No Smoking, No Food or Drink, No Bikes, No Running. No duh! Seems like a no-brainer, but I guess not.
Sign at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Quiet Respect PleaseOut on one of my usual night time jaunts photographing monuments again. In so doing, I ran across these signs on posts.
The first is at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial near the statue called The Three Soliders. Sculpted by Frederick Hart, the statue was an addition to the memorial as a result of some controversy and outcry about the memorial wall having been designed by an Asian, architect Maya Lin. Once Hart was commissioned to do this statue, the furor died down. The Three Soldiers and the Wall complement each other beautifully and one wonders, 25 years later, what all the hubbub was about. I liked the sign right before you approach the statues. At the same time, it ticked me off. It's disappointing to think that visitors fail to have the common sense to know that they shouldn't do the "no-nos" listed here and that the monuments and memorials they visit deserve our respect and reverence.
The second is a sign at the entrance to the Lincoln Memorial. Again, it seems obvious that respect should be shown, but sadly such is not the case.
Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 2/08
9 comments:
Fantastic shots yet again DC! You have the knack for taking great photos- even when your subject is a sign post!
I especially like the soft lighting of the 2nd one and the fact that in both photo's the signs are off center. Nice composition.
And yes your right...we really shouldn't need signs like that!
Hi DC,
Yes I agree we should need these signs .. but you sure created a great entry with them! You always have an usual slant on the entries - I love that!
~ Diane Clancy
www.DianeClancy.com/blog
www.YourArtMarketing.com
Once again...wonderful night time pictures. A great time to capture the "reverence" of the memorials, without the crowds of people...but hope you arent making these night time jaunts alone!
I love these night shots, D.C. You have a knack for them and they are beautifully done. I also like the historical aspect of your post. Keep 'em comming!
Lisa: Thank you! I had to crop both pictures a bit, but I wanted most of the emphasis to be on the signs. Once again, I had fun with these!
Diane: Nice to know I'm not the only one who feels this way. As for my slant, I try to change it up a bit. Otherwise, in this town anyway, it's just another picture of a monument or memorial.
Sandollar: Night time is the best for getting pictures without a lot of people around. And last night was especially good, because it was Super Bowl, so there was hardly anyone around. Most of the tourists I encountered were speaking languages other than English. And yes, a lot of times, I'm out alone. But, I only go to place where I know there will be a lot of lights and security. All of the national monuments have park rangers, so I feel fairly safe. Still, I have to be aware of my surroundings. (Which always irks me as a woman, darn it all!)
Bobbie: Thank you! I really appreciate your comments. You motivate me to continue photographing and writing.
These are great pictures. I love seeing these pics - it's like I am a tourist in my own living room. These signs show due reverence and respect.
Bev: Glad you're enjoying this blog. Cyber-tourism and accessibility to DC from anywhere was my goal!
It always kills me to see the tourists hanging on/ pulling on/ shoving their children into the cherry trees. Even trying to snap off pieces.
Ugh.
jcnemecek: Welcome! Yeah, that one pisses me off, too. Or the parents who let their kids run through museums touching the sculptures and the walls like it's a playground. I actually said something to a kid the other day at the museum at Mt. Vernon and boy, oh, did his mom get pissed at me. Still, I don't care. I know I'm an old fuddy-duddy, but I was raised to behave respectfully in places of historical significance and value. Is it too much to ask others to do the same?
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