A few days ago I showed you a beautiful sunrise -- here's its counterpart in a sunset. I shot this as I was walking home last night, crossing the pedestrian bridge over the tube tracks. When I got out to West End Lane I saw at least 10 people shooting pictures from that bridge with their iPhones. We were all enthralled.
It's funny how everyone feels compelled to take pictures and videos nowadays. I was reading an article about a recent John Galliano fashion show -- here it is -- and I found it so funny that in the second picture, every single person is taking a photo or video with their phone. Granted, these are probably all fashion journalists or industry people who want a record of what they're seeing, but still -- it used to be you'd just sit through something like that, appreciating it as a transient event, and later you'd look to photos or video by the expert photographers in the room for a visual record. Now we all have to take our own pics, and put them on Instagram. Is there a point at which the world is oversaturated with images?
I imagine trained photographers feel a bit surplus nowadays. And yet, just because everyone does it, doesn't mean everyone does it well, right? It's like written journalism -- millions of people are writing nowadays for public consumption, but only a tiny fraction of it is reliable and worthy.
Oh, it makes me tired. Information overload. And here I am, adding to it with my little blog. Sorry, world.
Yesterday, before work, I yanked a dying rosemary plant out of its pot on the patio so that I could get it in the garden waste bags before they're collected this morning. (The only time I have to do any gardening on a weekday is before work because, as you've seen above, it's basically dark by the time I get home.)
That plant was so root-bound that I had to really work to get it out of the pot. No wonder the poor thing died. I must admit I have ignored it for years. It's a plant Dave bought long ago and it has lived in a pot on the sunny side of the house, which we don't see from any window and I basically just forgot it was there. I think I'm going to use the pot for the citrus tree.
Anyway, I was amused to see this little robin flit to the scene of the crime in order to pick any newly-exposed bugs out of the dirt. I left the plant lying on the lawn so it would have a chance to feast. (And so any lucky bugs could escape.) Now it's with the garden waste out at the street.
I was reading blogs yesterday evening and was amused when another blogger used the word "cheroot." This always reminds me of an article I read in The New Yorker many years ago, talking about euphemisms originated by the British satirical magazine Private Eye. "Lighting an exotic cheroot" was their way of saying smoking a joint, "tired and emotional" meant someone was publicly drunk, and "talking about Uganda" meant having sex. I have laughed about that for years. So thank you, Mitchell, for bringing it to mind once again!
20 comments:
The rails leading to the sunset makes for a great photo!
It is true that today everything is photographed and documented, both the beautiful moments and the less so, so what is beautiful about your blog is the small things that seem to disappear from sight usually like this bird that comes for a moment.
Lovely sunset photo....West Hampstead?
I once saw a photo of a small boy smiling at the camera for his parent, and behind him the pomp and ceremony of a royal procession that he was missing!!
Aw, thanks. I was hoping someone would catch my euphemism. As for “talking about Uganda,” hideous what that subject brings up now.
That sunset photo is stunning. I would have stood on that bridge for a while. Oh, and the shot of the robin is also wonderful.
Your blog is definitely not part of information overload. It’s a refuge.
"My little blog"? What? It is a massive blog with hundreds of blogposts and pictures for the general public to enjoy free of charge... apart from the electricity they have to pay for. Amazing sunset picture.
I can't read the article due to the pay wall, but I have often wondered what the net result will be in future years. Sure there are factors more photos being taken now than ever before. But how many of those photos will survive a single generation? Perhaps the only real hope are those pictures posted online in blogs and such backed up by servers.
Going to events, like one of my kids musical performances always bothers me greatly. There will be a sea of cellphones (with backlights brightly shining towards me) recording the event. Parents holding them aren't even looking at their child or listening to the music due to being so intent on capturing the moment. How many of those people actually replay that video a week later? Contrast that to our town's symphony orchestra events. Whether it is because the players are mostly senior adults, the viewers are more tuned to social protocols, or something else altogether, I never see a backlit cellphone recording the performance though there might still be the rare picture taken.
It seems like a theme day, with both of us posting sky photos. Yours is rather good by the way, and so well framed.
I only knew about 'tired and emotional'.
What was Mr Jefferies is unwell today? Maybe I have the name wrong as Google is not helpful. He was a respected journalist who had a daily column in a London newspaper and would get so drunk he couldn't file his usual daily story, and the newspaper would put up the statement, Mr Jefferies is unwell today.
I am amused about the cheroot. I really did not know that one.
Great sunset photo, Steve!
I was listening to a podcast yesterday with David Spade and Will Arnett who are both comedians/actors and they were bemoaning how easy it is to be a world-wide star these days for doing little more than making three minute videos involving breasts or someone getting hit in the head with a ball or...
You know.
Like with the photography, professionals who have worked and studied to master their crafts are being replaced by online people of the moment. They weren't angry about it, more bemused and puzzled.
Your photo captures the beauty of the city showing sun, sky and roadway. Nicely done. With iPhones, taking photos and making videos is made instantly easy. Photos do add greatly to any text description. Robins are a sign of Spring and I've not seen any in Massachusetts.
Beautiful sunset! I love the cute little robin too. European robins are so much cuter than American robins.
Your comments about taking photos is so true. Everyone is a photographer these days.
A proper picture of that sunset with a train in it would surely be accepted by The Railway Magazine.
By "proper" I mean not smartphone.
I love taking photos although most of mine are unprofessional. It's interesting to be able to look back on the years and decades. Love the sunset! The clouds are gorgeous.
Both photos are wonderful, each in its own way.
Have a wonderful weekend!
There is a lot out there to tempt us, but ultimately we choose what we want to read/view. I enjoy your "little blog"!
That Graham Greene novel I just read had a character (the Superior) who was always smoking a cheroot.
Oh, c'mon, that first photo isn't real. Or is it? Then I saw the robin and roots photo and remembered what a great photographer you are, Steve. So I guess it IS real. Anyway, keep taking pictures and keep posting them. They are a treasure, (he said, as he fired up his cheroot).
Do people go back and actually look at the photos they take? I think it is sad that there is a generation that only looks at life on a phone screen.
Beautiful sunset! I love “tired and emotional” as a euphemism but how is “talking about Uganda” code for sex. Scratching my head on that one.
Brit robins are so cute -- much cuter than the big ol' American kind! You're right about photos. It reminds me of when desktop publishing came in and suddenly everyone was a graphic designer (or being pushed into it by their bosses who wanted to save money.) We all saw a lot of really badly designed newsletters! (And I suppose we still do.)
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