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Thread: American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

  1. #1

    American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

    Hello all, This may sound like a weird question, but please understand it comes from someon e who has been grieving heavily after the disaster and has a flag out on her own house (albeit a small one). Here in Eastern Pennsylvania there are American fla gs everywhere; they have completely changed the appearance of small towns and re sidential neighborhoods and even farmsteads around here. Are there other archite ctural/place photographers out there who fear for the disappearance of their bel oved subject matter? I would not worry about it if the flags and signs were up for a few months or even a year, but given the patriotic fervor in this country, I suspect that many people will leave them up indefinitely. As some of you know , I am starting to photograph Main Streets and this week in Kutztown, PA the pro blem really hit me -- my shot selection is extremely limited if I am going to po rtray these American towns in their "normal" paradoxical states of timelessness and flux, NOT as they look in wartime, or whatever this time might be. Sometimes it is downright impossible to photograph a building -- some of these flags are huge and virtually cover entire facades.

    Before the attacks, I felt somewhat the same way about the increased appearance of those stupid dribble lights and colorful cartoon flags on houses and big redu ndant banners on Main Street streetlights. For those of us who love architectur e, it is frustrating to see older neighborhoods start looking like shopping mall s, everybody with the same kind of decorations, covering up the indivudual chara cter of their houses.

    I would like to hear from people in other parts of the US --- are the towns near you also covered in flags? Do I need to rethink or postpone my project, Main St reets in America?

    Thanks for any and all comments. Peace, Sandy

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Sep 1999
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    449

    American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

    Do it now, quick. The opportunity may not come again.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Apr 2001
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    108

    American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

    This may be the BEST time to photograph Main Street in America. Your images will, do doubt, portray 'American' main streets, and definitely nobody else's.

    For example, there are some towns in the Rockies that I like to photograph in B&W. There is nothing unique to these images, as these towns could probably exist in eastern Europe.

    If you are after 'real' American main streets, this might be as real as you can get.

    $.02

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jun 2001
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    17

    American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

    First of all it won't last. No doubt it is impossible to say how long they will fly. Secondly, I urge you to take advantage of this unique opportunity. I hope you are interested in architcture of streets as a reflection of a indwelling human spririt, a sense not just of place but of the inhabitants of these places. If so, the flags are another reflection of that spririt, the decorations are a special embellishment. These flags reflect a deep underlying sympathy and patriotism which is just waiting for a skilled photographer to manifest. The best most spiritual photographs of this instant in US history, however done, will live forever as a statement of a transient yet very heartfelt emotion long after the war is over and the flags are folded. Much like the tears on a face, or the glint of pride in an eye. It will require great skill but surely is worth the effort to capture this. Because this unprecedented paroxysm will not last, we must make our negatives now to record it forever.

  5. #5

    American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

    I find it utterly amazing that an American would view the presence of many American flags as an interference with their little project. In this time of national mourning you need to rethink your priorities.

  6. #6

    American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

    Richard, I view the presence of many American flags with mixed feelings. I am not alone in that view. Often mass showings of so-called patriotic solidarity precede extremely scary actions. Many of these flags are not just memorials for the victims of the attacks, but proclaim a warrior mentality against our enemies. In the nuclear age, that is frightening.

    On the other hand, as a memorial, and as a visual tribute, I find the flags absolutely glorious and beautiful. As I said, it would be fine if they were all up for a year if that is their purpose.

    I consider photographing America (and that has always been my subject) to be a high calling. I am proud of it and I love this country. I consider photography to be of great importance as an art form and as a way to communicate complex information and emotions. I imagine you would agree with that statement or you wouldn't be reading this forum.

    My Main Streets project is about showing what we have built over two or three hundred years on this continent -- our houses, towns, and cities. The architecture itself is a testament to our history, perseverance, and sometimes, our failings. I believe American architecture deserves its own record.

    I have always been curious about what other serious architectural photographers think about decorations such as flags and banners on houses. The city of Savannah is renowned for its architecture and attracts visitors for that reason. When I went there in February, there were no banners or mobiles or flags on the houses -- I think there must be an ordinance against it.

    Perhaps that is a question for another time, and I didn't mean to offend anyone by asking it now. But this forum has a practical purpose and I have practical questions. They affect everyone who photographs architecture.

