comments

1. Valerie on May 27th, 2009 at 6:01 pm

   Its clear nobody on this site has lived long enough – to comment!!
   I feel his pain.

   Valerie

2. Sheila Ryan on May 27th, 2009 at 6:19 pm

   Oh, Valerie — not so, not so! I understand your sentiment, I believe, but honestly, there are those of us — mature either in years or experience or both — who have lived long and felt pain. I do know that the photographer, Phil Bebbington, has much experience of life and much experience of pain. Do click on the photo if you are so inclined and take a look at his work.

3. Sheila Ryan on May 27th, 2009 at 6:34 pm

   And sometimes, as I expect you know, life weighs so heavy as to preclude comment, at least for a while.

   But I do believe I understand your feeling.

4. Cindy Scroggins on May 27th, 2009 at 7:06 pm

   Phil, this is remarkable. It has a wonderful Cartier Bresson quality. Sad and beautiful.

5. Valerie on May 27th, 2009 at 7:22 pm

   ok, ok, I should know better – you don’t have to live long in life to understand. You have pay attention and take notes… and just be an honest person. Live an authentic life.

   Pain is – after all timeless ~ ageless.

6. Phil Bebbington on May 28th, 2009 at 4:37 am

   I guess the trouble is, the camera very often does lie. We get a static 1/100th of a second to draw our conclusions from, if indeed we draw them. I guess as the photographer, I draw different conclusions as I get to observe the person either side of the split second.

   This photo is one of those occasions when the camera did catch what seemed to be his general mood – so often it does not.

   As to whether I am trying to say anything with the photo, not really. I’m just a guy with a camera trying to capture and share what I see.

   Thank you, Valerie, Sheila and Cindy – just for looking and leaving words, a photographer rarely knows how other see their work.

7. Lucy on May 28th, 2009 at 5:28 am

   He has the face of a kid who got old.

8. Phil Bebbington on May 28th, 2009 at 5:33 am

   I love that observation, Lucy.

9. scream 62,5 on May 28th, 2009 at 7:09 am

   i think its the best you have done…

   i am proud you post it and make it

10. Kelsey Parker on May 28th, 2009 at 8:09 am

    If you took this as spontaneously as the description suggests, then I applaud your ability to frame everything — even the benches — as well as you did!

11. Rick Neece on May 28th, 2009 at 8:11 am

    What Cindy said, says often. Sad and beautiful.

    Mesmerizing.

12. Phil Bebbington on May 28th, 2009 at 8:32 am

    Thanks, guys.

    Kelsey, yeah, shot from the hip. I pre-focus, holding the camera at waistband height, get as close as I am able. It’s a kind of game really – I like to take 2 or 3. It’s odd, people are so used to the action of a camera being brought to the eye that they often completely ignore you. Even when they are a little suspicious, logic kicks in and they relax – the framing takes a little practice, but, I usually get what I’m after.

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