Rapture.
From the Latin, meaning “carried away”.
I got carried away alright. Not for the first time, I might add. But, this is the first time I have posted something that never in a million years would I ever post. It would have been “deleted” or marked, “Rapture Gone Wrong”. What is the equivalent of tearing up an 8X10 in the digital world? I would have done it to this image.
I began with an idea in mind: SAPCC ‘s theme this week was “Rapture”. My idea was to take a perfectly nice non-rapturous object like a Regency truck (what better way to be carried away than in an actual carrier, I said to myself) from my Trucks and Train series. It was turning to go north on the interstate that cuts through my town.
Then, I set about to make it rapturous and, realized, in the process, that I got so carried away that I should enter this in the “Rapture Gone Wrong” contest. I went through stages of realizing that the image simply wasn’t any good no matter how much time spent or how many tricks I applied to it. I had made a fundamentally wrong decision early on in the process and then spent the bulk of the time trying to work out of a hole by digging it deeper rather than simply starting over. I actually did another image that did meet my approval standards in the rapture department but decided to post this one– as it is more important in the long run, in one particular life lesson way. I am going to keep a picture of it (albeit a small one) visible near my computer so I remember it.
The lesson for me is simply put: the same process that brings us something valuable also leads to crap. Creativity, like rapture itself is described and defined, can feel logical at the same time it breaks all the rules and it is a powerful state of anarchy. You feel the wind is at your back. And, it is. Until, it isn’t. And, then you are simply in a fundamentally chaotic state that performs a coup d’etat on your sensibilities and tosses you around like a cork on fifty foot seas. When the storm blows over and you assess where you are and what you have done, one hears the familiar post-rapture refrain:
“Now, what in hell was I thinking?”
Like the little girl with the curl, when rapture is good it is very very good but when rapture goes bad, well, it’s really just…dreadful.
Onward.
©Pat Coakley 2009
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Well! Despite your judgment on this, there are some interesting elements like the red lights, the glowing trailer and yellow lines. Still, I wonder about one who can get rapturous about a Regency truck…. Guess I’d better leave that alone.
I certainly know about making a wrong turn early on, then doing a lot of head-banging trying to recover — when timely abandonment of the effort would have been far less painful and time consuming. The brick wall of a bad start almost always wins. Indeed, “What was I thinking?!” But how else do we learn? If we never took a wrong turn, we might start to take the gifts of our muse for granted.
I still like things about the picture… now I’ll go see what the others did.
Oh, Don, those elements you mentioned? They are the culprits that twinkled and cajoled me into thinking I could rescue this!! It’s simply amazing to say this but it took a lot of skill to make it look this bad!! But, I wholeheartedly agree, wrong turns are essential and what poetry that the truck is actually taking a turn! And, about who can get rapturous about a Regency truck? After 20 snowstorms, you begin to hallucinate. The others who do this sometimes don’t post until much later in the day, (the deadline is midnight on Wednesday, some may skip it altogether, so I just post this one site who’ll list the participants. Checking on Thursday will usually be the best bet.
we go through struggles in the process with authenticity i think, sometimes, especially if the subject is loaded, there is so much to note about it, so much intrinsic that needs fixing it may effect the action. as if the choices r coming out of structure and not from the eye or heart. but i think it is important to be able to allow mistakes as part of the process, its more real in a way. thank you for this.
Tipota, What an interesting explanation for going “off” course .
The concept of where choice begins! Heart or structure? Oh, there is much to thank you for!
I think this WORKS on so many levels. The carried away aspect is certainly there. The red lights telling you not to get “carried away” are there. AND, if that sky doesn’t scream Armageddon, I do not know what does.
I understand your explanation because I have tried so hard to save pictures that should have just been deleted, but I like this shot. It works for me. If I ever see that sky, I am going to pack some belongings & start praying :)
What a great way to take this theme! I’m always nervous about over-doing it, thats why that history section in my PS is coveted.
Your sky makes me crave cotten candy btw.
Conni, one woman’s Armageddon is another man’s cotton candy. Rapture gone wrong is confusing!
I actually sometimes wish the sky was this colorful! You have captured one of the elements of rapture VERY clearly. The absence of drivers in a sudden manner as to put vehicles out of control. Which some say will happen. This truck may have been casually turning in the original photo, but in your version, the truck definitely appears as if it’s lost it’s driver.
Renee, that is fascinating about the truck appearing to have lost it’s driver! The image lost its creator in the process so maybe I got rapturized? I truly am not familiar at all with the religious meaning of the word.
Very amazing photo. I really like this one.
It reminds me of “roadies” hauling equipment, out of the limelight, and just doing a job that needs to be done. Unnoticed by most, but revered by a few as they carry out a necessary enjoyment.
Call my kinky, call me weird, but I like this image.
Then again I love spicy food; loud music and bright colours.
Ross, I think your comments about the roadies are far better than the photo deserves but they also apply to one of the reasons I like photographing trucks: unnoticed by most, revered by few, but they carry out necessary tasks. Definitely a great comment. Although, I never disparage a “Great Photo” now and then!!
Razz, Of course we’ll call you kinky! Perhaps, if you had done it, I’d love it.