Cali Dream Deferred?

No argument there...   Photo: © Stan Banos

San Francisco once seemed an exotic faraway destiny when I lived in New York, not quite wholly American, like... New Orleans- some innately elusive, foreign aura. Hard to believe I've now lived here some twenty odd year and seen it go through some pretty profound changes- the majority not for the better. Homelessness was always a problem, but it metastasized exponentially during Covid to the present day. Coming from New York I didn't fear walking any street here in any neighborhood, now I most definitely avoid certain streets- and it's not so much because of the plethora of mentally ill, drug addicted, shadows of humanity that lurk about, as it is: the filth and feces, the dilapidated tents blocking entire sidewalks, the sheer... stench! Mission St between 5th and 9th streets is a zombie nation unto itself, full of the walking wounded, many of them in various states of nodding off in place, looking for all the world more sculpture than human, melting in the not so setting sun.

On days when I'm running late, and don't have the time to: avoid, walk around, and detour... I take the bus, and directly below its window on the same street that James Nachtwey photographed his San Francisco portion of the opioid crisis, I see the entire sidewalk unsteadily emerging to greet the new day with its first hit- needles, pipes, aluminum foil and lighters all at the ready. This video taken in Philly gives you the basic feel, which is again replicated in Skid Row, Los Angeles, as well as several other American cities.

Experiencing this daily, gradually and inevitably exacts its toll in a myriad of ways, and as I've stated countless times before, I at least have a place to call home at day's end. How much longer do I stay here? At least till seventy when I get the extra SS dough- this soon to be sixty-seven year old ain't starting anew somewhere else in a blue vest, proclaiming: "Hello, and welcome to..." And there ain't too many walkable cities in the US of A, something I consider mandatory- certainly wouldn't mind spending the rest of my days in London, but don't think I've caught the queen's fancy as of yet.

Meanwhile, San Francisco it is- and it still does have its relative strengths, and yes, even beauty. Where else within a seven mile long and seven mile wide stretch of humanity can one get such disparate views of existence as seen on the opposite ends of this post?

SF Americana, '22   Photo: © Stan Banos

Yup, That's (Exactly) How It Happened...

Photo: © Stan Banos

From across the street, I observed two thin, pale men in black hats, shades and suits exit the building and set down three small, oblong slabs onto the steps of said building, before quickly departing the premises. As a green glow began to emanate from and then envelop the three objects, I forced myself through oncoming traffic to get a closer look. Once there, all that remained was a white residue outlining where the rectangles had once been...

"Just Comply"

Republicans are so fond of telling people of color those two words, but certainly, you don't expect them to actually follow their own advice and... comply with those very two words if and when it applies to them.

 

$4,522.47

No, not what I spent on a used Leica Q2, god forbid- the cost of my recent ambulance ride to the ER! Fortunately, I only have to pay $50 out of that $4,522.47- and I called to make absolutely certain, cause I certainly don't want any monetary surprises at this point that'll send me on yet another trip to the ER. I had long ago checked about ambulance rides on my health plan, but there's always those small yearly changes and adjustments (wink, wink), the (very) fine print, the myriad of untold ways they can still totally screw you over because... they can!

BTW- Mentioned my recent episode of ill health and humiliation to a childhood friend and he recounted how an acquaintance who had also suffered severe dehydration due to very similar circumstances never made that call and is now resting peacefully nonetheless, permanently.

Dream Camera Deferred

Somewhat cleaned up tribute to Joel's Cape Light.  Photo: © Stan Banos  

I recently purchased my 'dream' camera, a used but well preserved Leica Q at half price (cleaned and serviced by Leica Japan), and had to return it after a week because of a smudge on the sensor on the upper left hand side- like right where the sky goes on landscapes! At 100% it was a darkened irregular oval, an ill defined stain about an inch in diameter that was just a major pain in the ass to photoshop evenly and invisibly, exactly where most obvious. It seemed more the result of direct contact with the sensor from a contaminated surface (finger?) than actual dust, which is usually smaller and more well defined. Map Camera in Japan accepted the return and paid for return shipping with the option of buying once again when properly (re)cleaned by Leica Japan (if possible), or purchasing another, once available... Pretty classy resolution- their very positive feedback seems well earned!

