Minnesota

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A Dream Comes True

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Things are coming together again after a long hiatus from making photographs.  Covid cases are on the decline in the U.S., I’m going to Paris next month, and I have a new camera!


Yes, my dream did come true after lots of thought and reflection.  This month I traded my old Leica Q for the Q2 Monochrom.  I haven’t had much time to get to know this new camera, but first impressions are that it is living up to all the hype.  So far, the dynamic range is the big stand out - simply amazing.  It’s hard to believe black and white images look this good in-camera.  I’m pumped about the prospect of spending even less time with post processing.

I have only a few weeks to explore the other nuances of this camera before I’m in Paris for 10-days with a friend where photography is #1 on our To-Do List.

More to come.

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Checking In

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It’s been so long since I last posted anything, I sort of forgot how to do it.  Let’s just say I was all thumbs trying to publish this update. Sadly, I haven’t picked up my camera either for more than 19 months. I'm hoping when I start to make photos again everything will fall into place as it relates to matters of timing, and technique.  There’s also the implied assumption that I’ll feel comfortable standing close to people again.


This post is my way of saying thanks for checking in, and that I'm still around and still COVID-free.  Like so many, I was hopeful we had turned a corner on the pandemic earlier this summer both in the US and Europe.  I even booked a trip to France for September that is no longer happening because of the rise in COVID cases both here and there.  This is the second time I've had to cancel a trip to France since the pandemic surfaced, and it isn’t getting any easier.  


Yes, I'm vaccinated, but given the higher risks of mingling among all the others who aren’t, I’m not interested in writing about what it feels like to have a breakout case or how my life has changed as a long hauler.  So for now, my travel plans are back on hold.


The cover photo was taken while I was testing out a Leica Q a few years ago.  As I mentioned in my last post, a few months later, I sold all of my camera equipment, and bought a new Q.


I’m still thinking about upgrading to the Q2M, it’s just that I've had a few distractions in my life since my last post.  Now that things have settled down, and travel is back on hold, I have some more time to tease out my buying impulse.

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At a Standstill

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I’ve been in self quarantine since March 14th. In this era of Covid-19, I have no new work to share, and blogs that slip into states of inaction begin to decay with stale content. It’s been several months since my last post, and I’m feeling the need to publish something that acknowledges my absence, but at the same time says I haven’t abandoned this blogging effort.

So here’s the catch-22. Until there’s a vaccine to protect us from a lethal virus that’s so easily transmitted, how do I safely get in range of my subjects with a fixed 28mm lens and still capture details that make for an interesting image? Yes, it's a first world problem that takes a back seat to the current global crisis, and a lot will have to change before I need to act on my dilemma.

Meanwhile, my travel plans are on hold for the short term, and probably the long term as well. I was supposed to go to Montreal this month, but that has been canceled, and I still have a few rays of hope for a trip I booked to France this fall.

I’m thinking about some ideas for future posts. Stay tuned, and stay safe.

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Nicollet Mall

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When there’s nothing happening on the streets of Minneapolis, I often resort to Nicollet Mall. I can usually find an interesting subject or some interesting light. Today, I pushed my shutter just ten times because the activity level was so low, and I was under-dressed for the weather. I think I spent more time sipping a Guinness inside a local Irish pub than I did walking on the streets.

I like the image above only for the pop of color that punches through the drab scene. The gloves, the scarf and the hat confirm that winter has arrived.

The image above misses the mark, but perhaps you can make sense of what I was thinking about when I took the shot. As I saw these women heading towards me, I was hopeful they would synchronize their stride to mirror the metal bars off to the left - maybe next time.

This guy is ready for winter, and there’s something Viking-esque about his build, his plaid shirt, the hat, and all of that hair.

And finally, I like how the elements of this image started to fall into place as an authority figure shouted to this group of students who were almost a city block in front of their party. There is a clearly defined foreground, middle ground and background of students positioned about the sidewalk. My only regret is that they they weren’t all in focus.

