Nigel Dick, {1984} TEARS FOR FEARS: Shout

I love Tears For Fears, but so far I’ve been mocking those of their videos that I’ve seen.

Steve Barron, {1983} TEARS FOR FEARS: Pale Shelter

While Steve Barron’s video for Pale Shelter is creative and interesting, it’s also quite sexist.

Nigel Dick, {1985} TEARS FOR FEARS: Head Over Heels

 

 

 

 

Nigel Dick’s video for Head Over Heels on the other hand has some hilarious moments but overall is like a nightmarish version of the already stupid The Breakfast Club (though, as they both came out the same year it’s probably just something about the 80s; and then, also: this article reconciles me with that video, I guess). And, well, here’s Shout, this powerhouse of a song, getting another Nigel Dick treatment and we get the most plain video possible. Walking at the beach, sporting some 80s fashion, channeling Mark Hollis in Such A Shame, a few dissolves, drumming on the floor, singing, a bunch of plain people clapping, happiness is an intensely red sweater. Yes. Why not. It’s 1985 after all, lets be mediocre at the center of the decade.

Apropos intense red and Durdle Door, that arch at the beach where the first part of Shout was shot: Maybe you remember those colour photos from 1913, showing a girl at a beach, wearing intensely red clothes, that have been causing amazement a few years back. Those were shot at the same beach in Dorset, England.

“Christina on the Beach, 1913, Mervyn O’Gorman © Royal Photographic Society Collection: The comparatively long exposure time has given the sea a glassy quality and the large aperture setting and narrow depth of field has put Durdle Door, in the background, into soft focus.“

“Christina Paddling, 1913, Mervyn O’Gorman © Royal Photographic Society Collection: A serene, almost surreal photograph. The long exposure time required, even in bright sunshine, has given the sea an unreal glass-like quality. The vivid red of her costume is in dramatic contrast to the subdued natural tones of the background. In the distance you can just see the rowing boat which features in some of the other photographs taken on the same day.“

“Christina on the Beach, 1913, Mervyn O’Gorman © Royal Photographic Society Collection: An evocative portrait taken on the beach at Lulworth Cove. Christina’s choice of swimming costume was a fortuitous one since red was a colour which the autochrome process captured particularly well.“

“A Picnic on the Beach, 1913, Mervyn O’Gorman © Royal Photographic Society Collection: O’Gorman captures a timeless scene as the group eat their picnic on the beach in Dorset, with Durdle Door in the background. O’Gorman’s camera case can be seen close by; one of the great advantages of the autochrome process was that it didn’t require special apparatus—photographers could use autochrome plates in their existing cameras.“

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3119976/The-mystery-lady-red-solved-Philosopher-s-daughter-died-without-marrying-34-years-ago-named-blonde-teen-ethereal-1913-colour-photos.html

And these photos, in turn, remind me of the beautiful mood & colours in the photography of Alison Scarpulla and this photo from 2011 in partcular:

http://www.alisonscarpulla.com/

 

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