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An American home

There is an old saying about an Englishman's home being his castle. The intent is ironic because working-class homes were anything but castle-like. However, it captures cultural beliefs of that era on more than one level.

The image below is about an American home in light of recent history and from the viewpoint of a frequent visitor. I'll not belabor the irony. Comments and criticism welcomed, as well as other interpretations of homes around the world.

american_home.jpg
 

Michael Fontana

pro member
Funny shots, Michael

is it the sea and a island behind the buildings?

Adding a shot of buildings with not the sea, but a like; moderns and older forms as well:


LaLu_116.jpg
 
Hi Michael: Thanks for the comments. It's not the sea but Lake Superior behind the building. You're right in thinking it an odd picture. It's a composite of six photos - all but one scanned from film - that I hoped blend together into some form of unity. Not sure that it succeeds in this; whether the idea it tries to express is obscure or unwelcome; or whether 'fictive' images are outside the interests of most photographers. There was debate about the latter recently.

The contrasts between old with modern in your photo are striking. The older house and boathouse seem at peace with the muted scenery. By contrast, the modern building looks incongrous in that setting; it could be a small office building in any city. However, the illuminated windows make it appear lived in, with the older buildings relics from a time when people accomodated to nature rather than disregarded it. That's my 2 cents worth.
Cheers, Mike.
 
Hi Ray: Glad you got pun on 'sea/see through.' You gotta love puns, eh! :)

Better titles might have been 'a home as a castle,' 'home under siege,' or something like that, to suggest the idea of a place/community/culture still intact but vulnerable and under siege (hence the gun). These titles sounded a bit trite so I stepped one pace back, which was clearly into obscurity. Oh my! Coming up with a good title is a talent that needs more work on my part.

Thanks for the origins of the 'home as a castle' quote. I thought it was from the DH Lawrence era but it's clearly from way before.
Cheers, Mike.
 
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