Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/01/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Adam Bridge wrote: > > http://www.wajsman.com/2002_3.jpg > > (M6,Fuji Acros, 24mm Elmarit) > > > > Interesting photograph but I found the presence of WalMart depressing. What was > it Miss Marple said? "The American's have MUCH to answer for." Although I think > she was talking about English muffins or something similiar. In general I agree with you that certainly in many U.S. towns the arrival of a WalMart has heralded the death of local shops and hence downtown. But the situation in Germany and other European countries is different. The norm has been indifferent service, limited competition and high prices. In that environment, WalMart will provide a welcome shake-up to the benefit of consumers, and I believe without killing off the town centers (this has certainly not happened in Singen, which has a very thriving downtown). In Switzerland most retail is dominated by two chains, Coop and Migros, which between them not only control most supermarkets but also many non-food chains (consumer electronics, sporting goods etc.). I would love for a big foreign chain like the French Carrefour or one of the UK companies to come in here and give the locals some real competition. > I found myself wishing that the people weren't in the background - but I like > the way the array of carts works. Much better organized than the Woodland > WalMart's that's for sure. Interesting, you are not the only one with this comment. I felt, on the other hand, that the people were needed to provide a sense of scale and a point of interest. > I like your alternate also but I can only see it on my laptop's LCD screen- I'll > have to wait and look at it on my big display. My initial feeling is that the > most interesting part of the image takes place down in the misty area in the > lower left quarter of the photo. Could make for an interesting crop. I am not sure that an LCD screen provides optimal viewing conditions for a picture like this, relies on the fine, soft tones for its impact. I included the trees on the right to provide a point of reference for the otherwise foggy scene. Thanks for looking and commenting. Nathan - -- Nathan Wajsman Herrliberg (ZH), Switzerland e-mail: wajsman@webshuttle.ch Photo-A-Week: http://www.wajsman.com/indexpaw2002.htm General photo site: http://www.wajsman.com/index.htm - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html