troy bradford instant photos: March 2014

Brent Cunningham...

So sometimes I immediately know I want to take a photo, but I know it's not the right time. I passed Brent several times while walking around Nashville, but to be honest the lighting was just terrible. It was overcast and he had on a hat. I could just see the photo turning out with a dark shadow where his eyes were suppose to be. Knowing that, he just had something about him that made me want to stop and talk for a bit and ask for a photo. He was a street performer playing the guitar, so I knew that this photo was going to cost me. Even more of a reason to make sure that I got the shot. After stopping to talk with him, I realized that the photo became less important. What a soft-spoken neat guy to be able to talk with. I didn't realize until after I got home, but he has been playing the streets of Nashville for some time. Here is a video from 2008. When I finished talking and asked to take a photo, the sun started peeking through the clouds and he tilted his head back to let the sun in under his hat. I took the photo, said my goodbyes and went on my way. Got about two blocks down and realized that I was so caught up in the conversation and taking the photo that I forgot to even ask him his name. I turned around and went back. He saw me coming and just smiled. I guess he knew what I was about to ask. When I asked his name, he said "after you took the photo, I was wondering why you didn't ask what my name was". After all this, I am so glad I got to meet Brent. This is now one of my all-time favorite street photos...

Phil...

Met Phil today while I was in downtown Nashville for a couple of hours. Amazing how things work. I was a little bummed that the Johnny Cash museum didn't open until after I was leaving downtown, so I just ended up walking around. If the museum would have been open, I would have never met Phil. He stopped me because he saw me with a Leica around my neck and a Polaroid camera in my hand. He thought that I was "some kind of professional photographer". I laughed and explained to him that I was just a random guy that liked to walk the streets in cities that I visit looking for things to photograph. After talking for a bit, I asked him if he wanted a photo. I took two instant photos and gave him one. I sure hope his turned out as good as mine...

leica m6...

A little bored today. I should be scanning photos, but it was much more fun taking more. Haven't used my Spectra in a very long time. Thought I would give it a try with the closeup lens attached...

a moment in time...

Here is a portrait of Sadi that I shot today before she left to go back to college after spending her Spring Break with us this past week. What at great week it was! I am so glad that we still get these opportunities to spend time together as a family.

As I become more intentional with my family photos (both analog and digital), I have come to realize that every picture has the potential of becoming an important moment in time. I try to take as many candid snapshots as possible, but the occasional posed shot is just as important to stop that moment in time when you were exactly who you were at that moment. I want my kids and grandkids to have tons of printed analog images to occasionally sift through and have the opportunity to talk about the moment that they were taken. I want each and every portrait/candid to be something that I remember, but more importantly something that they will remember much later in life...

a quick photo...

Before heading back to work today at lunch, I had Sherri step out onto the patio for a quick photo. That seems to be my "pickup line" nowadays. Step outside and let me take a "quick photo" of you. Easy to say when using an SX70 camera. Hard to use the same line for 8x10 photos...