Bourbon Street Jazz

In 2002 I was at a loss as to what to do for vacation. The usual week of heading down the Jersey shore with friends (commonly referred to as “Abuse your body week”) hadn’t panned out. So, on a whim I decided to visit somewhere that I had always wanted to shoot. That day I booked a ticket and hotel in New Orleans. Initially I tried to stay away from Bourbon Street. One of the first things I do when arriving in a place is to ask a local where they hang out. “Not Bourbon Street” was pretty much the consensus. So I visited the Garden District, the above ground cemeteries, and even found myself on an airboat in the middle of the swamp. My hotel was right in the middle of the French Quarter so I couldn’t avoid Bourbon Street for long so one night I set out, camera in hand. Bourbon Street is usually dead during the day and comes alive at night. So, with high speed film and no flash I started walking. It’s actually a fun place to be after dark (albeit tacky in places). There is an energy there that I have only found in London and New York. I saw the band playing in this bar and knew I wanted a shot from outside looking in. I then had to wait for the right people to walk into the frame. The girl was already there but it needed people on the left to frame the shot. I took about three shots and on the final one, one of the guys turned his head and looked into the bar. One of the things I like about this image is that there are a number of stories going on. Inside the bar you have the musicians and the people sitting down listening. You have the two men walking past and looking in, and finally you have the girl below the sign presumably waiting for someone. I think a good photo is like a good book, It leads you in, tells it’s story, but leaves you to decide what happens after the final page is read. For all you Photogs out there, It was shot on T-Max 1600 pushed two stops to give 6400 ASA. It was shot around 125th (no idea what f-stop). The grain is natural due to the high speed of the film although a little noise was added to smooth out some of the gradients.

Girl on Paris Metro

This shot was taken on the Paris Metro back in 2003. I had gone back to England with my, then, girlfriend. We had spent time in London visiting friends and them met up with my dad for a trip on the EuroStar to Paris. The camera was down by my hip (something I tried and liked in New Orleans, It gives a different perspective having the camera down that low). 


When I took the shot I had no idea that the girl was looking straight at the camera. She doesn’t look upset, it’s just a matter of fact stare. The lines of the train then lead you further down the carriage to the man sitting next to her listening to music and on to the man sleeping with his arms folded. I like photographing people in their surroundings. I often wonder what these peoples lives might be like. Maybe the girl then went home and complained to her boyfriend that “some asshole on the train today took my photo” I think this was my last trip using film.

Sharing

I was hosting a get together at my house a few weeks back. I was watching my daughter, with a borrowed camera, walking around the garden taking photographs of people. I talked to her afterwards and asked her if she enjoyed taking photographs. She said she did so I suggested that the following weekend we go out shooting in Balboa Park. She seemed excited so, it was a date. We woke early the following Sunday and headed to the park. After stopping for coffee and a brief introduction to my back up camera we set off. One of the first thing we came across was a pair of ducks that seemed as interested in us as we did of them. I showed Kari how to get down (or up) to the level of the subject and went off to see what I could find. When I returned I found her on her belly, hanging over a wall with the ducks a few feet away. Next stop was MOPA (Museum of Photographic Arts). They had a show on Ansel Adams. Now, I’ve never really been an Ansel fan (he never spoke very highly of me either so were pretty much even) but I can’t deny his expertise. There we learned the rule of thirds and the fact that it is OK to break the rule when needed. After that we went to the International Village. The lesson here was how to approach people and take their photo. (Always smile, ask permission, and say thank you) My point to this blog entry is that I realized how my father felt when I showed an interest in photography some 30 or so years ago. Sometimes life isn’t about what you did do or are going to do. Sometimes it’s just about sharing something you love with others and hoping that they will love it too. We have the next trip already planned.

Upcoming Show

It's been a while since I last updated this blog but I wanted to announce an upcoming show with two other photographers. The premise of times3 is how different photographers perceive time. To add another dimension to the mix we are each showing two portfolios of work. One of past work and one of current work showing how we each have changed artistically over time. Please feel free to join us for the artists reception on Sunday May 3rd from 1:30 until 4:30 pm.