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I have been driving past this Chinese take-out near where I live for more than thirty years,
and my impression of the restaurant matches the image you see here. A bit run-down, its nondescript
early fifties architecture is accentuated by Venetian blinds in all the windows. The shop is devoid
of customers and the lonely cook stands watching the television mounted high on the back wall. So
easily overlooked, this joint none-the-less intrigued me, as I found it vaguely evocative of Edward
Hopper’s famous Nighthawks.
I determined to photograph Cheng’s Kitchen as part of my effort to find compelling images within the
bland-appearing community where I live. The streets near my home are lined with a typical assortment
of supermarkets, chain stores and fast-food franchises, their corporate cookie-cutter architecture
making this town indistinguishable from so many others around southern California
I set up my camera on a tripod while the sun was still well above the horizon. I carefully attached
the 50mm macro lens I had recently purchased for almost the price of the camera itself. The half-size
image sensor in the camera “doubles” the equivalent focal length (EFL) of this lens to 100mm on a 35mm
film camera, making it moderately telephoto.
I had situated myself across the street from Cheng’s Kitchen and a bit up the street, to provide a
sense of depth to my images. As the sun was setting, I took a series of photos in the changing light.
At some point, I was noticed by the employees at Cheng’s. They popped out of a side door to eye me
suspiciously several times. They must have decided I wasn’t a terrorist after all, as they eventually
resumed going about their business.
Time passed slowly while the sun was setting. I entertained myself by searching out other scenes,
rotating the camera on the tripod head. I took a couple of panoramic sequences, too. I doubted any
of this miscellany would amount to much, and a later review proved my hunch right.
Finally, the sun had fully set and the darkness of night fell upon my scene. I took several more
shots, but none fulfilled the expectation of my mind’s eye. Then, it dawned on me that I had set up
in the wrong location. I really wanted to be shooting from the reverse angle. I quickly folded the
tripod legs together and rushed over to set up again in the parking lot of the carnicería next door.
I could hardly believe my luck when the chef came out to stand in front of the television, just as I
had so often seen him as I drove past for all those many years. I got my photo.
- Richard Kreis
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