Saturday, July 19, 2014

Sheer and Nails (This week's Photo Hunt themes)


Call it sheer stubbornness or sheer stupidity -- but even while I could have opted to take both the Photo Hunt themes chosen this week by Sandi and Gattina, I got it into my head to hunt through my photo archive for images featuring actual nails.  Perhaps if I had known how few photos with nails -- as opposed to screws, bolts and other fasteners! -- I wouldn't have done so... but, ultimately, I think the three that I've found are actually pretty neat.

The first photo is of a wooden walkway at the Hong Kong Wetland Park -- in terms of sheer numbers, it's the image with the most nails (or, at the very least, their tops) in them! And seeing that wooden construction got me thinking of a far more rickety one on which I've also been on, with greater misgivings as to its sheer durability.

The bridge at Tai Long Wan is one that a number of people hesitate to go on, even if they're super hungry and thirsty and know that there are a couple of cafes waiting invitingly for them on the other side of the stream!  It doesn't look too bad in the photo I've included of it in this entry that was taken while resting at one of those nice beachside cafes -- but you can go here or here to get a better sense of how its very sight can cause people to hesitate to go on it!

Finally, there's a photo that I think has the others beat for its sheer evocativeness. Taken at one of rural Hong Kong's many abandoned villages, it's of photo collections that remain nailed to the wall in what I'm assuming must have been the home of at least some of the people in the pictures.  

When seeing sights like this, I get to thinking that the residents of these homes must have left in a major hurry -- or were moving to a place where they weren't allowed to take much at all with them. Otherwise, I find it inexplicable that they'd leave such items behind -- ones that would help them call to mind moments and people in their lives whose memories they had considered worth capturing in now faded photos. 

13 comments:

eastcoastlife said...

The Hong Kong Wetland Park looks great to explore. Shall visit it one day and compare it to Singapore's. hehe....

Trekcapri said...

Hi YTSL, very cool photo collection for the two themes. I love the vantage points for your first two photos and your last photo is a perfect pick for Gattina's PH. I'm with you. Those look like family photos and I wonder why they were left behind. Very intriguing mystery.

Have a great weekend.

magiceye said...

Loved the 1st pic!!

Gattina said...

Indeed impossible to combine both themes ! At least you found two nails ;) !

Annie said...

That third photo is very poignant. Glad you searched your archives - you did a great job combining the themes.

YTSL said...

Hi EastCoastLife --

The Hong Kong Wetland Park has its critics (who compare it unfavorably with the Mai Po Marshes nearby) but I think it's a pretty nice place. Singapore has a wetland park?

Call it my Hong Kong bias but I get the feeling that there'll be more to see in Hong Kong's... ;)

Hi Trekcapri --

Thanks for appreciating all the photos in this post. :)

Hi magiceye --

I'm glad you do! :)

Hi Gattina --

Actually, there are nails on the walkway and bridge too -- really! ;D

Hi Annie --

Thanks for the kind words. I do feel that my search was worth it now. :)

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

Sheer determination!
Happy Hunting ~

Carver said...

You did a great job with the themes. I like the bridges and the links to the shots showing more of the rickety one are very beautiful. I'd go on that bridge.

YTSL said...

Hi Sandi --

Well, there's that too! ;b

Hi Carver --

The first time I went to Tai Long Wan, I didn't dare go on the rickety bridge but braved it on subsequent visits. Thank goodness I didn't lose my balance and fall into the stream. Would hate to get such as my camera and wallet wet! ;)

Bill said...

Hi Yvonne,

Selecting these photos from your archive and linking them together is a very creative interpretation of the Photo Hunt theme...The bottom photo is haunting.

Bill

YTSL said...

Hi Bill --

Thanks. I like taking part in Photo Hunt because it encourages me to think in creative ways. Unfortunately, the number of Photo Hunt participants seemed to have dwindled quite a bit as the years have gone by... it's really too bad.

addaa said...

The family photo is very touching. What must have compelled the people to leave their homes. Should be an interesting story.

YTSL said...

Hi amsang --

In this case, I think the people left their homes to immigrate (to Britain). I used to think they left their stuff because they left home in a hurry but now think it's beause they couldn't carry much with them when going so far away.