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Cold Snap

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What a difference a week makes. All I could think about today was staying warm when I met up with a friend to shoot some pictures in downtown Minneapolis. No wonder no one was out and about. It’s too cold for this time of year as the images below suggest.

As the city bus rolled to a stop in the image below, a woman, who looked like she was competing in a track and field long jump event, exited the bus. I actually got a shot, but I was too far away, and a street lamp pole was also blocking the subject. I was within range when the last passenger exited the bus. If it wasn't for the guy who is looking back at the woman, I would have deleted this shot.

It’s time to toughen up to the cold because another long winter has already begun. May it pass quickly.

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Seasonal Change

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It took me a few weeks to get excited about shooting in my city again after coming back from Europe earlier this month. This feeling is familiar to me, and I deal with it every time I get a chance to shoot in a new location.

We’re well into fall in terms of the leaves changing color, and many of them are on the ground swirling in the cold winds that will only get colder in the coming days. Here’s one stretch of my walk where the trees seemed to be holding on to their leaves.

While I was walking in downtown Minneapolis today, I enjoyed every moment of the bright sunshine and the days which are now numbered where I can operate without gloves. It’s likely we won’t have another day like this for the next six months. Here are a few more images I captured on my walk.

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Kind of a Yawner

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It actually felt like Spring today in Minnesota. Even though its well into the month, a freak snow storm is never out of the question at this latitude. It was a day of blue skies and bright sunshine as this guy’s expression summed up my photo walk. Nevertheless, it felt good to be out, and practicing.

I closed in on this group of guys whose opinions and points of view were as different as their age and race. The older gent had sharp words for the message these youngsters were trying to articulate.

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Don’t Hold Back

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It’s always interesting to notice how some people respond to the first warm days of spring as temperatures begin to climb in Minnesota. Today it reached 50 degrees, and I met up with a friend for a photo walk in Minneapolis to capture the sites and sounds of this seasonal transition. The guy below was dressed for the weather like most of the people we saw except he was also enjoying a smoke on his afternoon stroll.

And unlike the guy pictured above, the woman below was feeling the heat, and decided to peel off a layer as we see the sun highlighting her shoulder and her hair.

We heard our fair share of music blasting from cars with the windows down. While the guy below didn’t have music blaring from his minibike, the engine sounded like a runaway chain saw on Nicollet Mall. In the name of speed, the rider appears to have found the optimal posture to aerodynamically cut through the wind as the dog looks on.

These guys in the image below had some energy to burn as they put up their dooks, and turned the sidewalk into a boxing ring while pedestrians on both sides of the street took notice.

And on a lighter note, I couldn’t resist this scene of the dog resting his head on the table as his owner waited for her lunch to arrive.

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After the Polar Vortex

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It’s weather like we had this last week that re-affirms my plan to move away from this climate when I retire. Just four days ago, the temperatures were hovering near -30 degrees. Today, it was almost 40 degrees. Neither of these temperature extremes is normal, but any time the temperature is cold enough to support snow, I’m thinking relocation. At least it was warm enough today to meet up with a friend for a photo walk around Minneapolis.

One of the buildings downtown had a large accumulation of ice that formed a huge icicle from what was probably a water supply pipe that burst during the polar vortex. This giant icicle formed several stories above street level. The sidewalk was closed on the other side of the street as a crew worked to free the ice from the building. Naturally, this attracted lots of attention and a chance to photograph people looking up in amazement.

In my last post, I mentioned how I wanted to pay more attention to perspective in my photographs. As I worked the scene, this angle offered more visual interest given the elements that make up the background. I particularly like the abandoned flag poles aiming skyward as they play off the angles at which the pedestrians have cocked their heads.

I first noticed this guy looking up, and he couldn’t take his eye off of the worker removing chunks of ice with a wand spewing steam at high velocity. I like his posture, and how his hands are placed in his pockets, and his mouth open in a state of wonder. It’s interesting to notice how other passers-by follow suit, and before you know it, everyone is looking up.

I came back for a close up before moving on. There was also plenty of ice on the sidewalk in another part of the city as this woman in the photo below pointed out. I like the elements of perspective including the railing, the poles supporting the electrical lines, as well as the snow on both sides of the sidewalk, and the texture of the stone that wraps the outer wall of this building.

