Photo mishap edit reveals self-image.
Thank you WP Daily Post. Fairly new to the blogosphere, I decided to take on this week’s writing challenge and learn the features of image editing within WordPress.
Wow. A great lesson in more ways than one.
I searched through my photos and chose this one that is actually an “oops” in picture taking. The original is one of many I snapped leaning out of my upstairs bedroom window of a firetruck parked in front of my home. Just before Christmas last year, my small neighborhood of townhomes awoke in the middle of the night to a raging house fire. So large that the street was impassable, packed with a dozen firetrucks from other towns and a nearby city. Add ambulances and other rescue vehicles and it felt like a disaster scene from a movie. It was one of the most frightening events I have ever witnessed. As you can imagine, my hands were not too steady when I shot this picture!
The photo image is the blurred effect of the flashing lights on the truck. When I started to edit and flip it around, something immediately stood out. Do you see it? To me, it resembled a figure — head, arms draping on the sides — even what appeared in the background to be a window in the upper left-hand corner (it’s actually part of the truck).
Then it struck me – I saw myself in the figure.
That’s me and that’s my MS. I always thought the shot looked “electrifying,” but flipping it around, a slight crop, and then seeing those squiggly lines inside a body form? That’s what multiple sclerosis is all about. Nerve damage causes the electrical communication system that pulses throughout our bodies to be incomplete. Just the fact alone that this comes from a blurred photograph is a reminder of MS vision woes. And all those dastardly squiggly remnants of lost messages. What’s even weirder, to my eyes anyway, is the two bright orange v’s, in what could be seen as a leg. That’s the left side facing the photo, but actually the right side of the figure – my most troubled leg. Insert spooky music of choice here!
This Daily Post challenge was a great experience – I’m inspired to sign up for photography classes as I want to snap my own vintage-inspired photos for my blog posts.
I love the “oops” in photography, and I love the idea of understanding those “oops”, how much light to let in, for how long, when to move or shake your hand, when to actually get a tripod. I love your photo, even though I have to say, I can’t see you in there.
Thank you for the comment, Pili. You are the second person to tell me that you don’t see the abstract me! All the others were probably not wanting to say so! I have no idea why that image popped in my head, but alas, it did. If interested, you can click on the image to enlarge it. I see a head at the very top the (thinner blob), even eyes and a white dot for a nose. Then a body from there. I admit it’s hard to make out, but once you see it, you it! Thanks for stopping by
I’ll keep looking. I can see a figure made out of lights, but I don’t get how the two v’s can be its right side. Thanx for posting this, I’m intrigued.
That evening sounds like my worst nightmare. OMgosh, how scary. We’ve only lived in the city for just over a year. We’re in a townhouse and I worry that the neighbour might be careless with a candle or anything really. We’re shopping for a house and I can’t wait. Sorry to know that MS is part of your life. I’ve see the challenges. Welcome to WP, I’ve only been blogging for a year and it’s been a wonderful surprise. Good luck!