Friday, May 11, 2007

Never hide ?


Sometimes on Parisian sidewalks you can see painted graffiti made with stencil buffer (pochoir, in French). This one is different because it's actually the commercial slogan of the glasses manufacturer Ray-Ban: "never hide". It's odd to find this "ad" on the sidewalk because I suppose it's prohibited to do that... Anyway, it makes a cool photo especially if you wait for the right pair of white pants to step into the frame!

36 comments:

  1. I like the idea of these adverts or messages, if they are as neat as this one. I thought the same as you Eric, how fantastic that the white-clad pair came into view!

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  2. It's graffiti day today! I particularly like that this one is in the 1st

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  3. Yeah, that's interesting. What is the world coming to if corporations start taking over the sidewalks, too, uh?

    They do have a very interesting website, though. I guess they really have been around a long time! I had "aviators" for the longest time. Probably still have them somehere in a drawer.

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  4. That's weird Eric, and I like the fact that this picture, albeit in colour, is actually in black and white!

    That doesn't happen often in our technicoloured world...

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  5. That's funny that their slogan is "Never Hide" since half the time I put my sunglasses on it is to hide! No make-up on? Slap on the sunglasses!

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  6. I dunno, judging by the gradients of the shadowing on the pants when enlarged, I'm gonna be adventerous and say it's a B&W photo. There's not a speck of color anywhere, not even in the cigarette butts littering the street. I do love the photo, though!

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  7. Eric, May I ask how long did you have to wait for the right pair of white pants to come along? :)

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  8. White pants and White shoes to boot!!! But it isn't even Memorial day yet...No, no, no...pas acceptable!!! Just isn't Done..I did have a great pair of Ray-Bans with mirrored lenses that I bought for $35 and my father thought I was crazy..."trop cher"...he said! They lasted over 20 years though...until I left them on a bus in Dallas.

    In SF it is against the law to spray paint advertising on the sidewalk and a movie company did it once for advertising and had to pay the city to have it removed!! Oh well...

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  9. Most of advertising is pollution, it's just one more...

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  10. Eric, how dare you hang around rue Etienne Marcel without saying to nasty me ?!!!

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  11. If the lettering consisted of something as un-indelible as flour paste then it would easily wash away in the next rain or street hosing.

    Pont Girl has a good point about the slogan. It's almost like as if Jaguar had a slogan of "Always Breakdown."

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  12. In fact I did not have to wait too long for the white pair of pants to shop up. The most difficult part is that I wanted some movement in the photo to compensate the "stillness" of the graffiti and I must say I quite like it as it is (except the little bit of lighter concrete on the upper right! I should have cropped it a little...)

    When they say "never hide" Pont girl, i think they mean "Show off"!!

    Yes, it's a black and white photo but it was almost black and white originally that's why I turned it into a real one.

    Here too it's prohibited to advertise on sidewalks, but you knonw, the French and the law...

    Fred, don't you think some advertising is a real piece of art?

    GG, I found this... rue de Rivoli hier soir en sortant d'un conf de presse, not rue Etienne Marcel!

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  13. Pont Girl: I'm so with you there! Every morning, rain or shine, when i give my son a lift to school, on go the sunglasses! Do the make-up when i get back...

    Eric I like that pale grey bit actually, as it helps to lead the eye, together with the white people, along the lines of perspective into the vanishing point. It's just great!

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  14. Yes, I agree with Lynn, the little bit of lighter grey helps fill the empty top right corner and lead you in the direction of the walkers - couldn't have said it better, and... I really thought it was a colour photo with just no actual colour in it, but you tell me it really is b/w - OK!

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  15. I find the guy with white pants and withe shoes very weird... who dresses up like that?!

    Despite the photo being very clever, I don´t appreciate this kind of add either. I mean, if every company decides to advertise like this, along with billboards and bus stops, really, there will be nothing left. Sometimes it´s just too much information.

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  16. Yay! I win! Ok, I don't win anything, but I was right for once! Wooo me!

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  17. Good eye, Soosha!

    BTW, I think all-white guy must be a waiter, because everyone in Paris has got the style, n'est-ce pas? :)

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  18. I hope doctors, nurses or beauticians... otherwise, weird!

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  19. Nope! If I recall, he was a Japonese tourist (well I suppose he was a tourist!)

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  20. maybe he was a japonese doctor tourist!

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  21. eeeuuuwww then in that case, yep Monica; weird!

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  22. i mean, white trousers, white shoes? No surely not.

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  23. Hey now, I've heard it is now only an "old school" fashion faux pas to wear white after Labor Day/ before Memorial Day. Of course I hardly ever wear white, so I don't care. As long as it's not a bright purple suit with bright lime green shirt like an old coach at my high school always used to wear, I'm fine with it!

    And thanks pont girl. I've always noticed that with my photos, even if they consist of just b&w subject matter, therer is always at least some small pixels of colors if the photo is shot in color. Especially with the newer cameras that pick up the tinest out-of-place hair or bit of lettuce in the teeth.

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  24. By the way, lynn, therre's a bit of chocolate in your teeth. Been hitting the secret stash again?

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  25. oops, extra "r" in "there's." That what I get for typing while holding a cigarette. Sheesh.

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  26. Props are to be given to graffiti artists, some went to jail, died, got killed,... for now the corporate advertising world use their original urban creativity to sell their products. RIP Boxer

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  27. Damn! Okay Soosh, got it! Yes i've been at the stash again, it's been a long, difficult day... ;)

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  28. Sheesh. I think I'm going to hide. Oh, wait, um...

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  29. That's alright, Lynn, I made a cake for my dad's birthday yesterday and had entirely to much of it. I was allowed, though, since I made it...(that's right, right?)

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  30. Totally right, Soosh. Especially if you make me one... ;)

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  31. It is a wonderful photography, congratulations

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  32. I think the visit is approaching, isn't it? They're coming to get you, Eric and Michael. Never hide from your fans...

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  33. If I ever see you in real life I will, Lynn!

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  34. I love this photo eric! (I kind of missed it yesterday)

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  35. Bonjour, Eric. I saw that sidewalk graffiti near or on rue de Rivoli on Monday. (I'll be in your beautiful city until the end of July!) I was surprised it. I also had a thought similar to Pont Girl--I feel hidden when I wear my sunglasses.

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