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I am NOT leaving an expensive bike outside!
I am NOT leaving an expensive bike outside!
Yo_Spiff


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Collection: 2009
Camera: Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Lens: Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II
Date Uploaded: Feb 4, 2009

Viewed: 590
Comments: 6
Favorites: 1 (view)

My entry in the Postumous best of 2008 side challenge.

I found the comments on this rather interesting. It did fairly well for me when I posted it on Flickr over the summer, getting 37 comments and 44 faves, as well as being explored. Of course, on Flickr, you usually only hear from the people who like it, while on DPC, you get everyone's opinion. Usually that opinion is only in the form of a low vote, so actually getting a cross section of the actual reactions was a nice change.

I did find it interesting that so many people left a comment that suggested the humor was forced or trying too hard. Fact is, this was a real world situation for me, and the title reflects my actual thoughts.

Several weeks prior, I had ridden to the Ft. Worth stockyards in the morning and when I got there, I was pretty desperate for a nature break. I was not about to leave my $1300 bike unattended outside Stockyards Station while taking care of business! I thought it would make a photo that was worth a chuckle, so next time I brought my camera and a gorillapod and duplicated the situation.

I feel I need to respond to the handful of comments about my entry lacking "lasting appeal". It's a valid and accurate observation. However, I think a one time chuckle is just fine for some shots. I don't expect this to hang on any walls. (Might make an interesting motivational poster, though...)


I was pleased that a handful of people did appreciate the humor and understood the situation I was illustrating. Sometimes it's better to connect well with a minority, and that is really the whole point of the Posthumous threads, IMO.

Of particular note was that even Posthumous seemed to only be lukewarm about this one. He does always try to find something positive to say. I think being so far outside the box that it does poorly in a Posthumous challenge should make me the default winner. I'll take my ribbon now. (Yes, I know it's probably the brown one!)


kali Fun idea and nicely executed but as so many others have already stated it doesn't command one's attention longer than a few moments. A shiny floor would've created some cool reflections to added more interest.

bobonacus "I find it amusing, th b&w works well and the lines leading you in work well too. I think the title helps to keep me interested but doesn't hold it for that long."

undieyatch"Bicyclist at the toilet: The design created by the rectangles and half circles have some interesting shape."

ubique"Initially arresting, but on further inspection is perhaps a little flaccid."

PhotoInterest"Cute photo that works well in B&W. I'm chuckling because it seems that it would take a lot of work and time to get that bike in there and one would have to hope that there wasn't urgency to the visit. I can't imagine the struggle it took to get it back out again too! What goes in, may not come out as easily. The crop is kind of interesting. Cutting off the back tire so as to focus on the legs seems to be an interesting method of drawing one's eyes to the main subject...yet, just enough of the bike to let the viewer know what they are looking at. I kind of tend to think that the title wasn't really necessary in its current context as the photo gives it away...OR...makes one scratch one's head and put their own meaning to it. Really cute and humorous!"

chromeydome"unusual and quirky subject, POV. The title actually seems to hurt the impact of this image some. It is an odd and interesting "candid" sort of image, but the title has made it into a one shot joke that is funny for a moment, but then not compelling me to spend any more time. sort of an "ah, humor!" reaction, and then I lose interest. If the title was something more generic or subtle, the viewer would discover elements about this a bit more slowly: No, it is not a wheel chair in a handicap stall, those are bike shoes, and, oh yea, there is the chain.... etc. The toilet bolt is positioned in a way that it almost looks like a displaced valve stem."

Bernard_Marx"Not a lot holding my attention I'm afraid. Conceptually or graphically. But you do get a prize for being quirky. Quirky counts."

kali"At least they don't have the runs!"

digifotojo"Good human interest, commentary shot. He/she must have had some fun getting that bike in there."

basssman7"Humourous but not really captivating."

BAMartin"What a refreshingly wonderful sight. This brought a smile to my face and a giggle to my lips. Wonderfully done."

NikonJeb"Okay......so I have an infantile sense of humor.....this is just f*ckin' FUNNY!!!! I can't tell you how often I've been in the can being quietly strangled by my heavy camera that's draped down my back since I'll be DAMNED if I'm gonna put it down! LOL!!!"

LydiaToo"LOL! Hilarious!"

Posthumous"he's facing the wrong way. he's going to splash on his bike! well, I like the interaction of circles with rectangles. The title's trying too hard, though, or not hard enough. The picture's in danger of being more joke-y than spoke-y and the title pushes it over."

Bear_Music"It's a handicapped stall, Les. That's why there's so much room...

I can't say the image does a lot for me. It's technically proficient and it's mildly amusing, that's about all... IMO of course..."

chromeydome
Originally posted by Les_Feck:
I see a wheelchair, not a bike.


"It is clearly a bike......"

Les_Feck"I see a wheelchair, not a bike. I'm not sure about where you live (especially because of the angle of the toilet in relationship to the panels) but cameras in public restrooms tend to get one arrested around here.

While I like toilet stalls as much as the next guy, this shot just doesn't work for me."

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AuthorThread
06/10/2014 07:25:18 PM
oh, you are sooooo funny, I just saw our comment and YOU saved me from having to add another picture with "No Comments"...thank you at least someone got the humor of it...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/27/2011 06:08:18 PM
I bring my Brompton into the cubicle all the time... :-D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/18/2011 10:08:59 PM
Originally posted by jomari:

I like this shot, like the pov and the shapes created, like the humour and like the title (maybe I need my thinking done for me). Only thing I'm wondering about is, you couldn't leave your bike outside, but you could leave your camera and gorilla pod?

I meant I would not leave it outside the mens room where I could not monitor it. Inside the mens room, but outside the stall, the camera was just a couple of feet away.
11/18/2011 09:59:17 PM
I like this shot, like the pov and the shapes created, like the humour and like the title (maybe I need my thinking done for me). Only thing I'm wondering about is, you couldn't leave your bike outside, but you could leave your camera and gorilla pod?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/08/2009 12:14:40 PM
lol you and your bike truly are inseparable! i'm disappointed tho, I expected to see a shoehorn attached to the wheel that would make the click-clack noises as it hits the spokes. :D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/08/2009 09:02:33 AM
I've looked at this several more times since I originally commented, and worried that my flippant comment (above) was unworthy of the image. And I'm pretty sure that it was. I am embarrassed to admit this, but I think that my reaction to the image might have been negatively affected by the title. I have just now tried to see it afresh as if it had no title at all, and I would definitely have liked it better that way. I never thought I'd be influenced by a 'poor' title, but I'm afraid that I was. I think the issue is that if I had been left to construct my own story to explain the picture, I'd have found more to enjoy about it. I'd have engaged with it better. As it was, your title did all the thinking for me, and I found I had nothing to add. So I made a quick comment and went on to the next picture. Pretty poor effort on my part, I think.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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