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Note to new visitors: If this is your very first time reading All Aboard Hamlet, you may want to scroll down one entry, before reading this one, so it will make more sense to you. Please also consider taking a few moments when convenient to scroll through the whole blog to the very beginning. It's a relatively new blogging endeavor for me, and there aren't many posts, so it won't be overly time consuming for you to familiarize yourself. Doing so will help give you a better feel for All Aboard Hamlet and me, too. To scroll down, simply click here. It take you back to this entry, but you'll be free to scroll to any entry between here and the beginning. Thanks!
Picking up from the "to be continued" notation at the end of my last blog entry...
As one of my friends and fellow blogger Chip "Rocket Man" Allen, commented on my previous entry, "winter or when the skies are overcast, just beg for monochrome". Well, I wholeheartedly agree. However, I've shared the shots in previous entry, and the one below, in black and white and shades of gray for a couple of different reasons.
The first is because in thinking about people, human nature, community and our abilities to love, despise or live in a state of ambivalence, as with so many things in life, it comes down to the choices we make. We can look at and focus on what's black and white. Meaning what happens to be right in front of our faces. What we look at, but not necessary see. The obvious, and/or what we think (or assume) we know about someone. And, sadly, quite often, that's it. We go no further.
In communities, those of shades gray can bring people together with the same or similar passions and goals, to make things happen. Even in the midst of differing opinions with shared passions and goals people can come to a place of working together in harmony, rather than against each other. In fact, those differing opinions can actually translate to a better version of the bigger picture. Goals and projects can be completed so much more efficiently and expediently when such harmony exists. However, when it doesn't, attitudes and negativity rules. Passions can become but a flicker. Or, at worst, dashed altogether. While common goals go unmet and projects unfinished. Or, finished "in spite of", so some of the joy of achievement is lost.
Am I pointing fingers at Hamlet? No, not really. Unfortunately, this happens everyday, everywhere, in our homes, in our churches, in our businesses, all across the USA. But, I do believe smaller localities feel it because so many people know each other. Or, know of each other. Or, think they know each other. And so much is at stake. I bring it up here because the name for this blog is All Aboard Hamlet for a reason.
I've mused about the blacks and whites and shades of gray for days and days now. So much so, I could probably write about it for hours and hours. I shall spare you, though!
What it boils down to is that it's the black and white "things" of this world that can simply either bring us together, or separate us. Yet, beneath the surface view, within the various shades of gray is where "the stuff" that can form true bonds can be discovered and forged. Rather than resentments and animosities fostered. It's the area where our differences can be overtaken by positives and mutual understandings. Even when the understanding happens to be to agree to disagree. The shades of gray are home to the common ground(s) where life long relationships can be created, or a single moment of perfect understanding between people can be found. And yes, within the shades of gray are the places where adversity can melt away into diversity. It's where the stark contrasts aren't seen as negatives, but compliment each other as positives. It all depends on the way we choose to see things.
How does this translate to photography? Or, vice versa? Or, maybe better said, it's how did Jeanne get into this groove? Well, I've always been a people person and an observer of people as far back as I can remember. Then, even more so after spending eleven years in my former career interviewing countless people from all walks of life for my old employer. But, in *this* case, I believe God reminded me of things I already knew using a few of my photos. It's just amazing how that happens.
For some it may be an easy jump to get, for others, a leap...
In looking at black and white photography, immediately you're aware that there is more to the picture. Of course, your mind registers the most obvious... it's missing color, but is it really missing anything else? Or, does it actually give you more of the picture? Do the blacks and whites and shades of gray pull you into the photograph deeper than a color version would? Does it capture your imagination? Without the grays sewing the photograph together, could you even see the black and white portions clearly?
Or, does a color photograph give you a clearer picture?
No, truly this isn't a lesson on interpreting black and white vs. color photography. But, my choice to share a few of my shots of the recent ice and snow in Main Street Park in black and white and shades of gray, surely got my mind to thinking. And I believe God seized opportunity to open my eyes a little wider. What about yours?
Now, for the second reason I chose to share my shots in black and white and shades of gray. Trust, me this is super short! I was playing with my camera settings in an attempt to deal with the reflections and brightness of the sunlight that morning against the ice and snow in some of the photos I snapped. Unfortunately, I wasn't thrilled with the results at all. Honestly, I felt like kicking myself, because who knows when Main Street Park will be so beautifully draped in ice and snow again. However, once I added a simple black and white effect, I found those particular photos more to my liking. Normally, I'm not really into effects much at all, but this time, the effects caused me to reflect deeper and much further than a simple photograph would normally take me. In the color counterparts, I couldn't get past what I was looking at to see what God had for me in the black and whites with shades of gray. What an effect!
Me thinks Mr. Thoreau certainly knew what he was talking about...
"The question is not what you look at, but what you see." ~ Henry David Thoreau
Well, it's been about seven weeks since my last blog entry here on All Aboard Hamlet. True, that's a long time to go without an entry, however, for the purposes of this blog, I'm striving not to duplicate content that one can read in the Daily Journal. Reporter, Hollie Nivens has been doing a nice job keeping up with all of the happenings and news in Hamlet. Also, there are several avenues available for locals and once locals, and interested parties to read about main stream happenings in Hamlet, as well as view photos, too, such as OURHAMLET.org.
