Behind the Photo: The Belk Tower Amid Snow, 2.28.18
What: The Belk Tower
Where: University of North Carolina at Charlotte campus in front of J. Murrey Atkins Library
When: Tuesday February 24th 2015
Camera: Canon T3i, 18-55 zoom lens
Being that the amount of time to take a photograph can be as quick as 1/1000 of a second, it’s fairly easy to amass hundreds, perhaps thousands of photos that never see the public eye. I’ve decided to begin a series titled ‘Behind the Photo’ where I will go into detail of photos nobody other than myself has seen. Some of these photos will have personal stories behind them, others will be a nostalgic connection of who I was then to who I am now. It is in my opinion photos age like wine in that they get better in time.
Let’s begin.
Long story short, I began photography to remember more and to feel more. My short-term memory isn’t what it used to be, but visuals such as photos help me remember more things in a more vivid manner. I was inspired to do photography being on Tumblr around my senior year of high school. Some photos I would come across on the blogging platform would make me feel things. Pictures simply had the power to make me feel lucky, sad, and amazed. They possessed music-like powers in a sense they could make me miss someone or remember what it was like to convince myself I was in love. It reminded my mind of things I lost touch with slowly by growing up. I don’t feel bad about these things, I’m simply aware they happen.
This photo was taken during the winter of 2015. 3 years ago as I write this. All I remember about the day was I was with Lance and we had went to SOVI, the new eatery/hang out spot they just finished building on campus. I had swipes, so I swiped us both in. I recognized one of the Asian chefs from the noodle spot in After Hours, another eatery spot on campus located in the Cone building. The food was different from what it was at RDH and Crowne Commons, but it left a fairly-mediocre impression on me by the end of the meal. It was quite busy. A girl I knew from freshman year, Caitlin, walked by and said what’s up to me. She lived in Sanford when I lived in Moore and we were the same year. I don’t know why I remember certain things, but I do and it’s a credit to photography. To be honest, I remember a lot of small, meaningless interactions with people that I’m sure they don’t. Like I said: photography.
I was wearing my Rick Owen’s Geobasket sneakers as we trekked through the snowy campus on foot. I took photos of the snow on bushes because I thought it was “Tumblr-worthy.” That was the standard of my photography: being Tumblr-worthy. What this meant was if I had seen this photo on Tumblr, would I feel anything? If the answer was yes, then I knew I was headed in the right direction in expressing myself. I took this photo because I thought I’d look back on it some day and miss my college days, which I must admit I do. I’m a fan of how things look in the snow. Part of my childhood years were in New York, where we’d get lots and lots of snow, so naturally, any snow reminds me of those days. The Belk Tower looks great for 45 in this photo. The snow and salt created a very sentimental feel in this picture, and as vivid as the memory it brings, I can feel the weather in this frame just by looking back and reminiscing. In fact, when I study this photo for long enough, my mind wanders to whatever came of the people caught in this exposure. I think of that frequently when there are strangers in my pictures. What happened to them, who did they become? Where is the white guy with the big forehead looking at me take this photo now? Did he graduate? Is he still looking at people taking photos? I wonder…
Things change every day, B. And because things change every day, you never know when something in one of your photos will no longer be there. This photo is of the famous Belk Tower on UNCC’s campus. It was taken down after 46 years in the beginning of January 2016. You walk to the center Quad, and it’s no longer there. The Belk Tower was a place for many generations of students to express their rights to free speech, solidarity, and chill. My freshman year, a group of us met and played campus wide capture the flag there. My roommate used to ride bikes round the Belk Tower. Gays, Atheists, and others would debate the campus preacher in many, dare I say, entertaining bouts of harsh words and criticisms.
The Belk Tower was synonymous with UNCC and it’s 49’ers. The Belk Tower was the setting to thousands and thousands of memories for students, faculty, and alumni alike. It’s a shame they took it down, like they are doing with Moore and Sanford Halls this upcoming year. On the failed petition to keep the Belk Tower up, I’ll share with you a remark that resonated with me, ‘I believe history should be preserved here at UNC Charlotte. Every day we go to classes history is being made because in one way or another UNCC has shaped our lives in becoming a better person.”
His comment is the epitome of why the Belk Tower should’ve been kept up. The preservation of history, what a simple, yet articulate way to put things into perspective. UNCC has helped us all become better people, that I can especially vouch to. If the university is already making massive amounts of money, what’s the big deal in keeping up with the maintenance of certain buildings and sculptures that have played major roles in culturing the experience of generations and generations of 49’ers? I don’t get it. My wish is that we’d listen to our hearts a little more than we listen to the money at times.
UNCC has played setting to some of the best times of my life, if not the best, and I know things can’t remain the same forever, but it’d be nice to think there was an active effort to preserve some of the history we all helped create.