The World of Tomorrow Photo

Photographer’s Note

This family is bicycling past this scene, which shows what happens when rains wash months of accumulated litter from around the city into drainage channels. It's just one small piece of the environmental decline going on all around us. It's not even a major piece because it's easily cleaned up--sanitation workers came and did so later that day. But it's a clear symbol of the consequences of the "disposable society" these children will inherit.

The noise/grain is a deliberate addition--not that you have to like it.

BennyV, riclopes, dArpAn, noborders, eversmile has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

baba_flies (8093) 2008-11-12 0:36

Ken :))) You are being difficult ... we only want to see nices, don't you know that! But you know what is funny that if I want to tell people abroad things that are not so nice about Switzerland, they never want to listen, they have something in mind that they want to keep forever, preserve it in their heads like sweet jam. Important message and your photo is stronger than a thousand words. Barbara.

BennyV (4905) 2008-11-12 0:40

Hello Ken,

I noticed your previous upload too, I like the theme you're working on, especially since the pictures are taken in the US which is the world's biggest consumer, yet somehow most of these 'apocalyptic' garbage pollution shots we see come from poorer countries.

This picture is even better than the previous one, because of the kids cycling by (oops, crop almost too tight there, imo). Most people in the world probably regard he safety helmets they wear as futuristic contraptions. This protection of 'our dear ones' adds an interesting element to the scene. The helmets and the bikes are part of our consumerist and often overprotected west, though probably made in China. (At least the one my daughter got for her birthday last week was...)

I appreciate your note, especially because you mention that the place was actually cleaned up later day! A nice touch, exposing the half lie, the semi-fiction element of all good photography.

Learning about the world? You bet!

Benny

riclopes (33131) 2008-11-12 0:51

Pretty impressive scenery and very nice artistic way of presenting it. It's dramatic without being agressive. The perspetive is very original and works perfectly for the message. And the kids on the bikes...this wouldn't work so well without them, that's for sure.
regards,
ricardo

dArpAn (490) 2008-11-12 2:33

Ken- this is true picture of what's happening around us and its same everywhere. I can empathize with you and all...

In India, we are so close to nature that earlier almost everything we used in our daily life was naturally degradable. But not any more. It's changing very fast with the 'Super Store Culture'- everything is packaged and that too mostly in plastics...

Such scene will be seen more n more. good times are gone. Thanks for raising the issue...

Rgds,
Darpan

chris04stop (2509) 2008-11-12 13:33

Poor, America. And I love SO much the land of my husband! He wrote a book entitled "My dear America". Bravo, Ken, even if your pic is so sad...Ciao,
Anna Paola

kevinos (6927) 2008-11-12 20:13

You continue you theme, ken "the wastelands" and the scene does look futuristic and frightening. It suggests what the consumer society is becoming. The angle, the colors, the receding lines of the composition, even those demonic looking kids all add to the sense of despair. regards kevin

toto (18755) 2008-11-13 2:18

Bonjour,
belle photo de ces choses naturelle, les gens sont sale, toutes ces crasses qui se retrouvent la bas, cela fait une excellente prise pour montrer ce que les gens font de notre planette.
Bon partage.

Amitiés Thomas.

Clementi (45179) 2008-11-13 9:45

Ciao Ken,
nice shot,an incredible one pov for this beautiful photo. you have reason they are our future, is beautiful to see to play them.
Giorgio

noborders (14201) 2008-11-15 0:11

Not totally an optimistic photo with the sight on the right but you explain us that the garbage is cleaned regularly - I like the contrast with the young cyclists, regretting that the one on the left is almost out of the photo. Title is very adequate... Interesting and making us wondering...
Added grain ? I had not noticed ! (sorry :-)))
Best regards,
Cath.

bostankorkulugu (33976) 2008-11-20 23:03

i always love tilted shots, it adds some sort of dynamism i think... this is both dynamic and striking ken, with a good note to go along with it... a bit too tight on the left may be with the kid touching the frame but still very nice...

eversmile (6399) 2008-11-22 0:53

Hi Ken,

I like your provocative POV, here. The kind of shot that raise consciousness. And the decline of our societies is well symbolised by the downslope of the river bank. Well seen, well done. The grain added can also symbolise the dust we have in our eyes, for we cannot see our world is weighed down by our stupid behaviours...
Regards
Marine