July 27, 2017- Learning, and storytelling

July 27, 2017

Today I watched a video with Pedro Meyer, that I was able to pull off my Lomography FB feed.  I found it very interesting, but disagree with having to necessarily change by the times, shoot digital, etc.  While the 15 minute interview was happening, there would be pictures shown on the video--beautiful black and white photos that TELL A STORY. What I got from the video was once we move from being 'photographers' to STORYTELLERS--that's when our photos start to change and take shape.  What used to take 30 years to publish now takes 30 seconds.  But what caught my attention was the street photography-esque way the pics were taken, the paradoxes, the simple, the 'this is MY STORY; this is how I WANT TO REMEMBER, my diary, what I see--not necessarily for others, but my visual account of they way I see things.  I really liked watching that video today.  I really like shooting from the hip, even if it does seem a little creepy to some. I really like developing my own film, too, but don't mind shooting digital when the situation is right for it.  Film just has some kind of feeling to me, I guess. 

With that, and recent travels, we went to Bands on the Beach (Pensacola Beach) on Tuesday night. I'd been tired of sitting on the tablet, while the wife binge-watched videos on her tablet.  We have been sitting like robots lately, backs and knees crackling and popping when we moved from our comfortable couches and recliners.  I had to get out.  Had to go.  Had to move.  

Jen went with me. We drove our beach cruisers out to the beach, parked at Quietwater and rode. The weather was perfect--lower humidity during this time of day, a sun setting with the occasional wisp of wind here and there.  We rode almost 9 miles that night, down the Avenidas to the UFO house, which is where I wanted to get the photo under setting skies.  I took this and used a couple of filters in Lightroom as a cross-process, and it turned out pretty neat.  I'm still waiting to see how it turned out on my XA2, and my MJUii with both B/W and Superia 200 color films--but we'll have to wait on those.  

lunar lander #UFOHouse #PensacolaBeach #iconic #historic

As the sun started to set and dusk rolled in (not a beach cruisers best friend on a beach with multiple imbibing people) we decided to get to the show, stop at the local beer store and grab a sixer.  

It wasn't until we found a grassy area, literally, and hung out to listen to the Modern Eldorados play covers from the 50's and 60's.  I have to say, they were pretty good. 

There was this guy....appropriate.

Dick U 

People were dancing and having an all-around good time, but my eyes were working on the people near me, and what pics I could sneak. This one was my favorite..taken with my Canon EosM 22mm lens set to AV.

Community

--it's just too impractical to take a manual lens with you for street--the auto-focus and stealth has to be there and not so obvious. Of course, I could have photoshopped the palm trees out, made it pretty to view, but doesn't that take away from the feeling of the moment?  Too much perfection out there--I like the busyness of the moment here.  (in photoshop's defense, I did straighten it a little bit--just a wee bit :))

This was my story for the evening.  No pretty sunsets, no portraiture, just life--happening before my eyes, and capturing what I'm starting to love.  This is my story.  I'm the story-teller here.  Make of it what you want. This might just be my path.