Empty
London, ON, October 2008
I've never been into crowd scenes. The noise and chaos tend to throw my whole sense of balance off. Because of this, I avoid malls and other retail outlets as much as possible in the runup to the holiday season. And over the rest of the year, for that matter.
But that doesn't mean I won't peer through the locked doors of a mall at night and marvel at how the place is transformed by a total lack of humanity. If only these walls could talk, I like to imagine that they'd agree with me.
Your turn: Crowds or lack thereof? Please discuss.
About this photo: We're exploring the "night" theme all week in support of Thematic Photographic. If you've got a pic or link to share - and I sincerely hope you do - then please head on over here to dive right in.
Although I try to be mindful of using the word "Hate", I can truthfully and mindfully say I hate crowds. I will go out of my way, get up insanely early, whatever, to avoid them.
ReplyDeleteAnd holiday shopping? Don't get me started. I just want to drop out of society from November to January.
malls before opening or after closing ROCK! i always loved having to go in super early....it was soooo peaceful.
ReplyDeletei'm with you....i avoid crowds as much as possible. =D
A great photo. And oh, do I agree with you. There are occasions when I enjoy a crowd - briefly. It can be exciting - again, briefly. Most of the time I want to be alone - or at least some place where I can watch from a distance. I don't like parties much. I like to enjoy people's company one on one and really get to know them. Crowded situations bring out the worst in most of us.
ReplyDeleteHi Carmi, I came across your blog from, hmm I dont recall.
ReplyDeleteI have posted a 'Night' Image for yout theme this week.
I could have changed it to black and white but I kind of like it as is.
Maybe I will be back on Wednesday?
heres the link
http://janezlifeandtimes.wordpress.com/2008/11/01/thematic-photographic-nightthematic-photographic-night/
you can find me at
www.janezworld.com
Jane
Interesting blog.I enjoy crowds or should I say I can put up with them.Sometimes I feel when the mall isnt to busy at all it feels lifeless.Like I need something busy moving about me.But at the same time crowds can overhwelm me if Im shopping and thinking,LOL.Thats difficult for me do to both when its to overwhelming.I guess this brings me to the Christmas season approaching.I can manage that very well its sorta ment to be crazy then right? LOL.
ReplyDeleteYes, I identify. Malls send me into a mild sense of panic. Too overwhelming. A mall closed like the one in this photo, though, I can handle. The lighting is so mysterious in this one.
ReplyDeleteCrowds of lack thereof depends on the situation. I can't stand them in the mall or grocery store. When I shop for clothes for me, I'll go to the mall or department store when it opens - get what I need and get out. I usually do the family grocery shopping, so I do it early on a Sunday morning right after church (the earliest service). Both church and store are not crowded at the time.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I love to be in a crowded stadium during a concert, or a football or baseball game. Being in a restaurant or bar with my wife and friends is a good crowded thing too.
A beautiful photograph as always Carmi. Your work inspires me and makes me want to be a great photographer like you.
ReplyDeleteSomeday I hope to take some classes and get some professional equipment. That is a dream of mine that I hope I can make come true.
I haven't been to your site in a while and see I've been missing out on so much! Your family is beautiful and I love your blog.
I do have a night photo...I'll hunt it down and see if I can add it. :)
I have seen you post on a few blogs that I have read. I thought I would give you a biref visit. I love to Christmas shop but I hate the crowds at the mall. I try to go to other stores to avoid the large, insane crowds during the holiday season!
ReplyDeleteI was able to sneak a few night pix into my travels today. (My dad loved Studs Terkel too! He was always asking me to get copies of his books to bring when I visited.)
ReplyDeleteThis is why I shop at night between 9:00PM and closing time ... no crowds at all
ReplyDeleteI can handle crowds in certain contexts, for limited periods. A hockey game, a concert, an Obama rally, a Stanley Cup Parade... these events kind of require a crowd. (Though a lot of us remember the Greensboro-era Hurricanes games of '97-'98-'99 when we learned to hate the phrase "small but enthusiastic crowd".)
ReplyDeleteFor the most part though, I'm not much of a crowd lover on a day-to-day basis. And it was only a couple of days ago that I voiced my general opinion of malls over at Gord Harrison's (It Strikes Me Funny - 10.29.08 ). Malls -- not to put too fine a point on it -- suck. I live maybe a mile and a half from one of the larger -- and most established -- malls in town and other than the anchor tenants you can see from the highway, I couldn't tell you what's in there. I don't go there unless whatever I'm looking for is something I can't find anywhere else. With one exception. I have a fondness (weakness?) for Craftsman hand tools and the only Sears in town is in that mall. But since they're one of the anchor tenants (meaning they're on one end with their own parking), I can get in and get out without having to endure the mall proper.
Anyway, that's not really why I came by. I came to admire your latest photo offering (which is as always, a sparkling one) and catch everybody up on the two latest contributions at my place. (Since I was out last night I didn't get by to link up Friday's entry. And I actually got more material that I could use for this week's theme at the Halloween party I went to, but I'm already scheduled full up through the end of the week! So unless you're gonna continue the "night" theme for a second week, I'll have to find another way to work them in.)
Thematic Photographic 22: Night v.3.0 - Sleepless In Atlantic Beach
Thematic Photographic 22: Night v.4.0 - Last Night of the Fair
Enjoy!
Carmi, here is my entry for this week's night theme. I know I do not have a photo - at the present time! As I was writing this piece, it occured ( oops no spell check..is it 2 r's, 2 c's or both!!) to me that it would be a perfect fit for the night theme. I will try to post one from my archives when I get my laptop back up and running! Thanks...here is the link: http://swile67.blogspot.com/2008/11/stranger-in-night.html
ReplyDeleteI prefer to avoid crowds when possible. Some of my favorite places come with crowds, so I deal. I was just thinking to myself on Friday, when I was waiting to vote early at the library, how interesting it was to look through the glass doors & see the building "asleep."
ReplyDeleteNo crowds. To the Nth degree. And an empty mall right at opening on a Sunday morning with snow outside is like an empty oasis - of the retail variety.
ReplyDeleteI used to do security back in the day and a huge dark empty building in the middle of the night is a different beast.
Don't really do parties - especially new years. But people watching is great at any time. Probably good for a photographer, eh? :)
Oh! I hope I'm not too late! Here's my link for mt night pictures.
ReplyDeletehttp://2buy4.wordpress.com/