I was negotiating with them for a week on how to handle the situation, feeling them out, expecting the worst, and I must say that thus far, Map Camera has come out as exemplary! No, I haven't got my money back as of yet, but then, they haven't gotten their camera back just yet (currently in transit)- I just don't see them stabbing me in the back at this point, and again, must heartily recommend their customer service.

The Q ain't nirvana, but if you're a 28mm fan (as am I) it most certainly has its strengths: ergonomics, build quality, styling- and the IQ is a noticeable (but certainly not astronomical) step up from my trusty, punch above its weight GR. Sometimes, I just get the feeling that this was Leica's way of telling me to... know thy place.

GOP, Hypocrisy Is Thy Name!

Man had a good run. Being the figurehead of psyop to get Americans who are angry and unheard to fight different Americans who are angry and unheard all to maintain the status quo of those already powerful and wealthy. -TyphoonSwell

Comment on Trump on YouTube video. And a damn good one at that! Except that it neglects all the harm, vitriol and distrust he repeatedly blew up and disseminated throughout our country to such unprecedented levels. To the point where rumor, division and such blatantly profound hypocrisy now confuse and utterly rule the land. Marjorie Taylor Greene insists that it was Antifa who rioted on January 6th- while at the same time 'praying' with one of the Trump supporters she acknowledges was at the Capitol that very day! But then, what do you expect of people who actually gather to witness a resurrected, zombie JFK, Jr. arise again to inexplicably change parties and lead Donnie back into the White House!?! 

The very same people who condemned "Defund The Police," now shout "Defund The FBI!" The very same 'police supporters' who had no problem with officers being attacked at the Capitol- while trying to protect... them!

And then, this precious 5th Amendment gem, from the very mouth of he that belched it in such loving irony. If ever I was certain that all I need do was rest easy and just wait till it inevitably hit...

Brink

David Butow has the photographic and political eye and savvy that infuse his work with impact, humor and nuance. There's one photo in Brink of former Senator Jeff Flake that is reminiscent of Renaissance masterpieces of Last Supper proportions...

Why?

I almost (almost) feel sorry for Alex Jones, because even though he is doing exactly what he wants in life, and making an insane amount of money doing it- he's still too freaking bat shit crazy to relax and enjoy any of it... even if you can somehow enjoy repeatedly exposing people to death threats, people who already have had their hearts ripped out when their own children were so needlessly slaughtered...

New (Used) Kid On The Block...

All Photos: © Stan Banos

I've probably lusted for a Leica Q since 2015 when it first came out; back then, I wasn't even officially shooting digital. It was just such a sexy thing to behold, particularly amongst the vast majority of butt ugly digital cameras! And at a MSRP of $4,250, it wasn't even fodder for some potential fantasy buy of the near (and used) future... In the intervening years I read every review, watched every video that featured it, to the point where foreign language reviews started to appear. Still, it was well beyond financial reach and I had finally busied myself entering the 'new' digital realm with affordable substitutes named Fujifilm and Ricoh GR.

The years passed and the old flame lit anew; with a few extra bucks available, I began to play with the idea of maybe, just maybe. My event horizon was $2,500, but to this day, most used Q's hovering at that price range are very much used. Then I finally saw one at that exact price in Mint Cond and serviced by Leica- WOW! Still, it was a whole mess of $$$ (basically for one lens). I told myself if it was still there next morning- maybe, just maybe... Morning came, and I was actually happy and relieved to see it gone. I had resisted the pressure to buy something I didn't need, and saved my money for prints, vacation whatever. I actually felt freed from the longing for the... unnecessary.

Photos presented in order taken.

