I'm just saying that this photo shows a well kept up storefront, with a nice window display, and a happy looking couple strolling by. There are some well maintained storefronts on H Street. There are also some nice looking window set-ups. I am seeing more happy couples, singles, and groups of friends walking down H Street. However, I still think we haven't yet progressed to the point that this is the norm. The street in this photo is spotless (something H Street is frequently not). If you showed me this photo & told me that the couple were walking to the gelato parlor next door, I would believe you. My point is that you don't see litter, graffiti, illegally dumped trash, anyone urinating against the side of a building, or some guy hasseling the couple for change. The photo is (obviously) real, but it doesn't showcase any of the above mentioned issues (all of which continue to plague H Street). I like to take pictures of all aspects of H Street. This one particularly struck me when I looked at it later, because when you strip away the context of H Street, you could be on any one of countless trendy, yet historic, streets across America. I guess the same could be said of a photo you might take outside of the Atlas, Phish Tea, H Street Martini Lounge, or a number of other places on H Street. Maybe I just really like the fish in the window.
Okay, I understand your point about cleanliness, nice storefronts, etc etc. But you must realize that it also appears as if you are saying that H Street will be more normal when there are more white couples walking down the street. That is a very real concern of the African American community on H Street.
In my opinion, and I gotta lot of them, this seems like an overly narrow comment. Just cause whiteys are walking in front of a decent looking kept-up commercial property, doesn't mean that the plan is in operation. If Elise would have posted this photo, http://www.flickr.com/photos/82269993@N00/8542311/(from the Washington Post), would you have had the same reaction?
Tony, I don't take a lot of pictures of people in general. I took a lot of pictures the day of the festival because it is easier to shoot people when there is a crowded public event. I like this picture. It shows a storefront I have featured before because the owner has been cleaning it up. Because I shot this during the festival the street was abnormally clean (due to festival prep), & there were a great many more people than usual strolling down H Street. The fact that the surrounding festival is not evident in the shot struck me & I used the photo because it showed (or didn't show) the factors I mentioned above. It's just a photo. I never said, or implied that H Street would be more normal when more white people walk down it.
Looking at the post again, I never said that anything, white people, or otherwise, would make H Street more "normal." what I was thinking was more along the lines of as more cool businesses open up, we may see more strolling happy couple/date type scenes on H Street.
I am sure you would have been just as happy to have a couple of any color in the photo. We need to get out of the black-white thing and focus on making H street a nice place that folks think is worth coming to (and I speak as an African-American, as an aside, I don't think we should make a big deal out of the photo). Keep up the great blog on great photography!
Ok, just to clarify. I was not saying that I believe inked was hoping for a "norm" that meant "more white people". I was saying that some people will interpret her statement that way.
Ooh, third world is a little harsh. I once got very offended by someone who called it pre-industrial. Of course, based on when H Street was built, that guy's comment was beyond asinine. H Street just needs a little love. A little trimming of weeds, sprucing up of storefronts, and a little patronizing of businesses. We're on the way. We've got R&B Coffee, The Atlas, Rose's Dream, The Martini Lounge, Stella Bleu, the Argonaut & plenty of other great places either here, or on the way.
The long standing residents of the H street community have had 30 years to clean up their neighborhood. Why is it that now that it's getting done there's so much racial blame as to who's doing it?
Norm, as in normal. As in happy, clean and safe. I understand the point, as I take the bus from H street each day. And every morning on the way to my commute there are homeless folks lying on the street, men and women in various states of chemical alteration panhandling and hangin on the corners and trash strewn everywhere. It would be nice to have H street be normal, which is to say without any of those things. And it doesn't matter if the people walking on it are blue green or red, so long as it is normal.
I think that it's important to recognize that many people have been working to help H Street for decades. The difference is that now we have a climate that is making that change more attainable. Don't forget that there have been not only isolated residents, but also well established community groups that have long fought against crime and sought to solve other problems in our area.
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Wait, remind me again of why that is not normal now?
