy rainstorms were passing over the region.

After Albuquerque, the sun was back and I needed to refuel my car. A stop at another small store gave me a chance to capture what I identify with the vast open spaces of the South West.

Yes, it was time to take the leather jacket off and enjoy the sun of the desert!

Route 40: Entering Arizona

Arizona, like New Mexico, is home to numerous American Indian nations. While one drives 75miles an hour on the open highways, the signs on the side of these highways are most telling of what to expect, how things are advertized, and how the desert winds affect these signs. I tried to take a few pictures from the car.

But there cannot be "driving pictures" without including one from the thousands of 18-wheeler trucks going coast to coast. Look at the driver of this truck-- do you think his master is sleeping in the back of the cabin??

Flagstaff, Arizona

Finally reached these high mountains at 6000 feet elevation (somehow in my mind 2000 meters seem more impressive…). Flagstaff was just waking up at 8 am when we entered the city and had to stop for a double Espresso. Then we needed to walk a bit and give our dog a bit of space to run. So went to a quiet cemetery on the campus of North Arizona University.

Can one find cubism in nature?  This Aspen tree seemed to be looking at me while keeping an eye on the quiet grave stones surrounding it. It was Picassoesque; it was Salvador Dali; it was just perfect. So with the old Nikkor 105mm wide open at 2.5, I framed that look with a gravestone silently blurred in the background.

… After five days and 4000 kilometers across America, it felt good to be on a firm mattress 2000 meters away from the desert below….

October 2, 2014

© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2014