And finally, a winter embrace under the canopy. What first caught my eye was the architectural features of this structure as well as the different lines of perspective. The human element was the trigger that made me take the shot.

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A New Perspective

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It was a January dream come true. Sunny skies gave way to 40 degree temperatures, and the only snow on the ground was the stuff pushed into piles in parking lots. For those of us already wishing winter goodbye, it doesn’t get much better than this in Minnesota. I knew I’d see people out running and walking with their dogs like we see in the image below.

I got off to a slow start today as I experienced the usual episodes of clumsiness symptomatic of a student who doesn’t practice regularly. The best way to sum up my shoot is to say I had a nice walk. I never noticed anything worth chasing, no special places where the light was exceptional, and no compelling moments where I felt like I was in the right place at the right time.

After I got home, I deleted all but four photographs, and I could have easily done away with them all. I resisted that impulse because each of the four images in this post had elements of perspective that held my attention just a few extra seconds.

Railings, roof lines and shadows flirt with the subjects in all of these images, and suddenly I realized the images were more appealing to me. I wish I could say I deliberately took these photographs with perspective in mind, but this is just a small collection of accidents. Going forward, my goal is to actively work perspective into images to raise compositional interest.

The image below reveals three layers of activity. Three adult males dominate the composition, but I find the child’s expression most interesting. Finally, there is a woman on the left who is focused on the first of four steps before she is ready to look up. The overhang of the building and the railing produce elements of perspective that draw the eye through the image. I also like the detail of the lamps underneath the overhang that provides a steady rhythm in this setting.

I was more interested in this guy’s backpack than anything else. The leather pack looks fresh out of the box, in fact it appears the photographer forgot to remove the dangling tag. In any event, the fence adds another linear perspective to this image, and the other couple offers balance to a shot that is otherwise plain.

I left this last photograph in color to highlight the backlight that makes this guy’s ears look orange. There’s no post production hanky-panky here. His skewed hat against a lighter background is icing on the cake. Once again, I only noticed later how shafts of light separated shadows on the sidewalk. I also find it curious how everyone seems to be walking in each other’s shadow which enhances the element of perspective.

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Getting Out

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It feels like winter arrived more than a month ago, yet the season hasn’t officially started. For me, this is the most challenging time of the year to shoot photographs on the street. These days, when I see people out walking, they’re bundled in layers, often cold, and usually in a rush. The bursts of northerly winds bring back a word usage that’s been dormant in our conversation for almost seven months - wind chill. There are other signs of impending change as good light gives way to grey and overcast skies. It’s hard to get out when things are this way.

I picked up my camera for the first time since early October to shoot pictures at the Christmas Market in Saint Paul this weekend. The picture above was my first of the day, and I caught this guy trying to contain a yawn that slipped into a smile when he noticed my camera.

The colors in the picture below shout of winter, and I like how the subject’s face is surrounded in symmetrical colors and textures. The slightly red base of her nose is like a temperature gauge that confirms the chill today.

In the next shot below, I like how the fur lining on the woman’s hood almost looks like a funky hairdo. How about that guy’s laser-eyes staring down my camera lens? Even through the blur, his look is intense behind those powder-blue frames.

And finally, the woman below seemed slightly confused in this moment as her face radiates tension.

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Encouraging Words

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The weather was just about perfect for a marathon - mostly overcast skies, calm winds and temperatures in the upper forties. Something else about this day seemed nearly perfect.

There was a flood of emotional support directed towards family, friends, and total strangers running the Twin Cities marathon. It was refreshing to see this genuine compassion directed at all the runners on the course, particularly when compassion seems notably absent in this era of Trump.

In the photo above, I watched the woman in the grey jacket step into the street and shower this runner with praise and support. She was so emphatic, and I thought for sure it was her friend or some acquaintance, but the runner only acknowledged the support and passed by without saying a word.

