Friday, March 13, 2009

Julie (62/100) - MG1 - Doing it his way


I had walked from Crown Street all the way down Oxford to the corner of College St before I spotted Edwin. Instantly, my depression gave way to joy. Edwin is an 82 year old jazz singer who still retains his Scottish burr. He was telling me how good he was by comparing himself to Sinatra and Torme. When I inserted the telling point that THEY were dead, he burst out laughing! Lovely old chap ... actually I think I remember him from the days of The Bobby Limb Show where he had to wear a tuxedo!

Suffice to say, I was pleased to have found my character subject. MG is so disappointing. It is full of pencil-thin young Asian men and dolled up hetero gals. And the amount of alcohol flowing down the gutter amidst smashed bottles ... is my age showing?

8 comments:

Julie said...

When I look at it up here, he is quite elfin isn't he? I like what he has on - I think that is a Balmain Tigers hat. The thing around his neck is a clue. Think I got the background right for this one, too.

The frailty of the 80s is just beginning to show ... although he was most agile ... but my Dad was also when he was 82. However, 87+ is a different matter.

I'm roaring to the finishing line at the moment. Must do me a plan so that I try a bit of all the things I need to cover before I reach the end.

bitingmidge said...

I suspect you wouldn't be seen alive in Dubbo in this jacket either!

I like it, the jacket, the bloke, the photo and despite your misgivings, perhaps I'd like MG till my age showed as well.

One thing this project has taught me is that people who dress a little differently are unlikely to say no if you ask them for a photo. (Can you tell by the long list of differently dressed people in my resume?) None the less, in the past I'd have been too shy to ask the bloke with the watermelon on his head at the cricket - now, I think I'd have no hesitation.

Looking forward to more MG shots now!

Julie said...

You need to keep in mind for my MG shots, that it is me - Jools - taking the photos. I am still looking for character and someone who runs deep. I have never been into some of the surface glamour that MG "reveals". I don't mind whatever life you lead, providing you respect yourself.

What I have done with my MG shots, is try to cover all the "categories" of gayness - within the above proviso. Is that a word? Call me genderist ... don't care.

bitingmidge said...

I have a couple of geriatrics coming up, but they clearly don't have the same outlook on life as Edwin.

I'm intrigued by you roaring to the finishing line. At not quite half way, I'm a lot more contemplative at the moment.

Those first 30 were a compulsive roar I must admit, but now that I've slowed myself down, I want each shot to build on something I've learned as well, and I'm prepared to wait to do it. (Well that's until I get out and amongst some people again anyway!)

The last fifty could take another year!

bitingmidge said...

Gaiety? ;-)

And yep, I get what you are looking for! I'm struggling with depicting that sub-surface stuff at the moment.

I think I've cracked a couple, but they were in a party environment not a street encounter, so I could re-visit them when perhaps they didn't expect it.

Julie said...

MG was an aberration for me where I took 7 shots in one day. I try to take 1 or 2 each and everyday. That way I can think about what did and did not work.

You started off at a much higher level than I did. I still need to take quite a few on the same category of shot (inside adjusting ISO, WB or tripod etc) to get the routine into my thick skull. What do they say about inspiration and perspiration and the relationship to genius?

I have not even ventured into B& originals yet ...

Anonymous said...

Nevertheless, you got me at Scottish burr. That goes a long way with me.

Jagmated -- seems to suit him.

Ann said...

Looking at this I could have sworn you were at Womad. Love the jacket. You are both so clear on what you are trying to achieve. I'm not sure what I'm doing, Womad was pretty much about seeing how this could apply in a travel situation. I'm more looking for something that I think would make a good shot rather than a character. If it has both, its a bonus. I'm also still trying to get those horizontals, still with mixed results.