Adventures in photo editing

[olivermoss]

I came across a skeleton in the fetal position. Relatable! I like it. So, I snapped a picture.



I'm going through and editing stuff now. I was looking at the skeleton and was like, did they paste flowers on the guy's ribs? What is ...



Nope, covid. The skeletons in this guy's yard are all covid dead. There were several, but I only took pics with the fetal skelly in it.

Not sure how I feel about that. I know a lot of people are doing tombstones with 'I did my own research' and stuff like that. I am fine with that. I'd take a picture and post that, certain other covid references and also some pretty dark humor. But literally a yardful of covid dead? Likely not making my round ups or social media posts ... except this one.

I come across stuff sometimes where I am just like 'no... Portland no....' Last Halloween was a bit rough with that. Lots of yards with both Halloween decor and BLM signs and art projects. BLM signs but also dancing skeletons in nooses? I think maybe they didn't think that through... Also, re-doing BLM yard signs in spooky fonts??? Racial justice but make it creepy?

There were a few things I didn't shoot last year. There was art project in particular I regret not shooting because it's was hard to put into words how tone deaf if it. A picture is very much needed.

These skeletons, these doesn't offend me. I am not upset about it, I am just like *dislike*. Not fun. Not my vibe of spoopy. I was hoping it was a certain vibe, but it turned out to be another.

Skeletons in fetal positions are a mood and I would get some milage out of that picture if not for the little cartoony viruses.

Me: I want to find handmade yard art making a statement!

Also me: No, not like that....

Comments

[ihavenoarms]

wow

[mistressofmuses]

NO, NOT THAT STATEMENT. *spritz with spray bottle*

Yeah, that seems just a little... yeah. I kind of like the "did my own research" headstones. But "these skeletons have and died of covid!" seems more like it's mocking the pandemic itself, rather than poking at people making bad decisions.
I'm with you in that I don't find it *offensive* or anything, but it has a little bit of a "come on, poor taste" vibe.

I'd much rather have a non-covid fetal-position skeleton, because that's a mood forever.

Yikes on some of the very truly poor taste/didn't think it through "topical" Halloween setups. Eesh.

[olivermoss]

I curate what I shoot a lot! I don't just grab everything. Portland is ... ergh... I love this town but some of the weird is yikes and sometimes people just clearly have not thought things through. Or maybe they did think it through and that's even scarier.

[mistressofmuses]

The curation is definitely a wise idea! I can imagine a lot of "yikes" intersections between "quirky! artsy!" and "topical! current event! activisim!"

There's certainly some amazing intersections - you've shared a lot of really excellent political and activism-focused art! - but I have absolutely seen some cringey, poorly thought out stuff too, and I'm sure you've encountered far more!

Though oof, that is the worse thought: they thought it through and settled on "yep, this IS what I want to portray."

[olivermoss]

I have a lot of 'yes, yes, ye.... no ... oh no' moments while out shooting. This town does have people with very weird ideas. And we do also have some conservatives who might think it's funny to slip in scary BLM signs.

[mistressofmuses]

There's that, too. I've seen several "Halloween horror" displays that are like... anti-abortion propaganda, actually. Yuck.

[olivermoss]

Yikes! I haven't come across that at least. Most of what I've seen is more likely the brainchild of holdover hippy types who can't be told nothin'

[walgesang]

Yeeeeeeeeah. I get what you mean. My sister's holiday card incorporated hand sanitizer and toilet paper... frankly it felt kind of gross. I mean, even more terrible when we actually had a relative die of COVID!!

[olivermoss]

I'm sorry for your loss.

We've passed the point where 1 in 500 Americans are dead from this. I think the sheer amount of skeleton and death themed yard art I've found is a reflection of what's going on and I shoot most of it. But this just ... it hits wrong especially with the cartoony way the viruses are drawn.