One postcard that always made me smirk was of my own town: Idaho Falls.
You see, in this picture you have the LDS Temple towering above the falls which gives the city it's name. Idaho FALLS, get it?
Well, I have walked along the Snake River many times, and I was never able to get this angle during my walks. The temple centered on the corner of the falls, as big and prominent as it is.
To prove my point, I took my camera down to the river and tried to line up the shot. First with the temple as the center, but after a few attempts, I just lined up the waterfall on the spot of the river this postcard was taken.
This was my result:
A slightly different angle, but the best one I could muster without going into the fast-moving river.
Even then, look at the size of the temple in A vs B.
...can you say photoshopping?
I understand the intent, since the Mormon Temple is considered (by some) to be a point of interest in this small town. This postcard says to me "The falls and the temple are the two major things to see in Idaho Falls."
Well, I disagree. I decided to remove the temple and do some shopping myself...
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| Not my best work, but you get the idea... |
From miles away, the first thing you see letting you know you're in IF is the red white and blue water tower. Even though the temple is taller, many people see the water tower from a distance first. It also seems like, no matter where you are in town, you can almost always see this tower. Not a tourist attraction, but it reminds me more of Idaho Falls than the temple (especially since there are temples everywhere, and this tower is more unique).
Another fun landmark in this town? DB's Bar.
Yes, a bar on a river looks silly, but I go to this bar more often than I do the Mormon temple (durr) so it's more significant to me.
Have you ever looked closely at the post cards in your area? Are they factually accurate, or has there been some photoshop shenanigans?
19 witty retorts:
The DB's Bar postcard makes me want to visit. A bar on the river looks awesomely dangerous. I'd love to get there at midnight, have a beer (no more), nurse it, and watch super drunk people take an impromptu swim.
Do they still make "____ After Dark" postcards where it's all black except the words?
Haha! I love the water tower one!
Never paid too much attention, although I often notice that the colours have been enhanced. And by the way, the colours in your picture are much nicer than the original postcard. Seems like that would have been the first thing they altered.
@Pickleope: Actually, that's my favorite type of postcard. I often use that trick for sexting too. "My penis after dark" with just a black screen...
I am totally adding the falls to any and all of my pictures. lol.
That bar looks good by the falls! Good job!
I now have a task! Trying to reproduce the postcards of Arkansas. I bet there is so much photoshopping. While our state is beautiful and our monicker is the "natural" state. We have no protection laws for plant life, so developers just clear cut for cookie cutter houses that are overpriced all the time. We won't be "natural" much longer.
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Actually the water tower looks great! Let's see, I went to Idaho this summer...where did I go? Ummm...an old tiny town called Wallace, Lake Couer D'lene and I know I probably misspelled it and the Hiawatha Trail (oh, yeah!).
I failed to pick up a postcard. Oh, well, just send me the one with the water tower.
@CYW: If you ever make it back to Northern Idaho, go to the Wolf Creek Lodge on Lake CD'A. You will not be disappointed...
I think I may start making my own postcards. "Hello from Idaho": Some scenic, some gorgeous, and some just plane absurd.
Thoughts??
I love it!!! When I was there I actually was forced to buy post cards from another part of Idaho that just said- Idaho- on them because I refused to purchase anything with a mormon temple on it.
And you are right- every single card that I came across from Idaho Falls has the temple on it somewhere. I liked the water -tower one....tooo funny!
I do like the bar. Haha. Great :)
PLUS.. I reeeeeeeally want a giant hedgehog now.
lol, now I think I will have to pay a little more attention. I love post cards :)
I actually think your photo of the LDS temple looks better!
Your post cards are far more interesting. As usual, I think you are on to something there. Have a grat week!
you should play a prank on where the postcards are sold...get some of yours printed and pop them on the stand for the tourists to chose which they prefer.
I loved your second postcard better than the postcard one.
I prefer my loved one to send me a picture of place with them in picture. Atleast their thumb, yep a personal touch. Not that it really gives me proof that they are really there, in this age of photoshop you can never say.
A fat guy can send a picture as a soldeir with Osama sitting next to him from a bar down in the hood. :)
Here in Ft. Walton Beach, FL we have a bar that is right on one of the channels from the Gulf. Ppl pull up in their boats all the time. Have originally been from MI, the idea of an outside bar, on the water intrigued me. It's now my favorite bar.
I like your picture of the temple with the fall better. However the bar on the falls is brilliance.
This is hilarious. I'm going to start double checking now haha!
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