Humbug, a photo from Denbighshire, Wales

Photographer's Note

Have reposted this as various people were right about the crop that was needed. A thankyou to Leon (cobbydale) for his workshop on the origional which this more or less is.

I take these kind of shots mainly because of one of my biggest influences in photography. Martin Parr. I always liked how he can take a daily and boring situation and add a sense of humour too it.
For my part it was the way the couple sat there all the way through there 'all day breakfast for £2.50' and didn't utter a word to another, and looking in different directions. It's as if he has sat next to his wife so he does not have to look at her. I wonder.
The 'Merry Christmas' decoration was the cherry on the cake.

pgorod, ben4321, bombilla, marcin_gutowski, cobbydale, delnaja, coco has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ndb1958 (9289) 2007-01-24 10:53

Hi Mark,
Lissy and Phillip again. I remember them well. The best days of their love seems to belong to the past.
Good social document,
Nino

ben4321 (9875) 2007-01-24 12:07

I like what you've done here Mark, going in for the tight crop allows the sheer misery of the man's expression to be revealed in all it's glory. His wife, meanwhile, has a rather stern expression; I get the impression it is she who wears the trousers in this relationship!
I remember the original well, and it's amazing what a difference the crop has made. What I did like about the original version was how the empty space around them seemed to emphasise their isolation, both from each other and from their surroundings.
This crop has definitely improved it though, good work.

Cheers,
Ben

bombilla (3406) 2007-01-24 12:44

Whether they spoke or not, of course, is extra-textual information. But interesting to know because it could have been just a pause in the conversation -- or even a momentary impasse in an argument (well, maybe it was an day-long, or year-long impasse in an argument). Yet other extra-textual information leads us to believe that, indeed, of course, they have nothing left to say to one another. We've seen it so many times. The flame burns out, unsustainable, familiarity breeds, if not contempt, well, indifference. Have you ever seen an old couple that sits in silence but is full of love? They exist. I've seen them. But for every one of them, I see legions like this one. Makes you wonder about monogamy as an institution. Perhaps it runs against our nature to pair off with one person for eternity -- as dictated by the churches, as mythologized in the romatic literature. When we no longer have anything to say to one another, when a cloud of silence envelops our hearts and tongues, isn't that the end of the story?

Nice document, Mark. Worthy of meditation. And given the aforementioned notion of a religiously prescribed coupledom, the Merry Christmas sign perhaps becomes doubly ironic.

(On an insignificant technical note, this is one of those types of images I always have trouble leveling. Do you use the floor, the table, the molding on the wall? Confusing.)

Best, Hugh

Glint (6171) 2007-01-24 13:13

Oh dear!...they look like they have been married even longer than I have.
I have just called my husband over to the computer by saying "hey, come look at us". We have had a chuckle.But don't be too concerned about their apparent glumness. It probably isn't all sadness. After a long time married you can communicate without words or even an exchange of glances. Honestly! They were probably just cheesed off with all the Christmassy nonsense. I bet if they became aware of their image on this site they would kill themselves laughing!
Great shot though Mark. Could be a still from a sitcom. Is that Victor Meldrew's brother?
regards,
a happily married
Bev

pgorod (1019) 2007-01-24 13:44

This shot is disturbing, it's a soul-shot more than a simple image.

I'm all for the new crop, but I have to say I miss the warmth of the extra tiles seen in the original version. But this crop brings us closer to the action (or should I say, to the extreme inaction of these stone-like faces...).

marcin_gutowski (106) 2007-01-24 14:11

This photo pictures sad story, and I hope it was your false impression only..

pastadog (13111) 2007-01-24 15:02

Hi Mark, wow, wow! What a dramatic difference is achieved by your crop! It's really a "decisive moment" well caught. The powerful message comes across - and really makes us think. And yes, the shot has its technical merit too, but I believe the scene is what makes is so special. Regards, Daniel

tcht (7565) 2007-01-24 15:31

Hi Mark
Very interesting expressions of these people :) I actually don't mind the wide, original version as it shows better what situation they're in. but here I get more of the feeling and details. anyhow both works very well. A great "boring" daily life shot that's very interesting.
Best regards
CheukHin

cobbydale (1958) 2007-01-24 16:34

Excellent Mark - and you've also brought out some more of the details I think now, I seem to remember that on the original I wasn't able to make out the menu (sad aren't I ;-). Looks quite reasonably priced for the seaside actually.

Nice one.
cheers, Leon.

snunney (130967) 2007-01-26 8:53

Hello Mark,
I liked the original of this very much but I think this is even better. Is this what long term relationships come to in the end when there is no longer a meeting of minds or glances? Very sad really, but maybe it was just a bad day and they couldn't decide what to buy for whom! Anyway, an excellent shot.

ninaL (21348) 2007-01-28 7:50

Salut, Mark. J'espère que tu comprends le français parce que my english is too bad. J'aime bien cette photo d'une scène quotidienne...quotidienne au point où toute l'ambiance de sa répétition et de l'ennui de ces personnes âgées ressort ici. On dirait que la photo crie leur ennui, leur routine, ils sont certainement habitué à cet endroit plutôt gluck, et le panneau "Merry Chrismas" souligne la tristesse du lieu, au lieu de l'égayer.
Bien vu.
Grazyna.

delnaja (2056) 2007-01-31 8:03

Hi Mark,
Looking at my comment on the original version... Yes, this was how I see the photo the first time, without the man on the right. I jelps to focus on this so english scene (for me ; ) )
Take care
Fred

coco (30439) 2007-02-18 17:16

Hi Mark.

A photo plenty of feelings and meanings.
For several reason I like this photo. A photo with people and white hundreds of little stories behing it.

Well seen.

mzmehr (918) 2007-04-28 8:26

Hi Mark,
All photoes in your galery made up of a prespective view from some woodwn boundary or something like that but this one is completely diffrent. although Hippiness sign is on top, faces do not show a happy atmosphere.

nice shot and colors,
thanks for sharing it.
Mohammad

aralda (1240) 2007-10-07 2:47

Yes, this is a great catch! They almost seem taken out of a wax figures museum. Love the way they stare blankly in different directions, and that sign above.
Raluca