Flowery Crown, St. Peters Port, Guernsey, UK, 2004 photo

Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Two: Travel Incongruities > Flowery Crown, St. Peters Port, Guernsey, UK, 2004

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28-AUG-2004

Flowery Crown, St. Peters Port, Guernsey, UK, 2004

Why is this French policeman (or soldier?) hiding behind a basket of flowers in a British town? Actually, this face adorns the side of a local pub. The flowers spill over it from a balcony. I had to move my camera position until that hanging tendril curved just below the eye, not over it or next to it, in order to create this whimsically incongruous juxtaposition. As for the answer to that question, it might have something to do with the fact that Guernsey, a dependency of the British Crown, is an island in the English Channel, just a few miles from the French Coast.

Canon PowerShot G5
1/250s f/4.0 at 28.8mm hide exif

Full EXIF Info
Date/Time	28-Aug-2004 14:19:55
Make	Canon
Model	PowerShot G5
Flash Used	No
Focal Length	28.8 mm
Exposure Time	1/250 sec
Aperture	f/4
ISO Equivalent
Exposure Bias
White Balance	(-1)
Metering Mode	multi spot (3)
JPEG Quality	(6)
Exposure Program
Focus Distance

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Guest		22-Dec-2004 01:49
Anyway, it does give me the sence of peace prevailing on war in a certain way.

Phil Douglis		22-Dec-2004 01:41
Thanks, Mikel. It really does not matter that much how or why a sign featuring either a French gendarme or military officer appears on this tiny English island just off the French coast, but it did matter to me that his hat was dripping in flowers while he apparently takes no notice. History aside, incongruity is what this picture is all about.

Guest		21-Dec-2004 23:41
Peace brothers! ;) I wold say, like in the 'carnation revolution' of portugal were the demonstrators put flowers in the rifles of the military, in this case they put a full bunch of flowers on their hat. ;) In any case, I am sure that these people trade and have alot of relation with france, specialy now that the UE market makes trading between the countries without taxes, and the truth, france is expensive compared to here in Barcelona, but not as much as england. On the other hand, I can imagine that Napolion Bonaparte in the 19th century had this island as a logistical place for invading england with the fiasco of the Waterloo battle, and long before that, probably it was a French island, but since british entered in france some centuries ago from the times of the Blak Kight to Jean d'Arch, and probably this is wat remained of those times though peope perhaps haven't lost their identeties, or not all the way. Don't know, these are all theories to understand why the french 'gendarme' is in a pub, perhaps I am 100% wrong though. Any way, it is a funny incongruent picture

Guest		01-Dec-2004 19:40
a fun composition too. seems that the agent went flowery.

Phil Douglis		07-Nov-2004 23:46
You refer here to my explanation of Guernsey's status as a dependency of the British crown. That is just another way to say that Guernsey is protected by England, but it has its own money, its own government, and its own laws.

Phil Douglis		07-Nov-2004 23:29
I enjoyed this journey this image takes you on as well, Nut. The answer to your question rests in the histories of France and England. In medieval times, there was a country known as the Dukedom of Normandy. It covered much of what now is both France and England, including these small islands, called the Channel Islands, of which Guernsey is a part. Today, France and England are separate countries. The Dukedom of Normandy is no more. So these islands are the last remnants of it. So yes, it is incongruent to have a piece of England just a few miles from France. And the island of Guernsey looks and feels as it was a part of France.

nut		07-Nov-2004 16:29
Below Frence, but Indenpendent, this is an bstract incongruity. "Independent-Dependent"

nut		07-Nov-2004 15:33
This is the incongruous photograph in term of abstract. The position of a basket of flowers compared with a French policeman (maybe French navy) is represent the real position between Guernsey and Cap de la Hague of French. But the most wonderis about situation of Guernsey. This give me feel more about an abstract incongruity. Guernsey island is near to France than England. How come this island is belong to England.

Phil Douglis		01-Nov-2004 17:40
Nut, you are giving us all a geography lesson here. Glad this picture started that train of thought. Phil

nut		01-Nov-2004 11:19
A basket of flowers is represent the Guernsey island. Flowery crown on your title is the dependency of Guernsey island. French policeman is represent French coast. Position and gap between a basket of flowers and a French policeman is represent geography of Guernsey island compare with French and situaltion of Guernsey island too.

Phil Douglis		25-Sep-2004 23:55
You and I have the same twisted sense of humor, Bruce!

Guest		25-Sep-2004 17:15
It is funny - and made me laugh. Authority and strength, softened by the wild whimsical tendrils of nature.

Phil Douglis		19-Sep-2004 00:23
How did I know this would grab your fancy, Tim? Because it has your sense of wit written all over it, that's why. Flowers from beneath his hat, indeed! Yes, it is a picture that spoofs authority. The incongruous juxtaposition jumped out at me. It was simply a matter of getting those tendrils in the right spot by shifting my vantage point ever so carefully.

Tim May		19-Sep-2004 00:17
This is, for me, a picture of imagination and day dreaming. The usually dour gendarme is smiling because of his thoughts which erupt like flowers from beneath his hat.

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