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Post by wisejester7 on Sept 16, 2006 10:21:22 GMT -5
Photo : Richard & Karen Carpenter ( circa 1971 ) "actively listening" to a record.
Overall observations:
1. The scene is tense. Perhaps the pressure to find the next 'hit' is getting to them.
2. Quiet ...except for the recording.
3. Alone...together. They are sitting VERY close together and yet each is in their own world...alone.
Richard: looks pensive and justified/righteous. His face shows thought tempered by (perhaps) something that has just taken place...possibly with Karen. A disagreement?
Karen: is dutifully listening...maybe begrudgingly. She looks upset. Karen's chair sits lower than Richards'.
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Post by DJLOVETRAIN on Sept 16, 2006 13:47:25 GMT -5
Nice Observations,Wisejester 7! Dr Johnny P LoveTrain
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Post by DJLOVETRAIN on Sept 16, 2006 13:50:39 GMT -5
My observation;They are listening to Rainy Days and Mondays! They are depressed because its raining outside and they can't play Softball with their friends! Dr Johnny P LoveTrain
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Post by GoodOldDreams on Sept 16, 2006 15:05:29 GMT -5
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Post by DJLOVETRAIN on Sept 16, 2006 15:20:10 GMT -5
AWESOME examination,Good Old Dreams! Have you tried Twisted Logic #13 yet? Dr Johnny P LoveTrain
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Post by GoodOldDreams on Sept 16, 2006 15:32:50 GMT -5
AWESOME examination,Good Old Dreams! Have you tried Twisted Logic #13 yet? Dr Johnny P LoveTrain Thanks, Dr Johnny P LoveTrain! I have just added a few more details to my interpretations above after your post. I will pipe in when I get a better insight into Twisted Logic #13.
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Post by wisejester7 on Sept 16, 2006 20:57:48 GMT -5
GoodOldDreams & Dr Johnny P Love Train....Good observations and interpretations!
This is a little like an 'I Spy' game. We each see, find, and interpret what we are looking at differently. It's good to hear your take(s) on the photo!
;-)wj7
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Post by Rick Henry on Sept 16, 2006 21:08:08 GMT -5
What an interesting topic. Thank you for starting it Wisejester7.
I thought I'd post the picture we're taling about so that way when the background changes we'll know what we're talking about.Here is my take on the picture.
Karen and Richard are in the studio Richard has built in their home. I feel this si so because if they were at the Astudio at A&M Records listening to their own music - it would most likely be on reel to reel.
It's late 1971 the album "Carpenters" has been out several months and has sold over a million copies. Karen and Richard are listening to albums from Richard's extyensive collection. Right now they're listening to Leon Russell's album simply titled "Leon Russell". They figured they did so well with "Superstar" that they'd record a few more songs of his. Track one on side one is "A Song For You" - which both K&R agreed is a great song - so they kept listening to see what other gems are on the album. Now they're on track three which is "I Put A Spell On You" - they're both listening intently. Karen twists a bit and turns her right ear toward the speakers - she hears better from her right ear. They agree it's not their type of song but really find it interesting. While they're both closely listening (serious work for them as we can tell by the serious look on Richard's face). The microphone is set up so Karen can sing some of the songs they find interesting - just to get a feel of the flow. Evelyn Wallace decides to walk in unannounced with a camera to snap a "caught you in the act" sort of photo.
That's my take.
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Post by DJLOVETRAIN on Sept 16, 2006 21:09:27 GMT -5
Thanks Wisejester 7! I think Rick should do game like Twisted Logic with this,good idea? Rick can put a picture in a thread and we Carpenter Forum members can give his/hers observations/thoughts! If you would like to talk off the forum,you can always e-mail me! Dr Johnny P LoveTrain
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Post by DJLOVETRAIN on Sept 16, 2006 21:11:56 GMT -5
Rick;EXCELLENT THOUGHTS/OBSERVATIONS!!! You should do something like Twisted Logic with this! Dr Johnny P LoveTrain
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Post by wisejester7 on Sept 16, 2006 21:23:46 GMT -5
Thank you for posting the picture, Rick.
I like your take on the photo, too!
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Post by wisejester7 on Sept 16, 2006 23:11:30 GMT -5
Body language...
Karen's is CLOSED (especially to Richard). THe only 'opening' she has is midway between the window (freedom ?) and the music (her love and her livelihood). She even has her jacket pinned up to her leg with her hand. This could be because there is a photograper and she is shy and/or weight conscious.
Richard's is OPEN only toward the music. His legs are crossed and his hands are folded together and resting on his crossed legs ( a reinforcement of his single mindedness toward the music). He has squared his body to the music and appears to be 'in the zone'.
