Thursday, December 01, 2011

Beat That Bugger-Lugs

If you have been following the on-line fraternal battle between the Burnett Boys this week, you will know what to expect. It all started when I published a recent picture of Halifax Market last Sunday. On his Sculpture Studio Blog, my brother responded by publishing a sketch of the same market he had done a number of years ago. Not to be beaten, I then published a photograph of the same scene I had taken some 45 years ago. With that, I should have won : but could my brother leave it there and accept defeat, no way. So he then published a post describing how he had conceived a plan to move the town of Sowerby Bridge in order to avoid a busy road and how he had designed a new market - a kind of "linear Crystal Palace" - to occupy the newly opened river bank. He ended the post with the following words: "Now dear brother, if you can come up with a compilation photograph to illustrate my scheme, you’ve won!" So, no guessing where I was this morning - and here is the result.


You see, dear boy, the photographer can always beat the conceptual artist - we have the ability to translate vague ideas into reality. As a final example of my point, as I wandered around those back streets of Sowerby Bridge I came across a bronze statue. Very pleasant in its own way, but how much better as a two-dimensional photograph.

The Lock Keeper, Sowerby Bridge. By Roger Burnett

23 comments:

  1. Entertaining battle this week!

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  2. This post is proof of the strong creative streak, shared by the Burnett brothers.

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  3. Reminds me of the battle between Al Capp and one of his mentors that lasted for years.

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  4. This is so great. The challenges are all to our benefit. I like the sculptures and the river scene.

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  5. There is nothing like a challenge to make us do our best in life. Especially from a sibling.

    I like the "Lock Keeper". A lot.

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  6. Oh I love a good battle when they are filled with such good sport!...and it's so rewarding for us to view all these goodies...the statues are just prefectly stunning, and quite realistic of stepping back and just taking a real live moment into their lives....very enriching indeed...I say A++++++++++++ to both! Very well done!

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  7. I'm just getting in on this and it is great fun! Excellent work, Alan! Your brother threw down quite a gauntlet and I think you just smacked him in the face with it!

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  8. Ah, sibling rivalry. I remember it well.

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  9. A good try and if only you’d have got your correct bearings you'd have won. You’ve put it on the north bank of the river, whereas it should be on the south. But as with lightening, let’s say it was a bit of both - fork and sheet.

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  10. Roger : That's just typical of you : changing the rules half way through just so you won't lose!

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  11. Alan, you ok? Because I KNOW people ... -J

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  12. No it's not. Yes it is. No it's not....

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  13. Trust me to be away from my computer on a week when I could have been following a feud! RATS!!

    I love the statue! Is that really one of Roger's?

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  14. A work of genius, nonetheless. And fork and sheet? I remember that!

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  15. Now now children, stop squabbling and eat your greens.

    And, hurry up I'm looking forward to the next battle.

    Mike

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  16. You two boys are a hoot and a holler, whatever the holler is. Love your bantering back and forth. Some great photos and sketches.
    QMM

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  17. This bantering makes for great blogging! Whatever will the two of you get up to next?

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  18. And we are the beneficiaries of this battle -- well done, Burnett Bros.!

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  19. haha...I'm loving this!

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  20. Who wins in the end is anyone's guess.

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  21. Amazing battle of two titans of the blogosphere!!!
    All your family members are artist? result!!!

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  22. Oh go on - we know you’re proud of him really. Otherwise, why show that wonderful lock-keeper statue? It’s funny how, even at our age, we find it hard not to rise to the challenge of sibling rivalry. I still bicker with my brother, who is eight years older than me.

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  23. keep battling..I love the banter..I say so far it is a draw:)

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