COMMENT THREAD for the October photo contest. Theme: PATHS/PATHWAYS

[regnaD kciN]

Comment on the photos being submitted here.

[Eurobabe]

1. Okay, so my photo is a little esoteric, PATH TO WAR

Gosh, I love Vermont. Here I was on a beautiful fall day slowly winding my way through the southern/middle part of the state, and I came across a town common that had all these ropes and little tie-dyed flags. I thought what is this? Only when I drove up and saw the black billboard did I realize that it was an ongoing memorial to all of those who have given their lives for Bush's illegal war. I was really choked up, enraged actually, it was hard to take photos. Very simple yet powerful display by the townspeople. Here's a full view of the scene:



So I thought about paths, and I could not get this out of my head. The PATH TO WAR is the alter ego to the peaceful and sublime pictures that most will submit to this month's contest, perhaps mine will not click with the voters in the lounge, but what the heck. It meant something to me...I hope it will to you.

[JeffR]

2. It brought tears to my eyes

It's hard to imagine a more creative and profound interpretation of the theme. Whether it wows the Lounge or not, you should be very proud.:kick:

[Mr. McD]

3. I considered posting a photo with a similar theme

[Eurobabe]

4. That's beautiful, but heartbreaking - like mine

You should do it!!

And Jeff, thanks for the nice comment on my photo. I was hoping someone would "get it." :)

Obviously Bush doesn't. :mad: :mad:

[superconnected]

9. Meadow in spring is nice but the one with the crosses is far more powerful

[superconnected]

18. That sign looks like it's posted on body bag material.

Interesting.

[alfredo]

5. Oh well, I found the one I was thinking about. It might have

been better as a challenge photo. It was a bitch getting it in the state it is in. I might work on it some more, but I am to wired to do anything tonight.

Our campaign just got some literature *(door hangers) we have been waiting for. It was a week late and there is no contact info. We will have to buy rubber stamps or hand write the info on 100,000 pieces of literature.


Yeah, I'm wired.

[intheflow]

6. I love your submission, alfredo.

It's very thought-provoking, and really moved me. It may be my personal favorite photo in the group.

[alfredo]

8. Thanks. It is a very difficult image. I am hoping I have the time

tomorrow to play with it. I was able to get a bit of his face to show.

[intheflow]

10. I can see his face on my screen.

Not clearly, but I take that to be more an angle/perspective problem. Besides, having a aura of "every man" about him places him in lineage with the millions of faceless black men who were enslaved, toiled, and died for white sin.

[alfredo]

11. before I couldn't make out his face. It took a bit of adjusting

to get that.

I feel he is an "everyman" type of figure.

I used TriX on that picture. There's no way to get around the big grain of that film.

[intheflow]

7. Hey, HeeBGBz,

Your photo looks familiar. Now where could I have seen that before...? :silly:



(Did I guess the right bridge pointing in the right dircection, d'ya think? It's kinda hard to tell, the bridges all look alike. :( )

[regnaD kciN]

12. *** EVERYONE PLEASE READ ***

Since we've received several requests from entrants to change their submission, I've put up a poll on substitutions made during the entry period. Please check it out and vote!

[unhappycamper]

13. I'm just getting back to reality

Perhaps I'm too late, but would any of these qualify?

[babylonsister]

14. Yes, I think they would. Submit one quick before the contest

is closed!

[intheflow]

15. Lefty48197,

Do trolls like to live in cold climates? I mean, I know that Trolls live in many cold states--Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wyoming, etc. But bridges bring to mind fairy tale trolls, not Freepers. :P

[Lefty48197]

26. Actually, in Michigan we trolls live in the warmest part of the state

the part lying below the Mackinac Bridge. Those above the bridge are yoopers. :-)

[F.Gordon]

16. There's already a way kewl "light in path" pic entered

Soooooo... I decided to go with something a little different. :crazy:

[NashVegas]

19. Oh, Very Nice

Way cool, FG.

[superconnected]

17. All the photos are in.

I'm amazed there are so many great pics. For me finding a path pic I liked was very hard. I had to resort to a pic I took 3 years ago. I changed pics 4 times before the editing time expired so I had to vote for being able to change.

Here's my comments:

My favorite is CC's winding road.

CC do you have that in color too? It does look awesome in b/w.

Franconia is just WOW!

and End of a long day has a certian feel to it. Sort of like the movie The Bicycle Thief. I'm trying to remember what that style is called, Italian neorealism. It's cool.

Quite a few of the pics look very perfect, like the troll bridge one, Dark Passage, and the Amish men one.

The cemetary one is powerful to me, and ghostly.

F gordons reminds me of Jack Keroac for some reason. I'm glad there was that artistic flavor thrown in.

