Monday, May 3, 2010

A Moment in Time . . .

Yesterday morning, as I was perusing  the New York Times online (a free service for which I am endlessly grateful,) I saw an announcement for A Moment in Time  accompanied by one of those wonderful shots of  a blue and cloud-covered Earth from space.  It said:
 
Attention: everyone with a camera, amateur or pro. Please join us on Sunday, May 2, at 15:00 (U.T.C./G.M.T.), as thousands of photographers simultaneously record “A Moment in Time.” The idea is to create an international mosaic, an astonishingly varied gallery of images that are cemented together by the common element of time.

How could I resist? I just had to wait till eleven -- not my favorite time of day for taking pictures, especially on a day as sunny as yesterday was.

I scoped out a few possibilities around the house -- sundial, clothes on line (Move underwear out of shot,) door in bedroom, garden gate.  And at a few minutes before eleven I dashed out to the sundial to begin.
Between 10:58 and 11:02 I took about a dozen pictures -- there was also a dandelion seed head, a poplar tree, an iris, and our little falling down cabin across the way. These last three I've posted here were my favorites (the background on the sundial was too blah to suit me.)

Which would you have chosen? I vacillated between the three but finally picked my favorite and posted it to the NYT.

I'll be looking forward to seeing the whole project when it's done!
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24 comments:

Victoria said...

I would have picked the photo of the washing pegged out on the line. It speaks to me of a time when life was slower, while simultaneously catching a moment of time in the life of a modern woman (because the clothes are modern) who is setting a good example by using a clothes line to dry the wash instead of an energy gobbling electric or gas clothes dryer.

Victoria said...

Or...I would have picked the door, because when you open a door to pass from one place to another, you're caught, for a micro second, in the place outside of time that lies between 'here' and 'there.'

Sorry I couldn't stick with one answer. I think it might be because I'm a Libra...

joanna said...

Oh dang! I missed it -- I also love the NYT online--

I guess I would pick the garden gate for I am partial to garden gates but like Victoria -- I can't stick to one answer because I am a Gemimi so I go also with the door from the house ---

Glad you sent a photo -- though.

Joanny

Reader Wil said...

Very great idea to reflect on the past or even the present! Your photos are nostalgic!

Martin said...

The second one holds the most appeal for me. The partially open door to the outdoors has a slight hesitation about it - a moment in time.

Brian Miller said...

oh i love the last one with the gate...what a neat idea. would be interesting to see what they all looked like...

Pat in east TN said...

I had to go back and forth between all the pictures several times, but I like the garden gate. It's just perfect in color and clarity and so welcoming.

June said...

I like all the pictures, but the door...with the shelves full of books...open to the sunny patio and chair...
It's so inviting...

Subby said...

I fancy tha' door shot o' yours. Dinna read any o-line papers, so missed out. And I do this at least once a week with the shutter-buggin'...good stress reliever, it is :)

Jean Baardsen said...

I'd go with the open door. It seems the most complex to me because the mountains are reflected in the glass of the door.

Tess Kincaid said...

How fun! My fave is the clothesline, hands down.

Carol Murdock said...

I'm torn between the garden gate and clothesline. This was really a treat, why not post the rest tomorrow? :)
Stay dry, I think the May Monsoon
may be coming your way.

NCmountainwoman said...

I love them all, but the open door really speaks to me. It truly suggests a moment in time on so many levels and represents decisions we constantly make. Open the door and go out into the light? Close the door and keep others out? Oh, it speaks volumes.

Stella Jones said...

I love the last one, the garden gate and the reason for my choice is because a) it is beautiful and b) it leads from one place to another (as does the door). Whereas the door is interesting and shows the books, the gate is enticing. It speaks, yet it is silent. I suppose I chose that one because it is mysterious. For the purposes of the paper, I would send the door.
Blessings, Star

Kaye Wilkinson Barley - Meanderings and Muses said...

Dang.

I meant to do this! I saw it mentioned at Facebook, but promptly forgot.

dang.

But I'm thrilled that you did it and I love every one of these pictures. There's just something about pictures and paintings of doors and windows. They "speak" to me; as attested by things hanging on our walls. Your door picture and your garden gate picture are my faves.

Folkways Note Book said...

Oh, you have a great blog. I just found you and look forward to reading your fascinating posts.

Friko said...

The washing on the line, I can never resist photos of 'real life'.
What a pity, I had no idea this event was underfoot.

Evalinn said...

Nice pics! :-)

Vicki Lane said...

It's interesting to see how many of you went through a similar thought process to mine.

My first choice was the washing for the exact reasons Victoria gave. And the 'real life' thing Friko and Willow mentioned. Plus the mountains and a nice tree were in the background. But the picture wasn't as clear as I could have wished and kind of lacked oomph.

Then I really liked the garden gate for all the reasons Star and others have mentioned plus I liked the dark shape of the gate and the echoing arc of the planter to the left.

But then I went with the open door with the mountains reflected in it because it was the strongest seen as a small picture. I don't know how this mosaic the NYT is doing will be presented and I thought this picture worked best in small or large format. Plus what Victoria and Martin said about the moment in time and the complexity Jean mentioned and the books June noticed and what NCMountainwoman said.

It's funny -- the pictures were taken so quickly -- it was the decision making that took the time.

When the NYT gets up a site with all the thousands of pics, I'll post a link.

jennyfreckles said...

Great idea - I'd have chosen the gate too, just because it's so beautiful. I wonder how long it'll be before we all have to pay to read newspapers online?

Jon Lee said...

I love the photo you chose, but I also like the washing out on the line. I never see that where I live. It reminds me of another time. I remember when my mother used to hang our clothes out. They always smelled so good. You have a beautiful farm. It must be very peaceful to live there.

Vicki Lane said...

Jennyfreckles -- I'd be okay with paying to read the news online -- daily delivery of a real newspaper isn't an option where I live.

I love hanging out the wash, Jon Lee. But I also love having a dryer for cold or rainy days.

Deanna said...

I would have chosen the garden gate. Welcoming the world into your world. The moment in time thought is awesome. Wish I had participated. When you discover the results, will you post the results? Maybe I'll start reading the NYT online. But I bet I won't. LOL I know me.

Tipper said...

What an intersting project! It would be hard to choose-but I like all the ones you took : )