Its true…. That and a keen imagination heavily insired by Karl Kolchak and Stephen King among others. I could write a serious list of these inspirations but I think it would be safer to say there is hardly a horror film or book that I am not familiar with at this point. But hey…let me know if there is something that you found that made your ticker go a little faster and that I might enjoy…
There used to be the Creature Feature late on Friday nights that I would stay up and absorb while daring the monsters to come straight out of the television and have a go at me. Of course, these late night shenanigan’s drove my parents crazy but…I was just a kid and I did what kids were supposed to do. Sneak out and watch what I was forbidden to.
Hammer Horror Films played on many of those occasions with either Peter Cushing or Christopher Lee playing the part of the hero and villian, sometimes trading. Vampires, space aliens, lycanthropes and sewn together monsters were the usual fare that spawned an obsession of lifelong appreciaiton for those things that go bump in the night.
So when it comes to the atmosphere of fog, my inner child screams a bit in joy as the sets from the television and cinema of the past come to life once again…just like some of those creatures I tend to enjoy. To this day, I am thankful for all of those films, creatures and authors for gifting me the desire to look for what lurks in the shadows and chasing the swirling mist of autumn. Even the Polish word for fog sounds a bit sinister…MGŁA. Its one of my favorite words as well as a fitting name for a favorite Polish band.
I have been asked why I like fog so much and what compels me to be out shooting it when it arrives. Well, here you are. Hammer horror films. Look em up…..you might just find yourself hooked. They might seem a little cheesy now, but I am also someone who doesn’t pass up on a little cheese when I get the chance. Just sayin’.
So here are a few frames taken on a dense foggy day filled with atmopshere, moody lights and dimly obscured streets last week. You can bet that with each step I took, I was thinking about all of the nights in my youth and loving every minute of it. Cheers.
Erik Witsoe 