dj.tigersprout's photoblog
Nullabor Chairs, Cook, South Australia
Posted by dj.tigersprout (New York City, United States) on 30 June 2008 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.
This is another disposable camera shot i was able to salvage from my 68 hour train ride from Sydney to Perth across the reddish orange Nullabor in late December 2004. At this point in the journey, i believe there was only 24 hours to go -- or something like that. Ironically, it wasn't until i arrived in Kalgoorlie (the location of Australia's original gold rush of 1893), just hours from our final destination, that i learned of the unimaginable tragedy that had killed an estimated 230,000 people in South East Asia the day before... In retrospect, this image is a fitting tribute (in my opinion) to the forces of nature -- and the hardships caused... both in areas surrounded by large bodies of water as well as areas that are quite devoid of any water, and problematically so, such as here in Australia's dusty red interior.
all work protected by Creative Commons
MahGol from Tehran, Iran
i dont know how but it reminds me of "fear and loathing in las vegas" in a way .. well done.
30 Jun 2008 5:23am
@MahGol: thanks mahgol! just a guess -- but it is probably the feeling of 'recklessness'... yes? plus, that movie was filmed in a desert too... :)
Lilo from Te, Iran
Oh, I can feel the heat on my skin, and hear the sound of wind blowing... Great shot.
Dear DJ, thank you for all of your kind comments, they really made my day :) And you should visit both my countries, Iran and Armenia...
30 Jun 2008 5:28am
@Lilo: Thank you Lilo, and your welcome -- my pleasure! :) I hope to make Iran a destination of mine in the next 2 years or so... it seems a wonderful place! wish me luck! :)
Laurent from Lyon, France
just superb chaotic & desolated mood in your picture.
Nice composition & color tone
30 Jun 2008 5:30am
@Laurent: Cheers mate! Merci a toi, Laurent!
Rhys from Darlington, United Kingdom
disposable camera! Wow, just goes to show that its the photographers vision that makes good photos not the equipment. Nice work.
30 Jun 2008 5:36am
@Rhys: Many kind thanks Rhys! All things told though -- my time w/ disposable cameras has happily come to a quick and fortuitous end. Long live digital! :D
Mike from Lichfield, United Kingdom
I like this picture DJ. I've just spent 5 minutes looking at it. Good one.
30 Jun 2008 5:37am
@Mike: Cheers Mike! A good day to you! :)
DarkElf from Perth, Australia
disposable camera or not - you still take great photos! really like the colour tones - so typical really of Australia and the abandoned chairs look intriguing!
30 Jun 2008 5:42am
@DarkElf: TA mate -- Cheers! I love that country of yours... gets me inspired... 10 more months till i am back in the country! yahoo!
Eric Fry from Houston, TX, United States
Stark, lonely, isolated. A very evocative image, and great story with it.
30 Jun 2008 5:49am
@Eric Fry: Thanks mate! Had some moments to spare, and it seemed only appropriate with this pic -- Cheers. :)
Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia
A forlorn composition with an artistic look. Well done!
30 Jun 2008 5:54am
@Michael Skorulski: Cheers Michael! Thanks to dated, semi shoddy technology, i get a 'distressed' effect that is quite retro. ;-P
Florence from Paris, France
A kind of retro processing here, no ? Suits well the subject !
30 Jun 2008 6:26am
@Florence: Thanks Flo! No processing... just a photo of the old 'disposable' camera kind! :)
@Zing: Cheers mate! :)
See The Light from Newcastle, United States
Nice image, love the color and composition.
