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July challenge -- Alfresco


Ed Rooney

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Unfortunately the history of "blackface" is really disgusting. Unbelievably insulting. I do wish, though, that we could move forward without carrying all of the awful parts of history with us. Getting ourselves into the present isn't easy it seems.

 

Paulette

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56 minutes ago, NYCat said:

Unfortunately the history of "blackface" is really disgusting. Unbelievably insulting. I do wish, though, that we could move forward without carrying all of the awful parts of history with us. Getting ourselves into the present isn't easy it seems.

 

Paulette

I would agree, in the US context, but from what I can gather, its use in English morris has little or nothing to do with any associations it may hold in your country. Morris is far older than the US in any case.

That photograph was taken over a decade ago and from a glance at their website it would appear that most of those dancers no longer black up. Some appear to use patterns and designs which chime in with the rather unwoke explanation that it is a ritualised form of disguise.

Edited by spacecadet
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Good competition - well done Ed; Here's my three:

 

1. Safari, Namibia

 

namibia-tourists-tourists-having-a-meal-in-the-namibia-desert-during-a-safari-with-their-guide-namib-desert-namibia-africa-PY969M.jpg

 

2. Dubrovnik Old Town;

 

dubrovnik-holiday-tourists-and-locals-eating-at-a-restaurant-outdoors-in-the-evening-dubrovnik-old-town-dubrovnik-croatia-europe-2A13ATM.jpg

 

 

3. Farmers' market evening, Laparade, The Lot valley, France

 

evening-farmers-market-in-the-bastide-village-of-laparade-aquitaine-BEA239.jpg

 

Kumar

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6 hours ago, spacecadet said:

the rather unwoke explanation that it is a ritualised form of disguise.

 The special police here (riots/drugs/etc., similar to US Swat teams) wear full balaclavas and one guy in Leon could always ID the various coppers regardless, much to the disgust of one of them (heard about through his wife). 

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6 hours ago, spacecadet said:

I would agree, in the US context, but from what I can gather, its use in English morris has little or nothing to do with any associations it may hold in your country. Morris is far older than the US in any case.

That photograph was taken over a decade ago and from a glance at their website it would appear that most of those dancers no longer black up. Some appear to use patterns and designs which chime in with the rather unwoke explanation that it is a ritualised form of disguise.

 

The site that John referenced says that particular group dresses as "Moorish" pirates [their emphasis] so it's pretty unmistakable that it's not really about hiding their identities (I can think of a particularly nasty group here in the US that did so with white masks and cloaks). If the group Bryan photographed now paints their faces with designs rather than all black, it would seem they are trying to salvage a tradition while trying to be more sensitive to the negative connotations associated with their original "costumes" (however "unwoke" their explanation).

 

In any event, as editorial photographers, we are turning our lens on the world as it is, not as we wish it was. It seems that we are still dragging some of the 19th century along with us here in the 21st. 

 

Discussing our thoughts about it rationally and pointing it out when we see something troubling helps get us all closer to those 21st century ideals we'd like to see for all of our countries. 

 

Now if only I'd taken photographs on Saturday when we stopped in New Haven to get Mexican food from one of the many food trucks along the highway. Families were picnicking along the shore. I thought, with stock photo pricing being what it was, why bother - I should have known Edo would choose alfresco dining - congrats on your win Edo!

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lobster-dinner-with-drawn-butter-lemon-a

 

Above: A New England summer treat - lobster with drawn butter and corn on the cob eaten alfresco.

 

Below: Alfresco dining at Le Bouchon Brasserie, Cold Spring, NY in the Hudson Valley

 

le-bouchon-brasserie-cold-spring-putnam-

 

Definitely a hole in my portfolio I need to fill. 

 

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16 hours ago, Martin L said:

Loving this, Jean-francois. Great capture

 

Thanks.  friendly owl that hung around all winter- really helped my sanity in first winter of the pandemic.  this time i just sat in a spot and he/she came down to catch the vole.

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10 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

People -- please stop putting up images that are not part of the July challenge. Open up a different post. 

 

Edo

 

Sorry Edo! Mea culpa!  (I deleted it so that should help)

Edited by Marianne
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Well done Ed,

 

And now I am hungry.

😉

 

First a fish burger and fries  on an outdoor restaurant terrace:

fish-burger-2G2B4GA.jpg

 

 

A Japanese man eating sushi outdoor in Kyoto:

japanese-salaryman-eating-his-lunch-outd

 

And sharing a tomato slice straight out of the sandwich:

people-enjoy-the-katherine-show-in-kathe

 

Bon appetite everyone.

 

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