Often when browsing Instagram, Flickr, or YouTube I come across fantastic photography: two elk cracking skulls in an open field, a rugged waterfall in Iceland, or a unique spin on Yosemite’s Half Dome. A lot of people, it seems, make creative and original photographs. Occasionally, however, I’ll stumble across photographs that really inspire me— they present something different or make me pause and think about what the photo really means. In order to not horde the exciting experience of such photographs to myself, I’ve decided to start a weekly blog series sharing the images as well as my thoughts on why I selected it.
This week Tesla’s successful Falcon Heavy Demo Mission and subsequent photographs of “Starman,” a dummy astronaut in Elon Musk’s 2008 Tesla Roadster blew me away.
From Space X's Flickr. See link below for more photographs.
How often is it that you have the entire planet earth in your rearview window?
Space X not only pushed the limits of private space travel, but also created a photograph that is (1) stunning, (2) captured a completely surreal view, and (3) raised countless questions for me.
The first point is highly subjective but looking at the photograph, I find it hard to argue that this “starman” cruising through space isn’t incredible. Again, how often is the blue marble your background? Secondly, Space X created (perhaps unintentionally) a completely surreal image. Sure anyone can photoshop a dude in a car in space, but it takes billions of dollars and countless failed rockets to actually capture a single, real, photograph of a man driving through the stars. Musk created a 21st century Dali— perhaps Elon should add “Neo-Surrealist Photographer” to his list of credentials.
What makes the photograph so special is that it, in a single image, sums up everything that Space X tries to achieve and has thus far accomplished. Certainly, the fact that it takes place in space testifies to the success of the rocket launch. Yet, more pertinent, the image builds hope for the romantic idea of personal space travel. Maybe one day, we’ll cruise through space in a convertible 2080 Tesla. Sunday drive to Mars?
The image also struck me in that it really made me think. Primarily, if I’m some alien dude cruising through the galaxy and I come across this sight— an astronaut in a convertible with one arm out the window and one hand on the wheel— what would I think? Would my first alien-thought be that this guy had better have two hands on the wheel? Or would this bizarre scene perplex me; is this what intelligent life looks like?
Or what if I were the “Starman” (and I could somehow live)? What on earth would you do in that car… hope you pass someone else going the opposite direction? Hope that you don’t get bored of the 2007 “Summer Bangerz” CD you burned in high school that is now the only CD in your car? Better yet, what if you were starman and you came across an alien doing the exact same thing??
Above all, despite the questions and surrealist implications, what makes this photo so fascinating isn’t necessarily the humor or composition, but rather the way in which it represents the boundless opportunity of individual enterprise.
For more photographs of the launch, visit Space X's Flickr.