Porcelain Beauty

No. 44

No. 44 is a Polish bank somewhere in Poznan. 

I did not see anyone entering or exiting it. It was a quiet day, or a quiet time of the day. 

I see a street lamp standing still. Off duty and unlighted for the night is still far away. 

Maybe there are days when the bank is a beehive of activities - town folks making deposits of their hard earned cash or making withdrawals for their needs and wants. Maybe tourists too, in need to exchange for the local currency. But not today, not at this hour of my shot.

Both the bank and the lamp have their place in our lives. Indeed, there is a time for everything under the sun. The bank, a storehouse of savings for a rainy day. And the lamp, a steady light for the Polish night.

Each has their purpose. So do we, and in our few short years of life, it's worth discovering our purpose and fulfil it. 

Pick your number. It doesn't have to be number 44. Right now I'm on number 47 coming to 48 in a few days time! 

And so, that's what No. 44 triggered in my mind. 

A Random Story

In life, human activities are often self-regulated. 

Each person has a mind of their own and they do what they please. And somehow, some of them converge in approximately the same area at the same time, and when the photo is taken, an unexpected, un-orchestrated story emerges. 

Individually, they have not thought of becoming a part of the larger narrative. But together, they are! 

In this picture, each character is going about their own business. The street photographer is not the director but an observer. He does not tell the characters what to do. He merely watch, waits, and snaps frame after frame. He does, of course, works at framing the shots and position as best he could. But I think that's about all. 

The camera does the rest. What emerges from each photo is a random story.

When you take time with each photo, more questions than answers will arise. But that, to me, is the beauty of it all. To draw a response of thinking and feeling - a personal and meaningful reflection. The story forming in your mind will be different from mine, and that's beautiful too!

Narrow Design

OK, here's another building with an interesting pattern, Already the pattern is interesting by itself, but what intrigues me is the width of the building! It does look narrow, and one wonders, if the pattern reflects the physical dimension of the building, imagine the kind of interior design and furnishing, not to mention the furnitures.

I, of course might be incorrect, as some of you might point out. Maybe, maybe not. In fact it does not truly matter, nor would I like to get all webbed up in a spidery entanglement of academic discussions. My photo shoots allow me to soar a little bit more, like that of a child. That's far more important than to decide the point of who is right or wrong. 

In other matters of life, there might come the time to make a stand for what is right and what is wrong, but I would fight for that in the matter of art. Values and principles yes, but not this.

If I do, I'd be, in my mind, just like the building - a narrow design. 

Miss Dainty

If you look carefully at the bottom left of this photo, there's the cute and I'd say, dainty hand, the left hand obviously hold a camera and framing a shot. I don't think she was aware that she was in my pic. I wasn't aware of this fact until much later, when I reviewed my shots. 

Have you ever wondered how in street photography, most times you might never get to know the people you've captured on your film or digital camera? This is true for me. Never been much of a conversationalist. It's like asking a duck to climb a tree. That's how I feel. 

In any case, I shall call her Miss Dainty. Yes, that will be how I'll remember her in this photograph as long as I live. 

Miss Dainty!

Patterns

Patterns, patterns on the wall, which ones are the dizziest of all? 

Sorry, can't help it. That comes to my mind before I shot the photo and after as well. It can be a bit disorienting visually speaking.

And yet, I find it fascinating with the care that was taken to create such a wall effect. It does add a dash of mystery as to who lives within and whether the occupant commissioned such a paint job. Perhaps the occupant is the owner and the painter, all rolled in one. Does the other projection reflect the dweller within? Or are they at odds?

Hmm. I shall never find out.

Pigeon on the Harp

Pigeons can fly. 

I wonder what if pigeons can play the harp!

But the harp is not the pigeon's strong suite. Never was, never will. One should never estimate a pigeon by what it can't do. 

Instead, look and behold the beautiful music of the pigeon, the solos of cooing and the soaring of wings into the clouded sky! It is never wise to measure a pigeon by what you can do. The pigeon will never measure up. For likewise, if the pigeon was to measure you by your flight ...

But I'm not really thinking of the pigeon. I'm thinking about people, human beings who foolishly measure others by their own strengths. So, cherish your strengths but don't thumb down others - they are not you. And you are not them. Celebrate the strengths, gifts and talents in others. And give thanks to God for your own strengths, gifts and talents - and put them to good use for the joy and strengthening of others!

You and me, we are pigeons!