How to enjoy wine

[Mike Buckley]

Kathleen, my friend of nearly 55 years, had the great idea to pose this scene. After ordering a dumpster for the disposal of the unusable contents of her mother's home, she realized that we could put it to good photographic use. Our only disappointment was that neither of us had truly appropriate clothing handy -- a tux and a gown. Just in case you're wondering, the bottle really did have wine in it and Kathleen really did drink it.

The table is a card table that we probably spent countless hours playing Hearts at when we were children. Rather than leave the table and chairs in the dumpster, she is donating them. In fact, the shirt I am wearing in the photo was accidentally donated along with four other shirts.

If the mosquitoes hadn't been bothering Kathleen, I would have suggested that we eat our dinner that evening of salmon paired with New Zealand Pinot Noir right there in the dumpster.

We had so much fun making this photo! Hopefully you also get a kick out of it.

[Shadowman]

Very nice. I think a tux and gown would have been too over the top, the summer clothing shown works well with the table setting and the dumpster makes for an interesting backdrop. Now if you'd shot this at a lower angle with a rat in the foreground....

[Donald]

Love it. Quirky, different, fun. It's an attention-grabber.

[davidedric]

That's my kind of celebration! And a decent photo, too. Nice to see you again, Mike

Dave

[ST1]

How unusual to set up and make this image, well done to both of you. Especially to Kathleen for going barefoot in that dumpster.

[Digital]

Mike, this is a very interesting photo. Well done.


Bruce

[Manfred M]

The shot brings a whole new view regarding "dumpster diving". A truly classic (or is that classless?) image.

Nicely done, Mike...

[davidedric]

And another thing. I didn't know till now that US "dumpster" equals UK "skip". More learning from CiC

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, everyone! Once the thread dies down, I'll be sure to share it with Kathleen.

I didn't know till now that US "dumpster" equals UK "skip".

And I had never heard of a "skip!"

A truly classic (or is that classless?) image.

The guy on the right is classless. On the other hand, you'll never meet anyone with more class on so many levels than Kathleen.

[TonyW]

I can see that Kathleen has class - anyone who knows how to drink wine properly goes up in my estimation. It's hard to interpret the look on the face of the bloke on the right though.

I had never thought of using a skip like that. Mining camps in Australia often use things called dongas for accommodation, which are like shipping containers with a window at one end and a door at the other.

[IzzieK]

I was looking for the remote since the photographer is inside the skip with a friend...Or was it your wife who took this shot?

[FootLoose]

Hmm... shades of 'Pretty Woman'...

[Mike Buckley]

Continued thanks to everyone!

I was looking for the remote

I used the delayed shutter release for the first time on this camera. I was pleased to learn that it can be configured to control the amount of time of the delay before the first photo is captured, the number of captures to make and the delay between each capture. (I made three captures of each scene and this photo is my favorite of all the scenes.) I always keep the user manuals of all my photo equipment on my little netbook when I'm traveling and that's how I found the setting. Oddly, I believe the only other time I used a delayed shutter was on a Minolta 35mm film poinit-and-shoot camera, my very first camera, in 1983 on my honeymoon.

shades of 'Pretty Woman'...

Great movie! But for me it's more like shades of Pygmalion or My Fair Lady.

It's hard to interpret the look on the face of the bloke on the right though.

He's too cheap to take acting lessons.

[CaolIla]

Love the idea. Well done.
Did you take any alternative shot from a higher angle not revealing that it's a dumpster?

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Mats!

Did you take any alternative shot from a higher angle not revealing that it's a dumpster?

No. Though I chose the angle shown here to emphasize the dumpster, I actually can't envision how to capture this scene without revealing that it's a dumpster. Please explain what you have in mind.

[CaolIla]

Thanks, Mats!



No. Though I chose the angle shown here to emphasize the dumpster, I actually can't envision how to capture this scene without revealing that it's a dumpster. Please explain what you have in mind.

OK maybe badly expressed.
Hard not to guess it's a dumpster from it's interior...
What I meant was that, with the camera in a higher position the world outside the dumpster wouldn't show and it would be just a narrow rusty room with a greater contrast to the white tablecloth and the candles. And all attention would be drawn to the couple.

[Mike Buckley]

Ahhhhhh. Now I see what you mean. Thanks!

The next time I make a photo of two people drinking wine at a table with a white tablecloth, flowers and candles in a dumpster, I'll be sure to try it out.

[Mike Buckley]

Kathleen just now wrote to me that the photo should be captioned Dumpster Dining. (She still doesn't know about this thread.)

[CaolIla]

Ahhhhhh. Now I see what you mean. Thanks!

The next time I make a photo of two people drinking wine at a table with a white tablecloth, flowers and candles in a dumpster, I'll be sure to try it out.

Don't forget to send me a PM when you do so.

[bnnrcn]

Loved it so much !