I had an hour to kill before meeting someone on campus, and I had my EOS3 in the truck, and one roll of film… so I figured I would shoot it. Finishing off the last shots on a roll of Ilford Delta 3200, I put in some HP5, my new favorite film, and wandered. I thought. I waited. I was feeling particularly contemplative, mainly because it had been a hard week for a number of my clients and friends. Some days are more melancholy than others, even for me. Whatever goodness the sunshine has to deliver, whether it be vitamin D, or a joyful placebo… it sure did the trick. The clouds parted and I wandered the Oregon campus for the fun of it, watching students mill about, and taking in the fantastic diversity of humanity that Eugene has to offer. I sincerely love this town, and I hope to live here forever. Where else could you find Frrog Miller, the eccentric, bearded joke-book seller? He is pushy, crass, and the perfect ornate, quirky subject.
I clicked the shutter just in time to get a text from the person I was meeting. We stood on the busy UO bookstore corner and exchanged a few words, I handed off some images, a quick hug and I was on my way. I’m really not much of a hugger. Outside my wife and son, the list is very short. I’ve been known to recoil from people who go in for an unauthorized squish. For some reason, this person I’ve only met a few times has made the cut. Maybe it was because there was a real need for the hug that week. Maybe that’s what happens when I set aside my camera, who knows.
