I’ve been accused of having a weird sense of humour, but it’s probably really not so strange when you stop to consider the facts. I’ll admit to finding humour in some pretty odd things, but no more so than any other matelots I’ve ever met. Believe me, when you’re at sea for months on end with no-one but other guys for company it’s common to find humour wherever you can!
As far as my photography goes I tend to think of my humour more as abstract or possibly surreal. If I see something that amuses me, I’ll photograph it whether it be a piece of crab left on a beach or a pile of trash dumped under a fore sale sign. Why anyone would go to the trouble of driving past a municipal tip to dump their rubbish in woodland is beyond me and totally inexcusable in my view, but that’s a different story.
With regards the above image: remember, you may need to extract the environmental issues associated with the dumping of rubbish in public places. Now read on…
I was walking in Wentwood one morning when I came across this load of trash just dumped at the side of the track. My first reaction was anger, why would someone do such a thing? But as I got nearer I noticed the hand-painted sign (advertising a second-hand dirt bike) nailed to the tree. The anger dissipated just a little and I realised this was an opportunity not to be missed.
Incidentally, I rang the number on the sign and enquired about the bike. The guy told me he’d already sold it, so I asked if that was why he’d dumped his unwanted fridges etc. in the wood? He denied all knowledge of course and was most likely innocent. After all, your average person doesn’t have five or six fridges to throw away all at the same time!
Why did he nail up his notice? Because unfortunately that part of one of Britain’s most ancient woodlands is legitimately used by followers of motocross and he wanted to promote the sale among like-minded people. Sad really.
Now for the $64,000 question; is this art?
No damage to the environment was
perpetrated by the photographer!
