Let’s start with an apology. It’s been a while since I posted, I’ve neglected this blog and although that may be a relief to some, I have to report that there’s no intention of giving it up. In this blog post we’ll have some family photography and wait for it, drum roll please….some actual Street Photography. Well, photography made on the Streets at least, it’s debatable whether we can call it Street Photography . Also there’ll be a couple of videos, one a POV from my motorcycle trip into Bath so you can get a feel for where I live. In the final part, if you make it that far, we’ll have a couple of thoughts on life.
This enforced containment is driving me crazy. Looking at that opening shot of Louis, and if I’m any judge, he might be loosing the plot too. We’re going for a walk in the fields with the dogs, I say “hurry up and get changed then if you’re coming”. For some inexplicable reason after peeling off his regular attire throughout this pandemic, pyjamas and dressing gown, he went for the ‘Fonz” look, complete with leather bomber jacket and a handful of grease in his hair. I suspect complete boredom lays behind that decision. Not particularly “Happy Days” at the moment in the Harper household, 2021 hasn’t begun well. We’ve had a lot going on, but we move forward, try not to become self indulgent or complain and look forward to the future. Though it has to be said that I still sense we’re all becoming ever so slightly unhinged, literally and figuratively akin to caged animals. Of course some people inhabit a prison of their own making, life is what you make it and all that, I know this and yet it’s hard to get motivated some days. Luckily our “Glorious Leader”, aka Boris Johnson, has announced that lockdown will be gradually eased. By June the government is aiming to abolish all Covid Restrictions and Laws, they feel that they’ll no longer be necessary. Wow! That seems wildly optimistic, I hope it becomes a reality. In the meantime we walk the fields and so here’s a little family photography before we move on to Street and Motorcycles.
Here’s a video that goes along with some of these photos. I honestly and sincerely don’t expect anyone to spend time looking at it. I make them for my own documentation, imagining that they’re excruciatingly boring for anyone else and I put them here purely for reference.
Let’s move on, lord knows we all really need to. I sense that here in the U.K. people have had enough. I read that over half of all fines issued for Covid regulation breaches since March 2020 have been handed out in the last three weeks. The novelty that everyone felt last year has worn thin, the police were asked if they felt that it was because they’ve become stricter with enforcement, no they say, people have simply had enough. I feel sorry for the kids and teenagers. I sympathise for those in their twenties who want to enjoy everything life has to offer a twenty something. Above all else I understand how people of my age are so frustrated. Not in the bedroom! Everyone knows I’m practically a god in that department! No, I’m going to be sixty years old this summer. With the best will in the world, advances in modern medicine and leading a healthy lifestyle there is never going to be long enough left. Okay, if, and it’s a big if, I made it past 80 years old I probably wouldn’t feel like travelling to far flung destinations when the parts that ache really start ache. The window of opportunity is increasingly becoming ever smaller. Now, I don’t want this to sound in any way depressing, but we need to face up to facts. Therefore, my trips to Las Vegas with my good friend Kev are numbered, visits to New York with my wife too. I want to get on with life, there’s plenty i want to do whilst I still can. Here’s a video, which you can watch if you wish of my first trip out on the motorbike since before Christmas. I went into Bath, which isn’t strictly speaking allowed. I was going to the bank, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. Once again I don’t expect anyone to watch this video, it merely documents. However, if you want to hop on the back then have a watch you’ll see part of the route I take.
My actual intention is to shoot a video along with some Street Photography….we’ve disused this before. I’m still practicing with the GoPro. You’ll then be able to see what I see and of course what I miss. I’m not quite ready for that at the moment and the reason why is evident. In order to shoot a POV video I need to be on my game, currently I’m not. Totally out of practice to begin with. I honestly can’t concentrate or combine shooting a video with releasing the shutter on my camera. It’s hard enough at the best of times. This photography business, particularly Street Photography requires constant practice and dedication. Ideally I want to be in either Bath or Bristol daily, currently that isn’t going to happen. Until I can get in the groove the POV Street videos are on hold.
Let’s take a look at the results of this very short session. We know that it doesn’t matter where you are, it could be New York or Paris or London, it might be Bath. There’s always something going on, we just have to see it. Open our eyes, be in the moment and it’ll all come together. This is part of my issue with lockdown, I need this outlet, this Street Photography, it’s a prerequisite to my sanity. The cage needs unlocking, creativity set free, released into the wild, the natural habitat beckons. If we listen to Boris then that moment is getting closer by the day.
What you may notice is that I resorted to the easy and safe method of Street Photography…someone walking along in some light. I couldn’t see much on this little session. Perhaps there was nothing to see, but I’m fairly certain there was. It was quiet, even in “Quiet Street” above. That didn’t stop me clicking away. At one point I even contemplated the complicated, some colour. An orange and purple frame, someone exiting with purple, entering with purple, a mostly purple and a touch of orange back drop with a guy in orange, an arrow giving a clue where the viewer should look. It didn’t quite work, but I have to admire my optimism:
Sam and I worked out that in almost a year the children have attended school for a total of 13 weeks. My “Street Photography” education has suffered a worse fate. The kids need to do some serious catching up and so do I. We all do, our lives have been on pause whilst being caged. Time to put that right. On Monday the children go back to school…the champagne is on ice and once I’ve sobered up I’ll be getting back to the Streets. Over 20 million vaccinations have been carried out so far, I’m expecting mine in a couple of weeks as they work their way through the U.K.’s adult population. Hey, only 30 million to go and then we can start either some normality or awaiting a booster for the next variant. I’m of the opinion it will be a long time before it’s over, but we’ll learn to live with it.
Let’s face it, Street Photography is a work in progress as far as I’m concerned. At the moment I feel as though I need to start from scratch. Let’s have a brief chat about life:
My wife has had a lot to deal with since a couple of days before Christmas. To begin with I had some kind of cancer scare, after two and a half months of thorough tests, procedures and me going on constantly about my health, or lack of it, we’ve finally had news that I’m okay. I always thought I was healthy, but I can tell you that the doubts were huge and the thoughts extremely dark. She was strong, solid as a rock, never failing. Keeping me in the realms of reality and reason, my thoughts positive and showed me her unfaltering love. Meanwhile she has had to contend with three close family members passing away. It’s been an awful 2021 for her so far. The photo above is of her grandfather, Bob with Louis who we lost. Bob reminded me of my own father, they both seemed to understand life, they completely got it and loved it. Very rarely do you come across these people, they are so very special. I’m not religious in any way, but I’ll say that my own dad and Sam’s grandfather were amongst the very few who knew how to create heaven on earth. I have a suspicion that Sam (my wife) is the one of them too. One thing they all understand is the importance of children, they haven’t forgotten what it’s like to be one. They allow them time, the most important commodity to us all. Nothing is too much trouble, there’s never a time they’re not listening to them. They never complain, live in the moment and enjoy every second that life offers them. That’s the key and it’s the one that’ll unlock any cage.
Speaking of children…back to Louis. He dropped the “Fonz” look a couple of days ago and bingo we’re back to Christopher Robin. Here’s a few shots to finish from a walk we went on, through the fields, down to the stream, a quick game of Pooh Sticks on the bridge, covered in mud, soaking wet…but really, what a wonderful life it is. I thought for a moment that Pooh was sat next to him, turns out it was just one of the dogs:
As always my sincere thanks go to anyone taking the time to read this blog.
All images can be opened by clicking on the thumbnails and are taken using a Leica M with Summicron 28mm Lens fitted.
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