The Mission West Spring Fest came to Mission Street over the weekend, bringing with it a variety of arts and crafts, yummy food, live music and vertigo-inducing kids' rides. It was a great chance to shop for handmade goodies, chow on kettle corn and dance in the streets. It also provided an excellent opportunity to lurk like the paparazzi and take pictures. I had to smile when I saw these guys. I first noticed the older gentleman with the confident walk and the carefree smile. He had a kind of Steve McQueen cool that I believe only comes from a life spent taking risks, being true and seeing the humor in falling flat. Then I noticed the young ones behind him. They didn't know the man, but they seemed like they could have been versions of his younger self with all of that swagger and sweetness, bravado and hesitation...
I think Pete Townshend nailed it in one lyric: "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss."
12 comments:
Some things never change.
It takes four young guys to be cool, it takes one experienced man to be what ever he wants.
Age has it's benefits.
p.s. up kind of late aren't you?
I'm going with the seasoned guy!
V
You, sweetie, are such a gifted observer.
I'm a total sucker for long late afternoon shadows. I think you nailed it with the older/younger guy categorization. Every time I see men walking down the street, I can't help but think of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever as he "strutted" down the street.
I love the way the subjects are walking into their own shadows!
Your photos always have a portentous overtone, as if concealing a hidden meaning waiting to be discovered.
'Steve McQueen cool' Why didn't I think of that?
All these years I've been trying to project 'Barney Fife cool'
Ha! We won't be fooled again.
Wish blue cross would base my premiums on that younger age group.
Some things don't change, just the the slogans on the t-shirts.
Reservoir Puppies?
Hello everyone,
This is probably my favorite picture of the last few months. Once in a while, all things come together to allow an image to happen just the way you hope it will. The light is right, the composition works, the moment is snatched at the right nanosecond... Anyway, thanks for responding to this one. It really tugs at my heart. I had one of those feelings of being in a state of time flux when I saw these people because the boys really seemed like versions of the man. Either that, or I'd been out in the sun for too long.
Thank you so much, everyone, for the nice words. And yes, Double D, I'm always up this late! It's my time to actually get my work done. (Parents of young children who don't sleep much can relate.)
And thank you, Altadenahiker, for such a lovely compliment. That means a lot to me.
Until tomorrow, people...
this reminds me of the "hobo shot" relating to the Kennedy Assassination. I am so old! ha ha
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