Yesterday it was announced that in the U.K. we can meet one other person in a public space, for example a park. Great news for those who speak in non-sequiturs and double meanings. You know these people? Smiley’s People. “The geese fly backwards to the east tonight”. Or;
Agent 1: “The Moles got into the garden”
Agent 2: “What does the gardener say?”
Agent 1 : “He said it was time to send in the exterminator”
Agent 2: “God help them”
I took a shot of this guy the other day when I needed to visit our nearest Bank. Our conversation appeared innocent enough, we spoke about pigeons and ducks…I think. Did I detect a slight Russian lilt to his accent? One thing I do know is that during this lockdown the news makes for some fascinating reading. Okay, the news stories are dominated by Coronavirus, but there are a few that catch my eye that reflect the human condition. Clandestine meetings are rampant it appears. We’re going to have to face it, there’s isn’t much else to talk about here on this blog, which is supposed to be photography related. We’re not going out apart from for exercise or the supermarket, this whole Covid-19 business is also conversationally a killer, no stories personally to tell currently. I’ll give some examples of a few news stories as we work through this blog post. The title I gave this one to begin with, hence that spy reference above.
A few days ago I was reading about excuses given by people who have been flouting the lockdown rules, you know the kind of thing…driving 60 miles to get fish & chips, or the guy who told the police when stopped; “I don’t watch the news guv, no idea. There’s a virus? What’s a lockdown?”. Then I came across an article interviewing people who had broken the rules secretly and their reasons why: This chap in his late twenties decided he couldn’t live any longer without a haircut. No problem, he’d ask his mum. It turns out his mother already met up many of her friends in a clandestine manner, they were all seeing each other on a regular basis on walks in the park or dropping in for a cup of tea and a chat. Through these unofficial get togethers with her middle aged chums she knew about, and wait for this, an “Underground Network of Hairdressers”. Who knew? Okay, they’re hardly resistance fighters, but, wow, I never saw that coming. He drove to the next town, sneaked into what for all intent and purposes was a normal looking house, in my mind I see a prohibition-era speakeasy. He got his haircut. Appointment only I suspect to avoid dead giveaway queues forming. Incidentally Sam isn’t a hairdresser, not even an underground one, but as with many other things once she puts her mind to something then she accomplishes it with what appears to be comparative ease.
I glanced up from my phone last week after reading that women show a much higher immunity than men to the virus. I said to Sam “Do you think women will finally take over the world and all men will be in permanent lockdown?” She raised an eyebrow and continued concentrating on her work. So I decided to float another idea at her; “If that happens we’d need to have an ‘International Mens Day’ every year?”. That got her attention. “Every day is ‘International Men’s Day!” was her reply, both eyebrows were raised this time. I decided it was in my best interest to let that one go.
This seems to be going in a distinctly female direction which is why Sam features in these first few shots. It’s a balancing act for her and many mums across the world which leads me to another story I read concerning the woman who created Mother’s Day: Anna Jarvis. I can say “Mother’s Day” now, because she copyrighted that to prevent it being used by people who might otherwise capitalise on it. Of course they just moved the apostrophe to Mothers’. After it’s creation and subsequent commercialisation she campaigned tirelessly to have the day she’s campaigned for rescinded. She was an American and one of thirteen children, nine of whom died either through disease or the Civil War. Her own mother taught other mothers about hygiene and sanitation. When she died Anna Jarvis decided a memorial day was in order. Her motto was “For the best mother who ever lived -Your Mother”. Her idea was a day to honour your mother, the one woman who dedicated her life to you. She was infuriated by the way florists, greeting card manufacturers and retailers in general cashed in on it. She died in poverty after spending every penny she had issuing law suits, in the end it became an obsession as she watched her idea and memory of her mother cheapened. As one of her family said a few years ago to her daughter; “Every day should be Mother’s Day”. Clearly they’ll have to compete with my “International Men’s Day” that the mother in our home declares is “Every Day John”.
When all this started Sam and I discussed how people who were having affairs would cope with the lockdown. I know that sounds like an odd conversation, however we were thinking of all the ways society would be affected. Here’s another story before we move on and this is the headline I saw on the front-page of one of the less salubrious tabloids, didn’t need to dig deep for this one: “Prof Lockdown Broke Lockdown To Get His Trousers Down”. This concerns one of our pre-eminent scientific advisors, who after laying out to the U.K. Government in no uncertain terms the vital importance of lockdown measures proceeded to continue an affair he’d been having with a married woman. She regularly left her own family to secretly visit him for a little slap and tickle. Imagine that. This guy is wrong on every level, morality being top of the list and let’s just say not every mother is selfless.
Let’s talk about photography.
No news really, no stories. I can’t be on the Street doing what fascinates and motivates me, Street Photography is another casualty of this bloody virus. Actually we’ll have to drop the ‘Street’ part soon, ‘Memory Lane Photography’ might be more appropriate as photographers plough through their archives in search for something to post on Social Media, often finding that it wasn’t such a rich seam of photographic genius to be mined as they’d imagined, they post them anyway. Here’s some that I took on my last couple of trips into Bath. I didn’t post these.
I like scenes in Street Photography and it’s a good job. My reason for changing from 35mm to 28mm was to enable me to get a little closer with subjects, but at the same time continue to include the scene itself. So, closer and wider was the recipe. At this point I’d be showing you some recent examples. Good news, as I said earlier with the Russian Spy…er…pigeon feeder. I had to visit the Bank a couple of days ago in Chippenham, a small town 8 miles from our home. I only had 10 minutes there and of course took the camera. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that tiny piece of normality.
