Glimpses of South Pasadena: Joy

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Joy

"Let a joy keep you," Carl Sandburg once wrote, "Reach out your hands/And take it when it runs by..."

Great advice.

(He would have loved this scene at the South Pasadena Farmer's Market last Thursday.)

15 comments:

Mister Earl said...: There will come a time in the not-too-distant future, when so many people, cars, and houses in South Pasadena will have been photographed by Laurie, that things will be known by the date they appeared in Laurie's Blog. As in, "Hi, I'm November 23,2009, and I live at August 12, 2008, and I drive the July 4, 2010.; March 22, 2009 at 12:15 AM
Jilly said...: Love the quotation and the photograph. Too right. Such a lovely post, Laurie.; March 22, 2009 at 2:50 AM
Sally said...: Who can't be moved by kids and unbridled joy!; March 22, 2009 at 4:35 AM
Yakpate said...: HA-HA-HA, Mr. Earl, and ditto!

Interesting, don't you think, that the adult in this photo is carrying a burden? Probably food to fuel the joy of unburdened childhood.

If only we could put this feeling in a bottle and give it away free.; March 22, 2009 at 8:50 AM
Jane Hards Photography said...: Natural images far outweigh any other. Timeless.; March 22, 2009 at 10:54 AM
dbdubya said...: Yakpate - I think the burden the man is carrying is a bag of fresh vegetables and his two children are laughing at the idea of having brocolli burgers for dinner.

A beautiful photo of utter joy on the faces of the children. Perfect for a semi-stormy Sunday.; March 22, 2009 at 12:55 PM
Benjamin Madison said...: Great capture Laurie. I've just come back from photographing my granddaughter's soccer match. There are times when I think the only subject worth photographing is kids.; March 22, 2009 at 1:57 PM
Judy Williams said...: FANCY FREE!

How wonderful. You can't look at that and not smile.; March 22, 2009 at 4:14 PM
Virginia said...: Oh Laurie, This JOY is just a beautiful image. It expresses the joy of childhood as well as the joy of parenthood as well. This is one of your very best in my opinion.
V; March 22, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Petrea Burchard said...: There are musicians at the Pasadena Farmer's Market, and often I see kids dancing. They can't help it. They're so free. They just have to boogie. This reminds me of that.; March 22, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Dixie Jane said...: Children and dancing are synonymous. Try to imagine a grumpy child dancing. Doesn't happen. Such a happy picture, Laurie.

From, "Three Dog Night":

Joy to the World

"I'm singin' joy to the world
All the boys and girls now
And joy to the fishes and the deep blue sea
And joy to you and me"; March 22, 2009 at 10:06 PM
Laurie Allee said...: Hi all,

Mister Earl, I love your vision of the future!

Jilly and Sally, thanks for the nice words. I was so charmed by these two little ones. They tore around the center divide like a couple of fairies. It was enchanting. I was so delighted to capture this moment.

Yak, isn't this the feeling we tried to find in all those champagne bottles years ago? :-)

Babooska, I so agree that natural images are the most wonderful. Street photography is what I first learned when I first played around with an old Yashica TLR back in high school. Trying to freeze candid moments in time... I'm fascinated by it. It's what I think makes for good writing, too. Those pure streams of emotion in words that speak to the universal human experience.

Dbdubya, great thought about the vegetables!

Judy, those kids were even more cute in person. I missed a great shot of a very anxious woman walking with her hand on her forehead and the little boy holding his arms out pretending to fly around her. Too slow of a shutter speed. Darn it!

Benjamin, I'd love to see your soccer pics. I am NOT good at sports photos. I need more practice. I agree with you that kids are the best subjects. They are so free with their emotions -- you can see it on their faces. Images of kids also make me think that we're somehow holding back the tide by capturing moments that so quickly change. Kids grow so fast. You can see it in the pictures from one month to the next. What a reminder to enjoy life while we have it.

Virginia, thank you so much. It pleases me to no end that you like this because your pictures of kids have given me so much inspiration. Both you and my sister Judy have such a talent for photographing children!

Petrea, you should have seen my little one doing her wonderful Riverdance-style dance in front of the Irish musicians at the market on THursday. She drew a crowd!

Dixie Jane, PERFECT song choice. I hope it sticks in my brain as I fall asleep tonight.

Life is beautiful! Until tomorrow...; March 22, 2009 at 11:32 PM
Cafe Pasadena said...: Go to bed, LA!!!; March 23, 2009 at 12:04 AM
Ashley said...: It's such a pleasing image, really capturing my feelings about the South Pasadena farmers' market!

Thank you also for stopping by my blog, Laurie! You're most welcome anytime!; March 24, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Anonymous said...: What a beautiful photo! I loved reading your post today!..

Thanks for sharing...

Thank you..
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Andrew
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