Saturday, January 18, 2014

What's Your Story?

tickle of dried grass
weak winter sun
warming the pages


Walking through a pocket park in the city, I noticed a young man lying on the grass reading a paperback book. It was a mild day - maybe in the low 50's. He had long haired pulled into a ponytail and strong arms bared to the sun. There was an old-style scooter some distance from him, looking like it was made from a hodgepodge of discarded trike parts. Both the man and the scooter seemed like separate entities, brought together by the light and the sheltering trees. I walked until I framed the photo with both the man and the trike, the globe lights in the background adding a feeling of nostalgia. I don't often take photos of strangers, though I'm acutely aware of them, watching and sometimes listening as I tell myself silent stories about what I'm seeing. We all have stories, some intensely private, others displayed for the world to interpret.

Mindful Writing Challenge

I took this photo zooming a bit on the iPhone which degraded the clarity. I wanted only ambiance.  I like the feel of it, so I decided to make it part of my Small Stone today. (Edited in Snapseed and TitleFix.) 

11 comments:

  1. i like it, too! and i like your descriptions of him and his scooter trike. :)

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  2. There are two stories here that I want to know about. The young man and his book. What is so powerful that he is using his time in the park to read. I like that. But, the scooter is a mystery. Where is the child that rode it into the park, why is it just sitting there, where did the child/scooter come from, and where are they going? Nice capture with the light and shadows, btw.

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  3. When I see a photo like this, I wonder what the real story is, did he ride on the scooter ? what was he reading? And, look at the warm day, maybe Denver is turning up some heat for you right now. Cheers from Jean

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  4. What a unusual shot of an unusual man. I do the same thing and make up stories about those I see. Makes people watching fun.

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  5. It's good to see you've found yourself some sun, a patch of green, and a bit more warmth. The way you framed your photograph makes me feel the scooter belongs to the man on the grass. There's a sense of timelessness here.

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  6. Always fun to come upon someone reading and so concentrated on their book, paying no attention to anyone around them.

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  7. Great photo. Interesting moment. Love the tree shadows in the foreground.

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  8. I like this very much. I make up stories about people anytime when I'm waiting in line or in a crowded situation. It is calming to remember that everyone has a story and a life (even if the one I make up is the wrong one, they still have one.)

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  9. I know what you mean about photos of strangers. I usually don't include people in my photos unless, like this man, they would be totally unrecognizable because of light or distance. I like to think photos are stories.

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  10. I wonder if the guy and the scooter are connected - for some reason, I think not. Funny, it seems that I am in the minority in that I only rarely make up stories about strangers (based on the other comments)...

    It sounded like cabin fever was burning in Breck. Glad you went to the warmth.

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  11. Great shot- well worth the creeping up. Stories abound.

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Your comments are always one good thing for me!