Back to that ‘wider and closer’ recipe I just mentioned. Street Photography for me is still a work in progress, that’s evident from the photos I post. I need to practice, constantly. For now it’s obvious that I can’t continue to practice, experiment or improve, there isn’t any progress possible. Social distancing really does come into play at 28mm. The bad news is that I can’t see the feel and look I’m after with a Street photograph being obtainable for the foreseeable future. There isn’t going to be any getting in close with a 28mm wide lens, no seeing a persons face, their expressions, because they’ll all be wearing face masks and of course social distancing will be with us for a long time. I have visions of ‘Street Photographers’ in the future walking around with 400mm lenses on their Canon DSLR’s, shooting away at people half a mile away. It’s not Street Photography. Unlike almost all the other photos here this one was from pre-Covid days.
I’m confined to documenting our confinement. It’s Groundhog Day, every day is ‘Blursday’ and I’m finding it difficult to remain motivated. Just as the children are, there’s not really much structure to the day, we try, but it’s difficult. We do whatever school work is asked of us, although, and I don’t wish to be over critical, unlike many other countries it doesn’t appear to be particularly well organised. In the meantime our children play games online with school friends, Louis sprays around ‘V-Bucks’ on ‘Fortnite’ like they’re confetti, we play makeshift table tennis, Swing Ball, Amélie reads her Harry Potter books…
…and we go for those walks. Which in fairness we always have, there’s no change because of Covid-19. I did say at the beginning of this confinement that it’ll be the same scenery with the same actors and that has proven to be the case. I’ve made an effort to mix it up a bit, but at the end of the day it’s all fairly similar photography wise. I’ll keep going with it, eventually I hope to have around ten or so shots that represent our time during this crisis. Besides that, it does at least give me something to focus on (no pun intended).
Now, keep in mind that apart from being a Photographer I’m also: a Professor in Viral Studies and Tropical Diseases, a Political Pundit and Financial Whizz-kid. There’s a serious side to all of this, no mistaking that we’ve been hit hard in this country with the effects of Covid-19, each and every life lost touches us all. Our ‘Glorious Leader’ revealed the ‘Plan’ on Sunday, one I hope will bring back some form of normality. Boris often quotes various scientists (not me yet for some unfathomable reason) and one of these Professors says Shield the vulnerable, the rest of population has more risk of dying in a car accident when driving from here to London (100 Miles) than from Covid-19. I hope he’s right. It’s another balancing act, between health, finance and freedom, just like all the mothers of the world have to perform daily. In case this Professor is wrong I’m working on some personal protection wear. I know the government said simply make a face covering utilising an old t-shirt, but you can never be too careful:
From our recent visit to the Science Museum London. Obviously I won’t include the Apollo badge.
Overkill, a wee bit cumbersome I know, but this is true protection. I also spoke to my Bank Manager in the hope of some financing for this project who was unimpressed. Here he is:
From our visit to Harry Potter Studios London. You want how much?
I’m making light of all this I know. In reality it’s my little poke at the Banks who’ll only lend you an umbrella on a sunny day and the overreaction of some members of the public who seem to think they’re immune because they strut about in the supermarkets with their very expensive, full on, 3M Medical Face Masks, simply pushing past people including those workers who are being paid very low rates to ensure the mask wearers can have food on their tables.
There’s a long, very long, road ahead. Boris made his announcement and I read the 50 page document that detailed the governments plan. I know that there are many who believe that a couple of months in lockdown and we’ll be done. There are a few clues as to why that idea is misplaced in the document. They’re already discussing how coronavirus will effect the winter months when flu and other illnesses are more prevalent. They admit that a vaccine is extremely doubtful despite pouring billions into research in hope. They’re certain that this will be with us for many years, if not forever, it isn’t going to magically disappear altogether or be eradicated totally. They sight many other similar virus’s to reinforce that point, the only exception being Smallpox. They’re confident though that treatments will be available to lessen its deadliness reasonably soon. They’re positive that ingenuity and changes in lifestyles will herald a new normality. Sounds grim, but in the same degree there’s perhaps a cause for some optimism in a new beginning for this ailing planet and it’s inhabitants. I wish Hermione aka Amélie…could cast a spell and make this all go away, but part of me is quite excited about a new or different way of life:
A lot of ideas relate to people operating outdoors for most things, meeting family or friends etc, the reasoning being that science tells us there’s a lower risk of picking up an infection. There may be a tiny flaw in that plan for the U.K. The weather here will be a determining factor, although the last 8 weeks since our own isolation has seen glorious sunshine, generally we all know it’s cold and damp. In the meantime the walks go on and I’ll keep snapping. I saw a little ray of hope during that 10 minutes to visit the bank and I’m holding on to it, there might be a time when Street Photography can take place, just a little differently. Despite the gloomy predictions I feel positive about the future, even if that future will be one where I have virtually no money. I have these lot though and there’s no price anyone can put on that. I’ll finish with some more randomly selected photos from our walks. Forget John le Carré and his ‘Smiley’s People’…. I’ve got Smiley People:
As always my sincere thanks go to anyone taking the time to read this blog.
All images can be opened by clicking on the thumbnails and are taken using a Leica M with Summicron 35mm or 28mm Lens fitted.
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