As I often do now, I was driving through and around parts of Atlanta a couple of days before Christmas… it might’ve even been Christmas eve. I was starting to get into a Southeastern part of Atlanta that is undergoing gentrification; it was becoming a nice area, but not completely transitioned. And I came upon this wall that said “WAKE UP” right next to a business that might or might not have been operational; either way, it was closed at the time.

I didn’t really even notice the guy sitting by the door to the business as I walked up to take the photo of the wall. He walked up and asked something about me being a photographer and what I was shooting for. I mentioned that the wall was really interesting, and off-handedly asked if he would want to be in a picture. At first he objected, but he changed his tune after I agreed to give him some change.

He posed initially, striking what could really be described best as a presidential book cover portrait… you know the one. Looking off into the distance at something above the horizon for no real reason. Though I composed him against the wall, the shot wasn’t meant to tie directly to it. So that first shot didn’t work. Then we took this one. It was at the moment that he turned face-front to me, I got my focus and what I guess was the owner of the building drove by in the background. I shot it as he was driving into the frame, and I don’t even think I saw him until afterward.

The sun was setting, and it was getting cold so I offered him whatever he wanted to eat and drink at the gas station across the street. I had so little in change, it was the least I could do for a quick photo shoot. We got him a footlong sub and a Cherry Coke and I finally got his name: Low. We wished each other the best, and we parted ways.

I love taking photos of people, especially in situations where I wouldn’t be able to predict who I would shoot. But there’s always that hesitation in my gut… I’m nervous every single time until I say the first word. Then it’s all gravy, even if they say no. I met a couple on the street downtown the other day, and the guy was kind of joking around about me taking pictures and goofing off in front of the camera. At first I went along with it as a joke… “ha ha… yeah, I’m a photographer”… but then I remembered, I love taking pictures of people.

“I’d be more than happy to take a picture of you guys… you interested?”

“Yeah!” he said.

A resounding “NO” from his girlfriend.

No big deal. I even encountered them a few more times, and we stirred up some more conversation about what I was doing. I offered another time or two, but she stood firm. Can’t win ‘em all.

This used to be a saloon.

On the property that Mr. Martin showed me. This was on the second story of an old barn.

There’s a monastery in Conyers where the monks raise and sell bonsai trees.

One of Mr. Martin’s two little donkeys.

One of the first images shot on my new Hasselblad. By golly.

Funny thing happened today. I was out driving around Georgia shooting with my new Hasselblad. Oh, I didn’t mention that? I’ll come back to it. Anyway, I was on this two lane road in Conyers, Georgia, and I realized that I’d been there before. I came to this big abandoned entry/gate to what used to be a ranch of some type, and I parked my truck to take a picture. As I was framing things up, this older gentleman drove up in one of those ATV/small truck vehicle things and asked me if I’d like a ride up to the property. It wasn’t his, but he new the owners and had spent a lot of time up there.

He showed me around and let me get out and take pictures, then took me over to his own property, introduced me to his longhorns, two donkeys and goat, who was actually as affectionate as my dogs. Turns out Mr. Martin is actually from Alamo, Texas, down in the valley (not to be confused with San Antonio, where The Alamo resides), but he left Texas in 1944. He filled me in on quite a bit of Texas history; actually, we talked mostly about Texas.

I’ll be developing the film soon, and hopefully have some usable shots. Until I get my new light meter, I’ll be metering with my Digital Rebel, which is essentially what this shot is… a metering shot before I took his portrait with the Hasselblad. But I think it’s nice, and fortunately I shot it in RAW.

So about the Hasselblad. I applied for a Graduate PLUS loan, mostly for the Hasselblad, but also for some other stuff. It finally came in recently, and I won an auction on eBay for a full Hasselblad 500C/M outfit, complete with an 80mm CF lens, non-metered 45 degree prism and two A12 film backs. I ended up spending a few hundred dollars less than I had planned, and so with the additional money, I’m going to buy a top of the line Sekonic light meter. No more metering with a digital camera. I also bought a great Canon bag for everything tonight at Best Buy, which is really solid. AND I’ve begun ordering all of the chemistry for wet-plate collodion. It’s an exciting time.

Another image from the roof for a project.

Thanksgiving day in Greenville, SC on the back porch.