POST ONE: MILLION YEAR OLD PERFUME

The Green Line Train smelled like million year old perfume and the memories it carried were as heavy as the carriage itself. The familiar sound of wheels on the tracks lulled me into a state of reflection as I gazed out the window. I loved it that way ever since I was just a kid growing up in the streets of East Boston.

This particular morning, by 6AM, I had driven 50 miles down to Suffolk Downs Station where I came across a half dozen souls that shook, swayed and rocked in unison as we hurtled along the Blue Line heading into Boston.

I looked down at my pretty little Fuji XT2 camera, already an antique in this world of ever-changing tech. I was fast at pulling it out of its bag but early on I found that there was no substitute for the pure speed of having it already in my hands. The lens was locked at 24mm equivalency with the ISO at 3200. The motor drive was set to continuous high with the shutter on aperture priority at f5.6 on electronic silent mode. The follow focus starting spot was dead in the middle of the viewfinder, I could line up my subject, lock on and recompose in an instant. That follow focus was like some sort of magic miracle and a complete mind bender to a shooter like me that came out of the 4X5 cut film era.

My style of street shooting is in tight and clear, My intent is to leave no doubt as to what I am showing you. I am usually just a few feet away from my subjects. That style depends on speed, anticipation and an endless desire to be near my subjects. I don’t know if you noticed but I left out “fear” and believe me some days there is plenty to go around.

I closed my eyes and focused my mind to replace all thought with awareness. The train bitched and moaned as it squealed to a halt at State Street Station and I moved out onto the platform.

More next time…