When your obsession/special interest might be slightly polarizing

[Sherlock77]

I get this feeling every year about this time.

Lots of people are getting ready to celebrate Halloween, but I have such an obsession for Remembrance Day (Canadian) and my photography around it.

1) My big project, walking lots in central areas, looking for people wearing poppies, asking if I can take their portrait, I will spend many hours in the next two weekends doing this

2) Calgary is fortunate to host a yearly memorial, Field of Crosses, over 3000 crosses in a field for 11 days, I've taken a "few" photos there, go every year just to reflect

3) Remembrance Day itself, I keep myself busy, enough said

I sometimes think I'm one of the few who spends this much effort, to me this time of year is as "holy" as the two Christian holidays we also celebrate, and for all my efforts I sense that I get a lot of disinterest from other people

I also suspect that it can be a polarizing thing possibly even political in some sense, people either get into it, or don't get into it, there is no real middle ground, I will still do my thing but I don't always get much attention for it... *shrugs* But wish I did sometimes, which can be discouraging for me.

Like... A local photo meetup, November 11th this year is on a Saturday, a weekend... This meetup has a meeting on Saturday November 11th from 10 AM to 12 PM, smack dab in the middle of Remembrance Day ceremonies, shows how much someone cares, or at least that was my first thought, but maybe I rush to judgment too quickly, I just simply will not be there, leave it that...

I'm done now...

 

[OkRad]

I get this feeling every year about this time.

Lots of people are getting ready to celebrate Halloween, but I have such an obsession for Remembrance Day (Canadian) and my photography around it.

1) My big project, walking lots in central areas, looking for people wearing poppies, asking if I can take their portrait, I will spend many hours in the next two weekends doing this

2) Calgary is fortunate to host a yearly memorial, Field of Crosses, over 3000 crosses in a field for 11 days, I've taken a "few" photos there, go every year just to reflect

3) Remembrance Day itself, I keep myself busy, enough said

I sometimes think I'm one of the few who spends this much effort, to me this time of year is as "holy" as the two Christian holidays we also celebrate, and for all my efforts I sense that I get a lot of disinterest from other people

I also suspect that it can be a polarizing thing possibly even political in some sense, people either get into it, or don't get into it, there is no real middle ground, I will still do my thing but I don't always get much attention for it... *shrugs* But wish I did sometimes, which can be discouraging for me.

Like... A local photo meetup, November 11th this year is on a Saturday, a weekend... This meetup has a meeting on Saturday November 11th from 10 AM to 12 PM, smack dab in the middle of Remembrance Day ceremonies, shows how much someone cares, or at least that was my first thought, but maybe I rush to judgment too quickly, I just simply will not be there, leave it that...

I'm done now...

I think it depends on where you live. I lived near an Army base in the US and let me tell you, you would be mighty popular on our Veteran's Day. Your pics would be in the paper and people would love them!

Now, 70 miles up the road , there was a town where people still looked askance at the military. So you are correct. Polarizing would be an understatement.

I lost a Canadians uncle and had two others in Canada damaged by WWII, so what you are doing means a lot to me. My uncle was a beautiful soul and the two that survived were amazing. They are now dead, but they had a lot of sadness from the war and they were very brave. They had the option to pull Conscientious Objector Status, coming from a pacifist church , but the chose not to.

In many ways, I wish they had because I sure would love to have known my uncle who died :-(

 

[Mia]

Remembrance Day itself, I keep myself busy, enough said

I'm glad you do that, I appreciate it. Used to sell poppies for the legion activities, from the time I was six or so. Have attended the march and walk to the cenotaph since I could keep up as a child.

Still go, to remember my father and grandfather, my uncles, my aunt, and everyone who was involved in my husbands family too.

Pick flowers on that day, and one by one I drop them in the river and say the names of people I knew.

 

[Sherlock77]

 

[Sherlock77]

I think it depends on where you live. I lived near an Army base in the US and let me tell you, you would be mighty popular on our Veteran's Day. Your pics would be in the paper and people would love them!

Now, 70 miles up the road , there was a town where people still looked askance at the military. So you are correct. Polarizing would be an understatement.

I lost a Canadians uncle and had two others in Canada damaged by WWII, so what you are doing means a lot to me. My uncle was a beautiful soul and the two that survived were amazing. They are now dead, but they had a lot of sadness from the war and they were very brave. They had the option to pull Conscientious Objector Status, coming from a pacifist church , but the chose not to.

In many ways, I wish they had because I sure would love to have known my uncle who died :-(

Thanks for your story, my dad was in the Russian army in WW2, captured by the Germans (not sure which battle), survived the POW camp and ended up in Austria after the war, then came to Canada in 1948 where he lived the rest of his life... Bachelor until age 40 (1961) when he met and married my British mom, and then raised four children... I don't know much about the first 40 years of his life, he never talked much about that time period...

 

[Sherlock77]

I'm glad you do that, I appreciate it. Used to sell poppies for my Dad, when he ran the legion activities, from the time I was six or so. Have attended the march and walk to the cenotaph since I could keep up as a child.

I still go, to remember my father and grandfather, my uncles, my aunt, and everyone who was involved in my husbands family too.

Buy flowers on that day, and one by one I drop them in the river and say the names of people I knew.

Nice tradition of the flowers, there is a tradition in Canada of laying a poppy on a cenotaph after the ceremonies... The last three years I've gone to the rather quiet Great War cenotaph in our old cemetery and laid mine down there, long after the ceremonies were over...

 

[Sherlock77]

Our Field of Crosses... 3,000 of them! A homemade poppy taped on...

