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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Seven: Making time count > World’s largest dream-catcher, Meteor City, Arizona, 2006
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10-JUL-2006

World’s largest dream-catcher, Meteor City, Arizona, 2006

50,000 years ago, a meteor slammed into the desert not far from Winslow, Arizona. Tourists visiting it crater via the now abandoned Route 66 would often stop at this trading post, built in 1938. Still in business, it has the world's largest dream-catcher looming high over the speeding traffic on Interstate 40. A pair of special Route 66 flags commemorating its route from Chicago to Los Angles flanks the dream catcher. The wind roars across the open desert here with such ferocity that these flags are soon reduced to tatters. I wanted to get them to stand straight out against the rich clouds in the background. I made this image at 1/500th of a second, insuring that the flags would be frozen in mid flight.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30
1/500s f/8.0 at 32.6mm iso80 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis25-Jul-2006 17:21
Thank you, Jenene, for seeing the symbolism in the tatters along with Tim. If they were ordinary flags I would never have photographed them. But things that show the mark of time and wear are rich in potential meaning, and when you see them attached to a dreamcatcher, you can't miss.
JSWaters25-Jul-2006 14:18
The tattered, wind ravaged flags are the perfect symbol to express the hopes and dreams of the travelers, (and now tourists), who have stopped to gaze at this dreamcatcher. The flags reach out across the desert in testimony to the once colorful parade they might have flown over.
Jenene
Phil Douglis16-Jul-2006 06:48
The tattered flags are common in the desert. They remind me of cavalry guidons. Not only dreams have passed through that dream catcher -- think of all the disappointments when Route 66 fell prey to the interstate.
Tim May16-Jul-2006 05:00
I respond to tatteredness of the flags - a lot of dreams have passed through that dream catcher.
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