Place Bourbon, 2006
Regular readers know that one of my favorite photographic motifs is the “portal perspective,” pictures taken looking out a window or doorway. But I hadn’t realized until I looked back through some pictures from a recent trip to Providence, Rhode Island, that I seem to be pretty shameless about taking pictures that look in, as well.
I’m not so much of a voyeur that I would think to photograph people in their privacy of their own homes. But when I am somewhere where interiors are visible from the street without any mechanical amplification or violation of privacy, I do like to imagine stories that take place in the rooms I see.
I can easily envision stories in each of these:
Seeing these reminded me of Place Bourbon, above, which is just down the street from the hotel where my wife and I stayed during our last trip to Paris. It’s kind of a swank neighborhood with a surprisingly affordable little hotel in the middle of it. A lot of the apartments were dark during the time we were there. (Do Parisians all leave town in late May?) But every now and then you’d look up and catch a scene like this and wonder what lush life might be lived there.
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Hmmmm....you've given me more food for thought and possibly inspired me. Now, when I get arrested for being a peeping Tom I'll just tell the judge it's all your fault!
ReplyDeleteNow, how many do it yourself snowman kits can I put you down for? Since we'll be back home for a visit next week I'll make you a deal and forgo the shipping and handling charges.
Oh, I'm shameless. If someone has lights on inside, and no curtains drawn, I love to look inside! I don't think I'm trying to see the people so much as the house itself. I was in the Netherlands where long windows were right down to the ground along canals, and they never had curtains drawn. You could look right in, and I never hesitated. Endlessly fascinating--it's just a glimpse into another life, or something. These are great photos: I'd peek at any of these!
ReplyDeleteI'm a peeping Thomasina, myself, but never thought of using my camera to capture the scenes. I also marvel at the bravery of the people who don't pull the curtains. I wouldn't like passers-by peering in.
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