Only Panoramic Pete would ever dream of driving a Kombi up Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain. A rugged track edging through grueling terrain, it was challenging on two feet. There was no way you’d get a Kombi further than the car park.
That didn’t stop “P.P.” from trying. After all, he couldn’t fit all of his must-have photography props into a backpack. He couldn’t photograph nature in the raw either. As his detractors smirked, he had to piss all over it. Stick nature inside a human frame, reflect it back in a mirror and that was “art”.
Then, the mirror cracked.
….
This has been another contribution to Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wishoff Fields. Every week, we write a 100 words to a photo prompt. This week’s photo prompt is © Nathan Sowers grandson of our own Dawn M. Miller.
Contrary to what I’ve implied above, I actually really like this photograph and commend the photographer. As a photographer myself, I have a swag of photography props myself and they tend to be a real pain to lug around.
I was actually going to focus on the shed in the shot, which looks very much like a shed my grandfather-in-law used to throw on the back of his truck to go tin mining around Derby, Tasmania. I don’t know how I deviated onto this farcical twist and I don’t think I want to find out.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Beyond the Flow 
One prop too far. Although a cracked mirror might make an interesting photograph too.
Interesting.
Mirror cracking means several years of bad luck…
Hope the art lives on though…
The Haunted House – Anita
The mirror cracking can’t be a good sign
like the action, the energy – and the eccentric artistic characterization
Sounds like the bad luck that’s coming his way might serve to mellow him.
Sometimes mistakes can be artistic pieces too.
P.P. seems like a man who hasn’t quite figured himself out yet. Here’s hoping he gets it right very soon 🙂
Enterprising and innovative. Nice story.
That’s a unique take.
I hope the mirror didn’t crack as the result of a very long drop in a Kombi…
P.P. sounds interesting but don’t go anywhere with him in that Kombi.
A mirror cracking is as much an accident as a window smashing, everything will be ok. Good stuff gripping
Very interesting!
But did it crack before or after he got his shot? And maybe that crack in itself is a whole different image he could portray – as the only one present, he could bullshit his way by saying it was cracked all along 😉
Thanks, Dale.
In the full-extended before cutting it back to 100 words version, his assistant threw a rock at the mirror to capture a shattered variation of the reflection, without thinking of the implications of seven years back luck. I love photographing mirror buildings and reflections in puddles etc. but perhaps I’m just warped.
xx Rowena
Thanks, Lisa.
Thank you very much.
You’re right on the money there, Jilly. He’s a bit of a worry, but perhaps your greatest concern would be getting lost in all the clutter.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Nope. Not warped. I love it too.
Ouch! No. Kombi didn’t get very far. All dreams, no practicalities, Penny.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Yes, should I be concerned?
Best wishes,
Rowena
Yes, I think he might need someone to take him under their wing and educate him a little. I think my recommendation would be to leave everything behind, including his camera, and just go for a walk and enjoy what he sees for what it is. However, as a photographer myself, I couldn’t ask him to climb Cradle Mountain without his camera. That would be too cruel.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Very much so, and a great point, Fatima. That is also a good life lesson for each of us as well because no one likes to make mistakes and to learn that something good can come out of them, can be very liberating.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Sandra, he does need to mellow out a bit, doesn’t he! It’s been interesting to read the feedback on this character. While he’s clearly far fetched, I think many of us have met at least a someone like this which takes something way too far.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Thanks very much. While P.P. seems totally far-fetched and inconceivable, there’s something that rings true about him too. I knew there was a story in the back of my head somewhere about tourists driving somewhere they shouldn’t and I just remembered. Three Japanese tourists were listening to their GPS and tried to drive to Stradbroke Island: https://www.redlandcitybulletin.com.au/story/104929/how-not-to-get-to-straddie/
Best wishes,
Rowena
No, Neil and I think P.P. needs all the help he can get.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Iain, I’d imagine a crowded street scene reflected back in a cracked mirror could look really amazing, especially in B & W with the right lighting. Quite spooky and alienating.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Well, it could have been cracking wise at the “photographer”. Commentary that didn’t have to be voiced.
Cracked mirror=bad luck. Not looking good for PP. Love the name, Panoramic Pete. Wasn’t sure how literally you meant the terms “in the raw” (naked?) or “piss all over it,” but sounds like an adventurous guy, getting a little more adventure than he bargained for.
I’m Australian and a bit of Aussie slang found its way into my contribution this week. The idea was that he couldn’t leave nature in its natural state. rather, he had to put his stamp on it, using his props, for his photographs. He’s also quite like a dog pissing everywhere to show their territory. Sometimes, I’m quite surprised my dog doesn’t dehydrate completely on our walks.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Thanks for your reply – but I did want to mention that our of all the blogs I follow, your comment section is the toughest to follow. Maybe because it it not threaded? Not sure, but it is tough tot ell who you are replying to – IMHO
Thanks for the clarification. I feel edified. 😊
I have heard photographers talk about this… especially from remote places… maybe that’s part of the challenge to optimize your equipment.
That’s great. There’s plenty more where that came from and my vocabulary is fairly mild-mannered. The Australian Batchelor is on atm and he uses a lot of Australian rhyming slang. I found this link which really is diving in the deep end, but is a lot of fun: http://ozwords.org/?p=6239
Best wishes,
Rowena
Very entertaining article! Its so fun to see how English morphs, depending on who is speaking it. Or butchering it, depending on your perspective ( definitely not my perspective!). Two ( or three, or twenty)nations divided by a common language…
PP sounds like a wonderful eccentric artist who would do anything for his craft. The broken mirror sounds very intriguing and hints at a deeper story. A very enjoyable read! =)
Not at all, never 🙂