Halloween is approaching fast, but I encountered a ghost of my own making today. I must confess my sins, I took this image in a strange way, and yet it wasn't so strange, but it stuck with me. Something I will carry with me into the future. I saw this man pass by once, and then again, I was trying to photograph a pigeon. O.k. so I was desperate. As I was walking back to the office, I approached the man one more time. He had stopped to make a phone call. The thing that struck me most about him was that he looked like Johnny Depp, only down on his luck. He was wearing makeup, that looked pretty good. I wondered if he wore it all the time. As I walked by I took this image. He turned and said "all you had to do is ask, I would have looked into the camera." Yes... at first I thought, no.. that's not what I want. But then I thought, yes that is what I wanted. And I felt bad, in a way that I rarely feel. I felt like I had taken something that didn't belong to me.
Yesterday, I took pictures of those silly boys with their skateboards and they got a little huffy saying, "hey you can't do that." I was working (sort of) yesterday, and hey... yes I can.
But today, even though I am working, and was on a lunch break, I am wishing I didn't take the picture of my pirate the way that I did. I think it's good to re-examine every now and then how and why we take pictures. I know that I will be thinking of this and hopefully learning something from it.
Funny how one man on the street, can bring such focus on responsibility. I wish I could find him again to ask him his story and all the other things I should have done. But all I know is that he was having a good day, because that's all I asked. I still have a long way to go down Brand Blvd.
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1 comment:
Hey Girl even I can see the Jonny Depp resemblence. I say if you're walking down the street on public property you're fair game in this competition.
He's not Depp, therefore the likelyhood of this photo ending up on the front page of the enquirer is not remotely likely.
I like the image because of it's haunting background, how the blue sneaks past the buildings and trees and frames your guy just so.
Toxic Fire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Are you out of your freaking mind? Did you at least wear a face mask of some kind? Do I have to go with you on every assignment in order to keep you safe? I hope at least you had great dreams of sooty firemen. I'll call you later to check in on you. Love ya, jb
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