One Happy Bird!

I think I’m at the end of a run of days where its felt like this nonstop! I love images that don’t tell a story but rather ALLOW us to project our own story on to it. So it is with this image…you can project any number of stories on this image. Before you read on, stop and observe your own reaction to the image. Then read on.

During a workshop in Savannah photograping people we were given an exercise to capture, among other things, gesture in a pseudo-random portrait. Amanda, one of my classmates, was very intimidated by approaching strangers and asking for their assistance in the project. I, on the other hand, was not all that nervous but wondered what kind of response a large-foreheaded caveman like myself might generally get…so I guess I was a little nervous. She asked for my assistance and I jumped on the opportunity to have a beautiful and charming woman along side to warm up the strangers…think about it…duh.

With a strategy in place we first struck up some conversation with a young couple which went nowhere photographically speaking, and I felt we were still a little stiff in our approach. So like the Sconi I am, when in doubt grab a beer and see where things go. After a round for each of us things got better. A band was playing along the riverfront in Savannah and I noticed a couple of biker-looking guys drinking, laughing, dancing in place and thought, “Yeahhhhh, this will be good.” Beauty and the Beast struck out to meet the Harley dudes.

And Harley dudes they were, riding all the way from Cincinnati to Savannah on a little R&R. This gentleman, who’s name eludes me now, was particularly taken with Amanda, but I kept her close by to avoid any trouble. We were chatting about cycles, music, blah blah blah, and I asked this guy, “What’s the biggest headache with riding from Cinci to Savannah?” He curtly replied, “cops.” I followed with, “If there were no consequences, what gesture would you share with the cops?” The image above was his reply, and I actually believe the bird was for me and the smile was for Amanda.

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