Sunday, January 14, 2007
Hoop (03290032)
Comments:
This is quietly poetic in an Emily Dickinson or even a T S Eliot sort of way. Perhaps its the lean to the right that helps! Just below the surface of suburbia with the hoop as a cultural prop.
No doubts as to what kind of place this is (even if I can't be entirely sure that it isn't, in fact, Surbiton). I'm not literary enough to get John's references, but they have reminded me of our 'photo-poet' conversation.
The placement of the foreground objects is compelling (but I wish the background was a little less there). Their geometrical non-symmetry has held my attention for some time.
I'm having a hard time trying to be constructive with my appreciation of this shot.
The whole dejection of the scene in front is totally against what I perceive to be large and well kept mansions in the background. Without this I think the shot would be incredibly flat.
The basketball net signature is the icing. How did it find itself in this position? I'm guessing it was moved here as I see nothing of suitable height against which it could have been fixed.
I get a real sense of the past from this picture, the personal past of a family. The kids have grown, the hoop is discarded and no longer maintained. Bet there’s an old bike or two in the garage too.
I don’t get the sense of mansion style property from the background buildings. The rear gardens seem too short for this. I suspect a well to do heavily suburban area.
For me this is an image of life’s detritus with the hoop and the roll hinting at more within the garage. The fence is in need of some paint, the garage doors need more work. I might persuade myself that the owners have seen happier times and are now settling into a quieter, perhaps lonelier pattern.
There is something crisp and clean about this image which belies the dereliction of the subject.
I've seen so many shed doors like those I wonder if they are a standard item in B&Q.
After looking up B&Q and Surbiton (scary stuff that), I think I've got a bit better handle on the various readings of this photo.
Just for the sake of context, this is a couple of minutes walk from where I now live. It's an old neighborhood, with many houses going back to the 19th century, many of which were mansions at the time, but are now mainly divided into cheap apartments for grad students and blue collar folks.
John Ellis, "quiet poetic" was exactly how I felt when taking this.
Colin, the photo-poet reference might not be far from the truth; I might be dabbling in that which criticized not that long ago.
Guy, the "whole dejection of the scene" in contrast to the once great surroundings was what I originally found intriguing. This kind of sums up my neighboorhood. I've been thinking a lot about what cultural and economic shifts can do to an area in a comparitively short time.
JohnJo, I too wondered what else was in the garrage. I'm betting an old furnace and some extra shingles.
Rex, "crips and clean" is likely the result of the processing, which is higher contrast and acutance than I normally go for.
Thanks for the comments everyone.
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The placement of the foreground objects is compelling (but I wish the background was a little less there). Their geometrical non-symmetry has held my attention for some time.
The whole dejection of the scene in front is totally against what I perceive to be large and well kept mansions in the background. Without this I think the shot would be incredibly flat.
The basketball net signature is the icing. How did it find itself in this position? I'm guessing it was moved here as I see nothing of suitable height against which it could have been fixed.
I don’t get the sense of mansion style property from the background buildings. The rear gardens seem too short for this. I suspect a well to do heavily suburban area.
For me this is an image of life’s detritus with the hoop and the roll hinting at more within the garage. The fence is in need of some paint, the garage doors need more work. I might persuade myself that the owners have seen happier times and are now settling into a quieter, perhaps lonelier pattern.
I've seen so many shed doors like those I wonder if they are a standard item in B&Q.
Just for the sake of context, this is a couple of minutes walk from where I now live. It's an old neighborhood, with many houses going back to the 19th century, many of which were mansions at the time, but are now mainly divided into cheap apartments for grad students and blue collar folks.
John Ellis, "quiet poetic" was exactly how I felt when taking this.
Colin, the photo-poet reference might not be far from the truth; I might be dabbling in that which criticized not that long ago.
Guy, the "whole dejection of the scene" in contrast to the once great surroundings was what I originally found intriguing. This kind of sums up my neighboorhood. I've been thinking a lot about what cultural and economic shifts can do to an area in a comparitively short time.
JohnJo, I too wondered what else was in the garrage. I'm betting an old furnace and some extra shingles.
Rex, "crips and clean" is likely the result of the processing, which is higher contrast and acutance than I normally go for.
Thanks for the comments everyone.