Practical Sadness, a photo from Noord-Holland, Sud

Photographer's Note

Practical Sadness; why this title ?

In my country, we have a lot of dustbins, however we also have a lot of (too much!) people, who throw away their tins, packings, cigarettes and plastics in the streets and in the parks; this is "sadness" ! !

There is many vandalism too, but this coot had it's practical thoughts and build this pecular cottage.

I shot this picture in Hoofddorp, the place where I was born (but not in this way.....)

sunny, Guenther, davecall, joergen115, Rinie_Hoff, cgrindahl, jhm, bertolucci, Jeppe, dominique, papagolf21, ale, joseelias, rdans59, phi729, marcon, ewa1 trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

wata4no (0) 2004-05-24 11:13

Good shot...like how the cart is angled, details are pretty distinctive -- rust and leaves, like the slight reflection (however wish it was just a bit smaller so I can see the reflection of the bird). It is unfortunate about littering; interesting how this bird was able to utilize a disgarded item and create a home.

sunny (3068) 2004-05-24 11:14

Seems this coot really is very practical, Hans - it looks to me as a natural craddle for the newcoming generation of little coots...;-))
Wonderful tight framing with lovely accent on the nesting duck and the fine water surface with reflections. True colours and very good sharpness. Very good job!

davecall (575) 2004-05-24 11:26

This is a classic photo; well composed and excellently caught. Well done Hans.

Guenther (10893) 2004-05-24 11:28

Very nice shot! colours and sharpness are great ... and I like your note very much! :)

joergen115 (2246) 2004-05-24 11:42 [Comment]

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strangiato (10) 2004-05-24 11:52

This is Holland as I remember it.
At least the bird found a way to make it useful again. Good catch and nice shot.

Rinie_Hoff (9340) 2004-05-24 12:03

Haha, Hans, there she is! Lovely picture of this urban coot. She knows how to make ends meet, I suppose. Really funny.

danyy (0) 2004-05-24 12:24

Voici une photo pour le moins insolite. Un abri de fortune pas si inconfortable que cela. Jolie prise.

jhm (122334) 2004-05-24 13:25

Hans, men zou al een stuk tevreden zijn als na het vandalisme ziet dat de caddy door iemand anders gebruikt wordt. Mooi om dit eens in beeld te brengen, de kleine eend voelt zich duidelijk gerust. Prachtig Hans.

Gatis (925) 2004-05-24 13:31

To my mind this picture is excellent technically and very interesting. But the birdie lives in unhealthy conditions, unfortunately :(

bertolucci (13351) 2004-05-24 14:47

Wauw, Hans, wat een object! Mooi weergegeven, dat water en die roest en aanslag op het karretje...en het meerkoetje zit er gewoon comfortabel bij. Er goed werk, congrats!

Jeppe (18654) 2004-05-24 15:17

Oh this one great - I think you could put it in the humour category as well (Hold the ctrl key down while selecting)

But yes - its also a sad photo - I'm afraid the same true many places around the world - But its not that often I see this sight around here. I find it great to watch this Cot - and the way she seams to adopt the world around her.

Thanks for sharing this fine photo - I like it very much :-)

dominique (11414) 2004-05-24 16:44

A very funny pictureand a little sad also because of the dustbins, , the supermarket should not be well far I think, in any case the bird is very happy A this place, a framing and a good idea.

milloup (1829) 2004-05-24 16:56

"In the end is my beginning" - quoting Mary Queen of Scots, if I'm not mistaken.. Once these young coots hatch, they can take that for a motto ;-))
Apart from a minor problem with the face shield being overexposed - a common problem when shooting coots - this is a very good picture.

papagolf21 (76465) 2004-05-24 17:23

Ce n'est pas Moïse qui se tient dans un panier, mais un joli oiseau qui semble aller à la dérive !
Vous avez raison, Hans, les populations devraient plus tenir compte de l'environnement, l'avenir de nos enfants en dépend.
Bien vu et très bien fait.
It is not Moïse which is held in a basket, but a pretty bird which seems to go to the drift!
You have reason, Hans, the populations should take account of the environment more, the future of our children depends on it.
¶Well considering and very well done.

albiback (8665) 2004-05-24 17:25

say me in which supermarket you can fill a caddy like this one, the poultry seems quite fresh ;-)

phi729 (2101) 2004-05-24 18:13

This bird is pathetic in its "half cage".

