Tag: Speakeasy

  • A Speakeasy Cover

    Nothing is quiet as iconic to the Roaring Twenties and Dirty Thirties as a speakeasy.  These were places were people went to drink, dance, smoke and enjoy themselves.  Movies often depicts the classier clip joints as places filled with live bands, cigarette girls and the hedonistic Flapper.

    grand_ultra_crowded_subtle

    The cover for the Grand was designed to be temporary.  Sites like Wattpad demanded a cover even if the work was in progress, so I found shots from the era and used them as a cover.  While the cover served admirably, I never owned the rights to the image. Sure it should have been out of copyright,  but such laws are always a bit ambiguous.

    Recently I had the opportunity to visit a Speakeasy in Halifax and I took a few shots.  Turns out that one seemed to have some of the elements desired.

    To make the cover work I did the following changes:

    • Altered the face and features;
    • Clarified the image to bring out details;
    • Added a series of silhouettes to the background to hide unnecessary detail;
    • Converted the image to look like a watercolour based painting, a theme that was adopted by the Portrait.
    • Filled the glass with blood-red liquid; and
    • Made the models eyes grey, which seems odd and inhuman.

    Overall it makes for a cover which is uniquely mine.  While I will likely experiment with other cover designs in the future, this one will at least set my fifth revision apart from the others!


  • A Modern Speakeasy in Halifax

    A modern speakeasy at clip-joint prices in Halifax! While there are modern amenities in the room like computers and an air conditioner, the owners have gone through a lot of effort to make it seem like the Real McCoy. Patrons are required to casually embed a password into normal conversation and then are discretely whisked away through the bowels of the building to this hidden gem.

    Modern_Speakeasy_No_21
    Patron of the speakeasy. Face has been modified and blurred out on purpose.

    Of course, there are differences which are generational. You will not find an iconic sliding peephole window, a phonograph, a tube radio or even a dance floor. The latter is probably the biggest omission, but many people are going to dance to the Charleston?

    When you enter the space, music from the Roaring Twenties and Dirty Thirties can be heard in the background. It gives the space an authentic feel, however on occasion Moby or modern music is mixed in. Fortunately, the music is all environmental so the transition was not jarring.

    Overall I would highly recommend the experience, even for non-drinkers.  Their deserts and appetizers are to die for!

    As an homage to the era, the images have been formatted to resemble shots taken from a box camera.  I did opt to maintain the colour however, seems to create a better ambiance.


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