Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/03/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Adam, I didn't know you cared... XOXOXO :) On Mar 10, 2004, at 7:11 PM, Adam Bridge wrote: > Hi Hon, > > This was posted on the Leica list. You have liked Graham's > photography. I think > you'll find this moving. > > Love you! Only 24 hours!!!!! > > Adam > > On Wednesday, March 10, 2004 Graham Battison thoughtfully wrote: > >> I am sitting in the churchyard at Flore eating my lunch. The service >> has >> been over for some time, a few stragglers are leaving the church after >> spending some time chatting. The sky is a typical English mix of blue >> with >> white clouds in some parts and black as thunder in others. >> >> I watch what I take to be worshipper set out on a footpath across a >> field in >> front of the church and think to myself that she must be very devout >> to walk >> from the next village to attend services. The path although fairly >> dry today >> can be >> very messy. I take a shot, my usual stuff, landscape with lone figure. >> >> When I look again the lone figure is on the far side of the field and >> turns >> to come back toward the church. She is walking slowly, head >> occasionally >> bowed, obviously lost in thought as if reluctant to complete the field >> crossing. >> I toy with the idea of another shot but my sandwiches are good and I >> let the >> moment pass. I have since found out that her late father used to >> walk his >> dog on that footpath. >> >> Eventually she returns to the churchyard and stands over a grave for >> a time >> then approaches me. She stops a distance from where I am sitting (very >> English) and asks if she might ask a favour of me (decidedly >> un-English). >> She explains that she used to live locally and had been visiting her >> mother >> in nearby Daventry and that the grave she had been looking at was >> that of >> her father. She was on her way back to Devon, where she now lives >> after >> returning from several years in America and had stopped by the church >> to >> take a photograph of the grave (she pays someone local to tend it). >> >> Finding that the camera she thought was in the car was not there she >> was >> considering where she might buy a disposable on a winters Sunday in >> the UK >> when she saw me take a shot of her walking across the field. She >> asks, "Was >> I a photographer?" and "would I take a photograph for her of her >> fathers' >> grave?". "In the loosest possible sense" and "yes I would" I replied. >> >> I took a couple of shots, she thanked me profusely and with her >> emotions >> running high and my web address in her purse she left at about >> 1:30pm. I >> finished my lunch and as insurance against looking an idiot I took a >> few >> extra shots of the grave before I left. >> >> Devon is quite a drive from Flore but at 7pm I got an email (maybe >> she has a >> Lear jet) and she tells me that she has been smiling "about life's >> little >> co-incidences". Not only does she "meet a chap with a camera but >> a real photographer" (she has by this time visited my web site) >> and "you just never know your luck, do you?". >> >> She closes her email with a post script: >> "I wonder if you know the work of James Ravilious? I think you would >> appreciate it. I had a small hand in the last published book of his >> photographs with text by Peter Beacham called 'Down the Deep Lanes' >> published by Devon Books. I'll give you further details if your >> interested." >> >> I checked him out. He was born 1939, died 1999 and wandered around >> Devon >> shooting local stuff with a Leica M3. It's a small world. >> >> http://www.geebeephoto.com/temp/Flore/Flore.html >> >> >> Graham >> http://geebeephoto.com >> >> >> -- >> To unsubscribe, see >> http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html