I like to keep up with friends. My friend Anne used to be one of my assistants back in the 1990s. She graduated into being a wedding photographer (not my fault!) and then she realized that a real job with a salary and benefits was preferable and she became a nurse. We check in with each other about once a month. Always over coffee. And our "coffee klatches" are mostly capped with a walk around whatever area we found our coffee in.
Since Anne and I have such a long history together (and probably since she is a nurse with a master's degree) her first questions always seem to be about my health. I gave her a good report on Saturday and we moved on to other subjects. Mostly about art, music, the declining quality of coffee out in the wild and the need to stay in motion as much as possible.
We did talk for a moment about film photography and she told me that she's never sold any of her film cameras. The Hasselblad she used for weddings, the Leicas she used for personal work and the Canons she also used for weddings are all still waiting patiently for her in a closet in her house. Well done, considering the resurgent popularity of top line film gear.
After having coffee at the very crowded packed Radio Coffee house and gardens we decided to ramble around a neighborhood, just adjacent, that neither of us was at all familiar with. In a few blocks we stumbled into a beautifully landscaped little collection of modest mid-century houses that had been transformed into a private, primary school called, "Habibi's Hutch." We had both heard of the school for years. They are known to be very "art forward" with their students and relatively without borders when it comes to each individual student's curriculum. And boy oh boy, it's apparent that art class is a top priority for many there.
I had a blast walking along the fence line making photographs of the student art hanging on the fence wires. The colors were vibrant and saturated with little help from me or my post processing. I was using the Leica SL2 camera and the Voigtlander 40mm. I seem to have a crush on that lens this week.
I can hardly wait to go back again and photograph more of the art work. I didn't want to truncate the walk on Saturday. But the universe is pretty good at rewarding folks who take the time to get out and walk through the world. Especially if they also bring along their cameras.
Be sure to click on the images and make them big. They are fun. Children's art always reminds me that not being too serious all the time makes being creative a lot easier!!! B thinks the secret of any creative success I've had is my immaturity. In fact, one of my coaches told me he thinks I have: M.D.D. = Maturity Deficit Disorder. This, he believes is why I like to swim fast, play around a bit at practice and smile more than I frown. Maybe he's right. Maybe more people should catch it. I wonder if immaturity is contagious? I hope so. There are way too many people walking around with a stick up their butts.... (four ellipses alert!!!)....
4 comments:
Bon sang, les couleurs sont à tomber par terre.
Kid art is so free from "rules"! I love it!
Do I hear a bit of film nostalgia creeping in??? ...
Nope. No film nostalgia. Not in the least. Never ... .. .... Well, maybe if David sells me his F4 I'll have a go with a roll or two. You know. For old time's sake. . . .
I take my F5 for a walk every now and then. It appreciates it. The F and the F2 whine a lot so they get to play too. All three cameras are going to outlast any digital camera I ever buy. Which is actually pretty irrelevant. I'm a sucker for well engineered and built mechanical devices. Which also include watches. Mechanical things are so much more fondable than electronic doodads.
Eric
Post a Comment
We Moderate Comments, Yours might not appear right after you hit return. Be patient; I'm usually pretty quick on getting comments up there. Try not to hit return again and again.... If you disagree with something I've written please do so civilly. Be nice or see your comments fly into the void. Anonymous posters are not given special privileges or dispensation. If technology alone requires you to be anonymous your comments will likely pass through moderation if you "sign" them. A new note: Don't tell me how to write or how to blog! I can't make you comment but I don't want to wade through spam!
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.