Hanging

 

Hanging? What does it mean? In the wild west it was the hangman’s noose.

Or it could be to hang up your coat. Or to hang a picture. Hanging plants. The list goes on. But.

In Urban Slang however, it means: to wait or stay near a place, not doing very much.

Which is the very essence of this picture. The common seagull. Nothing exotic here. They’re universal. Any port, any beach, anywhere close to water. Try enjoying some fish and chips. In 30 seconds flat, you’ve got a reenactment of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. Port Talbot, South Wales, to Coffs Harbour New South Wales. They’re insects with feathers.

But take a look at this guy. He defines the urban slag of “Hanging”. He’s just grey and white, against a sky blue backdrop. Yet it’s magical. He is literally hanging in the sky. The wings are still. Not flapping. He is relying solely on the wind speed alone to keep him aloft. The elevation changes a little with the wind gusts, but he could almost be asleep. There is no motion. Just stillness in the air.

Majestic, relaxed, laid back. Just waiting for a chip. “So laid back, he’s almost comatose.” No mortgage, no social security. All he needs is your chip.