<< Previous Next >>

world's biggest flagpole


world's biggest flagpole
Photo Information
Copyright: Mark Panszky (markoci) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 449 W: 94 N: 397] (3867)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-11-06
Categories: Architecture
Camera: EOS Digital Rebel, Canon 28-135mm is
Exposure: f/14.0, 1/160 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2004-11-30 10:59
Viewed: 8705
Points: 11
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is Kijong-dong a North Korean propaganda village in the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). The village supposedly shows the superiority of the North, although it is thought that no one actually lives there. At some point the governments of North and South began competeing to erect increasingly taller flag poles to display their respective flags. The South eventually gave up, leaving the North the "winners" who can now boast the world's tallest supported flagpole at 160m (525 ft). The fabric alone weighs 600 pounds unfortunately it was not flying at the time.

I find this picture very peculiar. Apart from some level and contrast adjustments, cropping, and minor color saturation, I haven't done any post processing, yet it turned out like a communist propaganda painting. I wonder if the North has more secrets we don't know about :-)

The photo was taken from the Southern side of the DMZ but I thought it'd be appropriate to post it under North Korea.

Comments and critiques, as usual, are welcome.
mortijo, emercamaya, AmiBe, vascao, dmitriy55, kolesn, jmfarace, jiekuan, seoulwriter, eugeneahn, Facsi, noir, sheepyak, Rychach has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekEarth members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekEarth members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To vascao: indeedmarkoci 1 12-12 08:24
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Certainly the least photographed country in the world. Very intersting note...

Great Photo, on my trip to the DMZ I remimber looking over at that same village and thinking about what those people go threw everyday and how there lives are. But than again it looks just as quiet as when I was there.

Yeah, maybe you're right and this is the tallest, but mine is the prettiest...;o)
Great shot, nice DOF, seems like a rocket about to launch.

  • Great 
  • jinju Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3167 W: 96 N: 1601] (14241)
  • [2004-12-12 8:36]

Theres a magazine that will give you a cool million dollars for a piece of the flag on that flagpole. I see that the flag is gone. I wonder if anyone cashed in.

Very interesting photo and very interesting notes. The picture provides a very good view of the environment where the pole stands.

  • Great 
  • waluyo (38)
  • [2005-02-07 10:02]

first, thank you to visited my album and your encouragement.
I took the opportunity to have a look to yours...

I really like this picture, maybe not so much for the picture in itself but for the symbolic that it represents...

the foreground and the background are just amazing, even if the city doesn't appear alive... but maybe it is just the subject that makes that... can't help it!
anyway, this shot is superb!

Hi Mark, Very nice story. For me the same but from a different border, the Chinese one. At the border of Dandong you can go on a boat and "look at the North Koreans". Strange but true. Here the same story as your house, there is a fareswheel, looks real but after zooming, you can see it is only 2D, just sheets of metal. All is an ilusion to the west. And I am sure these houses and the whole area are off limits to the N K people. Have a look at my shots and I'll post the faris wheel soon.
Good shot!

Good shot on a clear day. The color contrasts are interesting, and the note was very useful.

I've seen this village with the flag pole. Very good, clear photo. It was too rainy when I was there. Good composition. You captured the feel of the area well. The only thing missing are the flag (as you mentioned).

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF