Just a Thank You to those who helped me with this...

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Oh, my God, you guys. It fits the narrative "forgotten." Every. Single. One. No need for context. When you are forgotten, who cares about the context?

I guess you and I think the same, Slobodan.
But: When everybody...   

[David Eckels]

There is an inherent assumption in Ivo's and Russ' points of view that assumes these images comprise a series. Maybe they do, maybe they don't. Perhaps Todd can tell us. I also didn't think he was trying to re-create The Americans, but simply entering a contest/show along a certain theme. My assumption. We don't know if they will be judged together or separately.

[David Eckels]

Furthermore, these images (series or not) show real growth, to me.

[RSL]

I'd agree with that, David.

[Ivo_B]

I hope it’s a series, I find the images not strong enough to stand on itself.

[Ivo_B]

There is an inherent assumption in Ivo's and Russ' points of view that assumes these images comprise a series. Maybe they do, maybe they don't. Perhaps Todd can tell us. I also didn't think he was trying to re-create The Americans, but simply entering a contest/show along a certain theme. My assumption. We don't know if they will be judged together or separately.

Possible, yes.

In that case I would narrow down and select that one really excellent picture.

[RSL]

I certainly wouldn't call them a "series." I'd call them a "collection." There's nothing in them that makes them a series. Todd called the collection "The Forgotten People," but there are no people in the collection. There are cast-off artifacts with which people once were associated. Probably a better title would be "The Forgotten Artifacts."

Understand, I'm not criticizing the pictures themselves. Taken independently there are some good ones in the collection, but as a collection I can't see that they make a statement. They certainly don't say, "Forgotten People." They might say, "What People Have Forgotten."

The picture that says the most is the picture of the motel with the collection of half-shot VW beetles. There's context in that picture. It makes a pretty strong statement. Abandoned trailers standing alone don't say much except "I'm abandoned." The memorial bike is a bit too cute. The graveyard stuff simply says, "I'm a graveyard."

I think Todd's on to something, but I also think he needs to shoot a lot more pictures from which he can select a limited few to make a statement.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... Todd called the collection "The Forgotten People," ....

No, the collection is simply called "Forgotten."

Note the comma after "The forgotten" (emphasis mine):

... Prospectus: "Forgotten" -"The Forgotten, people, places and belongings that once mattered, that have been left behind. Things once being of importance to humans …personal items, homes, special places, letters, etc. Anything that has been left behind or replaced. Any object, being, place or property that once had the importance to another."

[RSL]

And that's important because. . .?

Slobodan, as I said, I think Todd's onto something. I'd like to see him pursue it. But he's going to have to shoot and shoot and shoot to get a collection he can winnow down to a final collection or series, whichever. If I were setting out to do what he's trying to do I wouldn't decide what it's going to be until I have an awful lot of pictures to choose from. I'd be doing the same thing Frank did when he set out across the country with a general idea of what he wanted to do. I'd just be out there shooting.

[Ivo_B]

No, the collection is simply called "Forgotten."

Note the comma after "The forgotten" (emphasis mine):

In Dutch we say: kommaneuken. Not sure if there is a English equivalent.

 

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

In Dutch we say: kommaneuken. Not sure if there is a English equivalent.

Splitting hairs.

But not in this case. Russ built his argument on the wrong premise.

...Todd called the collection "The Forgotten People," but there are no people in the collection... They certainly don't say, "Forgotten People."..

[Ivo_B]

Splitting hairs.

But not in this case. Russ built his argument on the wrong premise.

Agree, but that's not the first time. 

[RSL]

Okay, you geniuses, tell me what you think the right premise might be. I see one picture in the series that stands out: the motel. That can stand on its own. The rest aren't strong enough to stand on their own.

[Ivo_B]

Okay, you geniuses, tell me what you think the right premise might be. I see one picture in the series that stands out: the motel. That can stand on its own. The rest aren't strong enough to stand on their own.

I agree about the motel.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Every image captures the idea "forgotten." I really do not understand why is that so hard to grasp? We might argue if a series has to be all b&w, or all color, or a mix, but why are we arguing that this series captures the concept of "forgotten"?

[Ivo_B]

Every image captures the idea "forgotten." I really do not understand why is that so hard to grasp? We might argue if a series has to be all b&w, or all color, or a mix, but why are we arguing that this series captures the concept of "forgotten"?

I don’t know when it drifted in that direction. My intitial comment was about the coherence of the series, regardless the subject.

[RSL]

Every image captures the idea "forgotten."

So what? "Forgotten" is a pretty standard capture. Check my http://www.russ-lewis.com/photo_gallery/ForTheWind/index.html. But I never intended for my "forgotten" captures to be a series, or even a collection that adheres to a theme. I could go out tomorrow and, without straining anything, come back with a half dozen pictures of abandoned trailers.

I went through basic pilot training in Moultrie, Georgia. I went through gunnery at Pinecastle, outside Orlando in 1952 to 1953. In those days nobody had heard of Disney, and Orlando was a relatively small, laid back southern town. I've lived off and on in Florida for thirty some years. I'm fairly familiar with the south. I"m too old now to try what Todd's trying. I'd love to see him focus and do something striking. Abandoned trailers only become interesting if you can relate them to a theme. Todd hasn't done that, but I think he might be able to do it.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

So what? "Forgotten" is a pretty standard capture...

Ok, folks, that’s it. Time to move on. From photography, I mean. Start something else. Gardening, knitting, anything but photography. Because every subject under the sun is by now pretty standard. Sunsets are pretty standard, piers protruding into milky ocean waters are pretty standard, old people sitting in cafes are pretty standard. Architectural abstracts are pretty standard too.

[Ivo_B]

Ok, folks, that’s it. Time to move on. From photography, I mean. Start something else. Gardening, knitting, anything but photography. Because every subject under the sun is by now pretty standard. Sunsets are pretty standard, piers protruding into milky ocean waters are pretty standard, old people sitting in cafes are pretty standard. Architectural abstracts are pretty standard too.

I tried naked woman, but talking about ‘pretty’ standard. 🤦🏻‍♂️

But there is a point in Russ’ arguments. I also think there is more to extract from this topic. And I read Russ’ comment as an encouraging to Todd to look further into the topic. Seems a fair comment.

I have the impression, Slobodan, you feel the need to defend your initial comment, more than to defend the work itself. Correct?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... I have the impression, Slobodan, you feel the need to defend your initial comment, more than to defend the work itself. Correct?

No.