In but a day…

There is always something missing, and yet, there is always something surplus to what one sees on streets. Shadowy corners cut with a solar knife, people mesmerized and spoiled by the multitude of choices, baffled-like when they see each other, houses built with a delightful disregard of equilibrium, lives going through every shade of happiness or sadness, lives fulfilled, eyes scanning every nook and cranny for a morsel of fulfilment and achievement, pious and sinning lives, lives dedicated to others.

I do enjoy shooting film on the streets. It presents a plethora of subjects, and freedom of choosing which one suits my camera, lens or film is indeed a good thing (for me).

I do love the humdrum of the street. I am not a shy person, not by far, and I have a good set of social skills so to get in touch with people, asking them if I can take a photograph of them. Some agree with a smile, some decline. In both situations, one has to be graceful and polite and friendly to a certain extent. Giving them my card is a good thing too, as they can see for themselves my work, what I do and how I present it out there. I have had situations where people declined, but then when presented with my card they had a look on their phones and said yes, smile included.

I enjoy the moments of the morning, when streets are not yet full, but they get busier by the minute. The new influx of humans in a certain portion of the street can be seen in real time, and it is fascinating. I do not feel I am part of the crowd, for I get lost in the background, with as much physical presence of a lamp post; after a while, one feels like looking through a window at the busy street. Not really separated from people, but in the same time not really part of the entire scenery. Strange feeling, that.

And when the time comes to leave the street (for it does come, eventually), one cannot get rid of the feeling that if one stayed some 5 minutes more, that unique photograph would have happened. Yeah, I know…

It all happens in a single day, modestly and unsurprisingly set between yesterday and tomorrow.

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