Before I became a professional bum, I used to design subdivisions. If I saw this in California, I would say that the developer had an approved parcel map and the accompanying entitlements. Instead of posting the bonds, he decided to build out the subdivision but ran out of money. However, if there are no other improvements in the immediate area, it seems more likely that a municipal employee from the water department can't read a map.

I'll give you credit, Wendell. You just don't seem to give a rat's #*% about the VB. You know they're gonna kill you on this posting. They can't see your sense of humor in the shot. From what I can tell, you're standing at the top of a hill and shooting down into some of the nastiest weeds I've seen in a while. Other than a nice collection of weeds, there's some bare earth and some scrub brush in the distance. The only thing in the shot that catches my eye is the distant red hydrant which is bull's eye dead center in the middle of the shot. There's no sense of composition. My conclusion is that you are thick skinned and have broad shoulders. Here I am always whining to you about the VB and the C-Index and how unfair it all is, and seemingly you couldn't possibly care less. I think congratulations are in order. Not only did you write the longest sentence in history, but you must be luggin' around a couple of grapefruit.

Roger

This simply reeks of governmental planning, or regulations, LOL!

I think it is hiding from the "Dogs of War," Wendell. Notice no signs of dead grass around the base. The dogs have yet to find it. I had heard of hydrant hide n' seek, but didn't think it existed. Thanks for proving me wrong.

TicK

(Viewed Full Screen)

Well Wendell I prize myself on the unusual picture but I think have met my master hats of.

Rob

It some were to sit your backside down after the long walk and take a sip from the leaking pipe to refresh yourself.Strange photo but interesting and gets the brain working on the reason it there.It would be interesting to see old plans for that area too.

I think soneone just sat it there to make people wonder. I bet if you lifted it there would nothing there or it's the hydrant that got away. Interesting capture.

I love it and have to agree with Roger's comments above!

VERY INTERESTING WENDELL, HARD TO FIGURE THIS OUT,MUST HAVE HAD A STRUCTURE OF SOME SORT NEARBY IN THE PAST OR WHY THE FIRE HYDRANT.YOU HAVE AN UNCANNY NOSE FOR FINDING THE OBSCURE MY FRIEND.
EUGENE.......

Nah, that's not the longest sentence in history. Try reading some German philosophers or theologians, page long sentences, literally. This is definitely a shot that will suffer in the vb - from lack of context mostly, nothing you can do about that. I have a suspicion that putting the hydrant lower and to the right would lift it's impact a bit - English readers tend to scan an image from top left to bottom right, same way we read pages of books, so something surprising in the bottom cornerish will kind of "pop" out in a way something smack dead centre will not. just a thought. The shot made me think of Winnie the Pooh holding onto his balloon..."I'm just a little black rain cloud...pay no attention to little me."

Having been a fireman years ago I recognized the subject immediately and the humor that provided it. Phttttt to the VB (even though I did give it a decent score a minute ago). We don't take photographs just for the "wow factor," so it will make our monitors glorious. Sometimes we need to tell a story, to make a statement, to capture a moment. If there are other hydrants scattered around this neck of the "woods," then I would guess the area would be a started but uncompleted subdivision (engineering draftsman being another of my past occupations). The fact that there appears to be a ridge of sorts behind it and that sparse area in front tells me the road was supposed to run from left to right, that the ridge and dirt, along with the hydrant, are modern archeological shadows (another occupation). Fun photo. Good job. #%@&&*^ the VB.