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Communist Ghosts
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Dan Wicks (wl78njco)
![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 41 W: 0 N: 33]](http://i1.treklens.com/misc/s-n-s.gif) (196) |
| Genre: Places |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2006-01-26 |
| Categories: Daily Life, Nocturnal, Mood |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2006-04-15 5:15 |
| Viewed: 799 |
| Points: 2 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
I was assigned to Kazakhstan in January of this year to take over another project. The pile of instructions on just how to get to the site was almost unbearable.
PS - maybe someone out there can clarify exactly the state. From what I know, the state should be the Atyrau Oblast, which was not one of the ones listed in the drop down box. So, I just picked Almaty to be able to upload the file; it's certainly not the correct state.
I headed to KZ from Greece, where I have been (currently back visiting and waiting for KZ work permit at time of writing) living for almost 16 full months. Athens to Amsterdam at 5:30am. No problem. Amsterdam to Atyrau via Air-Astana 12:20pm. No problem. Land in Atyrau in the western steppe region of the country on the Caspian and get off the plane to well below-freezing temperatures (Celsius or Fahrenheit...take your pick!). No problem. Bussed to the airport "terminal" (really just a shack while a new terminal is slowly being built) and wait innumerable minutes to clear customs, pick luggage, x-ray luggage (on the way out? who knew...), and claim goods upong entering the KZ wilderness. No problem. Exit the building into a chaos of snow, trucks, busses, trees, and people -- no one holding up a paper with my name or company. PROBLEM.
Sorry for the drawn out explanation, but I just walked out the doors and into a freezing night with no idea how to get to my hotel. A lot of people were in the same boat as me. We just kind of stood around waiting for someone to pass by who we heard speaking english so that we could ask for a taxi. While I was standing there, the exit doors were there in front of me, and I just liked the look of the muffled light coming through the frosted door windows. You can't see what's happening inside, but you can see people. And, the people outside aren't visible either, so for me it gives me that creepy kind of feel to it -- a bit horror movie, a bit curiosity.
I really hope to take some more photos in Atyrau when I go back in the coming weeks. I think there are some great opportunities for some moody & decisive takes.
I used the Nikon Coolpix night time landscape scene setting. Cropped. |
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Hello Daniel
I really like this image - I think that image is the operative word here reflecting the title. I've just read your intro and think that maybe this is the image to test with photoshop. I know what you mean about keeping pictures real but have sometimes found that if you know the person well in the image you can enhance the picture to reflect aspects of their personality. Although this is not the case here - I think in this case you could form a series of images from real to out of this world.I like the thought behind this.
What do you think?
