The Life in My Years

John, author of the site Journeys with Johnbo, leads this week’s Lens-Artists Challenge with the topic, Faces in a Crowd. (Note: Some of my images in this post have appeared previously).

“Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror, or the painter?” ~ Pablo Picasso.

I vote, none. The photo, the mirror and the canvas each express a brief moment in time, and there is no single moment that can reveal the experiences that have been carved into the face.

Union Square, San Francisco, California.
The man in the photo below was sipping his coffee, while watching the world around him. This fellow has the look of one of San Francisco’s many street people. But, who knows, maybe he’s a retiree who decided to let go, be a little eccentric. He might just be spending a day at the park before going home to his million dollar San Francisco flat. In any event, he’s somebody’s son, maybe a father and a grandfather. There are stories in that face.

Chinatown, San Francisco, California. “The man is at the window,” said Jack Nicholson in Easy Rider.
I was walking around Chinatown, one of my favorite places to visit with a camera, when I looked up and saw this man lost in thought.

The artists.
Street artists and musicians are the low hanging fruit of street photography. Give ‘em a tip and snap away.

New Orleans, Louisiana.
This trombone player was accompanying singer/clarinetist, Doreen Kitchens at the corner of Royal and Bourbon Streets. When he wasn’t actively playing he was either huffing on a cigarette or a pulling from a beer bottle.

Art and Music Festival, Benicia, California

Madrid, Spain
I came across two different accordion players on the streets of Madrid. This man played the song, Time to Say Goodbye. The song accompanied by his sweet expression nearly brought me to tears. I lingered for a long time just taking in the notes.

In contrast, the man squeezing the box just outside Mercado San Miguel was visually adamant about some remuneration. When he saw me with my camera, his expression said, “You want a picture, you need to pony up.” I gladly obliged and he kept his end of the bargain.

Farmer’s Market, Ferry Building, San Francisco, California
This man also had a kindly aspect. He looks to me like he has some rough miles behind him.

Glamour. Madrid, Spain
Blanca Paloma is a Spanish singer with quite a following. On the way back to my hotel I caught her just as she was coming from a performance at Plaza Callao.

Bits of life
Union Square, San Francisco, California
Playing kendama.

Selling Danger Dogs. Market Street, San Francisco, CA
In the midst of the bustle of Downtown San Francisco, this young woman was peddling danger dogs. Danger dog is the colloquial name for bacon wrapped hot dogs topped with onions and hot peppers, and cooked on a little street corner grill. The term danger dog comes from the fact that many of the vendors aren’t licensed by the health department. In other words, you take your chances. Take it from me, they’re worth any risk.

 

The soldiers
They perform the duties that most of us choose to avoid. Their jobs can be dangerous but they also require solemnity and a serious manner.
Arlington National Cemetery, United States.
These two Army soldiers perform the sacred daily service of the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

National Palace, Madrid, Spain
Just before touring Madrid’s National Palace we stopped to watch this military procession.

 

Best friend
Lexi. There are no words to describe this wonderful girl. She bugs me an hour before mealtime. She jumps up and wags her tail whenever I put on my shoes as if to ask, “Where are we going papa?” I went to the ballgame the other night and according to Cora, Lexi camped out by the door until I got home.

Old and In The Way
Old and In The Way, was the name of a bluegrass band back in the 1970s. Old and in the way is sometimes how I jokingly describe myself. One afternoon while trying to think about what to shoot, I decided to put my camera on a tripod, and using a cable release and the camera’s timer, took some selfies. I could’ve been kind to myself in post processing but I decided to leave the marks and crags of time.

“Wrinkles ? Why all the fuss ? Think of them as lines of distinction; marks of maturity.” ~ Alex Morritt, Impromptu Scribe

To view John’s take on Faces in a Crowd, visit his site, Journeys With Johnbo and then scroll through the comments where you’ll find links to other lens artists.