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Lessons from my past circa 2004

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[column]If I had hesitated for one more second, I would have missed this guy.

I was in China Town in LA, for the first time.  I needed to get a few good shots for class, so I drove down to LA and walked around in a neighborhood that was like nothing I had ever seen before.  I had driven through the area, even had dinner there one night.  But walking from the 5 to Union Station, and north a block or so is totally different.  It was so comforting to be an invisible minority for one moment, ridiculous I know, I loved it and I charged off of it.

I kept it really simple, one body, one zoom lens, 4-5 rolls of film and I had a flash, but I never used it.  I had shot with that body every day for the last 12 months, the film for the last 6.  I shot a manual exposure based off of BDE, and I didn't think for but a moment.  I stopped, smiled asked if I could take his picture.  He looked at me and gently smiled.  He stopped, took off his hat, and took a humble but dignified gaze into my camera.  I pulled off two frames and new I had it.  I shook his hand, I walked away.

I have so much unlearning to do.  I have so much to re-learn.

On a side note, this was shot on one of my favorite films- Provia 100f.  Nothing looks like it, nothing.[/column][/col-sect]