My FAVORITE!

No question.

I was in Moknine, Tunisia (North Africa) back in1989, and was exploring this town that was famous for it's pottery, while shooting for an airline magazine back in the day ...

And yeah, I was having a riot walking around, and around, those little "tunnels" that made up this crazy, little town, or village ... Lots of pottery work spaces everywhere! You know, kilns, smoke, and those little "walkways" in between all those walls and buildings, like a wild maze!

Around, and around I went, until I came out into this one, ahh, "opening", that was filled with smoke!

Took a few shots, and then, as I turned around, this young girl, who must have been behind me at one point, just stepped out of all that smoke, and just stood there, calmly, staring at me!

I got off TWO, quick, shots ... BAM! BAM!

Back in the old 35mm film days ... On slide film, and yeah, before I could take any more, ahh, my "guide", said something to her, and off she walked, right back behind those pottery things there, and was gone!

Just like that!

That QUICK!

I was stunned!

TWO SHOOTS, and she was gone!

No adjustments, no MINUS, MINUS, MINUS, no nothing!

And no, I had no idea if I had gotten MY SHOT, or not!

35mm SLIDE FILM.

Oh, those there the days!

But thinking back on it, yeah, even today, with all this new digital stuff, it would have been just as tough ...

Talk about BACK LIGHTING!

BRIGHT, back lighting at that!

Yeah, even tougher. Period.

And that was that ...

Off we went, and me, not screaming at my, ahh, guide, for sending my FAVORITE, little, Pottery Model off, back into all that smoke!

But yeah, I couldn't believe it!

The "GUIDE" thought she was ruining my shot, I guess!

Or something.

Little did he know ...

I didn't say anything ... Out loud.

Off to the next shot ... Day after day, for a week ... Wild trip.

Then, of course, I had to wait until I got back to Germany, and send my 35mm slide film off to get developed ...

And wait.

And wait.

And WAIT!

Like, forever and ever ... It seems to me then, as well as now!

Then, whenever, yeah, I got my little boxes back, and started going through them, ahh, one after another ... Over and over again ... You know how that goes!

Oh! Or, ahh, maybe you DON'T!

But yeah, it wasn't, ahh, fun, and I'll just let it go at that!

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT ...

Then, there she was!

One (this one) looking right at me like I remembered, the second, yeah, just like I don't want to remember!

Yeah, she was looking off to where my guide was standing ... I "lost" that eye contact!

Into the trash bin, it went!

OK, nice SMOKE, and a wonderful subject, but yeah, that MOMENT, was gone ...

But I did make several 35mm "COPIES," of the GOOD ONE! And yeah, felt somewhat better! I was working with a small STOCK AGENCY, over there in Germany that published things in a few American magazines, for the American military personal, and their families (remember, I was married to a woman in the Army at the time), stationed over there at that time ... What was it?

STRAWBERRY MEDIA.

Yeah, I kid you not.

That was it ... Hey! You have to start somewhere! And it worked for me! They also worked with several different airline publications ... The ones I remember the most were, ahh, SINGAPORE AIRLINES and the PHILIPPINE AIRLINES!

While living in Germany (I know!), go figure!

Again, it worked for me!

That got me started ... Never made me rich, but it got my "foot in the door", and that was all I needed.

And wanted.

Once I got back to the States, and yeah, got into COLUMBIA COLLEGE for, you guessed it, PHOTOGRAPHY, yeah, while working on my MASTER'S DEGREE, I was also looking for a larger STOCK AGENCY, which led me to both NEW YORK CITY, and then BOSTON one summer ...

Spent a couple of days in both cities ... Had a few meetings in both places, and came away with signing with STOCK BOSTON, and even got an assignment through them, up in Goose Bay, Canada, photographing an International Military Air Station up there in in the middle of NOWHERE!

I had my military ID Card.

Sweet.

That was an interesting few days ...

And then, when I got back to Boston, yeah, I walked in STOCK BOSTON, and there she was! Above the staircase, right as you walk into the building!

Staring right back at me! And everyone else that stepped into the building!

Nice frame and everything!

It caught my attention ...

So yeah, this image means a lot to me ... And has for the past THIRTY something years!

THAT MOMENT.

THAT SMOKE.

THAT LITTLE GIRL.

THAT STARE.

It all comes back to me ...

Every time I see it.

Now THAT, is the POWER, of the "STILL IMAGE".

And why I did what I did, and still hope to keep on doing ... Just as long as I can still PUSH THAT BUTTON ...

Good luck with that!

What? Like five seconds? Maybe eight at the most!

Thirty-something years ago ...

Crazy!

But yeah, even walking around, ahh, anywhere, now, yeah! I'm hoping to run into my next "FAVORITE IMAGE", like, EVER!

You never know.

Be ready.

Smoke, or no smoke!

Just saying ...

Like I said, "still my FAVORITE", all these years later ...

Good luck running into YOURS!

You never know.

I know I didn't.