    After all, on Thursday night the President asked of us one thing and one thing only: live your normal life. Let's face it, America will not appear to be living a normal life as long as her towns are emblazoned with flags.

    I do agree with J. Ryder --- somebody should definitely record these displays as expressions of a turbulent and mournful time. I would guess that there are plenty of folks out there doing it for newspapers and magazines. Undoubtedly, better than I could.

  7. #7

    American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

    Sandy,

    Ok I'd like to give this one a try. I just hope that I can get my point across. I agree with a lot of what you said, actually MOST of it. But I do not agree with your comment about the U.S. Flag(my statements will apply to State Flags and Flags of other Country's as well). The flag is a very important cherished symbol. And sadly I have found myself thinking about this more and more in the past five or ten years. I do have a problem with the Flag being displayed, more and more every single day that passes! As a matter of fact it caused me to not make a very pleasing exposure this very morning in downtown Denver!! But my problem is NEVER with the # or the size of the flags being displayed. My problem is with well meaning Citizens that have no knowlege of how to respect our Most Charished Symbol, the U.S. Flag. I see this every second of every day as I spend a great amount of time on the road. I am not exactly a Grumpy Old Fart (Ok so there will be those who disagree) but I am 42years old and is has NOT been that long since I was in Grammer School and that is where I learned the importance of the Flag, and how to provide the care it deserves. I do not know or really care when or why we quit teaching this, but it is time we all take on the responsibility and either LEARN OR TEACH! After setting up this morning with the 5x7, I started looking at this wonderful building that is Properly Displaying OUR Grand Old Flag, I spotted not one, but no less than 4(FOUR!!!) vehicals on the street in front of this building that were desicrating the flag. One had a large flag slamed in the trunk and dragging on the ground, the others had flags that were torn and shredded because they were not aproved for wind speeds over 200 GD miles per hour. And one of those torn flags was on the front of a Pickup Truck, across the grill and judging from the window stickers may have belonged to a Marine!! So Sandy I ask you to ask yourself, if those flags that you are not happy with, were displayed correctly, would your opinion be the same? I think NOT! Because as others have said WE should take advantage of the moment. I fear it will not last...

    Very Sincerly.

    MAC

    PS-The above is addressed to all people reading this forum. Not just those in the United States of America. If you have questions about the flag and it's care contact an OLD Boy Scout, a VFW Post, or the Color Guard of you local Police or Fire Dept.

  8. #8

    American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

    Sandy,

    Timing, Timing, Timing! I am in the middle(they are finally in the washer) of printing a few old negs for a friend. We like I said I share your opinion and your discription "looking like shopping malls" is how I feel many times but, I think we may be wrong! The last photo that I printed was a street in what I suspect will be identified as a small town in Iowa, some time in the early 1900's (both horses and early autos). There are not only flags but every window awning, Store front, and comercial vehical is covered with advertisments! And it just looks like a normal day! So I opened up a book that was just given to me by a Dear Friend. The book is "Seeing Salt Lake City-the legacy of the Shipler Photographers" This is a Great book if you have a chance to look at a copy. But as I am going through the book, it becomes apparrent that what a lot of use want to edit out, in our quest to record "Clean Pure" History is really part of what we should be recording. And it becomes very clear, that Clean and Pure Architectural Photography may not have ever existed the way we sometimes think it did. But I will probably not stop looking for those clean Shots, and I suspect a lot of people will be doing the same.

    MAC

  9. #9

    American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

    Sorry! Someday I will learn to read. Before I SUBMIT! It has been a long day....

  10. #10
    Whatever David A. Goldfarb's Avatar
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    American flags everywhere - end of architectural photography as we know it?

    You think YOU'VE got trouble with subject matter? Take a look at this review of a current show in New York by Nancy Davenport:

    http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0138/aletti.php

    She has been working on a project for three years, making composites about a kind of universalized urban terrorism, which have suddenly become uncannily like real photos in the news. Her show went up five days before the disaster.

    In response to your question, I would wait and see. I can understand that you want the subject to be the architecture and not the historical moment (if it is possible not to represent the historical moment, but that is a much bigger question). Work on another project for a while or get caught up on the printing backlog (everyone has a printing backlog, right?). There is a building in renovation I have been wanting to photograph for two or three years now, and as soon as the scaffolding comes down, I'll be there.

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