Excellent scene which can sensitize TE public on environment. Title and note are quite suitable (100% in accord with you Hans).

Thanks for sharing on TE Hans :)

yesterday (9833) 2004-05-25 3:54

It is filth to throw things like this in the warter.
But it is nice and funny to se how the things are being use of a clever bird.

Excellent compoced, good ligt and contrast, vell seen.

ale (1819) 2004-05-25 3:58

Hi Hans,
what a subject!!!
Very sharp and colorful, very well composed...very good note too!

Clochette (8076) 2004-05-25 5:15

Sadness for people, fortune for the bird... ;-)
Very well seen, Hans. Good details and framing. An evidence that happiness is sometimes built up on ruins ;-)

lost (694) 2004-05-25 10:09 [Comment]

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joseelias (369) 2004-05-26 8:24

This just shows that "in nature nothing is lost, everything is transformed"!

Very curious and funny image. the composition is well managed with the bird well placed.

Pehaps one of these days you may show what comes out of that nest! ;-)

cdewet (0) 2004-05-30 13:58

Hans
Aangenaam om na jou fotos te kyk. En ek moet een kies van 'n voël. Hierdie bleshoender (Coot) is 'n ware opportunis, en ek is mal oor die foto. Die diagonaal van die waentjie werk uitstekend en die "hoender" si net op die regte plek.

explomars (4260) 2004-06-01 13:42

Géniale cette photo Hans .Fallait vraiment avoir l'oeil dessus donc tres bien vu!

paroy (318) 2004-06-14 17:15

Excellent shot again. Very sharp picture ,nice composition.
Bravo!

bebel (7512) 2004-06-26 12:57

dommage pour un tout petit décalage de cadre mais la photo est vraiement très belle et philosophique. La bêtise des gens est universelle malheureusement, merci d'apporter encore un témoignage pour encourager la lutte...
Pierrot

amitai (875) 2004-07-13 12:59

You know despite the title, I don't see much sadness, not expressed in the photography anyway. You saw something that really moved you and you failed to express it in the photo because it doesn't always translate very well.
Perhaps a different angle or a different time of the day could have expressed these feelings you obviously feel. Photography has its own language, and it needn't be expressed in the title or the note. Perhaps as part of a series of pictures who are shot like this, without any special lighting or composition, just like the subject itself very insignificant, this photo could work, but as is, it hasn't got the power to deliver the strong message you tried to deliver. You can check my photo http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Middle_East/Israel/photo26935.htm to understand what I meant in the note.
Amitai Gat

venne (2759) 2004-08-05 2:39 [Comment]

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johnacohen (64) 2004-09-25 19:05

I find so many of your pictures captivating that it is difficult to choose just one, as I have tasked myself, for a critique. Why this one? Probably because it disturbs so many emorions: humour at the slight absurdity of a bird nesting in such a place; sadness, as you so rightly have commented, and perhaps even anger that places which should be allowed to present their natural beauty are so scarred; comfort, that this coot has created a uniquely safe nest for its young; and admiration that you preserved this moment for posterity. Quite an achievement!

alainh (35555) 2004-10-04 2:59

Bonjour Hans.
je découvre cette vieille photo avec beaucoup de plaisir.
l'art de s'adapter, photo triste et comique.
A l'abri des prédateurs aquatiques.
Bravo Hans.
alain

ewa1 (222) 2006-03-25 7:12

Hello Hans,
A good photographer should be able to see things that other people don't see (to find a good composition for a good picture), but also needs to be a little bit lucky to find himself in a right place at a right time (and with his camera in his hands) and then should be able to use the circumstances and take a good photo. I guess you've got all these qualities:). TFS.
Ewa