What can we do?

While walking towards my original spark (see original image), it occured to me that the world seems to focus on the things we can't do. This is what came out. All images were taken within 1 hour of the original.

I like this montage of forbidden things, PT, because it seems we've made our world just like that.....and have to some extent filtered out just how prevalent the cannots are : it was while looking round for pics for this theme that it really dawned on me how much our culture depends on the word NO.

Your title reminds me of a short story I once wrote in the nineties called You May where a society had decided it was easier to live by a code of permitted activities rather than those forbidden. Each member had a manual informing them how to live their lives, and they were regularly tested by a licensing authority; it was dark and Orwellian but I felt better for expressing myself.

As you imply above, it was not difficult to find all those signs in a very short space of time : I love this thing called Freedom!

Nice concept!

 

Seven, your story makes me think of a small novel I've read...

It was called "my sad face". The story of a man put in jail because he had cried, and it was forbidden... Going out of jail he laughed. The guy is sent back in jail: law has changed, laughing forbidden.

 

I'm not sure about putting all the signs over the original pic. It is harder to read like that. Harder at the bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A neat idea PT - and thanks for including some bilingual signs!

 

The original photo is strong and the yellow on blue really stands out. Aesthetically I actually prefer it too the montage but, of course, your idea of so many No's is a good one and that idea needed the crowding in of all the other signs.

 

Since you had/have the opportunity to move things around I would place the wall edge a bit lower in the frame. It might be nice also to see some signs bleeding off the edges of the frame or overlapping each other. You did well to keep the yellow P very bright - perhaps the other yellow signs (kept transparent as you have) could be placed higher up on a diagonal.

 

All in all, a great idea, very true. But more work could improve the layout IMO. Ideally it would be better if no two signs were the same, but seeing as this was all in one hour, this is quite a collection.

 

 

PS On the interpretation of the theme I'd like to add my own feelings: where I live (city of 300 000) there are plenty of signs like this, but in 13 years I have never seen a traffic policeman and virtually never seen someone get a parking ticket! Yellow line parking, double and triple parking on main roads are just part of life here. Drive down a one-way if you fancy - while using your mobile phone and smoking ... but don't cross on a pedestrian crossing (if you can find one) even if the light is green for pedestrians, without checking all around. If you wish to service your car while parking on the pavement - no one will bother you, even if pedestrians have to walk onto busy roads to get round ... the list goes on ... A bit of "law and order" seems like sanity, from where I write (and I'm sure it's worse in some parts of the world).

I like the idea of collecting all the No's PT, and I'm sure you can find more of them... fit the theme and well presented them on the frame with THE yellow sign bringing interest and "movement" to the whole. no nits from me.

I like the idea PT. For me, the original is more aesthetically pleasing. What if you took the the pics of the signs and made like a mosaic thing. I think that that would be very interesting. Megan

Thank you for all the comments and kind words fellow PTers. I do agree with nearly all that was said. Indeed the original is more asthetically pleasing, which is why I really wanted to post it as well. I have other versions of it I will post later. Thanks for sharing your short story, Seven. I'd quite like to read it sometime. Kudos to Dominique for noticing the billigual signs. I also like Dominique's suggestion of a more chaotic assemblage of signs. As for the "laws" behind the signs, I must admit, Dominique, that although I sometimes think them excessive, the truth is I'm glad they are there, and reasonably enforced. I can understand how the situation you describe must be almost unbearable. Finaly, Megan, I'm intrigued by your suggestion of a mosaic. Do you mean kind of a scrapbook approach?

Personally I like this montage. The original image background divides the photograph, and in connection with the most of the rest of the images with diagonal slashes, gives a negative feeling to the whole image. Hmmm, PT, bilingual signs are certainly close to giving away your identity...!

PT, This is a very good idea. *NO*... How many NOs do we need...?! You've given us plenty! I think, bombarding with 'NO's and 'DONT's like you've done here is more effective for the theme (and even otherwise) than just a single traffic sign. I too wish (like others 've suggested) the layout was more effective, and not so neatly arranged... some lighter, others darker; some clearer; some to feel as if in foreground, some in background; some with dimension as if coming out of the photo by lens zoom or a similar effect. Some turned around... In general, I just wanted to get that 'being bombarded' feel in this. I wish the red stop sign was given more prominence/centerstage than the yellow no parking sign. I guess you did that since your original idea started from that.

PT, I do not exactly know what you mean by a scrapbook, even though I do it. I was thinking kinda like one I did, using Flickr Toys, mine is here, but with yours I would put all the signs in their own box. I'm not sure how well Flickr Toys would work for you, since you have to have each individual picture somewhere on the internet, but I'm sure that the same could be done in PS.

PT, a good idea. However, I prefer the original without the montage.

Here's another No! sign - typically asian this one- no flip flops ...

Wow, no flip-flops but I assume you can be shirtless or barefooted? Just kidding. Thanks for sharing Dominique. I'm sure there must be an amazing collection of strange "no" signs from around the world. Sounds like a project. Cheers, Mark