Doing Fine
Saturday. My breakfast place was empty this morning before seven-thirty, anyway, when I finished my waffle and left. Plenty of space, at least, to spread out. The head feeling good, the sky overcast, the Fiesta Filipina this afternoon in San Francisco. I have no idea how big the event, but it's being held in front of San Francisco City Hall, so I figure there will be enough going on to photograph. I've been reading books lately about “seeing” as it relates to the photographer that say expectations of what you will find or see are not useful in “finding” photographs. You go to shoot shoppers at the local supermarket, but miss the marauding herd of giraffes vandalizing the fresh fruit stalls in the back because, well, giraffes aren't really shoppers and shoppers were what you were at. Just, you know, go with the flow and remember to remove the lens cap. I'll go with the flow if it doesn't start raining.
If it doesn't start raining? Isn't that an expectation? If it rains you won't find any pictures?
True, but getting wet overrides the picture expedition. Nothing worse than an old water rat with an attitude on a Saturday afternoon in June, I'm thinkin’. Stieglitz and Cartier-Bresson would have been there wrapped in plastic, if that's what it took, but they, as you know, were actual photographers.
In ProprietorLand?
In ProprietorLand.
Later. A very good outing, not so much for the pictures as I think I got but two or three, but for the overall feeling good and getting out without being particularly tired or, I don't know, foggy. Old fogy not foggy, mama, break out the party poppers and champagne! Indeed. Just, you know, packing the long lens camera in a backpack with a second short lens camera over the shoulder, the weight noticeable, but not in the way. Waiting for the bus under the overcast feeling good. BARTing over, the sun breaking through as I arrived (earlier they'd been saying maybe rain) and then walking around in a good humor for well over an hour trying to find photographs in a somewhat difficult venue. I should have gone later in the day when more people had arrived, but for all the aches and pains over these last many weeks I was a different old fart and feeling fine. So there.
We decided against the train tomorrow, but I did buy the baseball tickets and driving to Sacramento it will be. Maybe I'll try the train on my own, as there's a game during the week later this month. Then again, the weekend is filled without any complaints.
Only two or three decent pictures? I take it you weren't “seeing”?
I was doing fine.
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