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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Twenty Four: The Workplace -- essence of a culture > Pilot, Astoria, Oregon, 2009
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22-JUN-2009

Pilot, Astoria, Oregon, 2009

The sign on the boat provides workplace context for the man coming down the ladder here. The image uses color to bring it to life – the reds and yellows of the ladder, the red shirt, and the world of brown and green awaiting the pilot energize the image. Even the old tires acting as bumpers on the boat add a bit of red and black, echoing the colors of the man’s shirt. We don’t see his face, but see his effort, and we know where he is headed.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1
1/250s f/5.6 at 200.0mm iso400 full exif

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Phil Douglis06-Jul-2009 19:28
Thanks, Rose, for the additional context on this kind of job. If he makes $400,000 a year as a harbor pilot, he can afford to wear a different can of WD40 every day.
sunlightpix06-Jul-2009 04:42
In the days of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), river pilot was a high status and high paying job requiring a vast amount of knowledge of rivers, tides, sandbars, and seamanship. Today in the Bay Area, experienced harbor pilots can make up to $400k/year. He looks like a busy man, no time to sit down, and if he does, the can of WD40 will get in the way.
Phil Douglis05-Jul-2009 21:07
Amazing, Tim. You always find details that others overlook. Thanks for pointing out the familiar shape of the DW40 can in his back pocket. It certainly humanizes him. Even though we can't see his expression, we know he comes to work well prepared.
Tim May05-Jul-2009 20:51
As one who notices detail the DW40 sticking out of his back pocket is the icing on the cake in this image. What workman can go to work without his DW40?
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