I went for a long bike ride this weekend. Taking advantage of cool temperatures in the 70s, I headed up Rist Canyon, making it as far as the firehouse. For once I wasn’t dehydrated, and as I was cruising home on the flats afterwards, I decided to stop and take some pictures of the van. If you’ve ever driven through LaPorte, you know which van I’m talking about. Every surface seems to colored with a different hue. Some panels are covered with crazy cartoons, while others hold only paint splatters. The back panel is clearly titled Abstract Express. In my mind, at least, that’s a pun on abstract expressionism. As I was taking photos, the artist came out to chat. Super-friendly, he told me he goes by the artist name of “Gorpf.” We talked for quite a while, and I can vouch that he’s quite a character. It sounds like he’s had quite a lifetime of experiences here in Northern Colorado, and my day was brightened for having met him. (I would post a link to his online presence, but he doesn’t have one). This photo of his van became my favorite image of the week.
The Abstract Express
iPhone 13 Pro
I’ve enclosed some additional photos of The Abstract Express below:
Digital Darkroom. Processing this photo, I increased by contrast (+18), whites (+12), and clarity (+37), and lowered highlights (-20). Since I didn’t have my Fuji, I was robbed of the opportunity to use the Velvia profile. I compensated by increasing tint by +14 and vibrance by +9. The van really is this brightly colored in real life.
WIRR stands for Weekly Image Rich Ruh. This regular feature on Das Has von Ruh will show and describe my favorite photo created during this weekly period. My weeks start on Mondays, as does the WIRR. I’m hoping to include commentary on the story, the setting, the specs, or the sentiments, depending on the circumstances.
Das Haus von Ruh 