Humans in their human-zoo.
Doing the things that humans do. I fucking rhymed!
Experiencing what humans experience.
The grand gamut of human life.
Life on the street. Or anywhere just off the street. Where humans gather. And have solitary moments. Or interact with their brethren.
Could there be anything better than a camera with thirty-six chances, an iPod and a foreign city or your own for that matter to explore?
I think not.
Except for the occasional caffe and cigarette breaks and perhaps a conversation. Or two. Or three.
I will disagree with Mr. Cartier-Bresson that one must be a local in order to blend. Perhaps back in the day when he made the comment there werenot as many tourists. Maybe they were less common.
But today they are common.
Almost anywhere. Maybe less so in Red States.
That said, no, I haven’t donned boots and a cowboy hat and conquered the streets of Texas.
Maybe I’m missing something.
In fact, I’m sure I am.
The carnival of life on the street is everywhere.
I prefer Los Angeles – because I will defer to Mr. Cartier-Bresson and admit that because I live here – and Europe. People tend to walk to their
destinations in Europe. Being isolated from your human zoo-mates by steel and aluminum and carbon fibre takes something away.
Like I said, “You have to be in the thick of it.”
In the middle of the action.