Parting Thoughts...

Harvey

Via Flickr:
I was returning to my car in Union Square after shooting and dinner with a Flickr friend, Navicore. He approached me and asked if I could help him get something to eat. I told him about the $2 Portrait project and he jumped right on it, turning to walk where it was light enough to take a picture.

Harvey told me he's been in San Francisco for 33 days trying to play a jazz gig with "THE" Herbie Hancock. Harvey said he's a jazz drummer who has played with the likes of famous jazz musicians such as Miles Davis and others I cannot recall. Harvey Redd is 61 years old, has been married twice and has 2 kids, ages 39 and 30. He's from Philadelphia and is headed back there via Kansas City, where he has a gig scheduled in a couple of weeks.

While Harvey's story just didn't seem plausible, I could tell he is a drummer because he was tapping out beats on his leg and a planter wall while we spoke. I gave Harvey $3 (all the singles I had), we talked a brief time more and then he took off to get some food since he hadn't eaten all day.

Taken 11/17/11
Added to the 111 Pictures in 2011 group as #98-Stranger

Apple Squared

12/23/11 - Weeks 49-52
Appropriate shot for the first series with the new iPhone.

Submitted for ClicheSaturday. HCS!

Remember the Fugitive?

12/17/11 - Weeks 49-52
I feel like the one-arm man from the old TV series.
Shot for ClicheSaturday. HCS!
Added to the 111 Pictures in 2011 group as #83-Self.

Gettin' the Bum Wing Fixed

12/14/11 - Weeks 49-52
Sedation started...nerve block needle on the way...I asked them to humor me as I got this shot off just before conking out.  Glad they marked the correct shoulder.

'Tis the Season - Plate II

12/4/11 - Weeks 49-52
Holiday storefronts and reflections.
Union Square
San Francisco, CA

 Submitted for SliderSunday. HSS!
 Taken 11/17/11

Budding Journalists - Plate II

Via Flickr:
12/3/11 - Weeks 49-52
Looked like a group of students hamming it up.

Submitted for ClicheSaturday. HCS!

Taken 11/17/11

Weeks 49 - 52 ☞ 12.03.11 - 12.31.11

Theme:  New & Old

I've decided to finish out the year in a single block rather than by individual week.  A very busy travel week coming up followed by shoulder surgery will put a kink into my shooting time.  As such, for the remainder of the year, I will post some new shots I get a chance to take and some old shots that have not yet been processed and posted.

 
Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Beef, Sweet & Hot, Dipped

Via Flickr:
11/27/11 - Week 48
Best sandwich at Portillos.

Submitted for MacroMonday. HMM!
Added to the "111 Pictures in 2011" group as #89 - Food

Coach

Via Flickr:
11/27/11 - Week 48
One of the more innovative storefronts for the holiday season.

Taken 11/17/11
Submitted for SliderSunday. HSS!

Workin' Late

11/26/11 - Week 48
Union Square
San Francisco, CA

Taken 11/17/11
Submitted for ClicheSaturday. HCS!

Week 48 ☞ 11.26.11 - 12.02.11

Theme:  Flickr Groups

Similar to last week, this week's shots will be related to Flickr groups; but not be confined to just the 111 Pictures in 2011 group.

 
Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Almost 112

11/24/11 - Week 47
Matriarch of our extended family.
Added to the "111 Pictures in 2011" group as #102 - Pet.

Erector Set

11/22/11 - Week 47
I-90 Chicago Skyway
Added to the "111 Pictures in 2011" group as #25-Bridge
Taken 11/19/11

...as Opposed to a PC

11/20/11 - Week 47
Added to the "111 Pictures in 2011" group as #110-On the Road.
Posted for SliderSunday. HSS!

Taken 11/19/11

Unnamed

When I last wrote about her in July, she was enroute to visit her extended family in Eastern Europe, leaving her street life in San Francisco behind.  At that time, with her off the street, I knew that intervening in the life of a total stranger was absolutely the right thing to do.  What I didn't know was what would happen when she returned to the US.  Would she return to the street life she left, live with her family or take some other path?  

