23 Comments
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Graham Vincent's avatar

I'm an enormous Dirk Bogarde fan, and this scene from his film "The Servant" makes one thing clear: there is no such thing as a private telephone call in a public telephone kiosk. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDD98EaFYow&pp=ygUoZGlyayBib2dhcmRlIG9uIHRoZSBwaG9uZSBpbiB0aGUgc2VydmFudA%3D%3D)

When I mutter to myself at work, people ask, "Who are you talking to? Are you talking to yourself?" I reply, "Yes. I'm the only person I can get a coherent answer from."

When people walk down the street blaring their conversation into the ether, I say to them, "What did you say?" and they reply, "Not talking to you, goff!"

Which only goes to prove my point.

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Richard Partridge's avatar

Love it ... I'm often found talking to myself ...

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gery's avatar

This series is an ode to durability. "That existential sinking feeling..." is a strong combo of image and words.

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Richard Partridge's avatar

Thank you Gery!

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Paul Morgan's avatar

Great little project - they are almost invisible now despite still being there.

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Richard Partridge's avatar

Thanks! There are fewer and fewer - I think you imagine them everywhere, yet the truth is they are disappearing...

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Richard Partridge's avatar

I fear they may get their way ... what will I photograph then?!

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Daniel Appleton's avatar

Someone should have a museum of devices that are obsolete - rotary phones, typewriters - both manual and electric, adding machines, old cameras, PENCIL SHARPENERS. The list goes on and on. Betamax, laser discs.....

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Graham Vincent's avatar

EXCUSE ME! They may be obsolete with you. They're daily fare with me.

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Brian's avatar

Nice pictures. Sometimes we forget to reflect on how things constantly change. You know the other day I saw some shorts on "Everything from the 90s". Shows, products, etc. I thought how crazy it is that so much has come to pass. Thanks for sharing!

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Richard Partridge's avatar

Thank you - today's greatest thing is tomorrow's landfill

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MAL's avatar

“It’s a matter of time”, your headline hit me like a ton of bricks, especially after receiving my cancer diagnosis. I’m good though, and so ready for Heaven, to see My Lord & Savior, along with my beloved bride. Hope to see you there I pray, in Jesus’s name, Amen…🙏😇✝️💜

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Richard Partridge's avatar

I'm so sorry to hear this MAL - I hope things go as well as they can for you

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Björn Bremer's avatar

What a great concept 310 is. Great photos and fitting sentences.

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Richard Partridge's avatar

Thank you Björn - it's something I've done a while now.

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Daniel Graham's avatar

Great series! This one is around the corner from me. Thought it was a great idea, with bonus points for highlighting a real issue for our built heritage here. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/good-call-disused-belfast-phone-box-now-micro-exhibition-space-with-a-message/a1387491010.html

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Richard Partridge's avatar

Thank you Daniel - very interesting idea and great to see a phonebox being used to give a message

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Daniel Graham's avatar

Yeah, pretty neat. I’ve seen a few in the country converted to small libraries as well, which is nice.

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Daniel Appleton's avatar

There was a series about a shop in San Francisco that had curiosities & antiques. They had a GINORMOUS blueprint table with a large lamp used in making them. I would've loved to have seen it myself. This thing likely needed a room of its own.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

In Japan we still have plenty of nice, fully functioning, non-vandalized pay phones. I only got myself a mobile last year, but I still carry a couple of telephone cards with me, just in case. When a big earthquake strikes, the mobile lines are the first to go.

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Graham Vincent's avatar

I think the Prince Harry James Dean is inspired.

They're all filthy. But if you put anything in a public place and don't clean it, it'll get filthy. If you place a heavy object on the pavement and it subsides, then put the bloody thing right. If it gets graffitied, repaint it. If someone puts posters on it, take them off. I sigh when I see things like the typescript on the Manchester box. "Do come in, we are so seductively friendly: here, you can make your telephone call, and we do hope you enjoy your experience with us today. And, if the phone is fucked, please do not piss in the corner."

Does it occur to the privatised phone company that people break phones when they don't work properly, or that they don't work properly when they're not maintained? Does it occur to the privatised phone company that when they provide a rank service, people treat their phone kiosks with rank disregard? They put these things where they are not because they want to (I wonder if any phone kiosk ever recouped the investment of placing it in the street) but because they're required to. And the state they get into we regard as a reflection of us, of our society. Whereas it's a reflection of the privatised phone company. Never more so than today.

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Davor Katusic's avatar

Beautiful motifs. I also like the format with your short sentences.

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