Rooflines
I guess that we all knew it was just a matter of time before I posted another shot taken in an alley.
This alley is just off the main street in Marfa; I took the photograph at the request of my traveling companion. I add that to try to show that I am NOT the only one walking around alleys. But my companion would probably not have been in the alley unless I’d turned down it first, so my position re. alleys remains a little weak.
Marfa, Texas
photographed 1.18.2013
Important Update/Rebuttal
The previously-mentioned traveling companion offers the following rebuttal re. alleys and my allegations regarding her use – or lack – of them. Also, her daughter’s name is Allison, which will make sense in a minute:
As a New Orleans native, I absolutely and without reservation argue that I discovered and appreciated alleys long before you, despite both your greater number of trips around the sun and your upbringing in the ever fascinating country of West Texas.
To wit: every space between the shotgun houses of my youth is an alley; I personally explored most of the ones between St. Charles and Magazine, Audubon Park and jJefferson Avenue in my first ten years and haven’t stopped loving that alley feeling since.
Alleys were for forts, hiding, eating candy from Mr. Landry’s so your mother wouldn’t take it away (and eat it herself!), games of little boys and girls, playing our own home grown version of tag called “infintrationality,” hiding, walking through to look for discarded stuff.
Alleys are literally cooler and I remember that physical sense of relief in getting out of the sun.
Also: I named my second child what?
I think she rests her case!
Posted on February 15, 2013, in architecture, Photography and tagged 365 photo project, alley, architecture, black and white photography, downtown, marfa, marfa texas, melinda green harvey, one day one image, photo a day, photography, texas. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Comments.
One Day | One Image 
Melinda,
This is stellar work–great layers, nice production values, moving content. I used it in my upper-division photo class as an example for my students in a lecture about voice and layers.
This one deserves a place in a show….
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Oops-sorry, I was trying to post on the garage image (goof on my part).
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I’ll take all compliments – even when they refer to something else!
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I like the update very much. And it makes me realise that I spent my first 11 (sentient) years with alleys and hanging out with the neighbourhood kids in them. Which is probably why I like you alley shots so much since where I live now has almost no alleys.
Nice parallel lines between that fat down spout (expecting serious rain are we? or it is a plumbing vent) and the hydro pole.
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My traveling companion did a fantastic job with that update. She emailed it to me, and it was far too good to not share. I will let her know you like what she wrote!
I believe it’s a plumbing vent. I like the parallel lines, too; they were much less interesting on another shot where they were vertical with the shot.
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