- The Dutch Way -

I appreciate your constructive comments. Thank you, Ada.

Hi Ada, this is a good b/w image, the photo is busy, but I like looking at all the details.

I like the positioning of the bicycle wheel at the prominent corner of the photo. Makes the composition different & interesting. And what is the dutch way, by the way.

It's interesting, Ada, that you have the guy playing the horn over to the right, but carefully placed so that you can see him between the handlebars and wheels of the bicycle. Also, is that a cart to the left which you can pull with the bike, or it is a planter of some sort? (I see flowers.)

 

What is the context here? Is this your back yard? I would also like to know what you mean by "the Dutch way."

 

--Lannie

Aha;-) Thank you Sondra, Cherlyn and Lannie for your appreciation of this typical Dutch scene. It seems to me that you don't recognise the box which is on the small trailer behind the bicycle. It's a coffin. This is an alternative way to bring the dead person to their resting-place. A bike is a reliable means of transport (even in this cases). That is just a thing for the big city or for people who strive for a better milieu or because it's a pretty cheap way of transport.

 

I agree that it is a busy shot Sondra, but the bicyle with the coffin was placed there and I was happy to be able to take a picture of it. Though it will sound strange; the statue of the hornplayer is a real bonus and has actually nothing to do with the funeral. The statue is placed in front of a community centre where choirs rehearse and people can play cards and billiards. Generally spoken it was a strange spot to meet that bicycle and coffin just at that place.

 

I'll upload the colour version. Perhaps the flowers and the coffin will attract more attention.

 

I hope with my explanation I have explained the title too. It's very usual in Holland to bury the dead people like this way. And besides the infrastructure and the flatness of the landscape lent themselves very well for it.

 

Thanks again for asking me so I could explain it to you!

 

Warm greetings to all of you, Ada:-)

WHICH DON'T HAVE THE DARE TO TELL ME WHAT IS SO BAD IN THIS SHOT AND IN MANY OTHER GOOD SHOTS OF OTHER PN MEMBERS:

 

WE HAVE COFFINS ENOUGH IN STOCK AND I LOOK FORWARDS TO THE MOMENT TO LEND YOU A HELPING HAND!!!!!

 

Ada.

 

 

Dont worry.I think if henri cartier bresson send image to PN give 3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 but he is bresson

Ada, although I am surprised that that is a coffin, I can see now that it clearly is. I never saw this in my nine years of living in Florida, but I and others typically travelled by bicycle when possible over that very flat terrain--and I very often went for groceries via bicycle during the 1970s.

 

As for ratings, I am convinced that the value of many photographs is inversely proportional to the value of the ratings they receive.

 

This is a very good documentary shot. Thank you for it.

 

--Lannie

It could only hapen in the Netherlands very unusual ADA DRAGING A COFFIN BY BYCICLE

now I've seen it all

Hey, i didn't know that that is a coffin. Thought its some kind of storage box. Hmmm.., this dutch way is interesting. Thanks for explaiing.

Coffin transport by bicycle...

I guess you get a 3/3 for this one from me. All three things I look for in a photograph are here. Content, Composition & Creativity -- all are very good. So, 3 out of 3 is not a bad thing. Is it?

 

~ Julius

Great view Ada: Seen through the eyes of a 3 jears old kid..........

As Kelly said: a very good documentary shot.

I didn't see it before, so thanks for this unique shot.

Thanks Alireza for the information and support. I don't mind to receive 3/3 when their is a covering comment. We are here to learn and just a '3/3' means nothing to me. But I will keep an eye on that Henri Cartier. I hope he will fits in my coffins. LOL

Lannie and Cherlyn it was me a great pleasure to teach you something particurely from our Dutch Polder-culture:~)

 

Tony thanks my dear friend for dropping by. You don't gonna tell me that you have never seen this in Veghel and area?

 

Julius!!! How tall are you?:-))) LOL

 

And the kid in me was scary too Wim!;-)

 

 

Gran imagen en B/W, tambien en color, su originalidad, los bellos tonos de grises, y su perfecta composicion,,,, como siermpre,, magnificas, saludos cordiales Ada Van,

Hi Julio, My Spanish is really very poor. But I think to read that you like both versions but in particular the B&W version which is my favourite too. I think the grey colourtones fits better to the issue. Many greetings, Ada:~)

Ada, I prefer the coloured version. It brings more life to the image (pardon the irony) On my many visits to my native Netherlands I never saw this mode of transporting a coffin. I would say the "Dutch Way" would also pertain to the bicycle as it is the most popular means of transport and I believe it has priority over cars and pedestrians. When we immigrated to Canada my mother brought her bicycle (built in the 1920's) with her and now it is in a museum. Thanks for showing me something about the Dutch way I didn't know.

A very original shot, bringing a really interesting piece of cultural info ;~) The title couldn't possibly be better :)

Cheers,

 

 

Cristina

what a surprise to hear that your roots are here in Holland. I'm curious to know in which part of the country you and your family have lived.

 

What concerns the bicycle; this type we call here an 'Oma-fiets' (Grandma's bike) which means that the model isn't really modern and I think it will be not so very different from your mother's bike. It's great to know that such a bike is in a Canadian museum and I'm curious to know what kind of museum it is.

 

Though the model is old-fashioned it is still in production and these bikes are real sellers. Especially students and mothers with little children like to ride this bike because of the large space which is left to mount and get off when they have a child's seat in front of them.

 

This way of transport a coffin with a deceased is one of the possibilities we have here and depends on personal life style. The most common way is still by hearse, but for example in the surroundings of Giethoorn (an area full of water) it's very common to get bury by boat. The students in Amsterdam like a delivery bicycle or the way you see in my picture. I can imagine that a confirmed environmentalist will rather choose for the bike than a hearse.

 

And now I hope that you understand what I have written, Hanna. My English is very poor and it would be much easier to do this in Dutch but I'm not sure if you speak Dutch after all these years and next to that it's a bit impolite with regard to the other PN-members.

 

I liked to receive your kind comment Hanna and I hope you will tell me some more about your personal memories of the time you have lived in Holland.

 

Groetjes, Ada:-)

 

 

 

 

Thank you very much for letting me know how you think about this one. A photosite as PN is extremely suitable to express typical pieces of information about cultures under the attention. Since I'm a PN member I have not just learned a lot about photography, my knowledge of what is common at the other side of the world has grown too. I'm glad you like the title!

 

Many greetings Christina, Ada:-)

You are right, on this site you can learn much more than just photography. Thank you for the time you take to write such detailed comments, I read them with much interest ! it's such a treat ! ;~)

 

Have an excellent week, Ada !

Ada, I assure you your english is excellent; far better than that of many native english speakers. My dutch comprehension is quite good because I heard my parents speak, but I was only 2 years old when we came to Canada so I didn't speak it much, only what they call household dutch. My mother's bike is in a small private transport collection which travels to local events for display. I was born in Den Haag but have travelled all around the Netherlands in recent years. Because it is such a small country, so densely populated, I think it is a very photogenic place. Unfortunately, I haven't been back since I became interested in photography. Now people say it isn't as it used to be so I'm not sure I'll return. Perhaps when I visit England next year I can make a quick trip across the channel for old time's sake. It's been nice to hear from you.