Saturday, September 06, 2008

Thematic Photographic 14: "Faded" v.1.0


"Faded Memory"
Raleigh, NC - September 2008 (Click to embiggen)

Thematic Photographic hosted by Carmi - Button Image by Smarmoofus Hosted by Written Inc.

Faded. I have to confess, I didn't see this one coming. I don't usually go looking for things that are faded, so this week's Thematic is a real challenge. My archives are full of vibrant, colorful things. Or possibly subtle, muted things. But the word "faded" has a deeper connotation that I don't usually seek out when looking for photo opportunities. What kinds of things fade? Colors obviously. Clothing, paint, newspapers, photographs... but also memories. Good ones and bad ones. And the typical American memory probably fades more quickly than most. Perhaps more than anywhere in the world, the attitude is "What have you done for me lately?"

Has it truly been only two years since I sat with my son in Section 332 of RBC Center and looked on with 19,000 of my closest friends as Rod Brind'Amour raised the Sacred Chalice of Lord Stanley triumphantly over his head? I spotted this magnetic emblem on the back of a (very shiny) car in the parking lot across from my office a day or two ago, and instantly flashed on this week's Thematic. I hope you'll pardon the image quality. Someday, somebody's going to figure out how to put a decent camera in a cell phone. Or maybe I'll just one day have a job that's conducive to hauling my camera around. Then again, for this week's theme maybe it's appropriate to use minimalistic equipment.


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5 comments:

Barbara said...

I guess faded memories is exactly what photography was invented for. But I am waiting for the day I can download my own memory so I can 1)capture all the great photo shots I missed by not having my camera with me and 2) so I can remember what I forgot.

Cell phone or not, I think this is a good capture of one of your own favorite memories, only faded in others' minds.

carmilevy said...

Perfect composition, perfect context, perfect camera for the job.

You'd laugh if you saw what I throw into my bike bag when I head out for a ride. It's an ancient Kodak point and shoot, yet somehow its basic nature often fits the scenes I capture by the side of the road.

I grew up in Montreal, and our city's relationship with our vaunted Canadiens literally defined the "what have you done for me lately?" ethos that you spoke of here. It didn't matter that they had won more cups than anyone else, or that they so dominated the league some years that a loss was treated as a civic tragedy.

If they lost the cup in a given year, they were goats. They were expected to win. And a couple of years of late season failure definitely wiped out the polish from the stickers, flags and logos that used to identify us as champions.

Sorry to have thrown a wrench into the works with this one! You definitely nailed the theme in so many ways with this one!

Mona said...

I noticed that! 'Typical American memory' does fade fast !

I think you need more B-Complex in your diet! :D

me said...

I'm a Bruins fan, guess how faded my memory of the cup is? :-)
Loved your post.

Mojo said...

Me: Circa 1972 if memory serves. But hey, could be worse. You could live in Toronto where your memory would have to reach back to my childhood. Or Buffalo where there's never been a memory to fade (*snicker*).