Kodak moments that got away.


Thanks to the insidious ( the seductive definition applies ) influence of you all I'm now running around with at least the G11 in my pocket. Trying to document my life and find some art in the process. It's interesting how some of the most priceless moments aren't easily captured. They sneak up on you so quickly that they're done and over before you can get the camera out. Since I'm not going to live my whole life through a viewfinder some of the moments are going to have to live on as mental pictures only.

Such was the case yesterday. By the way, the photos are just some odd ones captured by the G11 in a parking lot. They're thrown in gratuitously to emphasize that the stories are motorcycle related if not directly about riding. The photos aren't worked over at all. However they came out of the camera is how they are. I did take one with the white balance set to "cloudy". It seems to add just a bit of warmth. The photos are taken in color but look pretty much black and white due to the subject and the day. I'm not saying they're good photos. Consider them filler in the meat loaf.

Yesterday I stopped at Lancaster Mall in Salem. That's where Elvira was parked in the photo I posted last night. The reason I stopped was to visit the Shutterbug store in the mall. Why didn't you people tell me that "fast" lenses were available for low light situations? I had to find out by reading a book. Some friends. :)

The manager at Shutterbug is pretty good about sharing information with me. I've spent a fair bit of money there so we both get what we want. I was looking at a 50mm f/1.4 lense. Didn't buy it, just checking it out. After looking at the lense I strolled down the mall corridor headed back to the bike. I'm still wearing the 'Stich, jacket unzipped, and carrying my helmet in my hand. One of the stores in the mall is Victoria's Secret.

As you know, the posters in the storefront windows tend to draw a guy's attention. The current series of posters are done in grayscale. As a budding photographer, I was interested in the photographic techniques used. I know, it's like saying we buy Playboy for the articles. I only plead that our recent blog posts validate my statement about grayscale and black & white. I'm pretty sure I wasn't drooling or walking along with my tongue hanging out. My pace was a steady, if not fast, walk. I was merely observing the composition and shading. Ok, the subject matter is interesting, too. Happy?

Having come to the end of the window displays, I shifted my gaze back to mall traffic. Right into the eyes of an older woman coming at me from the opposite direction. Her expression was a Kodak moment that got away.

She was tall; taller than me. Which helped her in looking down on me. The woman was lean with sharp features. The image put me in mind of a starving bird of prey. Gray hair was pulled tightly back into a bun at the back of her head. Clothing was neutral colored grays and brown. Skirt and blouse. Nylons dark enough to be black. Her face held a frown. The frown looked like it had lived on her face for a decade and was content to stay there. The cold eyes and frown were aimed squarely at me. She'd seen me looking at the posters. I must be a low life.

Meeting her gaze, I summoned my best boyish grin. Full of fun and mischief.

"Wanna go shopping in there with me?", I asked.

She made a gesture that looked like pulling an imaginary shawl tighter around her shoulders. Body armor against the pervert, I guess. The temperature of her stare and frown dropped several more degrees. I could almost feel the chill as she moved against the wall and walked on by. I continued out to Elvira, watching over my shoulder for Security as I went.

Speaking of chill, I just broke out into a cold sweat thinking of something? What if she had said "yes"? Shudder. Do they sell leather whips in there?

Some moments come because my reputation precedes me. Sometimes it works to my advantage, sometimes not.

As I mentioned last night, there was rain off and on yesterday. The temperature hovered near 40 ( f ). Between the rain, the wind chill, and a hundred and fifty miles on the bike, I was pretty chilled when I got home late last night. Yes, I had a week off between Christmas and New Year's. No, I didn't get the bike wired for electrics. Heck, it's nearly Spring. Why bother now?

Katie was sitting at the kitchen table looking at recipes when I came in the back door. I took off my helmet and offered a greeting.

"I have hypothermia. You're going to have to do your heroic duty and save me." ( I'm leaving out the more graphic part. You know the standard operating procedure: bare skin for heat transfer thing ).

Her look was another of those uncaptured Kodak moments.

"Yeah, right. Mr. "think nothing of riding two hundred miles in below freezing temperatures" suddenly has hypothermia when it's well above freezing? Give me a break."

I guess even Florence Nightengale had her limits.

So I played with Photoshop and posted the photos until bedtime!

Miles and smiles,

Dan