A few weeks later, saw yet another, this time for... $2,200 from the same seller in Japan, not quite so preciously Mint, but ever so tantalizingly used in all the right places, and again, serviced by Leica. I've seen more heavily used specimens costing up to a full grand more- and certainly not serviced by Leica! Damn, now they were downright daring me, mocking me not to buy! It was a Friday evening, I went to the local pub for my weekly pair of pints and told myself if it was still there on my return- I'd finally pull the trigger. 

I had held one years before and remember being surprised just how heavy and clunky it was. It's not. Quite compact, just the right weight and those rounded corners go well in the hand! I'm sure everyone is more than well acquainted with the plethora of Leica system accolades, and the Q is a magnet for such fanboy platitudes. It's a definite looker, but how does it actually perform? 

The colors and IQ here and throughout are nothing short of stunning!

Took it for a test drive the following Saturday afternoon and was immediately disappointed (shocked really) by its much lauded EVF. The Fujifilm EVF is most annoyingly contrasty and super saturated, like looking at the world as a badly printed Cibachrome print of yore. Gradually, I learned to expose for the highlights and the shadows would more than take care of themselves. The Q in comparison is astonishingly flat, washed out, with a slight bluish tinge and not very bright- WTF!!! Auto focus seemed reliable however (unlike my XT-1, 2) and the files from my test shots seemed promising. At this point, I was 60/40 that I would probably sell my new, used device. The next day I would take it to one of two San Francisco leather fairs and maybe see what it could do for real- maybe, because for most event photography I use a 20mm equivalent for the vast majority of shots. 

As things turned out, I ended up using the Q almost exclusively that day. Had the Leica mystique finally absorbed me into its fanatical cult of devotees? Hardly. There's no reason to believe I wouldn't have gotten the same shots with the GR, and I probably used the 28mm almost exclusively because: a) sheer luck, and b) the fact that the event was less crowded than usual (probably because of Monkey Pox fear). I still have to get used to yet another less than stellar EVF, and the aperture ring on the Fujifilm is flush to the body, while the Q's is on the front end- and, of course, they open and close in opposite directions! Perhaps, we'll just go shutter priority next time 'round to avoid that particular frustration. Still, it felt good to give the Q a real workout, and at the end of day I was... 50/50. 

Then I dived into the actual results- nine keepers, pretty damn good in my book, especially for 2 hours, and particularly when diminishing returns had already started to kick in a couple of years back. This is my first FF sensor camera, so I don't know if Leica files are inherently better than Nikon, Canon, Sony... I suspect not. But they are damn nice! Would have gotten more than adequate results with the crop sensor GR, but these files are definitely more... 'luxurious!' Still not sold on the Leica 'glow' BS, the shoot everything at a 1.7 buttery smooth bokeh BS, or the whole Leica makes you see and react better BS. But the IQ is definitely a step up, as it well should be. 

Forget the leggings- it takes quite the set to rock a proper beret!

Truth is, if there was a viable third party 28mm equivalent option for Fujifilm's shitty 28mm pancake or overpriced giant of a 1.4, I would still just be looking at pictures of a Q. As of now, think I'll order the thumb grip, the $15 one- not the $250 one.

All Photos: © Stan Banos

2 Phones

I have two phones now, and not because I need them, or because my life is all that complicated. I was simply bequeathed one from work; it's a smart phone, unlike my personal phone, the one I now officially call my "spam phone," which is exactly what it excels at. Lately, the calls have progressed from Medicare benefit inquiries to those of the funeral service variety. Since I never quite persevere long enough (if at all) to avail myself of what exactly they're offering, it's still endearing to know they constantly have my best interests in mind...

I'm just sorta worried about them is all, they've kinda painted themselves into a corner. I mean what's possibly left after my funeral concerns? Maybe something to do with... wills!? I can't seem to think of anything else- perhaps I should pass that on to them! 

Wait, I'm getting a call...

On Every Cylinder!

