This is Obama?

This is a 'street' rendition of Barack Obama. Note the two circles

over his eyes -- they read "'till 2010" -- perhaps placed there by

some Republican hopeful. This portrait as presented here is an

irregular septagon, a first for me. 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

superior photographic knowledge to help improve my photography.

Thanks! Enjoy! John (I don't know if the nation is covered with

these posters, of if they're confined to the 'arts' district of LA

where I found this, as I live in another continent, far away, and

the 'street alterations' made this especially interesting to me)

This is a serious piece of photographic art -- not just a copy of someone else's campaign poster -- given the angle and alterations to the campaign poster.

 

While you may be 'for' Obama or 'against' Obama, that is of no consequence for rating this photo.

 

And whether the basic campaign poster holds him up in a 'good' light or a 'bad' light also is unimportant, though whether it does so after the alterations is another point entirely.

 

I ask that you rate this photo on its photographic merits only; not on your personal political feelings.

 

Thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

Thanks to 'blogs' worldwide that have been 'stealing' my copyrighted images, I have started uploading jpegs for the web that are of 'low' quality -- to help foil these thieves.

 

But that means compression artificates, which you may note in the dots pasted on the poster Obama's eyes, which in the good photo (the raw -- NEF and jpeg -- high res photos) reads, 'till 2010' a reference to the next year following this year in which there is an election.

 

It is a foregone conclusion that the Republicans will be out of power, and probably will lose the presidency, though the choice of McCaine gives them a fighting chance (although he vows to continue the war in Iraq, which Obama does not, and Obama currently is the frontrunner in all things that supposedly count toward the Democratic nomination).

 

So, maybe the Republican (?) campaign poster defacer decided that 2008 was a lost cause, just as have many right-wing radio commentators (or they did before the campaign season got into full swing), and they're calling for a change in the 'following election' -- the off-year Congressional election of 2010.

 

It has been said with justification that US Republicans are highly organized, even after the Bush debacle, in which his policies have rendered the nation apart, but the Republican Party in the US is extremely well-disciplined, and if they foresee major losses this election year, it is clear they are planning for the following election year - the off-year Congressional elections of 2010, and this poster defacement may appears to be an illustration of that.

 

Do you agree? (supposing I correctly spelled out what JPEGS in this low-res rendition have obscured -- the writing on the dots.)

 

(I am tired of seeing high quality photos of mine showing up on blogs worldwide, some with advertising and even some of my photos being advertised for sale because I checked the box 'highest quality' when saving for web, so I now check 'low quality' and am uploading lesser file sizes and quality.

 

(Sorry about that; thank the bloggers who steal photos.)

 

John (Crosley)

The "desecration" of this image is not only evident on the eyes but also underneath with the V overimposed on the O. "V for Vendetta". Did you see that movie? At least this poster was vandalized intelligently instead of being covered up with profane words.

That's what struck me about it; the surgical care with which it was vandalized, but I missed the 'v' for 'vendetta'.

 

Thanks for telling me.

 

John (Crosley)

Actually I think it's meant to be a Y for hype. Isn't that what it is?

I won't send it for mediation or arbitration. I know Adan W. (cyber-friend anyway) and I don't think he'll mind your insight into this.

 

I think you indeed are correct -- that's my personal view unless Adan W. has some special knowledge that is common to students us old folds don't get that stands reason on its ear.

 

Your version actually makes lots more sense, and is highly literate (in keeping with the precision of the eye coverings.)

 

;~)

 

Thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

The posting of this photo is not a political statement (pro or con) about Barack Obama's presidential candidacy.

 

It is posted solely for its photographic/documentary/current events merits.

 

That does not stop my admiration for Mr. Obama's Renaissance Education which surely is a product of his education at my alma mater, Columbia College, Columbia University, NYC. The 'core curriculum' has remained relatively unchanged since the start of recorded history, it has been noted by student wags -- the same core education books I read probaby were read by Obama years later, and so I feel I can understand the foundation of his undergraduate education by looking at my own -- a common attribute of Columbia College students in disapora around the country and the world.

