Suburbia Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

I guess this is one of those photo that conveys a special message to the person who took it but for more generalized look it does not convey much. I am again uploading a photo solely because it is a kind of special to me. I would like to hear about what this photo coveys to other viewers.

I took this photo at the Parking Lot of Square One Shopping Mall in Mississauga. There was one car and this plastic bag that was going round and round in circles in this part of the parking lot. (It reminded me of the movie "American Beauty"). I took this photo on a holiday, that should explain the empty parking spaces.

If anybody wants to feel the Suburbia in Canada, Mississuaga would be the place. Sometimes it is kind of sad (for me) to see how we are building these large structures all around. Personally I like going to corner stores (dépanneur en francais) or even smaller strip malls where the shop-owners talk to me and give me personalized service, but such places are being slowly smothered in our society.
(Please don't confuse Strip Malls with Strip joints ... lols)

There is a recent trend where big stores have even taken out the Cashiers, now they are encouraging people to use the Automatic tellers where you scan your goods and pay by yourself without talking to anyone.

Facts About Square One Shopping Mall:
It is the largest Shopping mall in the province of Ontario if you consider the number of shops as an index. It contains 360 stores and services, 8,700 parking spaces and 1.6 million square feet (150,000 m²) of retail space. The mall serves an average of 21 million customers each year.

PLD_images, digi-mom, weswang, Stepan, capthaddock has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

donluicu (23927) 2005-10-19 10:37

Sarju
this is an intersting picture.
i like the composition, the framing and the details..
to me it's ok
bye
loic

PLD_images (7141) 2005-10-19 11:25

Hi Sarju,

Now where did I park again... ;-D

This is a very original photo. In photography there is a form that is called Negative space. If I understand the term "Negative space" well, it's the space that is not your main subject. The negative space is defined by the edges of the positive space and the frame or border. It's the space around the subject of an image. So this to me represent a fine exemple of this technique.

I did enjoy your text, and I so agree with you about the over-consumption that were experiencing more and more in north america. I have never been to this shopping mall, and you know what, I dont really want to...

Thanks for all of this today.

Paul

ndb1958 (9248) 2005-10-19 13:19

funny shot. I like it, Nino

digi-mom (1064) 2005-10-19 13:52

Wow. And my family is fixing to move to Mississauga from quaint little St. Cloud, Florida. Sigh. Oh, well - your photo conveys a lot that goes without saying, I think. I do wish that the 2 items weren't so close to the corners, it's a little tight/uncomfortable that way. But an interesting photo.

rosiegirl (2042) 2005-10-19 18:23

The composition is great, with all the empty space, but its not really empty. All the parking lines are great for symmetry, but the Picaso-ish tar lines add some nice interest. I do agree that I'm a little worried that the two corner items might leave the frame, but I like the idea. I kind of have a feeling this would look cool in black and white (maybe I'll do a workshop, I haven't done one in forever :) Oh, and I agree about those self checkout things- they drive me nuts, that little automated voice giving the directions over and over again- frustrating. Great job- I like it a lot!

Rosie

Ok- I can't get the workshop to work just at this moment, but I'll try later. :)

dsidwell (9745) 2005-10-20 0:12

Very interesting and bold image, Sarju. I see the artist in you in this one! The bold composition is very extreme, and makes a strong statement with the artifacts you show: the car and the garbage. I think it works.

rbcy1974 (20742) 2005-10-20 3:34

Hi Sarju,
Wow, I think its one of your best pictures yet,
Its so graphical the emptiness of the parking lot balanced only by the car and the bag. I agree with you regarding the worrying trend of suburbanization. I rememebr when I first moved to Canada seeing all these cookiecutter red brick houses mushrooming all over the place, I felt like it was mars, there is an idea. You should go on a photo expedition capturing this suburbia, its something ill probably do next time I am down there. Otehrwise suburbia keeps growing, and we get more dependant on cars, and people get fatter, and more antisocial, and traffic jams get worse, and public transport is not efficient as everyone lives too dispersed, its a nightmare. Thankgod I dont have or need a car and that I do everything by bike were I live.
Ill be back
A+
Daniel

feather (49860) 2005-10-20 10:59

Something I noticed in the US was the big parking spaces for the big gas-guzzling cars. Is it the same in Canada? The UK is so limited for space if you do have a big car you'll have trouble fitting into the parking spaces.
I suppose you would call this an art photo with the two tiny subjects, but there is still plenty of detail in the patterns of tar and the yellow lines.
You have made a political point very eloquently.
Kath

