DRIVE BY in Bahrain in 1957

I'd mentioned that some of Donald G. Schnabel's photos appear to be taken while in a car. These two look as if they were drive by shots. There's always something about taking photos of "native" people that almost feels like watching an animal in their habitat. I don't care where you are, it could be midtown Manhattan, if you're taking photos of other people's lives you're an observer of something outside your norm, especially if you don't interact with them. If it's in a foreign country where the customs don't mirror what you are used to I think you're even more removed from your subjects. Thus the reason on several of Donald's photos the captions read "native" when identifying the subject. I don't think it's inherently bad to use the word, but it does feel awkward, even though accurate.

Each of the following shots were captioned "native house." Were they taken while the car was moving or did he stop and shoot these out the car window then drive off? I think if you've done much traveling you've probably done it yourself.




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Status SYMBOL

A home has always been a status symbol. It says you're able to provide for yourself and others. It allows a person to put down roots and to lay claim to the idea that they belong somewhere. We've gone through a horrendous period where the status symbol had to be larger than you'd ever need. Who'd have ever thought that a fast food joint would become a term used for a home? McMansions...it even sounds ugly and they generally are. There's a pretentiousness to them that I believe in the past was reserved for the extremely wealthy. Will the tacky neighborhoods comprised of McMansions ever be torn down and replaced with modest and useful homes? Once they're built what the heck do you do with them? Fill them with stuff!






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As a collector of vintage snapshots I'm always interested in the shots of people standing/sitting in front of their homes. They make a statement that they have "arrived." I don't know if people still hire photographers to take posed shots in front of their homes. I'm guessing a lot of people that live in McMansions do have shots like this taken, but now it's done to try and rub their "wealth" in the faces of someone else. We have really come off the rails in this country. If you don't believe me just tune into one of those "Housewives of..." somewhere shows where everything that is tacky is celebrated. McMansions of tacky grandeur filled with equally tacky people. Of course, it's also possible that all of the people shown below were tacky in their own time.

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This is my submission for this week to Sepia Saturday.