I'm just saying that this photo shows a well kept up storefront, with a nice window display, and a happy looking couple strolling by. There are some well maintained storefronts on H Street. There are also some nice looking window set-ups. I am seeing more happy couples, singles, and groups of friends walking down H Street. However, I still think we haven't yet progressed to the point that this is the norm. The street in this photo is spotless (something H Street is frequently not). If you showed me this photo & told me that the couple were walking to the gelato parlor next door, I would believe you. My point is that you don't see litter, graffiti, illegally dumped trash, anyone urinating against the side of a building, or some guy hasseling the couple for change. The photo is (obviously) real, but it doesn't showcase any of the above mentioned issues (all of which continue to plague H Street). I like to take pictures of all aspects of H Street. This one particularly struck me when I looked at it later, because when you strip away the context of H Street, you could be on any one of countless trendy, yet historic, streets across America. I guess the same could be said of a photo you might take outside of the Atlas, Phish Tea, H Street Martini Lounge, or a number of other places on H Street. Maybe I just really like the fish in the window.
Okay, I understand your point about cleanliness, nice storefronts, etc etc. But you must realize that it also appears as if you are saying that H Street will be more normal when there are more white couples walking down the street. That is a very real concern of the African American community on H Street.
In my opinion, and I gotta lot of them, this seems like an overly narrow comment. Just cause whiteys are walking in front of a decent looking kept-up commercial property, doesn't mean that the plan is in operation. If Elise would have posted this photo, http://www.flickr.com/photos/82269993@N00/8542311/(from the Washington Post), would you have had the same reaction?
Tony,
I don't take a lot of pictures of people in general. I took a lot of pictures the day of the festival because it is easier to shoot people when there is a crowded public event. I like this picture. It shows a storefront I have featured before because the owner has been cleaning it up. Because I shot this during the festival the street was abnormally clean (due to festival prep), & there were a great many more people than usual strolling down H Street. The fact that the surrounding festival is not evident in the shot struck me & I used the photo because it showed (or didn't show) the factors I mentioned above. It's just a photo. I never said, or implied that H Street would be more normal when more white people walk down it.
Looking at the post again, I never said that anything, white people, or otherwise, would make H Street more "normal." what I was thinking was more along the lines of as more cool businesses open up, we may see more strolling happy couple/date type scenes on H Street.
I think people are reading too much into the photo and description.
And if people are concerned about excluding one grow over another, then they should not use the word "community".
I am sure you would have been just as happy to have a couple of any color in the photo. We need to get out of the black-white thing and focus on making H street a nice place that folks think is worth coming to (and I speak as an African-American, as an aside, I don't think we should make a big deal out of the photo). Keep up the great blog on great photography!
Inked,
Ok, I know what you mean. Nothing wrong with not wanting to live in a neighborhood that looks like parts of the Third World.
Cheers,
LB
Ok, just to clarify. I was not saying that I believe inked was hoping for a "norm" that meant "more white people". I was saying that some people will interpret her statement that way.
Ooh, third world is a little harsh. I once got very offended by someone who called it pre-industrial. Of course, based on when H Street was built, that guy's comment was beyond asinine. H Street just needs a little love. A little trimming of weeds, sprucing up of storefronts, and a little patronizing of businesses. We're on the way. We've got R&B Coffee, The Atlas, Rose's Dream, The Martini Lounge, Stella Bleu, the Argonaut & plenty of other great places either here, or on the way.
The long standing residents of the H street community have had 30 years to clean up their neighborhood. Why is it that now that it's getting done there's so much racial blame as to who's doing it?
Norm, as in normal. As in happy, clean and safe. I understand the point, as I take the bus from H street each day. And every morning on the way to my commute there are homeless folks lying on the street, men and women in various states of chemical alteration panhandling and hangin on the corners and trash strewn everywhere. It would be nice to have H street be normal, which is to say without any of those things. And it doesn't matter if the people walking on it are blue green or red, so long as it is normal.
I think that it's important to recognize that many people have been working to help H Street for decades. The difference is that now we have a climate that is making that change more attainable. Don't forget that there have been not only isolated residents, but also well established community groups that have long fought against crime and sought to solve other problems in our area.
Sorry.
Don't really know Trinidad too well. I live way out on the well-groomed suburbs of Adams Morgan.
No problem. People who live right here say exactly the same thing about H Street sometimes. I'm not offended.
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