Photo Magic

NY City, Dec. 26 - The images appeared as if by magic. They were the kinds of images I’d seen in the New York Times’ style section. Or in ads. Or in layouts in Life Magazine back in its heyday.

But these pictures were made by me.

My long-time friend from church back in Nashville, Lizzie Evans, now lives in The City. She wrote that she needed some shots for her soon-to-be-released CD. (She’s a very good jazz singer.) And since I was going to be in here, she asked me to do the honors.

It’s easier working with someone you already know. Of course, she and I were never involved other than through church. There’s a 30-year age difference. But she and Lois were quite close. Lizzie was in our home church group for several years and was one of “Lois’ Girls.

I guess I’ve had the mechanical ability as a photographer all along. You know, the nuts-and-bolts stuff like exposure and shutter speed and composition. And you gotta have all that mundanity mastered. But there comes a point when what you produce transcends mechanics. Back when Liz and I were married, since she was a dancer, I took tap dance lessons. And one time I remember the experience of really dancing. It transcended knowledge of steps. It was dancing!

And that’s what I did last night out on the rain-wet streets of Soho in Manhattan. I was dancing with the camera. Lizzie and I clicked as two friends coming together after a long time. And the mechanics of telephoto lens and flash and composition just came together.

Shazam! What a great feeling.