30 Jun 2008 7:02am
@See The Light: Cheers mate! Thank you kindly! :)
@Marie Le Corre: Merci Marie! :)
Shun from Mühlheim am Main, Germany
Wow DJ. Sad story here. But still, I like your pictures and words very much. This one looks like from a (cheap) movie. ;-)
30 Jun 2008 7:11am
@Shun: Yes Mirko -- 'cheap' right? Thanks to good old shoddy technology! :) However -- for the photos that do come out modestly well, they do have an unbeatable 'glow'... not sure why tho! :)
Stephen Phillips from San Francisco, United States
DJ - this is a powerful image. Thank you for taking the time to include your rich narrative. It adds much in understanding the very human side of your travels - even as it reveals an unimaginable tragedy.
30 Jun 2008 7:28am
@Stephen Phillips: Thanks Stephen! I find it very ironic that i found myself in a place completely lacking in water when elsewhere, not too far away, hundreds of thousands were suffering and dying at the mercy of too much water. It was quite surreal, the extreme opposites of the situation at the time.
Thomas Griffioen from Bocas del Toro, Panama
Wow, it looks unreal but it isn't, great shot.
30 Jun 2008 7:34am
@Thomas Griffioen: cheers thomas -- yes the poor resolution quality of disposable film actually 'lends' a marvelous post processing feel to this... gritty and anxious! :)
@KMF: hello and thank you kindly! :)
@Stefan: cheers stefan! :)
Isao from isère, France
j'aime beaucoup le sujet, et ton traitement (ou l'effet de l'appareil jetable ?!) apporte une belle ambiance !
I love the subject, and your treatment (or the effect of disposable camera!) provides a beautiful ambiance!
30 Jun 2008 9:00am
@Isao: Hello and thank you kindly! :)
@saeed: cheers saeed! thanks buddy!
Riccardo from Lyon, France
O__o a last day in earth? Wonderful image my friend! Greats colors tone and nice composition! Keep on going like this!!! Ciao Dj! Riccardo.
30 Jun 2008 9:11am
@Riccardo: Cheers Riccardo -- yes, a very 'doomsday' theme... foreboding to be sure! :)
paulski from Muncie, IN, United States
wow. beautiful colors; i love the washed-out look of it. nicely captured...
30 Jun 2008 9:58am
@paulski: Thanks Paul! The washed out look is all due to the disposable film literally baking in 100 degree temperatures all summer long... and then being developed 'poorly' at some film shop... however -- the results of the very few pictures that made it through are quite unique indeed! Cheers.
Artin Zaman from Tehran, Iran
Nice everything and like the warm colors a lot in this shot
Finding a chair even in that situation in middle of a dessert needed lots of chance ;)
regards
30 Jun 2008 10:24am
@Artin Zaman: Cheers Artin! Thank you! :)
@thib: Merci Mr. Thib! :) Thanks for the comment!
@vu@granby - Wolfgang: Cheers Wolfgang! :)
lisa v from Gawler, Australia
Ah, the GAFA, it'll kill you allright...I envy you for having seen it, never been that far across myself.
30 Jun 2008 1:58pm
@lisa v: Thanks Lisa -- you surely must take the trip! i actually want to do it again... maybe get a sleeper room this time... but it was a wonderful trip! I would take my good camera with me this time!
Namaki from Bordeaux, France
this is a very nice shot of an unual landscape ! mad max like !
30 Jun 2008 3:59pm
@Namaki: Thanks Namaki! yes -- i am sure these grounds originally had inspiration for Mad Max!!! :)
Observing from Local, United Kingdom
Of course the question is... how did these old seats get there..? Australia has many surprises :)
30 Jun 2008 4:19pm
@Observing: Hey Mike -- Great question! Actually the Nullabor is pretty much considered a 'ghost' territory now... where once many cities flourished back in the day... now only a few remain and even they are dwindling quickly... there is no more water to be had -- the ground water has run dry and the towns died as people streamed back to larger cities on the coast. So these empty fields are full of empty houses, broken and abandoned cars, tracktors, tires, oil cans... you name it: rubbish from days gone by. :)
Richard_Irwin from Belper, United Kingdom
I just love the way the colours of the seats have become the same as the desert. Looking at this shot reminded me of the work of the photographer William Eggleston. Top shot.
