More aimless rambling around with a 35mm lens and a rangefinder camera. Composing loosely...

It was gray and cold this morning but of course swim practice was still packed with people. There was a father and daughter in attendance together. He swam in lane one while she swam fast in lane six. There was the solitary engineer who, today, had a lane all to himself. Just luck of the draw. The mountain climbing, marathon running, sixty year old lawyer was leading his lane with a retired investor in tow. And lots more of the usual subjects. Ice on windshields isn't a deterrent. Locker rooms with broken heaters don't slow anyone down. The coach roamed the deck swaddled in extra layers of clothing and covered with a swim parka. Steam poured off the surface of the water like heavy fog on a movie set. The two women in my lane were already diligently pounding out the warm-up laps when I got in. It was glorious. 

Tomorrow the same basic crew will show up and do this all over again. And it will be fun, satisfying and life affirming, all over again. Then, at noon we'll converge on the house of one of our lane mates for a baby shower being held for a couple that's been swimming with us, in the earlier practice, for years. It will be a fun, warm, happy event and will serve to bond all of us just a little closer together. Which is a good thing. The most important thing I've found in life is to just show up... And share. 

Below is a continuing series of images I've been making showcasing the amazing transformation of South Congress. Once a port of call for druggies and the customers of prostitutes it's now one of the hip shopping Meccas of Austin. Shops selling $600 cowboy hats, $2,000 cowboy boots, and various other lux products at Hermés and other trendy boutiques. No camera shops on S. Congress. Such a pity.

The "passagio" is the thing. Up one side of the street past art galleries and fashion eyewear shops, down the other side past trendy hotels, restaurants and slow fashion clothing stores. Locals and big names. 

Why do I photograph there? Because it all started with strictly local shops and services. The lovely and very bohemian Hotel San Jose. Jo's Coffee Shop. Paperworks. Lucy in Disguise (now gone but once the premier costume shop in town. Every film maker used their services at some point). Hopdoddy Burgers, Taco Deli, Hudson's Meat Packers and, of course, the pool and lounge at the ancient Austin Motel. It was historic. But it's slowly succumbing to the homogenization inflicted by national brands eager to get (more than) their share of the revenue pie. Over time my photos are a stop action reference of the inevitable transformation from "highly local" to just another upscale outside shopping mall. Which will then decay in its own way as customers tire of the sameness and move on to the next thing. But it would be nice to remember the earlier days. The whole reason for the existence of the space. 

On a different note, it's also fun to see friends with and without cameras, having coffee arguing about how radical the changes are to the ten block area. Arguing about the best ways to capture it. And arguing about the differences of opinions as they relate to street photography. Me? I just like seeing people enjoying life and being out in the mix. It's in its own way....life affirming. Life goes on. It changes but it continues. We get a small slice so it's a good thing to really immerse yourself in it and savor the good stuff. I think that's the whole point....

Austin Photographer bundled to the max to withstand the onslaught of 32° weather.....

Not minus 32°. Just 32°

proof that we really did have snow.

An outdoor corridor at my favorite hotel that I've never actually stayed at:

The Hotel San José. It basically anchored the re-birth of the Avenue. 

And I consider their central courtyard the best outdoor bar in town. 

a detail of the pool at the Hotel San José. Very small but very civilized.

I have no idea what this ball structure hanging off the front of Home Slice Pizza is

all about. A 1950's throwback to the rise of the space age? Or just meaningless exterior lighting?

Torchy's Tacos. Started in Austin and now spreading like a virus. 

Good breakfast tacos. Mediocre coffee. Fun architecture.

the rear of Torchy's.

Maufrais. My favorite hat shop at which I've never purchased anything...yet.

But so much fun to browse at and so very nicely merchandized.

And, as usual, the mannequin army is at the center of the shopping nexus.

It's important to remember that taking photographs should first be fun. 

Only secondarily should it have an alternate purpose. 

And only occasionally should it be taken seriously.