The definition, I think, of a ‘Red Letter Day’ is one that is special or memorable, one that offers opportunity. Street Photography throws them up sometimes and usually when you are least expecting it. A couple of weeks ago found me thinking about how I really should make more effort and get out for some street sessions. You know how those who are single often bemoan their lack of a partner, the ability to find a significant other, they sit at home attempting to work out why it is they’re all alone. Meanwhile in the background their radio is playing, Liza Minnelli is doing her absolute best to convince them that it’s no use sitting alone in their rooms, they need to come to the Cabaret. Life is one according to Liza and also a fact that Mr or Mrs Right aren’t going to come knocking on your door you’ll need to get out there and find them. Of course if you already know a Mr or Mrs Right, say for example they’re your neighbours, then there’s a good chance they might knock on your door, but only to borrow something that won’t be returned. I digress. Photography is similar, the photos aren’t going to suddenly appear whilst you’re at home, you’ve got to go out and they’ll happen.
Yes, all well and good. It sounds very positive and upbeat, though we know that every time a single person goes out they don’t come back with the man or woman of their dreams. Often they return remaining resolutely single, totally unattached or worse with Mr or Mrs Wrong. The same goes for photography. I did three short trips, two to Bath and one to Bristol. So far in this post you’ve seen two photos from Bristol. I’m afraid to say that my initial upbeat optimism for the Bath shots wasn’t realised in the results. I thought it would be easy, I know Bath so well after all. I’d simply strut about, release the shutter and have plenty to show. I imagined that if anything I’d have too many photos, more than I could possibly know what to do with. Having sat on them for ten days I can reveal that this was an acute case of hubris, how wrong I was.
The one above and the rest from Bath I’ll probably throw into the monthly slideshow that I make for YouTube. In the meantime here’s a few in the grid below and then we can move back to Bristol and the Red letter Day. The usual fare on the menu. Layers, people looking at me, a little bit of juxtaposition, gestures…
It usually a pretty relaxed affair in Bath. People are a little suspicious, but then it’s a tourist destination and therefore you’re ‘okay’ to be taking photos. Sometimes when I go into Bristol there can be a little bit of an edge to the atmosphere, you feel as though someone is about to come and punch you on the nose simply because you had the audacity to breathe, add to that pointing a camera and you get my drift. It’s not all that threatening, but you can just sense something. That’s exactly how it was for the first half an hour or so. I went into a supermarket and bought a sandwich. I even got a mouthful from a group of girls (I say girls, they were around 20 years old) by suggesting they may have got into the wrong queue to pay and therefore wasting their time. I walked outside, as I ate my sandwich a couple of people walked past and gave me the evil eye. Though I’m fairly positive this guy was totally harmless, there were some I wasn’t so sure about..
It was going too well. I honestly thought about calling it a day and heading home. Two absolute crap sessions in Bath followed by a strange start to Bristol. Strange because Bristol is usually very kind to me photographically speaking. Perhaps I was projecting some kind of negativity. I cleared my head and went into street mode. That’s the one where I block everything out, ignore it all and enjoy the moment. I stood near a bus stop and seeing if I could make a better effort of a shot from my last trip that had a sign included that said “Holding Out For A Hero”. It’s in my last blog post titled “Mindfulness”. As I was stood, mostly in the way of passersby, a voice said “Do you take a lot of photos. How interesting it must be”. I turned and had a great conversation with a lovely lady. Now, I rarely take Street Portraits, mainly because I don’t necessarily consider it to be Street Photography. That said, we document and I was now in much better form partly due to her friendly attitude.
I walked about twenty steps and came across a guy leaning outside a kind of art centre, actually it was an art centre though I believe they’re called ‘art spaces’ nowadays. Turns out that he was a photographer, specialising in documentary and had a studio in this art space. We chatted for a couple of minutes and I grabbed a quick shot (Street Portrait) of him. Two in quick succession. I suspect it will be ten years before I take another one. I was saying that they’re wasn’t much going on in Bristol and I wasn’t getting anything. He agreed, it’s often like that. I turned to my left and jumped out of my skin. I looked at him, he hadn't noticed, and said ‘better go and grab your camera’.
A bit of a shock when you’re not expecting them. Bristol’s very own ‘Red Rebel Brigade’ were marching, no that’s not the right word, ambling, no, walking very deliberately, gliding, who knows, they came along the pavement. I have to say that it’s an odd sight. They’re performing artists/activists who got together in 1990’s to draw attention issue such as war and the environment, now linked with Extinction Rebellion. They’ve been copied across the globe.
It’s a serious business, but as you saw in the opener I did get one of the ‘sentient beings’ to look at me. The others did there best and succeeded in not paying me any attention whatsoever. Just how I like it.
So. Liza was right. There is a cabaret going on, you just need to get out and be part of it. You can have your very own Red Letter Day. Be careful what you catch though. I’m not sure if it was on one of these sessions, but I managed to get Covid. A heavy cold, that made me feel lousy, exactly as colds do. I wondered if perhaps I had coronavirus, took a lateral flow test and was genuinely surprised to see it confirmed. Very importantly, because on Tuesday I’ll hopefully be boarding a flight to Chicago and then on to Las Vegas, I’ve just taken another test. It shows (some might no more proof is needed!) that I’m negative. Though actually I’m feeling pretty positive, just have to shake this cough off.
You get a diverse crowd in Bristol, that’s what makes it so special. I clicked a few more shots as I strolled back to where I’d parked my motorbike.
Remember back to the second photo of this post? The guy jumping from the wall? Here he is again doing a summersault. I failed on the shot, didn’t quite get close enough, but in the background of both photos you can see a man with a hat by a tree.
He’s an artist and using foam pipe lagging to make a sculpture in the tree. Previously it was a huge bunch of bananas. Here it is at the moment, he’s clasping his hands together. The idea is to replicate that gesture as a sculpture of friendship and to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine.
Two weeks he tells me. It was tougher than he imagined. What I did like was that once again Bristol came up trumps, there’s a really strong art scene and despite my first half an hour there are some extremely pleasant and ‘right on’ people. Of course I like the opportunity to make photographs and also if possible to be slightly ambiguous. My finishing shot is exactly that, without the back story I’ve just revealed it might ask questions to the viewer, well, it would if I saw it. It’s all part of the Cabaret.
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 made using a Leica M with Summicron 28mm Lens fitted.
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