This video exposes, describes and breaks down America's complete fascination and devotion to the cult of the gun. And I must confess... it's most blatantly obvious and central tenet- the gun's socio-economic hold on a seemingly dispossessed, disempowered populace is one that I never fully realized till now. The causes may be somewhat conflated, the consequences- brutally destructive. And, not surprisingly, it's Chris Hedges, once again, offering the frank, concise and drop dead insightful analysis... 

Anyone With...

Those possessing the very slightest acquaintance with human nature and common sense should now realize that Donald Trump is/and always has been the most perfectly transparent con man who ever grifted the American political stage (even if it took this painfully long to get to such a woefully evident insight). And that still excludes all of his MAGA Faithful who purposely ignored any of the Jan. 6 investigative hearings. When facts no longer matter, and mere whim rules the day, it's impossible to accurately judge where any society currently stands, other than the most obvious of assessments- that it's in severely-deep-shit!

As if to prove my point:  Jim Banks of Indiana... said that if the hearings have done anything, "they've exonerated President Trump and the people supporting him."

And the irony is... he's 100% percent correct! He and his ilk are no longer bound by the rules of reality; they have broken free into the realm of their own delusional making! And we're the ones left to deal with their maniacal fantasies, and policies...

66 And Counting...

Photo: © Stan Banos

At my age, I'm: not on any medication, weigh almost half an average American, and can outwalk most 30 yr. olds. So, at times my head can actually tend to unconsciously swell up a bit and think I'm all that- despite the fact that I've consciously seen far too many bits and pieces of me fall to the wayside these past few years... like the latest tooth, which after becoming infected, has to be extracted. The dentist first gave me a prescription for penicillin, and after the infection cleared, the tooth would be pulled. One of the possible side effects was diarrhea, and sure enough, I met it head on and dealt with it for a good week. I took the photo above on a drop dead gorgeous Sunday afternoon and on the way home started to feel some cramps in the area of my small intestines (or so I'm guessing). They became progressively more severe, and by late evening they felt like a Gurkha was fiercely stabbing his was through my lower midsection- and then the diarrhea really hit! Excruciating pain followed by a fierce run to the john every twenty minutes like clockwork- the whole entire evening into daylight next day.

Sleep deprived, severely dehydrated and still throbbing in pain, I contemplated dialing 911 for an ambulance to the ER that morning. Never been in one in my life. But an ambulance for... diarrhea? Ridiculous. So, got dressed, walked out the door and was too weak to make it halfway down the hall; 911 it was. They arrive at the door, and I'm so exhausted, I can't answer all their questions (like I did on the phone) as to why I called for an ambulance. And I see them looking at me like- you need an ambulance for... diarrhea?

Far as I know, I'm covered for the ambulance ride- but somehow, I fully expect a notice any day now that says, well, not exactly... And still got an infected tooth to deal with, that's a tad more swelled than my head at the moment.

Pure... Coincidence?

 Who can best retrieve erased texts? The very people who erased them!

Tone Down The Starburst Filter!

   Photo- © NASA

Like anyone else, I too am thrilled and amazed by the new Webb telescope photos of our distant universe. Then again, there's something that kinda rubs me the wrong way about some of 'em- and for reasons well beyond tangential. For whatever reason, they just remind me of all those many, many photos out there of super sharp, super colorful, super detailed, beyond realism postcard landscapes (slot canyons, anyone?) that are so universally popular and ubiquitous these days. Fair comparison, absolutely not- not even a valid analogy, just the association that somehow prevents me from fully enjoying the new Webbs...

Strike While The Iron Is Hot!

With enough shit floating about his neck (that he himself shat out) to convict him six ways to Sunday thanks to the remarkable effort invested by the Jan 6 Senate Select Committee, it's about time someone, anyone jolts Merrick Garland awake, have him perform his duly appointed duty, and throw the seditious son of a bitch in jail where he has belonged (long before he ever set foot in the White House). 

And that said, why won't Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson make the criminal referral to the DOJ? What in the hell is going on with both of these guys!?! There's precious little time before Nov '22 (and '24)...

