First Of The Year

At the beginning of every new year, I always get a bit antsy as to when I'll take my first keeper of the year. What if I've lost it; what if that's all she wrote? It's irrational (perhaps), still- always in the back of mind.

This year it came early, and quite unexpectedly- and even then, wasn't quite sure... On my way home the first Friday of the year from the routine beers with my childhood friend, I saw a sight that stopped me in my tracks: the man before you having a special, self made moment- a ritual, a ceremony upon sacred ground the likes and meaning of which we will never be privy to. Of course, most would have simply dismissed and avoided him as yet another crazy, so it goes in  the streets of SOMA.

     Photo: © Stan Banos

I made peace I resigned to taking photos of the homeless whenever I've deemed... 'necessary' for lack of any other meaningful explanation or excuse. And I don't mean to make light of any of it; I've thought, written, rethought and rewritten about this often, and at the end of the day, I guess it's better to have some kind of halfway respectful documentation of anyone and everyone in whatever socio-economic spectrum, cause Lawd only knows- there but for the grace of god...

Anyway's, it's night time (too dark), I got three pints on an empty stomach (it's the alcohol talking- there's nothing there), I might anger the hell outta him or anyone else who notices (definitely not good)- keep walking, stay safe, and get something to eat.

So I yank out the GR, crank up the ISO and, yes, could it be... Am I actually gonna use its built in flash for the first time ever!? And it's done. I go home and... pretty much what I expected- you were drunk, Stan. You have to play Where's Waldo just to find the subject- and when ya do, so what. Shoulda kept walking, now get some sleep.

Next morning I take another peek just to lambaste it in a manner most sober, and... I kinda like it. Composition's neat, sharp enough at 3200, the lighting and color eerily illuminating and minimalist- I'm even liking the fact that you do have to make the effort to look for the subject, even though he is front right and center. And what the hell is going on there anyway? A certain aura of mystery, not my usual thing. All of a sudden, I definitely do like it- a lot! Still do. And you might well say, big shit, Stan- I don't see it and I ain't buying. And that's cool too...