Most photographed barn in America

Here's a fascinating deconstructionist image.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffclow/243836982/sizes/l/

The "most photographed barn in America."  Rather than lining up the classic shot, however, this photographer stood back a little bit and took a picture of the photographers taking the picture.

I do wonder, sometimes, what value would-be amateur (or even semi-professional or professional) photographers see in taking the same picture that you can already find in a million subtle variations.  Sure, you can get an image with an early morning storm breaking in the sky.  Or one with a small herd of bison or pronghorns in front of it.

Or change the angle.  Get a wide shot with the little stand of trees off to the side and foreground of sagebrush.

But no, most people just take the classic shot, from the classic angle, and the classic field of view.  Although I admit to being kinda a sucker for the image myself, I don't need to take a camera and go take my own.  Given that I can download about a bazillion of them anytime I want online, I'd rather try and do something a little bit new with my camera at Moulton Barn.

But it strikes me as a little bit unusual that there's a drive amongst most of us most of the time to have our own version of it.  To take our own Moulton Barn picture.  Even if it's exactly the same as everyone else's.

I actually have vague plans to make it out to the Tetons in the next couple of years.  My parents have had the tradition of taking my kids each, when they're about 12, or going on 13, on a trip with just them and me to go see something fun, create some memories, and allow them to do something that they probably otherwise wouldn't.  Given that they're my parents, they've so far done things similar to what we did when we were kids, that is, go to a national park or something like that, and hang around taking pictures, doing some light hikes (and getting lighter as my parents get older), eating some fun local food, and admiring scenery.  My oldest son and I went to Big Bend National Park about 4-5 years ago, and my daughter and I went to Glacier National Park two years ago.  Now my two younger kids (who are 11 and 9, so not that far away) have expectations!  My next son, Alex, is fascinated with the Rocky Mountains, and has declared that that's the only destination that will do.  For some reason (probably at my unintentional suggestion) he's decided that the Tetons are the most iconic Rocky Mountains that there are, so that's where he wants to go.  I mentioned that to my folks kinda as a joke, but they actually thought Tetons and Yellowstone might be a really fun place to go.

So, with any luck, that's what we'll do.  If not, it's been an ambition of mine to go to Grand Teton National Park since I was a kid, and I'll make it in a few years anyway--once I can find the time to do it.