Oblique Strategies

Once the search is in progress something will be found.

Bear with me, but it will, I think, be worth the read.

The Oblique Strategies is a set of cards originally designed by Peter Schmidt and then adapted and adopted by Brian Eno. Each card has an idea on it; sometimes tangible and sometimes not. But the thinking behind them is that they are to be used either when you've run out of ideas, or you simply need a kick up the creative arse.

So we decided that we'd use them this evening as a shooting tool. Each of us had 5 cards drawn at random and we wandered around town seeing what we could see. I was doing OK and I thought I'd got shots that fitted all my cards when this guy came and started talking to us about what we were doing. He banged on about film cameras he'd owned and the difference between 35mm and medium format and how he loved his old Lomo and other stuff. He is homeless and he needs (perhaps) a crutch to get about. The empty Pot Noodle pot was never explained. His name is Lance, or Jazz, as people call him.

Just as we were leaving, it occurred to me that here was the perfect subject for the "Once the search ..." card. Lose the earlier shot that I thought would do. He's the man. I hadn't been looking for a portrait for any of my shots tonight, but here was one on a plate. Perfect. It was the last shot I took before we re-convened in the pub. And that fits the card so well. Keep looking and you'll find it.

Thanks, Jazz. I owe you one.