One Man’s Trash…

…is another man’s great photograph. Or something like that. I cant remember the exact saying right now.

I was looking though some photographs of my trip to America from back in January and one photo in particular got me thinking. Before you start, there is some manipulation here in the form of (what I’m led to believe is called) colour-popping. I try and stay as far away from any kind of post production as I can in most of my shots, mostly out of laziness.

If you can tell me where in Minneapolis this photo was taken, you’ll receive a special prize from me. (likely me following your blog)

But back on track, what is this? It’s a photo of a fire hydrant. If you’re American, what’s the big deal? You probably walk past one of these every day. Basing my knowledge purely on the big screen and music videos, you’ve either crashed into one, opened it up on a hot summers day to lavish in the cool, refreshing spray or flooded your street with it. It’s an every day object that you are so familiar with that it’s almost invisible in your humble existence.

It’s interesting. We become unconscious of the things we encounter most. We want to escape the places we live to see how things are in other towns, cities and countries. Much like Americans blanking out the fire hydrant, I’d be willing to place a (small) bet that Londoners and most British people are almost blind to a red phone box or a black cab. On my recent trip to London, it was easy to see the tourists love that stuff.

I on the other hand really like this photo on more than just a personal level. Yes, it brings back memories of a great trip, but it’s something different. I don’t see one every day and it gives me a tiny glimpse of the lives of others in a different country. You’re not really going to be interested in the photos of a travel photographer if he’s documenting your home town. They might be lovely photographs, beautifully composed and immaculately lit, but it is just your home town. Whereas, if a travel photographer from your home town reported back with photos of somewhere other than home, there’s going to be a lot more appeal.

Open your eyes to the familiar… maybe you wont reverse your car into it!