I was on my way to Montpelier, VT when I chanced by a lot full of dumpsters in Lancaster, NH. I didn’t have a lot of time, but I grabbed some shots of what I think was the most beautiful dumpster that I had ever seen. Every section had something interesting going on, and with some amazing color! it was early spring and the receding snow had left sand deposits caught by the rust. It was a photographic jackpot!
I went back at a later date to take more time to reshoot it, but it was gone! So, having traveled so far, decided to shoot what was still there. I set up my tripod and was shooting another interesting dumpster, when I heard someone say: “What are you doing?!” I turned and saw a man standing with his hands on his hips. I replied that I was taking a picture of a dumpster (which was pretty obvious) … then added that that he probably really wanted to ask why was I taking a picture of a dumpster? He nodded, still puzzled, and asked if it was his dumpster. He affirmed that it was, and then I asked him to come over and take a look through the viewfinder, which he did, at which point he said: Oh, cool!” or something to that effect. “exactly” I said, “and if you blow this up & put it on a wall .. and don’t know it is a dumpster: way cool!”
Then I asked him what happened to the other dumpster … and my worst fears were confirmed; he told me that he had gotten rid of it. But how do you throw out a dumpster? Have you ever tried to throw out a bad trash can? ….. they keep leaving it, because it is the trash can! It turns out he sold it for scrap as it was too decrepit and unsightly (which is not easy for a dumpster) to be of use; an embarrassment to his fleet. A shame, I thought it was just getting good!