Two things occurred to bring together this photo:
1. I gave my husband a Nikon D40 for Christmas (actually, several family members went in with me to give it to him). I (mostly) gave him the camera because he always finds creative shots and loves playing with the settings of our simple point-and-shoot for the best picture. If he produces unusual pictures now with limited settings, I can’t wait for the photos he’ll find with all the bells and whistles. But I also gave him this because I wanted to play with it. Yes, I know. I’ve opened the door to getting an HDTV for my next birthday gift.
2. Michelle started a new photo challenge called Popinjay. I won’t spell out the details (you can see them here), but this week’s word is hope.
Now, on to the picture itself.
I chose a mailbox. At summer camp, my muscles jittered at mail call. And who doesn’t look through the stack of bills and junk mail with some semblance of hope of a real letter, or at least a Netflix DVD? Also, I wanted to get the mailbox from a child’s perspective.
You’ll notice that the mailbox is dirty, old, simple, and leaning to one side. I knew this was the perfect mailbox when I saw it. It’s not about the mailbox itself. The mailbox is the conduit for the real hope–brown paper packages tied up with string.
It’s a simple shot, but I took dozens of photos of this mailbox (because I wanted to play around with all these magical settings–in some cases my camera yelled at me, like when I tried to make it have a large aperture with bright sunlight; Too much light! it said, or something to that effect). I wonder what the neighbors thought of me as I snapped away. Stalker?
And, yes, I know you’re not supposed to take pictures into the sunlight, but I liked the bit of haze the sunlight gave the mailbox.
I love it! I think it’s exactly the juxtaposition of the old, beat up, dirty mailbox with the bright sun in the back that makes it so great.
You have a thing for mailboxes, eh? LOL Me, too.
I love the outside of the box thinking here-and the simplicity. And you’re right–I totally love going to the mailbox hoping for something good!
I hope to have such a camera one day. In the meantime I’m playing around with settings on my camera, too. I really like the character that the splash of mud adds. Knowing me, I’d have washed the mud off first and ruined it.
And it’s not ALWAYS bad to take shots while facing the sun. 
Great job.
Thanks, guys! I’m glad I have this popinjay to encourage me to learn how to use this camera.
Yeah, I definitely get the mailbox thing. I feel the same way!! Love this.
I get excited everyday when i check the mail. I’m not sure why since there usually isn’t anything too exciting, and sometimes just junk. LOL, but everyday I look forward to getting it
Great idea and photo!
Isn’t that funny? I’m the same way. But maybe it’s because it is rare that we get something of worth–a journal or movie or even a real letter–that it’s special.
I love getting packages too! Great picture!