 

[Sherlock77]

Did I say I'm obsessive? A photo from a ceremony last year (our city is large enough to have several different ones), one of my all time favourite photos, I have a few... I promise I'll shut up for the night now...

The story: The letter was pinned together by a poppy and she just stood there for a few moments, I took this photo almost directly in front of her and she stayed quiet not saying a word... I almost said something but didn't, just a funny sense of a street photographer... After the letter was placed on the cenotaph she just walked away from the cenotaph without hesitation, I went and could see that it simply said "Big brother" and was pinned to hold all the folds in place to keep the letter closed... I was so tempted to open it but I held myself back, a little thing called respect... But this was the exact way I framed this photo, as you see it...

 

[xudo]

I'm not sure it's really that polarising in the UK, at least not where I live. Maybe the occasional moron who posts on FB about how people are offended by the poppy (they're not) because they're too stupid to realise it's a BS post by the far right pages.

I always buy a poppy. My Grandmother used to sell them as my Grandfather fought in WW2. My Dad wears my Grandfather's medals at the ceremony at the War Memorial in the town he used to live in every year.

 

[Mia]

A photo from a ceremony last year (our city is large enough to have several different ones), one of my all time favourite photos, I have a few... I promise I'll shut up for the night now...

It's exquisite, and if you wanted, you could sell it to legion magazine. As they would likely buy it. For me, it's a more modern version of what it means to some of us.

Would like to see others, also be sure to digitally write your copyright on any photos you post online. Import it into photoshop, using a clear layer, write on it digitally and indicate your copyright and initials at the bottom of the photos, in white or black, so it can be clearly seen.

 

[Gracey]

Always, always, always have a Poppy and observe the two minutes silence. Wherever I am and whatever I'm doing.

I want to watch the world burn when I see certain religious groups setting fire to national flags and certain football /soccer associations trying to ban the wearing of a Poppy for those that would like to wear one.

Each to their own I suppose.

I'm liking the photos @Sherlock77

 

[Sherlock77]

Always, always, always have a Poppy and observe the two minutes silence. Wherever I am and whatever I'm doing.

I want to watch the world burn when I see certain religious groups setting fire to national flags and certain football /soccer associations trying to ban the wearing of a Poppy for those that would like to wear one.

Each to their own I suppose.

I'm liking the photos @Sherlock77

I guess all I'm saying is that nice pretty landscape will always be more popular, and I feel like get at least a few *hohum* responses with my Remembrance Day material, as if people don't really get it, but I don't care anyway...

 

[Flinty]

I guess all I'm saying is that nice pretty landscape will always be more popular, and I feel like get at least a few *hohum* responses with my Remembrance Day material, as if people don't really get it, but I don't care anyway...

A lot of people don't get it. That's why it's not a holiday in Ontario and Quebec; and it's a half-holiday in Manitoba. People want to get their Christmas shopping on.

 

[Mia]

Quebec

It's actually quite a large ceremony where I am, that takes up (about) two city blocks. Most of the local military show, (There's a military base nearby) a military band, and crowds of people. You can't even find parking unless you go hours earlier. Usually go to smaller local ceremony nearby because when it gets too big it's too problematic for me.

 

[Sherlock77]

A lot of people don't get it. That's why it's not a holiday in Ontario and Quebec; and it's a half-holiday in Manitoba. People want to get their Christmas shopping on.

In Alberta it's a full holiday, our shop always works that day (if on a weekday), I always take the day off from work, to do my other "work"

I remember living in Ontario for three years, when it wasn't a stat holiday

 

[Sherlock77]

It's exquisite, and if you wanted, you could sell it to legion magazine. As they would likely buy it. For me, it's a more modern version of what it means to some of us.

Would like to see others, also be sure to digitally write your copyright on any photos you post online. Import it into photoshop, using a clear layer, write on it digitally and indicate your copyright and initials at the bottom of the photos, in white or black, so it can be clearly seen.

With me, there are many, many more Remembrance Day photos, trust me... Search: "remembrance day" | Flickr

 

[Mia]

With me, there are many, many more Remembrance Day photos, trust me

I'm blown away, by the things you've captured. Thank you for letting me see them.

 

[Sherlock77]

I'm blown away, by the things you've captured. Thank you for letting me see them.

I've had other friends who take photos for it as well, I think the only difference is that I've just simply kept doing it over 12 years, every year, they often do it once or twice and then lose some interest and don't bother again (nothing wrong with that)

Photography has always been just my hobby, I work a full time day job still, I just find a way to squeeze it all in

 

[Mia]

I've had other friends who take photos for it as well, I think the only difference is that I've just simply kept doing it over 12 years, every year, they often do it once or twice and then lose some interest and don't bother again (nothing wrong with that)

That's a long and enduring interest. One that must mean quite a bit to you. I've been going to these ceremonies since I was quite young. My father organized and led them for most of my life until he passed away in 87' I can still hear his voice saying "They shall not want," each time I go is in memory of him mainly. Your photos remind me of so many of the people I see at these ceremonies, I like that most are not smiling for the camera.

I hope you won't be upset by this, but I've written to Legion magazine and passed on a link to you flickr account. I think you're special interest might also be their special interest. I don't know what will come of it, but I suspect something might. If they approach you, then you can decide whether or not to sell and publish. So kind of a 'heads up' just in case.

 

[Flinty]

It's actually quite a large ceremony where I am, that takes up (about) two city blocks. Most of the local Quebec military show, (There's a military base nearby) a military band, and crowds of people. You can't even find parking unless you go hours earlier. Usually go to smaller local ceremony nearby because when it gets too big it's too problematic for me.

That's odd; back in my previous job we had a skeleton staff on for Remembrance Day to serve Ontario and Quebec because our offices were open in those provinces.