Steve Bannon- Political Mastermind!

MAGA Mastermind Steve Bannon has unequivocally proven why he is the political strategist of... All Time- we're talking GOAT, baby!!! Back against the wall, when most people would fold and crumble into a babbling, helpless heap- Steve Bannon rises, stares directly into the eyes of those who would do him ill, and... and ever so confidently, pulls out a note penned by his BFF explaining exactly why he was Ausente. Pure, indisputable G-E-N-I-U-S!!!

The Face Of Insanity

Photo: © Stan Banos

They say a picture's worth a thousand words, you know, the usual bromide. And for quite some time now I've tried to describe to people what it's like walking many a street of today's San Francisco. The deterioration, depravity, hopelessness- people not only without a home or resources, but without a working mind even capable of bettering those circumstances. People whose profound mental illness forever bars them from any semblance of normality on their own. And if you live anywhere near the downtown area, you need not search it out, it’s all around you, right next to you, in front and behind you- not just in the streets and sidewalks, but in your bus, subway car, local convenience store... 

Sometimes, people think you're exaggerating for effect, or they just dismiss it as a generic, nationwide problem, and you want to say- no, this is a bit different, on another level, this is truly out of hand... and in one of the richest cities in the land! This is not the first time I've seen someone babbling to themselves, laughing aloud, encased in their own shit. It's horrible to witness, beyond imagining having to live it- and yet, it is a horror that is allowed to continue and metastasize... right beneath the tech built, luxury condos that helped create it.

If...

...you can shoot on the street- you can shoot anything.
-Mary Ellen Mark

Anders

The guy is just so-damn-fuckin'-good! And yet, how come his name doesn't automatically come up in the same breath when one mentions master portrait photographers? It's more like... oh yeah, that guy! Perhaps because he doesn't take studio portraits, or maybe because his photographs go so far beyond mere portraits! Each a masterwork slice of life personified. And he's so damn prolific.

I look at all those incredible images hanging on the gallery walls, and it's truly humbling. Makes my meager stuff look so two dimensional and superficial; I suppose that's at least in part because the guy has such endless amounts of genuine empathy for his fellow man and the human condition. I like to think I have a fair amount of empathy- competing with equal amounts of aversion to and outright disdain of my fellow human beings...

Right vs. Left (Conspiracies)

Conspiracy Theory from the Left:  More than one person was involved in the assassination of JFK.

Conspiracy Theory from the Right:  JFK, Jr. will reanimate, reappear and usher Donald J. Trump triumphantly back into the White House.

Back in the day, most conspiracy theories came from the Left; conspiracies were one of the few venues of communication available to those who were not in power in such a Conservative nation. But things are considerably different today, no one trusts the government, what was once mildly Left is now center Right, and the Radical Extremist Rightists are in control and getting stronger by the day. And one of the ways they maintain and strengthen their hold on power is through their use of: lies, innuendo, rumor and conspiracy. And give credit where credit is due, they have raised the level of conspiracy theory to a whole different art form- to the degree that it no longer need be based on any semblance of reality. Hillary Clinton runs a child sex ring from a pizza parlor- fortunately, a true believer was stopped by police in the nick o' time before he shot up a most ordinary pizza parlor he believed the offending party! Certainly, that example was the epitome of outrageous inanity, nothing could possibly top that for sheer audacity and ridiculousness. I-was-wrong...

Yeah, the JFK, Jr. one! Personally, I couldn't decide which was the more insane proposition- JFK, Jr. reanimating and reappearing or switching parties for no explicable reason in order to somehow, someway lead Trump back into the White House! Total, complete off the wall insanity- and yet, and yet... the faithful came by the hundreds and dutifully assembled at Dealey Plaza to witness just that (and then refused to leave till they actually witnessed it)! That is the epitome of ignorance, the zenith of gullibility that sways today's Republican base. But have faith true believers- I was fooled once, the best is yet to come...

"Hey! That's what I hear- that's what they're sayin'..."  Happy Fourth!!!