Two Portraits in Slippers

[Rob MacKillop]

Still in convalescence. Finding myself in contrasts and shadows.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I forgot for two weeks how to be playful.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Photos that say a lot, the second one in particular. Feet levitating in the air and a walking stick resting on the bed. Trasognante.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Better:

 

[Rob MacKillop]

^ a spotlight on the floor.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Trasognante…

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

I love the slipper shots! Sooo... flavoursome? Wrong word... never mind!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I enjoy these moods. Good to feel one in process.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

You wouldn’t like the flavour of my slippers, Stevenson!

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

You wouldn’t like the flavour

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Trasognante…

View attachment 19694

I love this photo, Rob.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Quite partial to it myself, Gianluca! Glad you like it

 

[Brian Moore]

I've often felt that everywhere one looks there is a photograph waiting to be made. The challenges are composition, light and inspiration. You've proven my theory with these slipper shots, Rob.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks, Brian. I think I was rediscovering playfulness, after two weeks of being defined by an illness. I’m not one for populist politics, but in some way I was ‘Taking Back Control’. I was reminding my self that everything has two basic states: the thing in itself, and the thing transformed by mind (slash camera), filtered through our own experience. So, the playfulness set me off exploring the lights and shadows in my room, exploring hints of possible meanings, seen in the first three photos. And then coming to the idea that reality can also be a dreamworld, so placing one of the images on the pillow of my bed was a somewhat humorous way of showing that. To sum up: the word ‘art’ is too loaded, and imposed by others. To me it is just playing with ‘my reality’ as a way of coming to terms with it.

 

[Brian Moore]

Rob you may feel that the word "art" is too loaded, but the shoe fits here.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

You mean the slipper fits here?!

 

[Peter Roberts]

The second one says it all, Rob.
The stick, the bed, the slippers poised as if you are drumming your feet in frustration. All the elements of your predicament are there. So is a disconcerting feeling of claustrophobia.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

Well, at least you have a subject to focus on...
How are you doing? Better?

 

[Brian Moore]

You mean the slipper fits here?!

Nothing gets past you...!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

The second one says it all, Rob.
The stick, the bed, the slippers poised as if you are drumming your feet in frustration. All the elements of your predicament are there. So is a disconcerting feeling of claustrophobia.

Thanks, Peter. Claustrophobia was a big part of the Intensive Care experience, I must say. They have warned me that many people have nightmares featuring it, sometimes months or even years later. I hardly ever remember dreaming, so it will be interesting how I deal with this. Something I hope to bypass. I have to add that A&E was almost as scary, with junkies accompanied by policemen, queuing up to get their methadone shot. A real air or menace and despair.

In this shot I liked the contrasting idea of the walking stick lying down, and the feet floating. I don’t know exactly what that says, but somehow it seems important. Not everything has to ‘make sense’, only suggest.