[intheflow]

20. I agree about CC's photo.

I think it's the best of the bunch. Most artistic, best perspective, just all-around great composition, and even kinda sexy in a way. :thumbsup:

However, I'll be surprised if the Lounge recognizes it for masterpiece it is. :(

[CC]

21. Wow, leave it to this group

to come up with such a creative variety pathways. It is hard for me to pick a favorite with the wide range of creative interpretations. Voting is going to be tough for me and the lounge.

Robb's "Speed Trap" has a special place to me because it reminds me of Engineer Mountain near Silverton, CO and the fantastic, slow, scary ride up to the top. Almost 6 hours to do the two miles up and back down again.

Thank you superconnected on the compliment. I was trying hard to find time to get a new one since I thought it was kind of iffy. Specially in color. After seeing so many of your photos your liking it adds that much more guidance to what works for the future. I had to find the IF versions on a different CD. It is in color here. Since I had a filter and have to set everything up before I put it on I always have both color and IF. One day I will get around to getting the old camera modified to permanent IF. I really want to be able to shoot at normal speeds in IF.

Thank you too ITF, since I wasn't sure about it the positive feedback helps in helping me look at my stuff a bit differently. Between your eye and your way with words I should start getting your opinion on everything. I hope the lounge doesn't get it though. Too soon after the last contest and the kitchen isn't finished yet. Hope Blue gave you guys your hugs from me.

To everyone else, I have been in kitchen renovation hell, everything that could go wrong has so haven't been around much to reply but I have been checking out photos that are posted. They have been great stress reduction therapy and a bright light in the midst of all this we brought on ourselves. Floors that weren't going to be replaced have been replaced, walls are up and as square as a 130 year old plus house will allow. Cabinets go up next weekend and I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Keep posting photos please they are saving my sanity from the kitchen and the death of the Bill of Rights.

[Blue_In_AK]

22. Well, I got to hug InTheFlow anyway...

...but UsedToBeSick was stuck in Connecticut on a business trip, so we missed him. :( We have InTheFlow's promise, though, that Alaska is in their near future, so we're really looking forward to that. I just know HullBoss and UTBS are going to get along great.

I'm so anxious to get my Gulf Coast photos up at SmugMug, but I'm stuck with this darned work here which looks like is going to go into the indefinite future so who knows when I'll be able to get back to the fun things in life. Work sucks.

[CC]

23. Careful

I put AK on my list too. Just haven't got a clue when we will ever get a vacation between the house and the pets. With a few sick ones I am afraid to leave them with someone else plus they are a lot of extra work when sick. At least you got to give ITF a hug (hopefully more) and hopefully cheer her up a bit. Even your I'm home message let a bit of why so many there are depressed show through. I miss the country I used to have and mourn it daily while the evil empire just keeps slicing its life away.
You'll get caught up on the work thing and have a chance to have fun sooner than later I bet. BTW I like that picture of yours in the contest though it was hard to pick just one from your set.

[Blue_In_AK]

24. Surprisingly (or maybe not), I've been hit harder

by what I witnessed down there since I've been home than I was while actually there. Both Monday night and last night I had haunting dreams and just generally feel a sort of dis-ease. What was most disturbing to me is the way everything has been just sort of "left." It wouldn't be so disheartening if there were actually more demolition going on, more moves forward to clean things up (although I'm sure things are not nearly so bad as they were immediately after the storm), but it was upsetting to see so much unrepairable wreckage left standing. You'll see what I mean when I get a chance to post more photos. The Biloxi cemetery with headstones toppled and broken and tossed about in piles was very sad to me. I guess you can't expect a storm to have respect for the dead, but still.......

I think we did put a smile or two on ITF's face, though, and we so much enjoyed seeing her again. I have so much respect for what she's doing down there. We also got to meet HeeBGBeez (I probably spelled that wrong) and Merh, who both had incredible survival tales that will stay with me probably for the rest of my life.

[CC]

25. It has time to sink in

more and you have time to sit and think, plus the juxtaposition between the devastation and "normal" of home. Not surprised there is a lot just left. Between the lack of real federal help, insurance companies doing everything they can to not pay and well just being overwhelmed a lot of people will probably just walk away from everything and start over elsewhere.
I think the last Isabel claim (Sep. 2003 hurricane) in my county was just settled about a month ago. Not very well either but the lady won't be homeless anymore. She sold the property with the damaged house for enough to by a trailer in a park and moved. The buyer will have to tear down the house and build a new one but he got the land at a steal. Not sure if there are still some in the Baltimore area fighting with FEMA and insurance companies.
I haven't made it down there to see what ITF :hi: is doing but have a lot of respect for all her hard work. Then on top of the volunteering saw a need and found a way to fill it. RESPECT needs to be capitalized and sometimes I sit her just in awe of all she does. And yet so is still so down to earth and real. I still share her pictures and pass along info to everyone I can. Keep hoping to keep it in people's minds and that maybe some will still donate time or money.