black and white: then to now 'Day of the Pandas'

Everyone in his right mind loves pandas, as the above illustrates, except

perhaps me as these folks blocked my way to my tourist flat in Kyiv,

Ukraine as I returned home one afternoon recently. It seems the Panda

Mafia is out to get me for taking these photos, but so far I have eluded

them. Your ratings and critiques are invited and most welcome; if you

rate harshly or very critically, please submit a helpful and constructive

comment; please share your photographic knowledge to help improve

my photography. Thanks! Enjoy! John

The caption (title) is a variation on the fear inspiring Sci-Fi novel 'Day of the Triffids, in which other worldly creatures, a sort of alien destined to sweep mankind off earth, start germinating in people's yards, then after growing, lashing out at them in their houses - a very fear inspiring book - not one to read alone in a dark night in a house alone as a youth.

Now imagine trying to get in your door, and being blocked not only by this giant panda, but also by throngs of juveniles worshiping said giant panda, rushing to him (her?) ready to crush those in the way.

It's totally fearsome, man.

Totally.

john

John (Crosley)

John, this is a delight.  The flow of energy, the unusual Panda and the excitement of the children is well captured.  GREAT SHOT!!!  Doug

I posted this,watched the views, and nobody seemed to want to look at it, for a major disappointment, for I felt it was world class 'Crosley', all from stepping out after 6 p.m. for a short walk.

I live in Wonderland, don't I.

'Wonderland' = whereverI go carrying a camera, which = everywhere since I'm always with a camera.

Thanks so much.  I feel so vindicated by your critique.

john

John (Crosley)

John,

This is a great photo. One needs imagination, ability to associate, and some knowledge of literature and history. Unfortunately, what passes for culture today doesn't encourage such qualities. I read the Day of Triffids when I was a kid -- it was translated in the USSR (probably someone managed to convince the censors that it was a denunciation of capitalism) and your association works so well for me! Keep it up!

M. Ts.

I would like to add that the sun reflected in the children's hair gives a fantastic, cinematic touch to the image.

It's a stretch perhaps and takes some puckish humor to equate 'The Day of the Triffids' with this scene and call it 'The Day of the Pandas'.

However, I photographed it in good faith and later was scolded, though nobody had shooed me away, and I felt a little miffed, as I had not been warned there was anything going on, so  Panda becomes a Triffid.

And in any case, what's the matter with a trifle (not triffid) of surrealism in real life.

Life is full of surreality or surrealism, and this is emblematic of the same.

How often in life do we see a giant (larger than anything in Asia or any zoo, that's for sure) Panda, beset by running youths?

To me, that's surrealism, and I am pleased to have taken the shot(s) I took; for me they're classic 'Crosley' and I'll be glad to exhibit them for a lifetime, I think.

Even while this has taken a mere 20 views, another photo with two tits being critiqued has garnered 350 views; aha, that's life.

'Sex sells' - Rupert Murdoch (and numerous others).

John Perry knows it, though he has shot one of the most consummate 'street' photos on this whole service (boys on a lamp post), and I think he is extremely proud of it -- possibly more so than his nudes.

I am more proud of this than any 'nude' I could possibly shoot; though I also shoot nudes.

And I thank you for the kind comment.

john

John (Crosley)

A 'cinematic touch'.

If only I could explain, but then I learned from Cartier-Bresson with his boy looking upward in Seville, that sometimes explanations fall flat (boy was looking for his tossed ball in Cartier-Bresson's famous and surrealistic photo).

Thanks for the additional comment.

John

John (Crosley)

Sadly I am unfamiliar with the literature discussed and thus the reference, but even so I thoroughtly enjoyed viewing this shot - love the drama, the mood, etc....I love how the light played out on all of the folks in the shot - it really seperated them out and produced a very cool end result - take care!

The word 'photograph means in Greek to 'write' with 'light'. and this is almost the epitome of using bare essentials -- some strong backlightingsidelighting  (similar to how a studio artist would use a 'hair spot) to highlight the hair from the back/rear and put a 'glow' around it.

I wish I could say I was responsible for planning all that, but the most I was responsible for was keeping the bright light source away from my camera, where it would have (1) thrown off my meter, and (2) caused horrible light scattering and diffusion/refraction within the lens, keeping this photo from appearing rather sharp (it isn't but then with the sharp contrast it appears to be).

Frankly, however gathered, it is mine and I love it very much, no matter how it came about and no matter what privations I endured to get (or what insults at the end) as I tried to enter my building in the face of the panda panderers.

I try to pride myself on recognizing a good situation when I see one, then taking best advantage of it, rather than just standing around.  Here I was a very long way away from the 'action' but I learned a long time ago, sometimes the best shots are those which encompass the whole scene, rather than just a small part or even a somewhat larger part.

In any way, I wouldn't trade this shot for anything (even though another shot posted same time approximately now has approximately 1,,000 views and this has far from 1/10th the same, but its rates are more than a point higher (higher artistic value and no bare boobs!)