Minutes later, I heard a big commotion down the street and witnessed another genuine expression of support. These two guys in the photos below knew each other, and while I didn’t have any details, it seemed like an unplanned reunion

The finger wag below appears to be a coaching moment and whatever the coach was saying, it seemed to propel the runner as she approached the 22-mile mark.

I positioned myself at a point on the course where the runners had to make a sharp turn to their left. I stood a few steps behind someone standing on the corner who acted as a human shield so I could get candid shots of faces rounding the corner. Here’s a sequence that conveys the true grit needed to run a marathon.

All age groups were well represented by the field of runners, and I was particularly interested in the older guy’s footwear in the photo below.

And finally, a panning shot using a slow shutter speed.

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The Great Get Together

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I forgot how target-rich the Minnesota State Fair is for capturing candid shots.  In a way it reminds me of the steady stream of photographic opportunities I experience when I'm in New York City.  There's no time for your camera to slip into pause mode, and you have to keep your finger on the trigger at all times or you'll miss your next shot.  And with the endless stimulation surrounding you, it's easy to slide into that zone or meditative state where your focus is perched squarely on the next opportunity, just steps away, and headed straight at you.  

It was mid-afternoon when I met up with a friend for what would be a 9-mile photo walk that snaked through the crowded streets and criss-crossed the fair grounds.  It was my third year shooting at the fair, and this time I noticed several themes worthy of capture.   

There's something about the food at this fair that gets everyone excited.  Apparently, I'm one of the few who doesn't appreciate this seasonal cuisine.  Nevertheless, fair food makes for great subject matter, and I spent some time capturing the corn-on-the-cob crowd as well as other fair-foodie delights.  With the help of backlighting, the first picture captures a fine mist of butter and corn kernel juice bursting from all that nibbling.   

This is the first year I spent some time in the barns with the animals and their caretakers.  I was surprised to see the close connection between the caretakers and their animals. We saw older kids sitting in the hay with their cows, and then there was this woman seeking contact comfort with her cow in a way that doubled as a footstool..

Since I shoot with a 28mm lens, it's challenging to find amusement park rides where the subjects aren't raised high overhead and out of range for my lens. I did find two rides that worked at ground level. The first two pictures below are of the same couple in different stages of excitement.  The first image was taken as the ride started to speed up.  The second picture shows the effect of spinning and whipping around in circles several times.  Notice how the guy's cool demeanor has given way to unbridled joy. 

My last post included a shot of a woman yawning, and I'm now collecting this expression of  fatigue or restlessness whenever I'm out and about with my camera. Here are a few yawns from  last night.

It's interesting to notice the body language of people as they look to the sky.

And finally, a sample of other moments captured throughout the day.

Something to Smile About

Last weekend we had a blizzard and 16 inches of snow.  The airport closed and those who knew better stayed home.  A week later, it's now sunny and sixty degrees - it actually feels like the first day of spring.  I saw lots of smiling faces on the street today which partly reflects the optimism some people have as winter begins to fade.

For the first time in almost a year, our trio of street photographers met up to capture the day. I met Matt and Bill in Minneapolis for Record Store Day, an event to promote independent record stores.  One of the venues had live music which attracted a crowd to a side street cordoned off from traffic.  Here are some of the happy faces I saw at this event.

While I was positioning for a better photo opportunity, I couldn't pass up this scene.  I noticed three conversations in this layered view, so I took the picture.  

I like to capture pointing gestures, and it looks like everyone here is on the same page.

There was limited shelter from the sun and the shadows were dramatic at times.  Check out the shadow cast upon the woman's face from her glasses in the photo below.  I also like her quizzical expression amplified by the tilt of her head, and her slightly open mouth. 

Not everyone was smiling as you can see in the image above and the next series of shots below.  Either the hair, the hat or the facial expression caught my attention. 

The guy in the last shot was entertaining to watch.  Of course I liked his hat.  At one point I noticed him turning to check-in with his friend.  Their eye's met and neither one said anything for a few seconds.  Then he grabbed her ankle.  He seemed to have no idea what he was trying to accomplish, and she was just as befuddled.  It dissolved into nothing.

