I’ve never enjoyed the type of photography that begs you to find some unworldly meaning. I believe there are many types of photography, but two in particular that are most well known. There are photos that are beautiful, such as landscapes and cityscapes and nature. Then there are photos that tell a story. Sometimes these types can merge, but most often I see people trying to find too much meaning in a photograph that is just beautiful.
I could sit here and write to you about this picture of the inside of a garbage can. I could say it signifies the waste of the human population. I could say it shows how the human race is selfish and against preserving nature. These pretentious statements are nothing more than an effort to make myself sound like I put time into the thought of the photograph and the moment. But how could I do that? I didn’t place the trashcan there, nor did I place any of the trash. The most I could do was create an angle to display the garbage. It was nothing other than a candid photograph taken on a Friday night.
I was sitting outside my apartment smoking, staring at the same trashcan that I am faced with every time I sit out front. It’s interesting to watch how people utilize this staple. I see people put their cigarettes out on it sometimes. Others use it for the basic purpose of throwing away their trash. Some see it as a treasure though, digging through the trash with dead eyes, just looking for another bottle or can to recycle. I knew I had to take a picture, and I thought I might as well take it of the trashcan. It’s just one of the thousands of trashcans put on the city streets, however the insides are rarely seen by those who have no business in them.
I’ve always enjoyed the grittier things in life, especially when it comes to photography. I find that the most unconventionally beautiful photographs are those that are simple, realistic, and sometimes ugly. Is this photograph beautiful, does it tell a story, or is it both? To me it just snapshots a memory of the place and the people around it. To others is could cause some sort of emotion, or a recollection of a moment in time. It does not however, have any significant meaning and I won’t try to bullshit you into believing it does.
To complement my rant on photography that tells a story, here are the rest of the photos that I enjoyed from Friday, October 11th.
