Red Poppy - White Poppy Photo

Photographer’s Note

Red Poppy – White Poppy

This is a portrait of a local community worker and former head of the local Racial Equality Council – caught in mid-stride as she moved through the fair. The Fair is bracketed by Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday when the war dead of the UK and Commonwealth and it’s allies are remembered. People wear red poppies and it is a key way in which money is collected for old and infirm soldiers and families.

When I was 18 I went out for a week long walk along the South Downs – on the walk back I stopped by a bright red field of poppies and there right in the foreground was one single white poppy – an image still very alive in my mind.

Red Poppy

Up to 10 million soldiers were killed in WW1. Everyone who fought in Belgium and northern France witnessed the profusion of the cornfield poppy, which splashed its blood-red blooms over the fields in summer. The first charity poppies were an Amercian idea and the funds raised were for children who had suffered because of the war.

In Britain, the soldiers came back from the war to find that life was hard at home too. Ex-servicemen's societies formed the British Legion to provide support to ex-servicemen, it became one of the most successful British charities ever. By the end of the 20th C the British Legion were making over 32 million 'lapel' poppies a year.

Despite its charitable aims a growing number of people have been concerned about the poppy's association with military power and the justification of war.

White (Peace) Poppy - origins

The idea of an alternative poppy dates back to 1926, just a few years after the red poppy came to be used in Britain. A member of the No More War Movement suggested that the British Legion should be asked to imprint 'No More War' in the centre of the red poppies and failing this pacifists should make their own flowers. In 1933 the Co-operative Women's Guild produced the first white poppies to be worn on Armistice Day (later called Remembrance Day). The Guild stressed that the white poppy was not intended as an insult to those who died in the First World War - a war in which many of the women lost husbands, brothers, sons and lovers.

The White Poppy symbolises the belief that there are better ways to resolve conflicts than killing strangers – it is now produced and distributed by the Peace Pledge Union (PPU).

The work of the PPU is primarily educational, drawing attention to social values and habits which make continuing violence a likely outcome. 85 years after the end of the ‘war to end all war’ we still have a long way to go to put an end to a social institution which in the last decade alone killed over 10 million children.

Condensed from source material on the PPU website: http://www.ppu.org.uk/

everlasting, nerve, bantonbuju, alekpet, ishai, markoci, Rinie_Hoff, RGatward, designsoul, Fixfocus, wilkinsonsg has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

RGatward (19737) 2005-11-18 3:56

Well I never knew that, maybe you've convinced me to buy my first (white) poppy. Excellent portrait to illustrate the interesting note.

ishai (4093) 2005-11-18 4:18

You must be a great joke teller or very attractive by the smile she gave you.
I note is informative and helpful, After reading it I understand the picture more.
Good to see some how that the times are changing (or not) depends which way you look at it
Wars still exists hunger is also still here people live in poverty just like the First World War

alekpet (4657) 2005-11-18 4:21

Your picture presentation is simply perfect. You have to work in advertising, because you convinced me to buy a white poppy whenever I see it. There is also my memory accociated to poppies. They grow in fornt of the place of my childhood, a huge field of poppies. And never ever I've seen a white one. You saw one.
That's how rare is peace in the whole world at the same moment in history. Very, very, very rare.

I wish there were more white poppies.

Aleks

markoci (3917) 2005-11-18 4:44

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields

"In Flanders Fields" was first published in England's "Punch" magazine in December, 1915. Within months, this poem came to symbolize the sacrifices of all who were fighting in the First World War. Today, the poem continues to be a part of Remembrance Day ceremonies in Canada and other countries.

The poem was written by a Canadian - John McCrae, a doctor and teacher, who served in both the South African War and the First World War.

sorry couldn't help but paste the above, we shall remember.

great capture, tried a ws, hope you don't mind. tfs.

[workshop] [compare]

nerve (10210) 2005-11-18 6:43

Your subtlety drives me mad sometimes, so i dont know how to respond to this one! ;))

i feel a kind of mind who says: "Its all a big joke, forget about it, dont you see, isnt it obvious?" but thats it and i'll keep my mouth shut now, Lol! :)

Great note Kev, i love poppy fields anyway..
;)even the red ones,,
i definitely agree with Aleks, we need more 'white' puppies, dont we?
tc.

everlasting (10894) 2005-11-18 8:38

In true TE spirit, I am ashamed to say that I learnt something today of the world, through photography---- I did not know that the origin of the White Poppy movement.
This lady looks very pleased with herself, maybe she has just introduced the meanign of the white poppy to another ignoramus.

Simple portrait to convey a simple message.
Well spoken.

Fixfocus (9377) 2005-11-18 9:45

Hi Kev,
The second look on this picture,after reading the note, is much different than the first look.Excellent unity of picture and note
(and it´s a fine portrait too).
Greetings,
Hermann

Furachan (0) 2005-11-18 11:15

Top ntch TE fare served up with flair, Kev. What starts out as simple turns out to have many layers of meaning and all are revealed in exemplary style! This lady who is like many other ladies at firt relaly cuts a strong figure even as a thumbnail.
Brav!
Francis

bantonbuju (48334) 2005-11-18 11:16

this is a "kev on mission" post, today;
i do appreciate what you do here, on te, kev - among countless land-, sea-, city- and mountainscapes it is so vital to find images that speak about the world in somehow sociological way, which not only skim the subject(s) but goes deeply into them making us stop for a while, give some more thoughts to the photography (or even make us think why and what WE ersonally do with our gears and lenses), well - i think i must stop, it is becomming too complicated;
anyhow - this te site without you would be flattering, kev;
j.

designsoul (21394) 2005-11-18 11:27

A very genuine face, Kev, an openhearted woman of dedication. A fine portrait, coupled with a fine note... I haven't heard of the white poppy yet, nor have I seen any, but now I feel enriched knowing this, and also that they exist in reality. This shot also reminds me I should upload one of mines, someone with a poppy... a very different one, which I have hesitated to post so far... maybe you give me the courage... :-)
Amicalement,
sasa

sandip (3492) 2005-11-18 11:42

while in UK i saw most of the people waering this kind of badge.. did not know why !!and now i saw the reason... this is a lesson for me Kev.. it realy teaches us our old history and to respect the history always..

and about the picture you just caught her right..with a great smile.. a smile for hope..

ALSOM (6616) 2005-11-18 17:28

Hi Kev,

You know what think about your picture ;o).
This one is so lovely, you capture so well slice of life. She's beautiful.
TFS, Al.

wilkinsonsg (8644) 2005-11-19 10:09

An interesting note,the photo adds to it and is a very 'true to life' image of a jolly looking lady.

thaprem (2458) 2005-11-25 11:15

Never really though this shot would be so deep when I looked at the thumbnail image...A haunting perspective, this is...
You have a knack of bringing thigs very well...
Cheers,
Prem.