;~))

Boobs will get 'em most times; this ain't got 'em, and that's fair.

I'll opt for straight street almost every time . . . .

Thanks Ellery for a wonderful comment; I walked in the door, and it was the first thing I saw (started my evening out great!)

john

John (Crosley)

Very good feeling of joy!

please explain the halos.

Yes, this is about as joyful a photo as one could imagine for those older than baby or toddler stage.

All for stepping out the door, then being equipped and patient.

Thanks Svetlana for your remark; your remarks are also joyful to me.

john

John (Crosley)

The 'halo's' are not artifacts, but 'natural' and come from a strong light source near ground level to the far left.

It acts much as a 'hair light' on a studio model, making the outer hairs seem to 'glow'.

Nothing more.

You know, how a studio photographer will set a small light behind the head of a studio model, and the light never directly reaches the camera but leaves an outline of the model's head by being reflected/refracted through the outer hair of the model(s) -- that's what occurred here and whether sun, bright other light or whatever, matters little here except that I made sure that bright light did not hit my lens directly and so hid behind a building feature to ensure that did not happen.

Good question; I hope my entirely accurate answer will satisfy.

john

John (Crosley)

I like it!   :)

It's really surreal, isn't it?

It's almost as though one stepped from real life into the life of Saturday morning television.

But I was there and photographed it.

'Day of the Pandas'

Imagine a bunch of school children/youths shipwrecked (or plane wrecked) on an island with no adults and this panda as a leader, then try to envision whether they adopt a more juvenile form of adult behavior with its codes, or whether they revert to a more savage life and start worshiping this panda, as primus inter pares.

Imagine:  "All hail the Giant Panda, our magnificent and infallible leader!'

Another literature inspired suggestion; can you guess which book?

PS.  Involves flies.

john

John (Crosley)

what can i add? just that this is a great shot! :)

I supposed when I posted this that it would have a huge reaction; instead viewers seemed underwhelmed, and I suppose I learned some sort of lesson (maybe that I just never can truly connect completely with popular taste which perhaps is not a bad thing, just that I'll never become a TV programmer for a network.)

(Ratings were fine, but clicked views lagged greatly, maybe because it's so easily seen in thumbnail?)

Thanks for the kind words.

john

John (Crosley)

I love this! If I were to see something like this in person I would probably squeal with delight (I have yet to grow up)! Thank you for sharing this fun photo with us! :)

While the inner child in you may have 'squealed in delight' the photographer in me almost wet his pants. 

I saw this and realized what potential it had (there's another, even better, but waiting).

I seldom post two of the same series, but may make an exception, after some substantial time has passed, so they don't 'dominate' my portfolio' or suggest 'paucity of material' something of which I am never accused.

I was across the street from this, occurring under and past an arcade.

I took it and others before they chased me out, then went back to my 'artist' friends I had been talking to, showed them this (and others) and nonchalantly said 'I took these' while we had a break in our conversations. 

They are very supportive, the street artists of Kyiv, and almost all are kind to me and seem to respect or at least tolerate me.

I like to show them my better photos, and sometimes photograph them, too.  Their 'inner ham' I think appreciates the attention of having a 'good' and artistic photo being taken of them and their work (some are in my portfolio, if you look hard enough.).

I have enough good photos from just one street in Kyiv to make a wonderful book, and people who see my stuff say I should exhibit, but where, and who will pay for the huge costs of printing?

I'd also rather start at the top, as was suggested to me, rather than at my older age 'work my way up'.  I don't have time, I was advised that by my mentor, a wonderful judge of work who loves what I do.

I'm sooo glad you like this one.

I couldn't escape the possibilities when these kids started swarming the Panda!  (People around got mad at me, but I hadn't even seen them, in my glee as I chased this photo).

Sometimes to make an omelet, you have to break an egg or two, even if unintentionally and without malice.

Wonderful, touching comment.

john

John (Crosley)

The cult of the Panda.  I believe there is a song by a comedian in Canada with the lyric "Kill all Pandas".

How could anyone make fun of pandas? 

They're sweet, fuzzy, and even cuddly.  Every child has had at least one stuffed panda toy.

Corkie and the Juice Pigs made a try.

White and black, the friendly bears of China.

Whiite and black, they rarely reproduce

What shall be done about these Chinese bears?

What shall be done about these friendly bears?

Die, they must die

The pandas must die

Die they must die

The pandas must die

Yay

Why should we save them?

What good do they do?

Have you ever seen a panda do something good for you?

They can't wear t-shirts,

They can't bounce basketballs

They can't walk tightropes

Across Niagara Falls

Die, they must die

The Pandas must die

Die, they must die

You fat bastard

All endangered species

Leave endangered feces

If you knew how bad they smelled

You would gladly take their pelt

If we kill them all

We can have more parking lots

We can have small couches

Made of little ocelots

Die they must die

The pandas must die

Die they must die

The pandas must die

Die right?

Biting, right?

Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Richard.

john

John (Crosley)