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March for Our Lives

I thought I would find some great photo opportunities at the March for Our Lives rally at the state Capitol this morning. Unfortunately, I arrived too late to capture the students as they marched through downtown St. Paul where the tall buildings would hide the gray skies, and make for more interesting backgrounds.

Once I realized I was late to the party, I made my way to the Capitol grounds where I found myself getting drawn into the event and listening to speeches, and even forgetting at times I was there to take photographs.

Throughout the morning, I was intrigued by the messages as well as the creativity that went into producing some of the signs. I was also surprised by my reaction to the messaging on each sign based upon who was carrying it. Signs in the hands of kids and grandparents seemed to deliver more of a jolt.

Here are some other crowd shots that have more of a street photography expression to them. I like to capture moments when people are pointing in a direction other than where they are looking.  For the couple in the next photo, it feels like a personal moment.  Then, I like the balance conveyed by the coffee cups, and the expression of each open mouth in the following picture. Moving to the next two shots, they're all about the cold.  The color of the baby's cheeks was lost in black and white, so I left this photo in color. Finally, I can't resist taking pictures of people wearing hats.

Low Expectations

I didn't expect much today, in fact I purposely set low expectations so I could enjoy the first warm afternoon walking in temperatures that actually made it to 40 degrees.  I headed to St. Paul for a couple of hours with the goal of re-acquainting myself with my camera.  

I noticed this woman from across the street not only because of her red hat, her red jacket and her red purse, but also because of the shift in color palette and pattern that made up the rest of her outfit.  

I sensed she wasn't sure where she was going, and I decided to pass her when I took the first image in this post.  My plan was to get to the corner and turn around to walk back in her direction so I could capture the face behind this haute couture. Unfortunately, she ducked into a coffee shop and that's when I decided to moved on. 

It's a good thing these skateboarders were out strutting their stuff; otherwise, I wouldn't have had anything else to shoot.  My only regret when I ran into these guys is that I didn't work the scene.  Part of my reluctance stems from my previous experience shooting this subject matter. I have yet to come up with compelling images of skateboarding except for a previous post that included a picture of three skateboarders getting ticketed. 

In this case, I missed an opportunity to focus on the guy whose hands are together or the photographer with the helmet covered by the over-stretched knit hat.  I wish I would have spent more time talking to them to gain better access to closeup shots and portraits with their skateboards cradled in their arms.  Normally my instincts would have pushed me in this direction, but this is a form of mental oxidation that inevitably blooms when we fall out of practice with our sport, or our craft.

It was interesting to observe the passion these guys have for this activity.  They shot at least 15 takes while I was there, and the last picture gives you a sense of the hill they had to climb after each attempt to capture the perfect run with the video camera rolling.

All Thumbs

I knew I was in for a sloppy shoot today.  I haven't really used my camera since the middle of December, and many of my good habits have noticeably slipped after all this inactivity.  While the holidays are partly to blame for this hiatus, it's the frigid cold temperatures that have dominated our weather and driven everyone inside for the last four or five weeks. Today it was 40 degrees, and it almost felt like sweater weather after all of the subzero days, yet I was surprised to see some people still bundled up like this woman wrapped in her hood.

I spoke to this construction worker who pulled down his face mask to answer my question when I asked him if he and his crew were from out-of-town.  I assumed he was from the sunbelt and still not used to our weather.  To my surprise, he said he lived here.

As for those good habits that have started to slip, first and foremost, I felt a disconnect with the focal length of my lens.  I was consistently too far away from my subjects and I need to close the gap.  That will correct itself once I'm back to my regular shooting schedule.  

I also noticed a decline in my reaction time.  I felt flat footed and missed my chance to make several images.  That too is something I can recover from with regular practice.

Downtown Minneapolis was teaming with construction workers in preparation for the Super Bowl.  There are all kinds of temporary structures on Nicollet Mall in various states of completion as the activities for the big event get underway this Friday.

Here are a few more images from today's outing.

