It is difficult for me to find words to fully express how I feel about something I love and am deeply passionate about. It’s not that I don’t know what I want to say about them, there are just so many things I want to say, it’s difficult to filter it down into something readable.
AMC’s acclaimed show Breaking Bad is one such obsession. Somehow I missed out on it when it started a few years ago, and while I knew that Geoff watched and enjoyed it, I didn’t think to pursue that matter. A little before last Labor Day I started hearing more talk about the show and it intrigued me. When I saw it was streaming on Netflix, it was only a matter of finding out if Geoff wanted to rewatch it with me or not. He did, so over Labor Day weekend, when we had the unusual luck of a couple days off at the same time, we watched nearly the whole first season, and I have been greedily devouring it ever since. At this point I have just the first half of the fifth and final season to catch up on before I am ready for it to come back on live again and see the end of this breathtaking saga.
It’s also hard for me to express exactly what I like so much about the show, but I suppose it really comes down to the characters. The real, raw, fully-formed beings who I can believe could actually exist in the real world (although I am glad some of them don’t). Certainly some of the character are more inherently likable than others, and I would, in fact, say that all of the characters have things you dislike about them. It makes them human. But at the same time, perhaps because they are so human, I become hopelessly entangled in their stories, and I root for them. I want them to succeed and be happy.
It doesn’t hurt that the show it just beautifully shot in every way. From the gorgeous time-lapse shots, the meticulous attention to light, shadow, color, composition, wardrobe, set… every detail is important and thoughtful. It is a show with its own, distinct style, and I suppose that’s part of why I felt compelled to create a self portrait as a nod to the show.
My photos are always a reflection of me and my passions. And thought I use TV shows less frequently as jumping-off points for photos, when they move me deeply enough, they can be powerful motivators. Drawing from the colors, compositions, lighting and certain key elements of the show, I created the following self portrait as a humble homage to the show I have enjoyed so deeply.
Lastly, I will say that I can’t look at this photo without hearing the intro to the show play in my head.
All Hail The Queen
Mythic Pictures 