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Coke Machine

Somehow, I think this image almost cries out for captioned conversation…or cartoon-style talk bubbles above the boy at the left and
the man…perhaps a “thought bubble” above the lad with his back to the camera…and maybe a bold “Whack!” or “Bam!” from that
disembodied arm trying to “coax” the Coke machine into providing what his 35 cents entitled the boy attached to it on this hot summer day.

35 cents! Now, you just know this photo was taken a few decades ago!

Well, feel free to supply your own “bubbles” and sound effects ;-)

The image was originally captured on Kodachrome-64 slide film,
but I decided this timeless slice of summertime Americana worked best
in this warm toned black and white rendition.

I hope this little visit serves as a “pause that refreshes.”

©1981/2012 Steve Ember

Comments 9

  • Maud Morell 14/10/2012 23:04

    Die Szene ,die Tonung ,FANTASTISCH!
    LG von Maud
  • s. sabine krause 02/07/2012 19:27

    1981?? could very well be a lot earlier judging from your nostalgic rendering. love the "small town" look achieved by it! 1981, beginning of the reagan years: "america's real choice!" – not reagan, coke, i mean, as their 1985 slogan claims*. today it's "open happiness!" and if everything went well, if he lived "on the coke side of life" ("pure as sunlight"!), that is, the boy in the picture will probably have reached the age of the smiling man by now, who in turn, i'm afraid, will either dead or very old! "coca cola revives and sustains" and yes, i do agree, it "adds life", but even after all this time i'm sure it hasn't found a cure for mortality yet ; ))) – – great eternalization of "america's favorite moment", steve! ; ))) greetings, sabine. p.s.: note that the boy is well ahead of his time (the 80s!) fashionwise: only a decade later teenagers will be wearing sagging pants with visible underwear… ; ))

    *http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_slogans
  • Samography 26/06/2012 9:53

    good process, like it

    Sam
  • Silvana W. 21/06/2012 0:29

    Very good moment for this shot ****..A great expressive faces**.Excellent edition*
    BW
  • AnnyMae 17/06/2012 15:58

    ... sehr klasse ist das geworden - viele Grüße, Andrea
  • FlugWerk 17/06/2012 14:07

    All guys loves Coke, the youngest and the older one....nice street pic. Rgds Tina
  • Konstantinos Papazoglou 17/06/2012 11:30

    Fantastic shot & excellent thinking for the black and white.
  • Petra I. Henning 16/06/2012 22:27

    Outstanding !!!
    I like it very much ...
    Kind regards
    Petra
  • David H Thomas 16/06/2012 21:45

    wonderful image

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