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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Sixty One: Signs as symbols > Please wait, St. Barts, French West Indies, 2011
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01-JAN-2011

Please wait, St. Barts, French West Indies, 2011

In this day of cellular communication, the old pay phone is rapidly vanishing from sight. But on this remote Caribbean island, not everyone’s cell phone works, and this vividly blue pay phone stands ready to help to those willing and able to follow complex instructions. I moved in on the instructional signage to stress those complexities. I put the viewer in the shoes of someone trying to make a call. The key to it all is finding the “instruction” button we are supposed to press somewhere within this barrage of signage. Hint: it seems to be half-hidden under the curling label.

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1/250s f/2.8 at 5.1mm iso80 full exif

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Phil Douglis16-Jan-2011 19:17
This would also be a good fit for my incongruity gallery, Iris -- your comment tells us why.
Iris Maybloom (irislm)16-Jan-2011 17:31
By the time I'd finish reading the instructions, I'd probably forget the purpose for my call. Very amusing image, Phil.
Phil Douglis14-Jan-2011 23:43
I'm glad you enjoyed this image, Celia, as much as I enjoyed making it. It is a classic example of overkill, a barrage of directions that obscure as much as inform.
Cecilia Lim14-Jan-2011 23:14
This image is hilarious. Everything is shouting for attention and all the various instructions do anything but guide the user effectively! Maybe they need to put up some instructions on how to interpret the instructions!
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