Recently I took this photo because I've been wanting to try this water droplet technique and with the upcoming holiday I thought this was an apropriate subject. Here is the dilema: regardless of how the image is oriented, either the flag in the background or the flags in the droplets will be displayed "improperly." I know from my days as a boyscout that the union (aka the stars) should always be in the upper left regardless of whether the flag is horizontal or vertical.
Basically all I want to know is, is the out of focus, upside-down flag in this photo offensive to anyone? It surely is not intended to be.
No, it doesn't offend me. But it would surely make me stop and think about the fact that the flag is upside down, versus the actual merits of the shot itself. I would probably much prefer a version where the flags in the drops were upside down.
As an artist, I understand that one has to be sacraficed for the other.
To me, the way it is, because the right side up flags are the ones in focus, and is the main image. Because the other way, they would all be uside down and the main flag blurry which I think would be a worce insult.
I am prior Service in the US Armed Forces... and I don't take offence to the image.
Flying the flag upside-down is also used as a distress signal, and consequently has occasionally been used that way a form of political protest by those who with to express their love of country while disagreeing with the policies of its current regime.
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Yesterday's radio commentary by Dave Ross on CBS:
FLAG BURNING June 28th, 2006
The flag survives by ONE VOTE! This is Dave Ross ...
By one vote, the Senate has saved innumerable flags from desecration, and I know you'll say, Dave, what are you talking about-- the Senate actually FAILED to pass that amendment protecting the flag. It fell one vote SHORT of the 67 votes necessary to send it to the states for ratification.
Well, I know that, but I just look at what happened the LAST time Congress tried to protect the flag through legislation.
It was 1989, and an artist by the name of Dread Scott Tyler had an exhibit in Chicago where the flag was displayed on the floor. Like a doormat. People were stepping on it. The outrage was immediate, and by October, Congress had passed the Flag Protection Act of 1989.
What happened next? Did everybody stop disrespecting the flag?
Well, let me run down the list.
October 28. As the law takes effect at midnight, 500 protestors in Seattle start desecrating every flag they can find.
October 30. Four people burn flags on the steps of the US Capitol.
Fall 1989. Anti-flag rallies and art shows break out at Princeton, Berkeley, Wesleyan, and other schools; no one is charged.
February 1990. 2,000 people in San Francisco drape an effigy of President Bush in American flags, set him on a flag-draped throne, flank it with waving flags above, and a 30 foot flag in the street below, and set the whole thing on fire.
You see what I'm saying? The 1989 flag protection law probably destroyed more star spangled banners than the war of 1812.
So yes, the Senate, fell one vote short of passing the flag Amendment. And today, thousands of innocent American flags are breathing a sigh of relief.
If it were me, I'd turn the OOF flag rightside up and leave the reflections upside down.
I like this idea too. Without you mentioning it, I would not have taken it as offensive, but I definitely would have suggested flipping it over for aesthetics sake.
P.S. Wow, spelled aesthetics right on my first try. Bonus points ;o)
The flag when flown upside down indicates the country is in distress. I do not find anything offensive about your image at all. Infact I find it very artistic and to tell a wonderful story. While the background flag is a sign of distress, the upright flags in the droplets give encouragement. I think in these days and times our country is in a bit of distress. The water droplets give me hope that things can be turned around.
The flag when flown upside down indicates the country is in distress. I do not find anything offensive about your image at all. Infact I find it very artistic and to tell a wonderful story. While the background flag is a sign of distress, the upright flags in the droplets give encouragement. I think in these days and times our country is in a bit of distress. The water droplets give me hope that things can be turned around.
But then the in-focus flags would have the stars in the lower right corner. In my opinion it's truly a conundrum with no "correct" way to photograph the flag using this technique. I just hope that people view it as a positive work of art.
I'm overseas at the moment and I've even seen service men/women with the flag upside down on their uniforms. You have the right as a human to express YOUR opinion, leave it as it is!
well the other option is to change the size ration so the flag is so ginormous in the background (compared to the water drops) you can't see the stars.
Well this American hates the water reflection technique. Oh wait you were referring to the flag. :P Oh nevermind. That's fine with me. If I had a yanko flag I wouldn't mind if you hung it upside down. Now just don't sneeze on it and be sure to clean it 5 times a week and cuddle with it and say it's the bestest flag in the whole world and frame it over your mantle. :P
Well this American hates the water reflection technique. Oh wait you were referring to the flag. :P Oh nevermind. That's fine with me. If I had a yanko flag I wouldn't mind if you hung it upside down. Now just don't sneeze on it and be sure to clean it 5 times a week and cuddle with it and say it's the bestest flag in the whole world and frame it over your mantle. :P
Yeah, it's certainly not the most unique concept, but I think it's fun sometimes to play with stock subjects and techniques. Anyway, here is how I decided to orient it. I tried vertical, but it felt unbalanced somehow. Thanks for all the feedback!
So leave the flag right side up like your last one and leave the water drops right side up like in the first one. The average person is not going to realize that optically the two should be flipped. And for those that do mention it, just tell them you are exercising your artistic freedom of expression the way you want.
You know you COULD just reverse the droplets in photoshop. It shouldn't be that hard to select those drops but it would take some work since there are many of them. Btw, I do like the background flag in the normal position best.
