Saturday, February 17, 2007

exotic

When the movie "Fargo" was released I remember the critics waxing poetic about the snowy landscapes. They viewed the countryside as a silent character in the movie.

"Barren landscapes stretched for miles, as far as the eye could see, with nothing that showed the hand of man save for a few lonely fenceposts keeping time along the side of the highway. Pastels and caribbean colors are forbidden in this land of white and grey. It's lonely and one senses a lurking danger. We are immersed in an exotic locale and feel as though we're explorers who have been to the moon and back to tell the tale."

I laughed out loud because it all appeared pretty ordinary to me. Looked like nearby McGough road on a Tuesday afternoon. The only danger would be sliding off the road and if that happens you just call Duke & Lee's Garage to come tow you out.......or if you're not too far into the field you could possibly drag the old rug out of the trunk and jam it under the rear wheels.

Just last year I received an e-mail from someone in North Africa. He was complimenting me on my photographs and discussing at length the "exotic images"....huh? Well, I linked back to his website to see what was going on in North Africa.

I was totally astounded. There's no way to describe the feelings I had when I viewed his photo of a gigantic sandstorm, literally miles high and many miles across bearing down on an ancient town in the desert. I felt as if I'd just made the trip to Mars, that's how foreign and exotic his landscape appeared to me. And likewise the miles of cornfields are exotic to him.

It took me a little while but I think I've got it. Exotic is wherever you are not.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Exotic could also be whatever you've not thought. I hadn't looked at it in the way you describe (about it being wherever you are not), but I like it, and that's an exotic thought to me (though no longer). Did that make sense?

Suzanne said...

Perfect sense.

And.....Roundrock and Lake Marguerite are certainly exotic to me.

Anonymous said...

I was really taken by your description of the exotic. So true. In the weeks ahead exotic for me will be visiting the Grand Canyon area and in September my wife and I will be returning to visit Provence after a long absence.
What is it about the exotic that has such a fascination? I really don't know for sure but it certainly has a permanent hold on my imagination.

john

http://lightandshadow.my-expressions.com/

Farm Fairy & Bruno said...

I love that photo..So peaceful.

srp said...

You know it REALLY does look like that stretch of road in the movie, Fargo. But for someone who has never seen snow in person, it could look quite exotic.

Anonymous said...

I've had about all the exotic winter scenes I can handle this year. C'mon spring!