 

During her trip and since her return to the US in October, her mom and I have kept in contact.  And today, she and her family welcomed me into their home.  I saw her for the first time since July; she looked great and is currently working two jobs and thinking about going back to school.  I also had the pleasure of meeting her family face to face, after many emails and phone calls with her mom over the last 8 months.  The timing was perfect with Thanksgiving this coming week.  For this family, there is a lot to be thankful for, and I am glad to have been a part of it.  This experience is one I won't ever forget.

 

11/19/11 - Week 47

Added to the "111 Pictures in 2011" group as #91-Portrait.

Although technically not a $2 Portrait, I am placing it there as a follow-up to a previous post.

Cracked Up

11/19/11 - Week 47
Added to the 111 Pictures in 2011 group as #42-Glass.
Urban Outfitters storefront in Union Square, San Francisco. This was NOT due to Occupy SF protests.
Also submitted for ClicheSaturday. HCS!
Taken 11/17/11

Week 47 ☞ 11.19.11 - 11.25.11

Theme:  Pictures for a Flickr Group

I joined a new Flickr group to help with ideas to close out the year of Project52 images.  The group, 111 Pictures in 2011, provides a list of subjects/topics for tackling in any order and any interpretation.  Photos this week will be inspired by the list.

 
Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Shooter

11/17/11 - Week 46
Met my Flickr friend Ed (Navicore) for a San Francisco shoot and some dinner.

Budding Journalists - Plate I

11/17/11 - Week 46
Student photographer capturing student reporter.  These kids were having a great time.

Capture the Capture

11/17/11 - Week 46
Street musicians create a great opportunity to take pictures of people taking pictures.  Exactly my intent tonight in San Francisco.

Lit Up

11/16/11 - Week 46
So far this week, I haven't been where there are people taking pictures.  However, going thru my archives, I found this picture of my friend David taking a picture of me at my 60th birthday dinner in San Francisco. We were pretty lit up that night.

Taken 8/17/11

Smiles

11/12/11 - Week 46
Capturing the capture of smiles of Smiles on her "6 week early" 60th surprise party.

Taken 11/11/11

Triangle

11/12/11 - Week 46
The photographer capturing photgrapher capturing photographer capture.  Also posted for ClicheSaturday.  HCS!

Taken 9/16/11 at Windsor Castle, Windsor, England.

Week 46 ☞ 11.12.11 - 11.18.11

Theme:  Pictures of People Taking Pictures

A different twist on my typical easy themes and inspired by a photo taken last evening.  Besides a couple of shots I know that I'll post, will have to actually look for these situations.

 
Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Survivor

11/6/11 - Week 45
Heavy winds the last couple of days have taken most of the leaves off trees & bushes.  There are a few survivors however.

Red Maple

11/6/11 - Week 45
Intense colour on the maples this year that I wanted to catch before the big drop.

A current submission for SliderSunday & an early submission for Bokeh Wednesday.  HSS & HBW!!

Post-Peak

11/6/11 - Week 45
Burning Bush past the peak of it's colour but still hanging on.

Week 45 ☞ 11.05.11 - 11.11.11

Theme:  Grip of Autumn

As we move deeper into Autumn, the last vestiges of color hang on.  This week, I'll shoot and post images of these waning days.

 
Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Sweet Ride

11/4/11 - Week 44
Shot at the showroom on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, this is one ride forever beyond my reach.
Taken 9/19/11

Challenger

11/2/11 - Week 44
South San Francisco, CA

Taken 3/31/11
Posted 11/2/11

Savane

10/31/11 - Week 44
Looks like this car is trying to say something.

Amboise, France
Taken 9/25/11

Limited Production

10/29/11 - Week 44
We attended a wedding last night at an awesome venue in Chicago.  Ringing the room were millions of dollars worth of classic cars, including Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, Ford and others.  This shot is of a 1953 Nash Healey.

Week 44 ☞ 10.29.11 - 11.04.11

Theme:  Cars

This week I'm going to make it simple as this is a subject seen every day.

 
Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Stephan

Via Flickr:
I was standing at the corner of Powell & Ellis when he approached me asking for change. I told him about the $2 Portrait project and he immediately told me his name and launched into an unintelligible description of his current plight. Stephan (Steve) is 58 years old and is originally from Tennessee. He's been in San Francisco since 2000 and came via Chicago.