In a way these seven weeks have blown by in a flash. From the Christmas Tree Lighting in Main Street Park, to Hamlet's Christmas parade, to Hamlet's Old Fashioned Christmas festivities up and down Hamlet Avenue and Main Street on the evenings of December 10th & 11th, to the actual Christmas and New Year's holidays, it's been a busy time for the community of Hamlet. It's been a busy time for me, and I suspect the same is true of you! Add the gorgeous day late white Christmas, followed by Hamlet born author, Jody Meacham's Through the Heart of the South book signing event at the Hamlet Historic Depot & Museum the evening of December 27th, the days have just clicked on by! And, between then and now, a great deal has been happening in my family. The most difficult has been the recent loss of my last living uncle back home in Virginia, which has hit all of my family with heart string ties to Hamlet very hard. I have such fond memories of him. In fact, several trips I made to Hamlet as a little kid was with he, my aunt and my cousin. My next post on Project Rewire will be about him, so as I've been writing this in my mind, I'm also thinking a about him, too. He enjoyed hearing and reading what was happening in Hamlet. He loved trains and railroad stories like all of us do in my family. He also read my entries here, so, admittedly, it hurts a little for me to be here. I liken it to walking into a room and someone's special chair now sits empty.
Anyway... add another snowy weather event partnered up with ice this past week, time, thankfully, seemed to stop for a couple of days. Personally, it was a very welcome inclement weather situation as it gave me time to play hooky from life during special walks through the icy forest nearby my home with my husband on Monday and Tuesday. We couldn't wait to get outside to experience the beautiful winter wonderland first hand. It also gave me some blank spots in my days to catch up on other stuff, too. So, I'm finally at the place where I can focus on my blogs again.
Here, on All Aboard Hamlet, I have several upcoming posts planned already. Lately, I've been devoting a lot of thought to "community" in respects to shared common ground and possible bonds that could be fostered as a result of that shared ground. I've been appreciating the changes I see happening on Main Street Hamlet, and even new Hamlet focused Pages on Facebook. And it may sound silly, but I've pondering black and white and shades of gray. How so? Well, in photography and how I see the things that make you and I, you and I. How the shades of gray are the areas where our common bonds can be found. I'll elaborate in my next post...
But, for right now, I want you to take a walk with me through Main Street Park in black and white and shades of gray. Once the roads in our neighborhood became passable last week, my husband and I headed to the Depot. I already knew I'd missed taking the photos I would have so loved to take of the Depot itself, but I had an inkling Main Street Park would make up for it. It truly did. It was like being the midst of an ice castle with the sky for a ceiling and fencing, instead of walls.
(To me, black and white photography isn't necessarily without true color. It's all about one's imagination and in viewing color photos vs. black and white, with color the eye sees the image first, where in black and white, your heart does. The emotion that can be provoked, or illustrated in black and white and the all important shades of gray can pale a color version of the same shot if you see them side by side. Black and white shots are poetic stills, where colored shots vividly portray their subjects. It may just be me, but I believe black and white shots are more timeless. They certainly capture a part of me, color doesn't. What about you? As you view the shots below, think about it...)
We had the most lovely walk through Main Street Park amidst the snow and ice. It was so icy, my husband had to keep a tight grip on me to keep me from falling. I almost wiped out several times, but fortunately, either my husband, or I caught myself. We saw one man fall three times. Poor guy. He was there with the love of his life, and we were thrilled he didn't take her down, too. To say it was beautiful, is an understatement. It was just breathtaking the way the ice covered and molded to everything. It shimmered and glistened in the sunlight so perfectly, I could have cared less if the trees ever leafed out again. The sky was a gorgeous blue, but the reflection off the snow mingled with the brilliant morning sunlight made it so incredibly bright, there were times I couldn't see through my camera's view finder. There were times, I couldn't see at all. Yep, I was blinded by the light! We could hear the sounds of the ice cracking as we walked, well, stomped to maintain our balance. We could hear the birds, and a brisk whooshing of the wind through the trees and stark areas. It was refreshing, exhilarating, and the icy air felt so clean. Like a blast of healthy!
The ancient trees were magnificent. I found myself wondering how many ice and snow storms they'd weathered and how many people they've enjoyed seeing stroll by them. And how many trains either carrying passengers on a journey, or goods to keep our nation's stock piles of whatever filled go by them. And how much of Hamlet's history they've witnessed, but are keeping to themselves like secrets. What about the younger specimen trees planted around the park? What are they learning about people as they listen in and observe them as they stand silently?
Although I always find Main Street Park wonderful, it's the views from within it in all directions that always seem to be the most intriguing and appealing to me.
To be continued...
In looking at black and white photography, immediately you're aware that there is more to the picture. Of course, your mind registers the most obvious... it's missing color, but is it really missing anything else? Or, does it actually give you more of the picture? Do the blacks and whites and shades of gray pull you into the photograph deeper than a color version would? Does it capture your imagination? Without the grays sewing the photograph together, could you even see the black and white portions clearly? 
