Saint Paul

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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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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.

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.

Spring and Summer 2016

The year started off with a trip to California where I captured this image in Santa Barbara.  The law caught up to these skateboarders who were doing their thing in a no skateboard zone.  Each of them walked away with a souvenir in one hand, and their skateboard in the other.  The one closest to the cop has a “D'oh” expression on his face that relates well to his socks.

A few months later we welcomed a new puppy into our lives which introduced a new priority and derailed any hope of street photography for the next several months.

Late in the summer I did meet up with a friend in St. Paul, and for once, I arrived early.  It was a beautiful day, and I started looking for good light when I found this setting.  It was getting close to the time I needed to meet my friend and I saw this guy coming.  So I waited things out and took the shot as he turned his head slightly in my direction.  I like the dappled sunlight accents on the wall and the sidewalk, and I also like his quizzical look.

Looking Back at 2015

What a year this has been!  The highlights include Cuba, the Paris workshop and a chance to get to know and hang out with some other photographers who share a passion for street photography.  During the summer, I managed to get out almost every weekend and sometimes even twice on the same weekend.  I also kept a busy pace this fall, and now that there's snow on the ground and the temperatures have dropped, I've had more time to reflect on the year.  This could go down as one of the most exciting and most active years of my life as a street photographer.

There are two people who inspired me throughout the summer and into the fall and they were also instrumental in helping me maintain the pace of weekly shoots.  One of those guys is Matt who I met in my first street photography workshop last year.  A gap of time slipped by after the workshop and then we ran into each other at a grocery store.  We finally connected and started meeting downtown on a regular basis to shoot together.  Later on, Matt introduced me to Bill, and the three of us started pounding the pavement together. The image below was captured at Mear's Park in St. Paul. I like how the guy to the far left almost looks like he's getting away from the police.  I also like how one officer his leaning on his knee as he looks for trouble.  The stone wall acts as a leading line and draws the viewer into the picture.  

The next shot below is also in St. Paul, and next to the Farmer's Market. I like how the bicyclist, the police officer and the woman waiting on the corner are all clustered together, and are complemented by the portrait on the wall of the building.  The white line leads us into the scene the and man on the far left side of the frame seems to be walking in that direction

I really like this next image, and maybe it's because of my affinity for dogs. I don't need to see the dog's eyes to feel the anticipation of this moment since the head and tail already give that away.  Just looking at the woman's eyes are enough to experience the canine connection. 

It's interesting to notice body posture when people are giving directions.  It's a moment of mutual cooperation as each party works together to understand a universal truth.    

I went to an Asian farmers market, and the entire time I was there, I felt eyes on my back.  In any event, it was an interesting experience that resulted in the shot below.  Unlike the piece of food that is hiding between this woman's teeth and hidden from view, I'm exposed and have no chance of catching her with her guard down.

I took this man's picture at the train depot in St. Paul.  It was the light more than the man that I wanted to capture and I needed a subject.  So when this guy walked up to the window, I took the shot.  I like how the light defines the folds on the sleeve of his jacket as well as the other details including the hairs of his mustache against the bricks in the background.