Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Washing Lines around the World - Copper Canyon to Croatia to Colonia Cuauhtemoc!!


Why is it that other people's washing lines in other countries all around the world are always much more picturesque and photogenic than one's own?? Why do they always seem to provide pleasing subjects for photography??? Take a look at all these washing lines snapped this summer in various locations throughout Croatia from Split down to Dubrovnik...

Don't they all prove my point??? Aren't they picturesque??

What about these gorgeous full Tarahumara skirts blowing gently in the breeze on washing lines in the Copper Canyon, the far, far North of Mexico...

But wouldn't you just die of embarrassment if you saw your washing line featured on someone's blog available to all and sundry on the Internet?? Isn't it the worst kind of voyeurism?? A terrible invasion of personal privacy?? To counteract such a charge, I am quite willing to air my own laundry on the blogosphere ( clean of course!!)...

....and to prove my point that one's own washing just doesn't cut it in the realm of the photogenic and picturesque, no matter how much you stage the photo and pose the alternating colours of red and black. It still just doesn't work!! Maybe of more mild interest in this shot is the world of cages that exists on top of most apartment buildings in Mexico City, with Colonia Cuauhtemoc being no exception. We all have our own lockable "jaulas" to keep our washing from blowing away or getting stolen... But it just doesn't compare with this....

Right?? So that's my challenge today - air your laundry and show me I am wrong!!

11 comments:

Leslie Harris said...

I thought I was the only one who admired other people's clotheslines. I'm going to take a picture of mine. Maybe it will look nicer in a pic! Gorgeous pics!

Fly Girl said...

I totally agree with you Catherine. Other countries always seem to have vivily hues, dramatic fabrics draped against some jaw-dropping backdrop. I've never seen that here at all. Your personal line doesn't look bad, maybe if you tossed in one of those skirts it would be more intriguing!

A Cuban In London said...

It is voyeuristic indeed, but the nice type. Just came back from my holidays in Spain and it's nice to see that the good quality in writing is the same if not better. Many thanks for your continuous feedback.

Greetings from London.

Heather Dugan Creative / Footsteps said...

Ha! So funny and so very true. What doesn't go into the dryer here hangs on laundry room hangers. Jeans, "unmentionables" (that I'm mentioning anyway)and sports uniforms... Not so scenic. Maybe it's the outdoor lighting that makes everyone else's look so much better?

Janie said...

Great candid camera shots of people's clotheslines. Mine would be exceptionally boring, all beige and blues.

Unknown said...

I love seeing people's laundry lines, too! My favorite that I remember was in Cinque Terre, Italy. Your photos are great!

Gerald (SK14) said...

I've not aired my laundry in public for at least 30 years. I do remember helping my mother peg the washing out when I was child though.

James said...

It's so true! Maybe because I don't hang my laundry outside, but when I see laundry haning in a big city or another country I always want a ppicture.
Great shots!

Catherine said...

Hi everyone...thanks for all your comments and I am glad I am not the only one who takes photos of washing lines !!

Sarah said...

An interesting post and an interesting challenge! I think your washing does stand up to the competition actually! I often take photos of my washing-when I have hung out pretty or strange things(children's dressing up costumes was a fun one) I think I may even have a couple on flickr-of woolly blankets!

Sarah said...

I have just has another thought-I don't think I have ever taken a photo of washing when on holiday! But I did notice a drying green just down the road near Blackheath Standard the other day and I have only ever seen them in Scotland and northern England. It had no washing on though.