FADED RECEPTION

Not meant to be pretty. And it's not. Think

It's perfect; American in every way.

Thanks.

is this a photo of the original White House? I didn't know it was still standing. How come there is no flying bald eagle in the pic? Cheers, Micheal

 

according to my 9-year-old, we are the only family in the country without cable or satellite tv. hah! you have proved her wrong. as far as the fading reception of the country, hopefully the next administration will be able to adjust that. this past 7 years have been a complete fiasco!

You, being Canadian, have a good excuse to not know this, but most Americans shamelessly are unaware of this historical gem, located right here in my town. And, you will be pleased to note that there is a bush residing here (right foreground). LOL

No cable or satellite tv? Brutal! I hope the child welfare folks have not visited too frequently to investigate such child endangerment.

 

And, yes, I agree one hundred and twenty two percent with your assessment of the last political regime. I am to the point that I firmly believe the American Dream has been pretty much euthanized. But I also believe that we have only ourselves to blame.

 

Thanks for your visits and comments. Take care

Don't let the flag and USA sign on the door fool you -- every good American has cable or a dish!

i guess i'm not a good American...my daughter would agree with you :-)

Hmm, my guess would be, that the owner of this quaint little house, lovingly upgraded with an imposing American flag and a deprived looking bush to the far right, is a very dedicated Fox News fan. Someone recently said 'bring it on', and you sure do, Dave. Well seen - again! :)

It may not be purty but it's ironic in typical David Meyer fashion. And is that a "big brother" camera on the flagpole or just a light to illuminate the flag at night....hummmm, ya never know when someone's watching. And what are the things on the handrail that look like flashlights, too weird. And as to my "panic" about the photo pilfering....I can just see the wheels turning....I buy the dame a membership and she just about jumps ship. I'd miss your wit and talent too much.

I mean, what is this, a clapboard house, a tv antenna, an American flag... what are we to make of this? But it's the combination of these iconic elements that serve as the underpinning of a story. And the story...that's up to the power of the individual viewer whose opinions and ability to interact with the picture may even lead to a storyline quite different from what we think obvious . A certain sense of ambiguity serves as a doorway into the picture allowing the viewer to participate in the creative process and assign meaning to the image (or not). It's my opinion that photography should not lecture but provoke, which this picture does very well.

Thanks. I knew you would appreciate this one.

Well, you wouldn't get rid of me that easy. Remember, I have your email address and phone number! And, I know where you live. I'm going to admit the thought crossed my mind that if you were going to do that you could at least wait until a bit more of that membership was used up. I'm so glad we've still got you girl. You are one of a kind.

Your comment somehow escaped me until this minute. I know what you say to be true, but let's not tell Linda. LOL

I'll admit to being extremely opinionated when it comes to religion and nationalism. I think I cannot help but reflect it in my images, and I do not try to conceal that. This is an interesting area for discussion. Could it be just an ugly house with a brown lawn and ugly bush, taken from an unflattering perspective? Without the statement, I think it becomes just a rather dull and ugly picture without much merit. But placed in a certain socio-cultural-political context, it has a reason to exist far beyond any aesthetic capacity.

No, not at all. I was drawn to the picture first and foremost because I thought it was a good photograph. The lawn is brown but that means nothing; when I grew up our backyard was often a little on the brown side. The place is neat and a little spare but not ugly, at least to my way of thinking. If there were an Obama poster on the door rather than a USA sign, would you characterize it in the same way. I don't want to get into a long philosophical discussion on left vs right since I think we share much the same viewpoint politically. But I stand by my original statement that it is better not to editorialize with photography; you present what you see and let the viewer come to their own conclusion. I recognize that this is a gray area since I myself use titles to direct a viewers atention. I'll probably have to think about this some more.

To play devil's advocate if I might, you make an interesting point. And one can certainly say that this is a nice little house, providing shelter to a nice little family, and the brown grass means nothing, etc. And it is worthy to not apply a lot of baggage to an image. That would probably appear heavy handed. And that is a fault I have sometimes. But there are a series of conditions, all of which I'm sure you took note of, that are intended to exude a feeling of ennui at best and distaste or revulsion at the worst. But, rest assured I do see your point, and I, too, will need to think on that some. Thanks for facilitating that.

another typical David Meyer image, where the sum of all individual elements in it make for a magnificent outcome. Love it!

Thanks. You've been kind of scarce lately. Hope all is well.

I am well David :) PN is kind of quiet lately and as such I've been devoting more time to Flickr, on which I also have an account.

very nice american architectural study. love the antenna!

This is like being offered five pieces of a thousand-piece puzzle and trying to make sense of it. Scanning the photo for details, you've given some strong visual and emotional anchors, but let the viewer come up with his or her own storyline. Interesting that the antennae appears higher than the flagpole. The fading greenery, weathered exterior, and USA sign askew can either evoke sympathy ("Ain't that America for you and me...." or connote "the writing on the wall." This doesn't feel like a sermon to me, more like an observation.

I also have an account on Flickr, but I do not find it as satisfactory as Pnet. Some things they do are cool (searchability, and mapping), but overall I just don't like it as much. Glad to hear everything is okay.

Well, Jack has a point about preaching, and I'm glad you don't find it too far in that direction. I can be kind of heavy handed at time. Thanks for the comment.