30 Jun 2008 4:34pm
@Richard_Irwin: Thanks Richard! Yes -- all that hot sun just bleaches everything... dirt and fabric alike... I think it was lucky that i found red chairs... which were slowly turning orange and yellow... a few months longer and they would have been gray. I don't know William Eggleston -- but will check out his work -- thanks for the heads up!
e nelsonian from Pasadena, United States
great insight in your description. just when we think that we in our humanity have come so far and think that we are in control of the world, the world corrects us and reminds us of our lack of control.
in regard to australia, i love that place. i spent some time in Melbourne, but would have loved to traverse to perth. sounds like a great trip, long but plenty of photo opportunities and chance to see aus in an overwhelming way.
30 Jun 2008 4:34pm
@e nelsonian: Cheers Eric! I totally agree w/ you! Australia is an awesome place -- my favorite country in the world in fact! :) i have lived in Mebourne, Wollongong, all around Sydney and for 4 months in Freemantle (Perth).
Graham Russon from Cape Town, South Africa
Incredible shot and made all the more powerful with your words. Great work.
30 Jun 2008 7:52pm
@Graham Russon: Cheers Graham!
Evelyne Dubos from Le Mans, France
Amazing composition !! But not a good thing about pollution !!!
30 Jun 2008 10:21pm
@Evelyne Dubos: Thanks Evelyne! Yes -- Man is a habitual animal... and it is a shame -- we tend to ruin every environment we are given! Bad habits die hard... :(
David (12 years old) from Topeka, United States
good shot. i looks almost surreal
30 Jun 2008 10:53pm
@David (12 years old): cheers mate -- thanks much for the comment! :)
@Ekaputra Tupamahu: Thank you! :)
Twelvebit from Victoria, United States
I'm inclined to associate the desolation and the knowledge of where the photo was taken with an Australian horror flick of a couple years ago --though the title escapes me at the moment.
30 Jun 2008 11:36pm
@Twelvebit: hehe -- cheers mate -- when you remember let me know -- i might need to watch it. (i tend to love most things australian!) :P
pirut from kota kinabalu, sabah, Malaysia
Imagine the moment of it.. its quiet.. cool!!!! Great Photo here Mr.DJ!! Thanks for this uncountable memories..
1 Jul 2008 1:18am
@pirut: Cheers mate! :) Hope everything is good in your part of the world!
lissa from New York, United States
great contrasting - of devastation and burst of bright colors
1 Jul 2008 1:32am
@lissa: thanks Lisa! Yes i was there at a good time -- had i been much later the color would have been bleached out by the sun. :)
@Stunner: Cheers mate! Thank you! :)
@gbe: Cheers Grant!
bluechameleon from Vancouver, Canada
What a mood in this shot! Congratulations....amazing!
1 Jul 2008 12:43pm
@bluechameleon: Thanks blue! :)
Andrew Gould from Sydney, Australia
A fabulous image with a graphic look to it and a very thoughtful note.
2 Jul 2008 1:52am
@Andrew Gould: Thanks Andrew! I always appreciate your thoughtful comments! :)
@Hooman: cheers mate! :)
Persian King from Tehran, Iran
Wow, just car seats in the middle of no where and in that condition is priceless
2 Jul 2008 3:52am
@Persian King: Thanks mate! It was an amazing find... have no idea where they came from really -- someone's car no doubt... but then the next question is... where is the car? :-P
@Jean-Benoît Maréchal: Cheers Jean-Benoit!
@Eric Rousset: Cheers Eric!
Serena from Perth, Australia
love this! really stands out. and the colors just go so well with the mood!
and disposal camera?! i salute you! hehe =D
16 Jul 2008 5:57pm
@Serena: Hello and thanks Serena! I loved my time on the Nullabor... but i wish i had had a digital camera at that time... only a few of the disposable pics turned out! :( luckily this one did! :)
Nikon