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Post by enigma on Sept 17, 2006 11:12:13 GMT -5
Wow very interesting comments here a picture really can paint a thousand words here. Just want to comment of some of what has been said with a little of my own interpretaions thrown in. First: I like the argument idea Karen is looking out the window like she is miffed about something and Richard is looking towards the left; Its like the two are upset with each other and want to avoid eye contact or do not want to acknowledge one and other at this point. They do appear to be in their own individual worlds from this stand point. Also it would seem a metaphore can be derived using this line of thinking and that is that because K&R are still sitting together dispite not being happy with each other they are a solid unit. They may not agree but they are a team and have a common goal that supercedes all minor or even major problems they may face as individuals and that is to choose and create the best music they possible can using both of their incredible talents. This argument idea is intreguing to me. Second: I also like Ricks take. They are intently listening to Richards record collection and Richard is playing selections that he has choisen for Karen to sing. He is playing them so Karen knows what to sing when they get to the recording process which as Rick said could very well be right across the room they are in. This is less intriging to me because it is a logical and non interpretive approach basically what you see is what is happening there is a record player playing a record and from what we already know about the Carpenters recording process is likely a pre selected track Richard has choisen for Karen to sing. I do like this take on the photo though. Finally: wisejester your last comments like your first one are interesting interpretations based on positioning of K&R and facial expressions it sounds like you have some psycology background in interpretations of photographs. Very interesting and intrguing takes on the photo some of which I would not see or think of until you pointed them out.
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Post by GoodOldDreams on Sept 17, 2006 14:33:29 GMT -5
It's interesting how we have such varied interpretations of what is going on based on a single moment in time.
Since this candid picture was taken in a space that was not generally accessible to the public, the photographer must have been a close personal or professional contact or someone specially authorized to be in the room. I think that if Richard and Karen were really at odds with each other at the time, they would not have allowed pictures of this unflattering private moment to be captured for posterity, let alone be released to the public. The photographer would not have wanted to risk the consequences of breaching the trust and confidence they had placed in him or her. Therefore, it seems more likely to me that they were simply deep in concentration about what they were listening to.
Since there are reasonable alternatives to the interpretation of this photo, I hesitate to subscribe to the worst-case scenario without understanding the facts and contexts better.
Like a Rorschach inkblot test, our interpretations may reflect more of who WE are than the actual subjects at a glance.
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Post by DJLOVETRAIN on Sept 17, 2006 14:45:31 GMT -5
EXCELLENT OBSERVATION,GoodOldDreams! That's why YOU,Wisejester7 and Enigma know your Carpenters and I'm just learning DJ whom LOVES their music as I LOVE ANYTHING from the 70s! I think this should be a game like Twisted Logic,good idea? Dr Johnny P LoveTrain
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Post by wisejester7 on Sept 17, 2006 15:08:55 GMT -5
It's interesting how we have such varied interpretations of what is going on based on a single moment in time. Since this candid picture was taken in a space that was not generally accessible to the public, the photographer must have been a close personal or professional contact or someone specially authorized to be in the room. I think that if Richard and Karen were really at odds with each other at the time, they would not have allowed pictures of this unflattering private moment to be captured for posterity, let alone be released to the public. The photographer would not have wanted to risk the consequences of breaching his or her trust and confidence with them. Therefore, it seems more likely to me that they were just deep in concentration about what they were listening to. Since there are reasonable alternatives to the interpretation of this photo, I hesitate to subscribe to the worst-case scenario without understanding the facts and contexts better. Like a Rorschach inkblot test, our interpretations may reflect more of who WE are than the actual subjects at a glance. Capturing a moment in time... Unflattering private moments have been captured and released before..ie. Karen and Richard at odds with each other in their A&M office in 1981. I think they were doing interviews about 'Made In America' then. Reasonable alternatives to the interpretation of the photo is what this is all about. ;-) We are just playing...using our observation skills and then making speculations about what might actually be happening. And, Yes, we do reveal a little of who we are when we make our speculations. That is the fun part, too. All of us are multi-faceted. We each see things differently...the same way people who witness an event will notice DIFFERENT aspects about the exact same event.
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Post by wisejester7 on Sept 17, 2006 15:27:36 GMT -5
Thanks Wisejester 7! I think Rick should do game like Twisted Logic with this,good idea? Rick can put a picture in a thread and we Carpenter Forum members can give his/hers observations/thoughts! If you would like to talk off the forum,you can always e-mail me! Dr Johnny P LoveTrain Yes, this would make an entertaining game. Do you think others would like to play it? Of course, Rick would have to be willing to post pictures and go along with the idea. There have been some fun and interesting ideas floated out there about this first picture already. Good job, everybody!
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Post by YesterdayOnceMore on Sept 17, 2006 22:32:40 GMT -5
I'll come back with my observations, and must say there are some awesome interpretations here already...don't know I could add much. In response to you, Dr. Lovetrain, you need to look at pages 2 to about 25 of this forum. You will note that Rick has done this type of thing MANY times in the past, with posted pictures....getting reactions of them from other forum members. It's not been a "game" so much as - what song does this remind you of - but it's along the same lines. We've been doing this for some time now, and I just wanted to make you aware of that, since you've asked that question SEVERAL times, now...in several threads. It is a wonderful idea to really "interpret" the photo, but it ISN't a brand new thing that's happening. If you are really interested, I thought you might like to know that you can navigate back in time, and take a look at what forum members thought of certain photos, and why. Really nice job of interpreting WJ7, Dreams, Rick and Enigma. Tim
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