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/