Andre’ the Fuji X100s … 9 Months … Still My Best Friend

02-15-0010

The time of slow down could be seen as a productive time for the backend of process. I mean, working LR and getting organized and cleaned up is always a good thing. It’s no so much that I live in chaos and disorganization, I don’t. I’m diligent about this sort of thing. It’s the Windows 8, Imac, LR camera, world meeting of the lost mind of one known as Shooter.

See, all my things go haywire and do it in a way that makes me think it’s a conspiracy of things, thoughts, principles and actions set against one known as Shooter, aka me. Luckily I take good meds and that assures me that it’s not just against me. I am not the only target. All youse out there are targets also.

I know, I know. No one wants to admit about the breakdown of the natural order of all photographic concepts and thoughts and principles are on the attack, but they are. What? You think only you get to feel the Winter Doldrums and have an excuse for not doing much. Oh, ye of little faith. Be it known that all things in the known universe are susceptible to the Winter Doldrums Fall Out and be lazy phenomenon. 

So, with all this going on Andre’ the Fuji X100s beings the finest camera ever designed in the known universe and I’m told by the higher ups that he is also the finest designed camera that will ever be borne in the known or unknown universe. That’s saying something but damn right, I’m a saying it.

Oh, yeah… sorry. Racing thoughts happen to plague me and from time to time I don’t realize that I’m in a racing thought mode but sometimes I do and it doesn’t matter because by the time I get to the end of the racing thought train I forgot what I was thinking before I started the racing thought syndrome. 

This is one of those times.

Andre’ felt we needed to get out and burn some battery power. So I cleaned his eyes and his rear accommodating visual apparatus for Shooter to see what he sees. We started walking and Andre was nice cause it’s cold and my hands were getting cold but his internal heating system puts out just enough heat to keep him from freezing in my hand. Film cameras like the M Leica don’t do that and you can get a frozen M to your hand and it ain’t pretty I tell ya.

We we are walking and he’s looking at the girls. Andre’ is a leg man. He gets that from 1st Generation Andre’ the Leica M4 from the 70’s. He made photos of legs that sold very well called Gambe’ Game. 

We are walking and I’m still feeling detached from everything. I mean everything is there but I don’t feel connected. I don’t care about things because I just don’t. I do care about people. I love people and I’m told I may be a people too, imagine that.

Then why feel disconnected? Why is that detachment so obvious? Why care about it anyway? It’s an aura that we can’t see or feel until it presents itself to us. I am a BBC and CNN watcher. I get info from there. When I really want to see what’s going on in the world, ya know where I look? Flickr. Yup, that’s right. Flickr shows us what everyone is doing all over the world. It shows us how people are feeling and responding.

My flickr friends keep me focused on many things. Andre’ the Fuji X100s keeps me tuned to reality as we know it.

I walked passed this window and a woman was sitting there all alone in her store. No customers and kinda sad looking, I walked passed. I stopped in maybe 10 seconds. I looked at Andre’ and changed my exposure. Andre’said, go for it. If you mess up, I got your back and will change the ISO. I always trust him more than any camera I ever had. Wait a sec…. don’t gimme that shit like he’s the only camera I have. Don’t go there because the Leica crowd will castrate me. Get it.

I put Andre’ to my eye and then like magic, this woman looked me dead in the eyes. I mean I’m outside and she’s inside and I knew she would never know I was there. Then as I clicked the shutter and put Andre’ to rest in my hand, she smiled at me as if she knew I was a human being too. 

02-15-0002

 I remember being about 10yo and climbing on the side of this building. That was 55 years ago and that building still remembers me. Maybe it made photos of me climbing or maybe it’s soul missed me because when I saw it, I was compelled to see my old friend in a photo. I wish I had a camera back then because then I would have better memories of people and things and pets.

Memories. Interesting thoughts. I mean when winter Doldrums hit and there’s nothing to make photos of, maybe then it’s time to make the real photos that will mean more as every day passes. It’s sad to get lonely but it’s sadder to get complacent with ourselves and life. 

There exist nothing around you that doesn’t have the beauty of the universe in it. Just look at everything, no not like the first time your seeing it. That’s a bunch of shit. Look at anything as if it’s the last time you will ever see it. Make a photo of that experience and poooof, winter doldrums be gone.

 

speaking of which, I’m outta here till shortly……..

be blessed on your journey my friends………………………………………..shooter out…………………………………..

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 thoughts on “Andre’ the Fuji X100s … 9 Months … Still My Best Friend”

  1. I’ve been splitting my time between LR and making photo books with Blurb or My Publisher, but your post has inspired me to get out and walk Daido the GR this week. Thanks Don

    1. Doug, talk about inspiration….. you now inspire me. Ya know, sometimes I get lonely for photography. I mean I am kinda in a slow period and then I have this longing to use my camera work in lightroom and keep things going. One thing tho’, I never force myself to work. I let it just happen naturally and truthfully in over 50 years of shooting, I’ve only had a few periods of slow down. I attribute that to just doing things naturally.

      Talking about Naturally and Digital may seem like an oxymoron but in fact, that’s what gives it energy. So Daido awaits you and he desires to work with you and find your photos.

      I won’t say good luck cause that’s bullshit but I will say, stay in the here and now and your on it……..

  2. shooter, i know you ain’t a saint, but you pass along saintly thoughts just the same:

    “There exist nothing around you that doesn’t have the beauty of the universe in it.”

    amen, brother, amen.

    1. Thanks Brother. Sometimes I say things that surprise me. I mean that’s such a beautiful concept that it seems like it’s a revelation to me. The I realize that I just wrote what was in my heart. Thing is, it’s in many other hearts also.

  3. I was so sick of the cold keeping me from going out to take some street shots that I finally caved and ordered those patches that you put in your gloves to keep your fingers and toes from freezing. You’re definitely right about having a frozen camera in your hand. Not pretty at all.

    1. Tina, those patches are a life saver and they make them for the feet aso. What a pleasure to have them. Stay warm….. don

  4. Don, another great philosophical journey incorporating photography. When I think of my past … wow – so many times I also wish I had had a camera. Now … just images in my mind. But we still have the present … and Lord willing … the future to pursue our photography and what it captures of life. Take care!

    1. Dave, ya know anything to rattle the brain and get it thinking is good stimuli. The future is as the future does. MaYbe the here and now may seem different in the future but if we stay in the here and now, even in the future it will be the here and now. I think that’s important to remember because whenever the future is, we will be aware of it and the past with clear consciousness. That clarity mabe be important for photography but I’d hate to be there in Life without it…. all in a dream, all in a dream………

  5. Don the 1st photo & commentary gave me such a smile on this cold blistery night. My Bessa is itching for spring. I’m itching for spring. Thanks for a fresh post to carry me through. Stay warm you & Andre’

    1. Thanks. It went to -25f last night. It gets a little warmer during the day, I mean WTF 18f is nice right. The hell with that crap. I’m in till it at least hits freezing. Changes in the camera lineup but that’s apot being worked on now.

      Stay warm….

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.