Snapshooting

Inspired by the thought and freedom of doing some shooting without technical fore-thought or input, I took my camera with me and stuck it on auto, set it to jpeg - and went for more shutter therapy today. However, I do have to fit in any photography with work, and that means I cannot search out or wait for something - it has to happen right in front of me. And, not living in a busy metropolis, there is actually precious little going on to photograph. People especially, are thin on the ground. And because of that, you/me, as the photographer, are highly visible. And I had the wrong camera for the job. The Nikon D90 with its zoom lens is a camera with a big neon sign shouting out its presence. I felt like a flasher opening his coat. Shock. Horror. 

This market picture is a classic example. As soon as I brought up the camera to my eye, some distance away actually from the shot above, the stall holder spotted me. A little banter started up between us as he held up a bag to cover his face then dived below some boxes while I walked around taking a few general shots. I made it clear I wasn't shooting him particularly, so I carried on. You can see the woman customer is laughing as the guy kept his back towards me at all times. I told him it was ok, I was only from Customs & Excise ...

The postie however never saw the camera. A huge truck had parked in a very small lane and, after I had squeezed through the gap myself I turned around and fired off this shot as he went on his way.  I don't know why I like this  little unimportant snapshot of everyday life, but I do. Inconsiderate truckers and a postie on his little bike making sure the mail gets through, perhaps. Or mega-industry pitched against a man on his bike.

Someone has gone to some trouble taping this little flag to their radio aerial. I can't imagine any real reason for it to be there. We haven't won anything. And it's a bit of a bodge job if you ask me. So what is it? A symbol of national pride? Or an indication of what this country is best at; that tape and a bit of sticking plaster fixes everything.