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Waiting for the Inevitable


jeffl7

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Travel

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These two people chose a real idyllic place for this episode of lawn chair relaxation. It would be fun if you could supply a bit of context: Why were they sittiing there? Was the building about to be demolished? Great shot.
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This is the marina in Sandwich, MA, and this couple were actually watching the boats drift in and out. This building has been falling down forever, and I don't think is at risk for being demolished anytime soon. When I was standing directly in front of them, it gave the impression that they were watching the building, and I thought it was comical (perhaps me alone).
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There is a subtlety to this shot that is both fleeting and disturbing. In 2003, I came to New England to visit a then beau of mine. She lived in Lynn, Ma., and she took me all along the Eastern seaboard, from Lynn to Gloucester, and she told me quite a bit about the history of the place, of the tranplanting of jobs from the communities like Lynn, of the transformation of the towns from vibrant communities to ghost towns, of the decay of the social fabric, the death of societies. It was a story familiar to me, having lived in communites in Michigan and Kentucky, old industrial towns like Flint, Michigan, immortalized by Michael Moore in "Roger and Me", an ode to corporate greed and short sided thinking and action, where there was a depression that was depressing.

 

This couple could be metaphors for that, the building in front of them as ancient and run down as they look, with a bulldozer poised, slightly stage right, waiting as patiently as they are for the inevitable, vultures of time. Perhaps, they believe that THEY are the vultures, and they would regale you of the "good old days", when grass was green and the waters sweet, when the jobs were plentiful, and wine flowed at the taverns, but one look at them shows that they, too, will soon pass, that the grim reaper waits for them, bulldozer poised just slightly off stage right.

 

The question, then, is what remains behind them. What kind of life have they led? Where are the generations that will carry their legacy? What values did they impart on them? Are they going to arrest the fury of the bulldozer, restore that which looks on the brink of extinction? Or, will they watch it all collapse ignominously, like Daniel's statute with the feet of clay? What does the future hold for this once proud couple and this once proud building? Though they may not have thought it, they are the feet of the statute, for they are the foundation on which rests their civilization. If the foundation is as soft as clay, all will come crashing down, as inevitable as the water that runs in front of them.

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Deep thoughts. Grim thoughts. It's interesting that Cape Cod and Boston, to those who haven't really lived here, call up images of a bustling city (which it is), quaint architecture (which it has), and brusque Northeasterners (which abound). What I didn't realize until I lived here is that this area used to be a thriving industrial and manufacturing area. Industry has slowly gone south or overseas, the economy for many has turned sour, there are a lot of problems with urban decay and general poverty, and the attitude in many areas around here is quite irritable. In the face of such despondency, it's hard to know what to do, apart from drag your lawnchairs up and wait.

 

Yet, here and there parts of the area are reviving and gentrifying. And flowers are coming up through the sidewalk cracks. I suppose this is a picture about where you choose to direct your focus.

 

Thanks for the thoughtful commentary to accompany this photo.

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Plus the great light and composition here I really admire the moment which been captured, so much of thoughts and assessment must been going on by the couple which makes this photograph real outstanding and so pleasant to view.

 

 

Wishing you and yours all of the best my friend

 

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This is one of those ironic juxtapositions I respond to so well. The decay of the man-made against the foreground of relaxation, comfort, and a bit of nature. Brings me back to the days of "tar beach," sunning up on the roof of our NYC apartment building, baking in the reflected heat of the rooftop, breathing in the incinerator poisons, feeling like we were actually experiencing the outdoors. Relaxation, truly, is a state of mind. What you've managed to accomplish here so successfully is to convey the mood of these people even with their backs to us, giving us so many visual cues to pick up on in order to tell your story. What you've also accomplished is to establish a connection in many of us to these very people, because we can relate so well to the image and the situation. You have hit the right note and touched a familiar chord.
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Bravo. this is a very impressive image. Even the perfect time relevant lawn chairs. The final layer i percieved was the modern structure in the background. The load cranes? looking as if the construction is just be completed to replace the foreground building that has run it's course. As a man with a growing bald patch .... well, this is a superbly

richly textured capture. regards, josh

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I "read " it in two ways Jeff, the first is a sad one, as that is the "landscape" they are exposed to, some old construcrion that its days are nearly over ,like their own( as they look as older people). The second has a hint of humor , seeing them from the back in a funny situation not very attractive place for breathing some beauty and relaxsation... like two sides of a coin... or two different looks of the story....
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You mean they're just going to sit there until they die? Or are they waiting for the inevitable collapse of the building across the river? They both look relatively genki so I'm putting my money on the building.
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WOW! Great capture, Jeff, great title, I like the colors and lighting.

Thanks for your comments on Mr. I was thinking, Mr. needs somthing and I made the frame but I agree with you.

 

Cheers.

 

Alberto

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Fantastic photograph! When I was scrolling through the critique list I almost skipped right by it. I'm glad I stopped and took a look. The picture and title are perfect.
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Hey Jeff!

I Love this shot...it has so much soul. The new structure in the back of the old and forgotten one is well seen. The people in the chairs that are NOT the new plastic ones, no sir, they are the ones that have been around a long time just as the couple has and the old structure. Very nice composition here. Oh, thank you for your very kind comment on "The New Watch". It's always a pleasure to have you visit.

J

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A fine image. It resonates with me because I see a certain sense of humor, but the most artistically attractive elements are much of what my friend emmanuel said. Granted, I may overly politicize things, but what irony in the fact that the chairs in which they sit, the shoes and clothes they wear, and most likely the car they drive are all made overseas. And here they sit watching that behemoth of industrial bygone days in its last throes.

 

Oh, and did I mention the water is a pretty shade of blue?

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It's not only sunbathing.Is it expectation?Of what though?What's in their mind by staring all this? Could it be the fear of future,the fear of getting old?Don't be surprised if I make a resemblance with Europe!Europe is more like a man/woman in his 70s or 80's:full of ruins.Anyway,it is very unlikely I can find such an image here.It really is out of my world.
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I've run out of time this morning, but wanted to express appreciation for such deep, thoughtful comments, the likes of which always make my day and keep me posting. Comments that reflect politicized or existential side to this scene were particularly interesting to read and brought thoughts to my head that I hadn't originally attached to this photo. I'm also glad that a few chuckles were elicited. It's hard to express how much fun I have exchanging ideas with everyone here without sounding sappy, but it truly puts a bit of wind in my photographic sails.
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Reading through the comments in this post (particularly emmanuel's) certainly ellicits a lot of food for thought, no doubt.

 

Still, I got a REALLY good laugh at the fine framing you did for this shot.

 

I'd imagine the dialouge between the 2 subjects in this shot would go something like this:

 

Wifey: "Hey Hubby, I've been wanting to go see that new movie called "300" for a while now. How about we catch the early 11 am show today?"

 

Hubby: "And miss the chance to actually see the "Ole' Ironsides Shipyard" come tumbling down? No sireeee, missy. Not today, dear. Today's the day the building comes down. I can feel it in me bones!"

 

Wifey: ....ok. Demo-watch it is.....Hey, where's the sun tan lotion?"

 

:-)

 

Great shot, man!!

 

Cheers,

 

-Ade

 

 

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Antanas. Always appreciated.

 

 

Ade: Buddy, this is EXACTLY what they were saying! Okay, they weren't, but the dialogue fits the photo perfectly. Thanks.

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