Steve explained he was trying to raise $45 so he could get a room. Since I had watched him for a few minutes before we spoke, I knew this was going to be a tall order. Steve acknowledged that and said he hadn't had a room for a long time.

I would have liked to talk to him longer, but it was practically impossible to understand what he was saying. I gave him $2 and wished him luck.

Taken 10/27/11 - Week 43

One Man Band

Via Flickr:
10/27/11 - Week 43
Powell & Market
San Francisco, CA

Not So Sweet Dreams

10/26/11 - Week 43
Mission District
San Francisco, CA

NH2TB

10/26/11 - Week 43
Mission District
San Francisco, CA

Eight Fifteen

10/26/11 - Week 43
Cha Cha Cha
Mission District
San Francisco, CA

Josh

Via Flickr:
He saw me talking to Frog and came up to me as I was walking away. "Are you doing interviews Sir?" he asked, "because I'm in a similar situation as her." Josh said he was from Colorado and wouldn't mind talking. After going for a bite to eat, and not finishing what I ordered, I went back looking for Josh with my leftovers. "Hey Colorado" I called when I saw him a few yards away. He was grateful for the fried shrimp and while he ate, we talked.

Josh is 24 years old and lives on the streets. He's traveled to many parts of the country and said that his lifestyle is by choice. He has only 3 living relatives, all more than a generation older and he lost both his parents more than 5 years ago. Josh described how when he was working in Colorado for Papa John he was making a lot of money via commissions, wage and tips and serving in a role as assistant marketing manager. Josh said he realized that having money didn't make him happy so he set out traveling and meeting people. When he runs out of money or can't support himself on the street, he cleans up, gets a job, earns some money and then goes back to the street lifestyle.

It should have been a sad story, but it wasn't. Josh was pretty articulate and confident in himself. He appears to be truly happy with his present state in life but recognizes that it won't be forever. Right now he's happy living his humble values. I thanked Josh for the conversation and wished him luck. He thanked me for the dinner, shook my hand and we parted ways.

Taken 10/19/11
Posted 10/24/11 - Week 43; processed with Snapseed on the iPad.

Pick-a-Pair

10/23/11 - Week 43
Taken on 10/19/11 in Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco.  Processed on the iPad with Snapseed v1.3.  HSS!

Breakfast of Champions

Via Flickr:
10/22/11 - Week 43
Shot at SFO yesterday morning before my early flight back to Chicago.

For ClicheSaturday. HCS!

Week 43 ☞ 10.22.11 - 10.28.11

Theme:  Snapseed v1.3

My favorite iPad photo app released an update this past week with a couple of new filters.  This week, anything I shoot will be processed in that app and uploaded from Photosmith.

 
Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Intersection of Lives

Paul

My shooting has been virtually non-existent lately so I headed down to Fisherman's Wharf tonight with my camera and that is where I met Paul.  He was sitting along the fence by the bay, petting his dog and shaking his cup.  We made eye contact.  I approached him and told him about the $2 Portraits project to which he readily agreed to participate.  It was then that I learned how our lives intersected 60 years ago - we were both born in Chicago in 1951; he at Ravenswood Hospital and me at Michael Reese.  Paul lived in Chicago until he was 12 when he moved to Florida with his mom.  At some point he came to San Francisco and worked as a carpet layer.  Paul said he traveled back and forth to Florida a lot and at one point spent about 18 months in a Florida prison for selling pot to a cop.  He also used to work for the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane and proudly showed me a VIP pass he had in his wallet from the Grateful Dead.

I'm not sure of Paul's disability but he's apparently had a California Assistance Dog for some time.  Paul related a story how back in 1989 his dog suddenly starting acting very strange and it led Paul to take leave from his job as a carpet layer in the East Bay.  The very next day, San Francisco suffered a major earthquake and an entire expressway in the East Bay collapsed.  Had Paul still been working, he would have been on that expressway at the time of the quake.

Paul and I talked a while longer and then shook hands.  It was a traditional handshake and we laughed when he pointed out that most people nowadays don't shake hands; they fist bump or high five.  I gave Paul $2 and as we parted, wished each other the best.  While our lives intersected of sorts 60 years ago, and then again today, they are very different.

10/19/11 - Week 42

Intersection of Time

10/18/11 - Week 42
Day turning into night over the caldera in Santorini, Greece.