Leksand (708) 2005-10-20 15:30

An intressting photo Sarju! The composition works real well. My first thougt is solitude when I look at this image.

weswang (18223) 2005-10-21 11:40

Hi Sarju, A strong political statement you have made in this picture. You have well shown the problems in the social and economical development. Many small towns are destroyed by the big boys with their parking lot like such.
Good shot with diagonal flow and subject in different diagonal locations. A simple shot with good perspective.

Stepan (27175) 2005-10-22 3:42

So abstract, so graphic, so empty...
For me, it's a kind of poetic composition...
I like the way you focused and the sharp depth you produced...
Good idea.
Stéphane

cloverstar (0) 2005-10-23 6:07

A very strong message. Stunning composition. One of my favourites.

pamastro (7213) 2005-10-23 13:08

Great shot of suburbia Sarju. Sprawling malls and endless parking. Though at least it's mixed with denser development and such as opposed to around me, in Detroit, where malls and McMansions and huge subdivisions sprawl dozens of miles out from the city center. I like all the cracks in this parking lot which is another result of all this sprawl. The infrastructure requires so much to be maintained. Another thing we are suffering from here now because of our vast expressway network. Hopefully they will learn from our mistakes before making it themselves. I know some have been stopped.

But anyway, yes, this really gives a sense of the facelessness of sprawl and the megastores as opposed to the mom and pop shops lining a pleasant street. And the little bit of litter balances the lone car nicely. Perhaps you could have increased the contrast on this one. It seems a bit flat. And more contrast would also add an extras harshness to this concrete world devoid of any nature.

Really, though, it was well spotted out and exploited for the photograph. And as I said that void has a nice faceless feeling of being devoid of anything.

[workshop] [compare] +

Quentin (5278) 2005-10-24 2:53

Hi Sarju
This a interesting and very "graphic" composition. It was a
good idea to create this mirror effect between the car and this
waste. And what a huge parking! Well done
Regards
Quentin

Clairedelune (4885) 2005-11-04 22:49

Hi Sarju,
Very interesting picture, even if it make me feel a bit uncomfortable. This is a picture that have a message, that say something. That talk about the absence of nature, the nature that is "under" that asphalt rug. The car and the plastic bag are essential here. Yes, I thought also of the "American beauty" movie, but here, for me, there is no "beauty" about that bag. Even if I said in my intro page (I will change that eventually) that I take picture to show the beauty of the world, I think that photography should be more than that. I could also make "statement". Like here. Really great and good job here.
Shopping malls, big parkings, automatic tellers, all those things makes me feel very uncomfortable. I refuse to go to place like Costco, Wallmart, etc. When I go, I feel physically bad. It is way toooooo big for me. I feel weird. Needless to say that I don't like that at all. When I see big suburb boulevards, with parkings, neon lights, big advertising boards, I think "Well, I guess this is what inferno is all about." I will maybe die really poor, but I prefer to pay more and go to small places.
Sorry to have wrote maybe too much, but your picture and the comments of everybody made me talkative! :D
Claire

banyanman (7716) 2005-12-07 8:41

I have just come back from a weekend in Sarawak and was quite upset about the amount of environmental degradation that I saw there, but then I saw this photograph of yours and thought that maybe this part of the world is not that bad after all. I agree with Claire's comments above - this photograph makes me feel uncomfortable - but it does convey a message about everything that is horrible about living in suburbia. Just think . . . one day the rainforests of Borneo could look just like this - and then future generations wouldn't have all those messy leaves to clean up - just a few plastic bags. Cheers . . . David

capthaddock (28640) 2005-12-13 9:45

Hi Sarju - simple but very clever, and uniquely north american shot of plastic suburbia. I wish the yellow painted lines were a bit brighter.

sonti_in (346) 2006-04-28 10:23 [Comment]

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leiju (1683) 2006-06-26 5:39

Hehehe :D It's just the kind of picture I really like taking :) minimalistic but packed with meaning and messages :D
Truly a wonderful shot with a brilliant composition :D
TFS!
Julia