New York, post 9-11

[voodoocat]

Can we stop with the political BS folks?
This is a forum for photography.

 

[Nytmair]

that's what i was about to say voodoo :LOL:

anywho... the shot lacks interest for me... the blurryness definitely hurts it...

 

[matthew robertson]

Peace Officer

Freudian slip?

No, that actually something they're called here. Not by everyone, and not that often, but it's a general category.

Anyway. I actually like the photo. If only it reminds me of Bladerunner. A highly artistic film.

I can see your point, but don't think the end result is something special. I do applaud a4drvr for her/his bravery; pointing anything at a man with a machine gun is extremely dangerous.

The police officer should be in focus of course, but that's been covered. The blurred cab however adds to the photo immensely. It adds movement to the emotion that the photo brings.

The blurred cab would be great if the buildings and signs weren't also adding to the sense of movement.

To reply to some of the political things people are commenting on, it's an illusion of safety, nothing more. Seeing a (heavily) armed officer on your street corner is to make you think you are safe.

That's something that the viewer brings to the photo if, as in this case, the photographer has been unable to convey a point of view. I'm not interested in the political argument, but it is vital to have a clear point of view when documenting a contentious subject - because if the photographer doesn't, then there's no predicting/influencing the viewer. Conveying an idea, not just recording a sight, is the difference between art and a snapshot.

Seeing someone armed, be it a hoodlum, soldier, police, or security guard doing a courier pickup at my work, I feel unsafe. Clearly that reaction was unanticipated by someone who thinks I spend too much time and money on cannons. Without that reaction, this photo has no value to me.

 

[walter23]

Yeah, this is a photography forum, but I figure it's on topic given the subject of the photo. And besides, I don't usually get to communicate directly with Real Live Americans (other than those who are directly related to me, namely half my family).

Why is it that everybody who hates guns, loves it when Americans bring their guns to defend them?

That's never happened to me.

But sheep like you want to be lead around by your noses and protected by Americans when you run into trouble.

No, sheep like me would like America (the mixed grab bag of neo-conservative and contemporary christian ideology, that is, not the ideals of democracy and liberty) to dissolve and become nothing but an ugly stain on history, like the NAZIs and like Stalin.

(Don't even go there, BTW. America the force in 1945 isn't the same as America the 21st century military-arm of the transnational wall-street elite).

 

[HogHunter]

I for one spent considerable time defending your nation. In case, you don't know your history. America had troops manning radar stations in northern Canada as early warning systems for potential attack from the former Soviet Union. I transported the equipment after I spent two years in Europe on the Chek border.

In Bosnia, Somalia, Kuwait, and numerous other conflicts it was American soldiers, saliors and Marines that defended those who couldn't defend themselves.

Additionally, America founded the very concept of a free republic. We taught the world what it looks like and even your country modeled its government on ours.

It seems to me that the world is a much better place because of the sacrifices Americans have made over the years.

 

[elucidati]

I do not like this at all...

Yeah, I don't like that at all either. Machine guns can't stop kamikaze jetliners, but they sure can make me spitting mad (and glad I don't live in america). Seriously - what the f***, america?

Whoa... watch it man... I never meant anything against americans or guns or anything like that... just felt that the photo lacks everything that is important in photography...

 

[a4drvr]

Well one of the most important objectives in photography is to capture the moment, dont you think elucidati? and lets stop this whole nation forum war thing:!:

 

[walter23]

I for one spent considerable time defending your nation. In case, you don't know your history. America had troops manning radar stations in northern Canada as early warning systems for potential attack from the former Soviet Union.

I was no more afraid of Soviets than I was of Americans during the cold war. I have no gratitude for maniacs playing nuclear war games - either one could have pressed the button. And we can manage our own radar stations, thanks. The only reason you were there was for strategic leverage and proximity to the USSR, not as a favour to Canada. We're a developed, technologically advanced group of monkeys up here, and gaining by the day as your displaced scientists flee the budding theocracy down there.

And anyway, the only time Canada has ever been invaded was by the United States during the war of 1812. Incidentally, we won.

Additionally, America founded the very concept of a free republic. We taught the world what it looks like and even your country modeled its government on ours.

No, we modelled our government on the British parliamentary system that was set up in 1215 after the magna carta (the first constitution in western history). As for the free republic, the Greeks did that in approximately 600 B.C. - the Romans reinvented it around 2nd century B.C. That's like 2000 years ago, in case you can't count. Finally, Britain had a constitutional monarchy (basically what we have today) in the late 17th century.

It seems to me that the world is a much better place because of the sacrifices Americans have made over the years.

Tell that to my south american friend, and almost any Iraqi crawling through the rubble of his or her destroyed city. While your country was busy making the world a better place, thousands of chattle slaves were making their way up north along the missouri river to what was known to them as arcadia - we call it Canada. (Arcadia is greek for "eden").

 

[jadin]

Peace Officer

Freudian slip?

No, that actually something they're called here. Not by everyone, and not that often, but it's a general category.

First I've heard of it.

To reply to some of the political things people are commenting on, it's an illusion of safety, nothing more. Seeing a (heavily) armed officer on your street corner is to make you think you are safe.

That's something that the viewer brings to the photo if...

I was referring to the commentary not the photo.

 

[walter23]

Peace Officer

Freudian slip?

No, that actually something they're called here. Not by everyone, and not that often, but it's a general category.

First I've heard of it.

That's what police call themselves here, too.

 

[probe1957]

Machine guns can't stop kamikaze jetliners,

Ummmmm, yes they can.