Between Shadows

I got a late start on this cold Saturday where the wind was more of a challenge than the air temperature.  I was also on my own which makes for a different experience on the street.  At this time of year the sun hangs low in the sky and the shadows are long.  To my surprise, there weren't a lot of people walking around, so I decided to made it a point to search for good light, position myself in the right spot, and wait for an interesting subject.  

It didn't take long for the guy with blonde hair to walk in front of me.  I like the play in contrast between his light hair and the dark background and that same contrast in reverse with his shadow.  

As the wind whipped, I decided to keep walking.  I passed a guy on the sidewalk roasting chestnuts on a grill which smelled fabulous, and then I ran into three older guys from out of town who were standing on the curb at an intersection, and hoping to get directions to a nearby sports bar.  

When I approached these guys, I was holding my camera against my chest in what I would describe as a ready position, and with shoulders relaxed, I continued to hold this position while we talked.  As I faced them standing slightly off to one side, I was also standing close enough to view the Google map on one of their phones.  Of course I clicked off a few frames (my camera has a silent shutter) and was now hopeful that I had my best shot of the day.  As we separated, there was just one image I was excited about, and I couldn't wait to check it out. For a full city block, I resisted all temptations to look before I caved.

During one brief moment with these guys, the one who was standing closest to me had extended his right arm to point in the direction of the bar, and the other two guys leaned in with partially squinted eyes to sight down the length of his arm. At eye level, I saw an amazing image, but that extended arm also happened to be at the same level as my camera lens, and all I got was a full frame of coat sleeve.  

Many steps later, I noticed two guys walking in my direction.  Each had a different crop of facial hair, and I thought the white beard would translate well in black and white.  Besides the penetrating stare, I like how each guy is looking in a direction that crosses the other's line of sight.  I also like the subtle reflection in the storefront windows of the buildings from across the street.

I limited myself to just 2-hours of shooting this day, and time was running out.  As I walked down the newly developed Nicollet Mall, I heard the familiar sound of a skateboarder moving quickly in my direction.  I turned around and saw this interesting scene.  I like the rim lighting on the subject and of course his long shadow. It was a nice way to wrap up this urban adventure.

A Festival of People

Shooting at festivals is often an awkward transition for me, especially when the venue involves a suburban park or acres in the countryside.  I met a friend today at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, and as I was driving there outside the suburban ring of the Twin Cities, I tried to explore the reticence that sweeps over me each time I head to an event like this.  

I don't usually find much pleasure photographing clowns and people dressed in costume because of the "on stage" effect that naturally goes with the getup.  It also occurred to me that when it comes to photography, people are my core interest and wherever there are people, there are opportunities for great pictures.  

I'm writing this post as a reminder to myself that these events are just as "streetworthy" as shooting on a city sidewalk.  For me, it's about capturing the unusual, the facial expressions and the gestures no matter the setting.  Instead of cringing when I hear festival, it's time to embrace it for what it really is - a festival of people.

Here are a few images I captured today.  The fourth image shows a family of 4 or could that be number 5 hiding in the shadows?

Cinco de Mayo

On May 7th, Minneapolis decided to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.  It was the first time out with my camera since my trip to New York.  I was late when I met up with with some friends for this street festival in south Minneapolis, and I immediately picked-up on their enthusiasm as we connected.  Their excitement foreshadowed what would prove to be a target-rich event. Unfortunately, it took me a while to notice the opportunities after a weekend in NYC where everywhere you look there's something to shoot.  After a few adjustments, I was starting to click away.  

The image below is my prize catch of the day.  In a hushed voice, that was drowned out by the live music, this guy unleashed a barrage of colorful language directed at this woman who had just packed her mouth with treats from the bag she was holding.  She became perfectly still, and my fast shutter speed only had to freeze the guy's lips.  I like her serious eyes, the furrows in her brow, and the busy patterns in her blouse and skirt.  She is also backlit by the sun and her blonde hairdo really shines bright.  

I also liked the image below where this couple is watching the action on stage.  She slipped her sunglasses down her nose for a moment and called something out to her friend who leaned into her sightline to see for himself.  Her braided hair adds texture to the image as do the lines from both of their shirts.