Taken 10/3/10

Intersection of Materials

10/17/11 - Week 42
When I shot this in Santorini last year, I recall thinking that I've not seen a detail like this in the States.  Intersection of brick and steel.

Taken 10/4/10

Intersection of Collars

Week 42 - 10/16/11
White collar & blue collar on the ferry terminal plaza in Kadikoy, Istanbul.  There were many class and cultural intersections in Istanbul; this is just one.

Taken 10/9/10

Week 42 ☞ 10.15.11 - 10.21.11

Theme:  Intersections

This week I'm going to "steal this idea", Intersections, from Jaymi Heimbuch's ShutterSalt site.  Intent here is to convey the intersection of things alike or things different.  A broad interpretation will be applied.  Also, check out Jaymi's site at www.shuttersalt.com.

 
Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Rue Norvins

10/13/11 - Week 41
Using this shot for this week's Project52 "Hipshot" theme was inspired by the ShutterSalt theme of "Intersections."  An unobtrusive shot with the P&S while hanging out on the street corner.  Taken in the Montmartre section of Paris on 9/20/11.

Looking One Way & Shooting Another

Via Flickr:
10/10/11 - Week 41
Thought I'd use this as a good example of hip-shooting. In Westminster Abbey, photos were not allowed, yet many folks were shooting away. With the camera slung from my Sun Sniper strap, I fired off a few shots of the choir area behind me while admiring the altar in front of me. The original shot was actually taken upside down because of the way the camera hangs on the strap. Composition therefore is pure luck.

Taken 9/14/11

Week 41 ☞ 10.08.11 - 10.14.11

Theme:  Hip Shot

I'm actually going to try a real theme this week rather than something generic.  It may only result in one image being posted, but at least it will be an attempt to do something specific.  I read an article this past week giving some guidance on camera settings for shooting from the hip.  Gonna give it a shot (pun intended).

 
Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Slice of Light & Color

Via Flickr:
10/7/11 - Week 40
The Chateau de Chambord was generally devoid of color so this slice through stained glass in the chapel stood out.

Taken 9/26/11

Downgrade

10/3/11 - Week 40

From fine French cuisine in Paris to this in South San Francisco.  What a difference one week makes!

Helical Tower

10/2/11 - Week 40

Taken inside of a helical stair tower in the Chateau de Chambord, Loire Valley, France.  Very ingenious - the wife could be traversing one stairway and the mistress another - without running into each other.
Taken 9/26/11 - posted for SliderSunday. HSS!

Week 40 ☞ 10.01.11 - 10.07.11

Theme:  Catch-Up

Back from the 16 day vacation and have lots to catch up on, not the least of which is importing 1600+ photos into Lightroom.  Will shoot randomly this week and may post fresh shots or some of the best from our trip.

Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Trophy Room

Via Flickr:
9/26/11 - Week 39
Chateau de Chambord.
The 2200 hectare site of this chateau includes massive hunting grounds.

Granddaddy

Via Flickr:
9/26/11 - Week 39
The Chenonceau Chateau is the most popular and beautiful of the Loire Valley chateaus.

Make & Model?

Via Flickr:
9/25/11 - Week 39
Saw this beauty on the street in Amboise, France, a small town in the Loire Valley.

Young Woman in a Floral Hat

Via Flickr:
9/24/11 - Week 39
Taken at the Rodin Museum
Paris, France

Week 39 ☞ 09.24.11 - 09.30.11

Theme:  France

We'll complete our week in a Paris apartment and then train to Loire Valley for two days before heading back home.

Not everything I shoot makes it into the Project52.  If you are interested in checking out additional pictures, please see my Flickr Photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffm211/ 

 

Monsieur Violin

Via Flickr:
Lin and I were strolling through the Marais, along tight streets and beneath arcades where sounds are amplified in volume and richness. I heard violin notes in the distance and as we got closer, the music became more engaging. We passed by the arcade, into a wonderful square called Place des Vosges. Despite the activity in the square, the violin resonated.

I approached him and listened for a while longer, pointed to my camera and he nodded. I asked his name but his accent was thick and I did not catch it. After placing a 2 euro coin into his case, I returned to the square and we continued our stroll.

The street music is different and wonderful in Paris.

Taken 9/23/11 - Week 38