Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Dead End
Comments:
I remarked on your last pic that "I liked the urban plainness of it all". In contrast, this one seems to be a confusion of urban clutter, and I'm not sure where to look. There seem to be several subjects here competing for attention.
I'll be interested to read what JohnJo thinks as his opinion was the reverse of mine on the fire picture.
The cycle being absorbed by the ivy puts a ime context into the sign 'Dead End'. It is an 'End' but very slowly.
:-)
This is, above all, an honest photo. This is an archetypal city scene: a mess, lacking integration, one person's activity not connected to his neighbour. I see the photographic attempt to impose order on that and like it. Over the wall, a glimpse of a (probably) smart house; somewhere ahead bikes get swallowed up; near to, the council road marking section keeps its gear.
That they choose to announce the dead end in English is a touching concern that a foreigner should stray so far!
I like the word glimpse when used with these pictures.
It is but a glimpse of the place but not a normal glimpse, a glimpse behind the usual scenes.
If you say glimpse often enough it sounds weird!!
Glimpse , yes rex. My fixation with this one is the nearest bike. It's a working one, perhaps belonging to a baker or a grocer. If that other one is a whole bike it's been there for a long time.
For me the rest of the scene is context for the bike. This seems like "round the back". The flotsam of a working business perhaps.
Although the composition itself works well, I think the quality of the light detracts from the overall effect. This has that too bright middle of the day look particularly in the cinder block wall.
Matt: Taken before 10:00 a.m. so my post processing cranking of curves is to blame.
johnjo: there were at least two whole bicycles being swallowed up under the ivy.
john: Tokyo is a city of contrasts. Hiroo is close to the centre of Tokyo and is one of the favoured locations for expats to live. Within two minutes of this scene are luxurious houses and apartments. It's but a strong arm stone's throw from the German amabassador's residence. But this is what Tokyo is all about: it constantly rebuilds itself so old and new co-habit in very close proximaty.
Thanks for the comments.
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I'll be interested to read what JohnJo thinks as his opinion was the reverse of mine on the fire picture.
:-)
That they choose to announce the dead end in English is a touching concern that a foreigner should stray so far!
It is but a glimpse of the place but not a normal glimpse, a glimpse behind the usual scenes.
If you say glimpse often enough it sounds weird!!
For me the rest of the scene is context for the bike. This seems like "round the back". The flotsam of a working business perhaps.
johnjo: there were at least two whole bicycles being swallowed up under the ivy.
john: Tokyo is a city of contrasts. Hiroo is close to the centre of Tokyo and is one of the favoured locations for expats to live. Within two minutes of this scene are luxurious houses and apartments. It's but a strong arm stone's throw from the German amabassador's residence. But this is what Tokyo is all about: it constantly rebuilds itself so old and new co-habit in very close proximaty.
Thanks for the comments.