 

Students at Columbia College often self-deprecatingly refer to themselves as the world's largest group of 'Harvard rejects'.

 

But the Columbia experience is founded both on life in one of the most thriving metropolises in the world and a core curriculum that goes back to the institution's founding as King's College (which sat atop the current site of Rockefeller Center. Columbia University still owns Rockefeller Center, and leases on long-term lease the land to Rockefeller Center, and once a year, if memory serves me, Columbia University campus guards cordon off Rockefeller Center on the Fourth of July, to continue to exert the university's domain over ALL of Rockefeller Center, including its leased streets and walkways (to prevent claims of adverse user and adverse possession which would derogate -- help destroy -- Columibia's title and/or rights of ownership and possession).

 

Is Obama the right person for the presidency of the United States -- well, he can hardly be worse than Bush (a very low standard), and he appears to have some morals and scruples -- something that's been missing from the way things have been done for some time in US politics?

 

But is he a better person that McCaine and Hillary Clinton for the presidency -- that is for American voters to decide. They are the ones who gave us eight years of George W. Bush, after all, in their finite wisdom.

 

I note that Obama was the 'President' of Harvard Law Review (a Columbia graduate's way of getting even with Harvard?), and in his role there, he apparently acting in the role of editor-in-chief of the Law Review (two titles meld into one, according to my research -- official title being 'President' whereas at most other law journals it is 'editor-in-chief').

 

John (Crosley)

I'm really disturbed by this photo. To me, the symbolism of "hope" being at the bottom away from the focal point of the picture implies that it (hope) is either insignificant or not relevant. But, the really disturbing part are the stickers over the eyes. They immediately conjured the image of coins, which were place over the eyes of the dead in certain civilizations. The hidden racism in this country, and the recent shouts of threats against Obama's life at McCain/Palin rallies makes me think this is a statement supporting an attempt on him (Obama). This is a powerful photo, but the focus needs to be on addressing this hatred and fear that individuals have been fueling with lies.

Points well taken.

 

Especially about the stickers over the eyes resembling coins -- I had missed that.

 

Of course, my politics are polar opposite.

 

I welcome President Obama with open arms.

 

And great pleasure.

 

This is someone else's work, and I am just a photographer making a photo, apparently a powerful one according to your comment.

 

John (Crosley)

I am enthusiastically FOR Obama, and in no way endorse the skepticism shown in this poster.

 

From the more recently expressed view that the circles in his eyes represent 'coins that covered eyes of the dead' to the word 'hypo' superimposed over the word 'hope', it does not express in any way, shape or form my view of Barack Obama and his potential to be president (this is written as the voting is underway and is not certain, though the outcome appears pretty well-defined).

 

I have been a Republican, but mainly to be an 'insider' to vote in primaries AGAINST George Bush and his ilk . . . a fact that may have confused certain Photo.netters.

 

Now it's time to come out of the closet.

 

This photo is just my 'art' -- and in no way represents my personal opinion.

 

John (Crosley)

Although I did not vote for him I do wish him luck as his job performance will affect all of us now .....With wars in 2 countrys an enemy who is desperate and determined and a finincial meltdown no one alive has ever before witnessed Senator Obama has the chance to either be a uniter and really bring change to politics and governence in america .....Or he be a partisan Divider and really stuff virtually any program the left desires down our throats ....This will almost certainly create a divide that no one can cross ....

God Bless America and we all wish Obama the best in Uniting our country ,and guiding us through this perilous time in our history .

I had a variety of women friends in my lifetime, and many promised their 'true love' or at least implied it, but some eventually left, despite protestations that they were 'the one'.

 

I learned that no matter what someone says, it is where they eventually go that matters the most. That someone says, as George Bush did, that 'I'm a uniter, not a divider' is usesless nonsense if the man saying it is just saying it for cynical reasons, and George W. Bush is one of the most cynical persons alive, bettered only by Dick Cheney and Carl Rove (and a few other White House cronies, past and present.)

 

I'm putting my money on Obama, who doesn't promise, but seems headed in the right direction. I'll then watch his feet, not his words.

 

John (Crosley)