If the sun hat fits

MonoMonday: If the sun hat fits

SkiMe's challenge for MonoMonday was to both to take a street photography shot using f8 but also to make a running dialogue to ourselves of what we were  observing while walking or out to take a picture.  Not only just before the picture, but the whole time leading up to it. I'm pretty sure that this was allowed to be an internal monologue and not a vocal dialogue, as I would otherwise attract even more strange glances at the funny guy with the camera (now talking to himself).

So this challenge has certainly taking me out of my comfort zone this week, although its fairly typical of many of my street photo blips which involve wandering along and hoping that something will happen while I have the camera in my hand.  It is just that I don't normally confess to the monologue which went something along the lines of:

... "right, a quick walk around during lunch hour to see if I can get something to blip for this impossible MM challenge.  Not a bad morning but you need to [work stuff deleted].  So, back to Blip:  MM - we're looking for strong structural compositional elements that will look good in mono.  Now, how did I set this little Sony for zone focusing at f8ish again?  I'm sure I know that bloke?   Perhaps not.  The Sony makes me feel a little less self conscious about this street photo stuff, I like its discrete size but I hate the menu structures involved in driving it.  OK lets cross the new Castle Park Bridge and wander towards the shops, there's hopefully going to be something along the way that we can use.  Yep, lots of people walking towards me, great a couple holding hands, turn around once they've walked past, yes, a shot of them walking away down the empty bridge. A few more shots taken of people on the bridge.  Stop on the bridge and review what we've got - all  rubbish - a combination of too slow a shutter speed, not in focus, etc.  Wow its bright, I should have brought my sunglasses.  Stop at the far side of the bridge to reset the camera.  A few more shots of people sitting near the bridge - all in focus and OK but boring and uninteresting.  OK now what?  Walk around Castle Park to see if there's a looking down shot we can grab?  Hmm the Park is surprisingly full today.  Doh, of course, its warm and sunny, everyone is having lunch / sun bathing.  Erm, on second thoughts, probably not such a good idea to wander around taking shots of people sitting/lying on the grass, definitely some scope for being considered some sort of undesirable ... and I'm definitely not brave enough to want to engage in conversation with anyone about this challenge ... actually that might make me seem even weirder.  It would be easier if it were raining, umbrellas are good subject material.  Ha, we finally get some Summer and now I want rain. Well, not rain but an easier environment, like a coffee shop or a  bookshop.  Actually, now that l look at it, if I went down the steps towards the jetty, I could take a picture from below the bridge of the people as they cross over the bridge, that might work.....and finally an interesting group who stopped between the railings so that they could be seen"

.... and now you know why I don't burden you with the woolgathering that passes for my though processes normally.