The first location was just around the corner from where I grew up. On 20 December 1976 more than 350 mm of rain fell in 24 hours on our little valley. There was flooding. Our house was hit due to the stream running through our backyard. Just up the road a couple of houses lost their footing. (Look at the photo halfway down on the left.) It was here I wanted to photograph. After trapsing around for a bit we discovered that there really was nothing much worth photographing.
So we drove around The Valley a bit and came across these shops - just around the corner from where Nic grew up, but not that close to where his Dad now lives.
I astounded Nic by taking half an hour to set up the shot, having him wandering around taking meter readings for me and then enjoying the huge anticlimax of shooting for 1/15th of a sec. There is a feeling that when a photo has taken that long to compose, it should take a bit longer to shoot it.
While I took this because I was struck by how run down the shops had become, I also remember one summer, on a couple of occasions my best friend and I would ride around The Valley going to dairies where we were unknown and steal crap - burger rings, twisties, coke etc. This was one of the places we hit.
Good golly we were so naughty. It was Kerry's influence that no doubt set me on my path to drug addiction, murder and white collar crime.
This is my only shot from that day. I have been meaning to go back and shoot more, but just never got around to it.
6 comments:
Gosh, how will Nic handle the fame? Will he take to the mountains and become a hermit, restricting his real world manifestations to bizarre posts on other people's blogs? Or does an exciting life of sex, drugs, white-collar crime and rock and roll beckon? (if so, please send details of where)
Sadly I feel there is too much of the hermit in old Nic, and he will no doubt take refuge in the mountains (preferably picturesque and remote). Unfortunately, also, an exciting life of sex, drugs, white-collar crime and rock and roll remains a dream for many - including those of us domiciled in the city.
Tena koe ehoa
A great reminescent story to go with a great image Andy! 8)
Oh how foolishly we spent time in those days. Indeed memories better refurbished with mates than parents!
In '76 I remember the incredible rainfalls you speak of as well. In northern NZ similar falls were experienced and much of the Waikato and Thames Valley suffered.
I also remember how most corner dairies in those days had an old clapped out mirage outside them too!
Actually that mirage is probably in pretty good shape for a Delaney Drive car. For starters it's parked in a public place, yet all wheels, windows etc appear to be intact...
Nic probably didn't mind the shot taking all of 1/15th of a second. In fact if you asked him about it he would probably recall being glad it was finally over, as he had spent the entire set-up time feeling very self-consciously middle-class (an unusual feeling for him) and wondering when he'd get to run away. And in his old street outside his old dairy/fish and chip shop! Tsk, there's no hope for some people.
well strangely i think it is that same feeling that has stopped me heading back to take more photos
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