My Hometown... Boring

[cslewis]

Talking to people online is always a lot of fun. I enjoy meeting new people and hearing good stories. After a few chat sessions, people I talk to ask to see what my town looks like. Being a novice photographer, I send them pictures of Kutztown, PA that I've taken. They usually remark that the pictures themselves are passable, but I always hear stuff about my town being boring, or tiny, or run-down. From these photographs, do you get that feeling? Are the photographs themselves OK?

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=121312630&size=m

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajv527/121312597/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajv527/121308404/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajv527/56994097/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajv527/56994093/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajv527/56990358/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajv527/56748394/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajv527/ There are a few other photographs... please check 'em out, I need a bit of moral support.

 

[danny_w]

I guess that I am old school (born in the 50's) but I think it is extremely rude of anybody to tell you those things about your hometown. I think it looks great, and I love the old buildings. It looks like it is well kept and clean, too. Certainly not 'boring'. I am no photographer, so I can't really comment on the photographs themselves, but they look fine to me.

 

[pdpfilms]

I'm seeing all question marks.

 

[cslewis]

I'm seeing all question marks.

Okay, the photos themselves won't work... the links are there instead.

 

[joepunk]

I would be tempted to put an "l" in Kutztown just to see if anyone would notice

And no, your town does not look boring and run-down at all. There might not be much nightlife activities from the images shown but that does not mean that there is character beneath the bricks.

I like the cross walk sign much better than graffiti.

 

[n-abounds]

I would never call anyone's town boring...I think you can always find something interesting to photograph. Saying that, I think you could take better photos of those things. No one is really interested in a view of a building front-on from across the street. Get into the scene, and take something original. Anyone can center a building in a camera...

The above sounds harsh, but I think you have a good eye in the sense that you found good things in your city to take photos of, but you just haven't taken a very original point-of-view. But I do think you have it in you to do it.

LOL, at the hoola-hoop. I like "P8230095_1" the best, and the one of Nathan Academy. Old Main Tower was pretty good, too.

I think your hometown is kinda interesting actually. I dunno, I guess it's cause I live in such a different place and haven't travelled much in America.

 

[cslewis]

I would never call anyone's town boring...I think you can always find something interesting to photograph. Saying that, I think you could take better photos of those things. No one is really interested in a view of a building front-on from across the street. Get into the scene, and take something original. Anyone can center a building in a camera...

That's what I was trying to do. I'm involved with the town's historical society, so I was taking pics of individual buildings to compare the way they've changed over the years. Ditto with the streetscapes.

With that in mind, come summer I'll have to get out there and take some unique shots.

 

[n-abounds]

Historical Society, eh? Why didn't you say so
That's pretty cool. I took pictures of each building my dad put up, and I put them into a book for him. They're pretty cool, especially when there's the personal connection with them. In the last 20 years, houses/condos have gone through so many taste changes...

 

[Artful Dodger]

Hi, it looks like a very nice and inviting town and by far not run-down. Run-down to me is half an hour drive going to a place called "Bethlehem Steel" by Buffalo, NY. A steel plant that is like a baron waste land by the lake.
Your town is far from this. Some people think that "old" is run-down, like a friend of mine who thinks, tear it down and build it new By your photos you could help people see that it's far from that

 

[bousozoku]

Those photos remind me of a few dozen towns outside Philadelphia.

Quite nice, I'd say.

 

[rikers_mailbox]

I like the cross walk sign much better than graffiti.

FYI, that's the calling card for String Cheese Incident fans. This is a sticker you can buy from their store:

 

[Abstract]

I would never call anyone's town boring...I think you can always find something interesting to photograph. Saying that, I think you could take better photos of those things. No one is really interested in a view of a building front-on from across the street. Get into the scene, and take something original. Anyone can center a building in a camera...

The above sounds harsh, but I think you have a good eye in the sense that you found good things in your city to take photos of, but you just haven't taken a very original point-of-view. But I do think you have it in you to do it.

I don't think that's harsh. It's true. He has to hear it, though. I'm not one to talk, since I don't know much at all, but getting a different perspective can't be taught. He just has to see it, and if he's going to do that, he'll have to be pushed and try it out.

Regarding the photos......they're like vacation photos, though I'm a sucker for funny signs. That's what I'm guilty of taking as well, except I would never shoot a photo of a house dead on. It really does play on the stereotypes of historians being boring when what they want is a photo of a building from right in front.

Concerning your town, if THAT is run-down, then the people who commented are morons. It may seem boring, but why would someone even say that out loud, even if they're asked? Next time, just look at them and say they look a bit dense so their opinion doesn't matter. I mean, they're being so honest and all, you may as well be the same.