On Saturday I went to the annual Bristol, PA Puerto Rican Day Festival. This was the third year I’ve attended, but while it was packed with people, food trucks and other stuff I was pretty much done after a short time. I had my Plaubel Makina with me. It’s pretty much my go to camera for most situations, and in my opinion the perfect all-rounder. So rather than throw in the towel and head straight to the car I decided to walk around and not write off the two hour round trip.
When I first arrived and walked to the festival I made some mental notes of some possible pictures I might be interested in making, so that was a start. Walking back in the general direction of my car I detoured and started to see what the narrow side streets had to offer. I found some interesting things and made a few exposures. Then I started to meander back to the car.
Remarkably I remembered where the locations were that I’d stuck in my memory banks. Sometimes what you thought might be good turns out on closer inspection to be not so exciting after all. But not to worry, I still made a few more exposures and by the time I found my car, which in and of itself was another miraculous achievement, I was pretty happy with the photographic outcome of my little excursion!
So here’s the thing … sometimes you get out there with high hopes of making pictures, yet you only make a few, or none at all. It happens. The worst thing you can do is make junk exposures just to try to make yourself feel better. What is better, is to not pout about it and see what other opportunities the situation may have to offer. Otherwise while the trip itself might have been interesting, your photographic outing will be a bust! If you’re open to other possibilities you might be instore for some happy surprises! Often, it’s just this kind of thing that ends up landing me some real keepers!!
Until I develop my film and look at the proof sheet I won’t know how good the results are, but I’ve got a feeling. And even if it’s a nothing I gave myself a fighting chance!
Stay well,
Michael