When I saw Anthony and Lulu in the square today, I knew I had to take their pictures. I have seen them both in the area before, as a parrot is one of the more conspicuous pets in a big city. Lulu is a "mut" of the Macaw species. Anthony described parrots as being higher maintenance than cats but less than dogs. I can easily say Lulu is one of the most beautiful birds I have ever seen.
I spotted Erin from behind and had an inkling she'd be a great subject because I liked her style. A fellow photographer, Erin was enjoying her afternoon by reading Junkie by William S. Burroughs. We commiserated about the various pros and cons of shooting weddings and we ended up having a really lovely conversation. I love the how these pictures came out because the colors of her outfit complement the fall leaves sprinkled around her bench.
I was catching up with my square friends Kevin (far right), Raven, and Chinedu (far left), faces you might recognize from earlier posts, when Brian (right front) came up to us and started ripping on his guitar. Then, Drew (second from left) came over and asked if he knew how to play any hip-hop, inspiring a jam session. Drew and Chinedu rapped while Brian played, inspiring some great lyrics and photos to boot. Drew has a mixtape coming out soon under the name Dr. Ew and you can check him out on Facebook here.
As I entered the square from the Walnut and 18th Street entrance, I was greeted by the soothing sounds of music and chanting. After catching up with some square regulars, I returned to meet Krishna-kripa Das (right) and Steven (left). They are Hare Krishnas and follow a spiritual practice based on traditional Hindu scriptures. As I develop an understanding of my own spirituality, I have found practices of the Hare Krishna, such as meditation and yoga, extremely worthwhile. While it's not for everyone, I think the emphasis on connectivity, recognition of personal and worldly beauty, and peace is universally important. For more information click here and if you would like to follow the travels of Krishna-kripa Das, you can find his blog here.
Paul's snazzy outfit caught my eye and when he started lighting his cigar, I knew I had to ask to shoot him. In his first year of retirement, Paul used to travel the world for the foreign service. Among the many places he has been, he said Prague and Berlin were the most captivating. Paul is getting used to the relaxing life of retirement, but I must say his style is still going to work, Alexander McQueen bowling shoes and all.
After my heavy conversation earlier in the day, Beth & Kendal were exactly the people I needed to come my way. Hailing from Montreal, this traveling troupe puts on Mamee's Cheap Eats puppet show wherever they go. Their beautiful puppets are a combination of original art and photo collage. Magical!
While Phoebe & Maya's owner did not want his picture taken, he did end up engaging me in an extremely challenging conversation about my life goals, career and passions. It surpassed my usual ruminations and general headiness and moved into existential crisis zone. Among many things, it made me realize how much I need feedback about my art. One of the biggest adjustments to being out of college and producing work is the general lack of response, positive and negative, by other people. So if I may, I am calling on YOU out there in cyberspace! For those who have responded to my work, you rock. If you have any sort of reaction to a picture or story here, comment and tell your friends! Let's start a dialogue and revel in the diversity and beauty of the square people. :)
Today's rain made the square a less popular place to hang out but luckily I ran into my friend Chinedu, looking rather fly. I met him one day this summer while chatting and shooting for an earlier blog post. Out of the square regulars, I've run into Chinedu the most frequently and he is always down for a hug and a chat. He just moved to north Philly and is busy making his place home.
