redfishingboat

I have some friends that love to take pics of stray shopping carts in compromising positions. I have other friends that chronicle the free sofas that pop up on our city streets. The curiosities of an urban civilization in decline make for morbid, yet wonderous, fascination. This is for all of them.

On a Friday, while driving in the afternoon, I saw this juxtaposition on the street and knew it had to be shot. I pulled over immediately, only to notice the street was one minute into No Parking designated time! Curses! So, I pulled away and went about my business of the day. The sight, though, lingered in the back of my mind. That night, I decided to go back and see if it was still there — only since it was midnight, I figured the light might not be optimal. But, in a spirit of adventure, I slung my lighting rig over my shoulder and headed out on foot.

I was afraid one or the other would be gone, but there they were just past midnight. Waiting for me. So I set up lighting right there, shooting on location! Two lightstands, two umbrellas, two 430EX flashes. I started firing away. ST-E2 on the Canon 5D with my ultrawide lens cranked to 12mm because there wasn’t much space on the sidewalk. Parked cars created a cage to restrict my vantage. People drove by, people walked by. Nobody appeared to give me a first glance, much less a second. Shooting flashes at 12:14 A.M. Of course, I realized. In Los Angeles, this was probably the first of five location sets they’ll see during their day. I need to remember that in the future.

I took a number of shots, moved the cart about a bit. Got something I was happy with in about five minutes of shooting. To me the shot is a paparazzi snap of a celebrity couple on the street after a party. The sofa is comfortably numb, the cart is buzzed, hyper, and in-your-face agitated.  I broke down my kit, slung it back over my shoulder and walked home.

That was fun.

Play track: “Takin’ It To The Streets” - The Doobie Brothers