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It's the end of the world as I know it


It's the end of the world as I know it
Photo Information
Copyright: Dennis Bours (Dpbours) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1878 W: 538 N: 1736] (6911)
Genre: Places
Medium: Black & White
Date Taken: 2003-11
Categories: Daily Life, Transportation, Decisive Moment
Camera: Canon Epoca AF
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Angola - Zaire province
Theme(s): Music photo titles and inspiration [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-07-17 0:58
Viewed: 1207
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Wonderful song of REM! But this place, or maybe more the feeling it had, came close to the feeling of being at the end of the world.
I know REM meant it differently in their song, but this is the end of the world as I know it.

The police officer was waiting on the outskirts of M'Banza Congo for traffic on a road that came from nowhere and - as you can see - went to nowhere. Very surreal to see how someone can be waiting for traffic that will never come, on a piece of 100 metres of road from nowhere to nowhere, next to an abandoned tank. So incredibly surreal.
I took the picture from the back, since military of any kind was not keen on having their picture taken...

Technical note:
The shot was taken with my old Canon Epoca. No exif data for this one. I used Ilford 400 film. Negative scanned with Minolta Dimage Scan Elite II.
sway, mpb001, redrash, Photo65Net, plimrn has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To plimrn: Don't irritate people w gunsDpbours 3 08-15 00:54
To Angshu: REMDpbours 1 07-27 19:06
To Brian: Getting better slowlyDpbours 1 07-24 06:49
To happypoppeye: Tanks and palm treesDpbours 1 07-21 20:31
To Photo65Net: No tear-jerkingDpbours 1 07-19 02:32
To sway: AngolaDpbours 1 07-17 01:26
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • sway Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 145 W: 7 N: 70] (352)
  • [2007-07-17 1:06]
  • [+]

HI This scene makes me appreciate my own country. Nice angle great composition.
:-)

Dennis,

Ongelooflijk, wat sommige zaken betreft heeft de tijd gewoonsrtil gestaan hier in angola. Ik denk dat je hetzelfde plaatje nu weer kunt maken. Doet me denken aan afgelopen weekend toen ik door Lanculla reed, daar was precies hetzelfde plaatje...Alleen nu kwam de politieman vriendelijk vragen of we misschien een 'gazoso' voor hem hadden. Die wilde ik hem niet geven...dan is het tegenwoordig ook goed, an kan je gewoon doorrijden.

  • Great 
  • mpb001 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 681 W: 125 N: 366] (4477)
  • [2007-07-17 15:37]

Wow, Dennis, this is quite a powerful image. I'd say the black & white film image really gives the shot that documentary look that is so fitting for this subject.
Mike

I like the way you compose your pictures.
Nice story behind this one.

Dennis,
Always hard to represent such sad events.
HEre you succeeded, with nice note, and of course a great and strong picture.
Nice job,
Regards,
JB.

Nice catch. I like the B&W and actually envy you for seeing places like this. Great composition with the tank poking in and the officer who gives the feeling of extreme boredom. For some reason I really like the faded palm in the background, I'm really not sure why though.

Great work.
John

  • Great 
  • Brian Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 243 W: 12 N: 147] (1149)
  • [2007-07-23 19:30]
  • [+]

Hey Dennis,

Your photo reminds me of another country where there are police officers, but no traffic. North Korea.
I'm not sure what the political state is in Angola, but it seems like a common image in a few African nations.

Good capture, and take care.
Brian

  • Great 
  • Angshu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4764 W: 166 N: 7285] (23696)
  • [2007-07-26 21:13]
  • [+]

Hello Dennis
Love the title…one of my fav. REM numbers. But this is a daring shot indeed, and a very powerful one. B&W is the only way I can think of this picture & the Ilford stands up well again. Despite the constraints, you’ve composed the picture well..a good note to boot
Cheers
Angshuman

  • Great 
  • codiac Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 48 W: 2 N: 559] (3227)
  • [2007-08-03 17:49]

i think surreal is the right description for this dennis. very well observed and executed.
Like it.

Gary

A strong shot Dennis!
The B+W was definitely the way to go with this one.
Nice work
Harry

  • Great 
  • plimrn Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3601 W: 226 N: 4770] (15178)
  • [2007-08-13 16:59]
  • [+]

Hi Dennis,
While it's not your latest, I just had to see what your title meant. It is a good policy to avoid irritating a person with a gun. The scene and story make me wonder about international development at that time; sounds like an engaging and fascinating job. I've heard some very interesting stories about the effectiveness of surprisingly minimal interventions. Wishing you health, Love & Joy, (HLJ) Pat

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