Today is December 17th. The above photo is frame 17 for the month of December. Been sick and can’t get out. Luckily I need to go see my Primary at the VA Hospital. I figured that I might as well take a camera with as always. So, Mom the Ricoh GRII and I headed out to do the journey to the hospital. As we are on the train to center city, Mom is telling me that there is an updated version of her and I shouldn’t get any ideas about updating the new camera with a new name. Mom will suffice she said. I agreed. I argued enough with mom when she was alive and on the planet and I don’t want to argue with her now that she’s my camera. Ya know that Jewish Guilt Trip? Well, it’s real and always working. See, I think if I just agree with Mom the Ricoh GRII, then Mom in the grave won’t be inside my head so much. I tell youse about this cause I’m older than most but not all. That means you can feel comfy knowing others live inside your head. It’s best if it’s family and even your mom but might not be. Now ya can feel comfy knowing that your not the only one with issues. The old shooter, gotz goodies.
It felt good to be able to breathe the exhaust from the cars and trucks. I still coughed some but not terrible. The noise from the school kids yelling and horns honking. Beethoven doesn’t have anything on that. The hustle and bustle and the people bumping into me and not saying excuse me, wow, what a great feeling. The young guys busting bad with their eyes, right at me and of course, I stare them down. Mom the Ricoh GRII in my pocket keeping warm. She’s on the ready but not turned on. Lens extension procedures never in the pocket. The sky is bright gray-blue. You know that color of exhaust mixed with baby blue, well that’s it. Oh, don’t forget the clouds that look more like released tokes of pot, not medical, from the guys on the corner, only these dissipate slower. yeah man, life in Philly. How good does it get? So the A Train is rolling along the track and I look out the window to the junkies and prostitutes on the streets. It’s like 46F so the streets are loaded. Of course, people are shopping for their Xmas gifts and groceries. Kisa that are cutting school, riding their bikes and hopping around. Cigarettes are burning all over and the blunts are like a wildfire. Even on the train, I can smell the fresh scent of HIGH.
A Train is making the approach to 11th Street, my stop and I need to wiggle past to young girls to get by. I bumped into one’s little butt and said thanks luv. They both giggle……I smile back. Walk up the steps and hit the street.
Mom the Ricoh GRII comes out of the pocket and mounts to my hand by the Sony Wrist Strap. I have many straps of very good quality. The best wrist strap is the Sony Wii. It’s on eBay all the time for about $1.00. You will be hard pressed to find a better strap. Anyway, we start walking and this older couple are in front of me. I know I need to make some photos and I watch them walk. Then we approach the Fashion signs and I see a photo. I move forward and watch the elegance of age creep along the street thru the crowd of people. Mom starts wiggling in my hand….My Shrink says this is an illusion but the camera is shaking I tell Ya…. they get to catching up to me and ……CLICK!
Evening I hope the VA is looking after you ok. Not easy there in the streets of the big city this time of the year! Merry Xmas to you!
Duane, The VA does what it can. My wife has home remedies and they are more consistent, not that the VA isn’t, I just have more time at home. Thanks, be blessed one and all….
Good old GR. Hard to leave her home. There’s a FLOW about her that makes photography effortless, subconscious almost, like no other camera I ever used. External OVF of course.
Love this shot, by the way…
Giovanni. When the first digital cameras arrived, I was given a little one by Kodak. It was more a toy than anything as no one yet saw the future as well as Kodak, then Nikon. The thing is, on the back of the little camera was a screen and that completely captured me. When I saw the image, as poor as it was on that screen, I knew photography would change for one and all forever. Move to the present. The Ricoh GRII and it’s ancestors are as fine a camera as one could wish for. I use mom as a wake up call mostly. When I am over Leica’d or over Fuji’d, Mom the Ricoh GRII just revitalizes my soul, let alone my work. I think I started calling the GR series a camera killer with the GRD3. Once you pick it up and start working, other cameras are suspect.
Be blessed my friend
I haven´t used my Ricohs in a long time. Now I want to start using them again. Only thing is, there´s dust on the sensor on both of them, and the shake to remove it hasn´t been invented yet, nor any Hoovering of any known kind.
Wix, thank you kindly. I had the dust issue in my GR. I was very upset. Anyway, try this…..a shop vac works best
turn the camera on and off a few times or more and tap against your palm. I was kinda like really tapping and then put the suction end of the vac hose so it covers the lens. Turn on the vac and then tap again. After 3 or 4 times, I have a clean enough sensor. Many have done this and seems to be ok. With the GRII, honestly, I don’t check it for dust. I don’t see any in the photos and that’s good enough.
Good luck
A coughing man and a text full of life!
….well Tommi, as long as I have the full of life, I don’t mind coughing……
Take care, rest and heal. I have a GRIV and I love that camera! Curious about the III, although I don’t need it, still interested. Ricoh’s are user friendly and wonderful cameras!
thanks much. I have the GRDIV also. She’s white, no camera racial issues, don’t worry. I named her after Penelope…..I use that camera on 16:9 mostly. With the grain and contrast, it’s just perfect. When the GRIII gets home here I no doubt will be writing about it for a while.
Namaste’
….and always listen to your Mother Don
Beej, you are sooo right. My shrink tells me to listen also…..
I can relate to that “elegance of age” creeping along the street! We’ve earned it! I do have my eye, not so much my pocket, set on the new GRlll.
Yeah, that age thing. The GRIII, I been saving money for a while and will get it as fast as possible. The Leica is still on the edge.