Revolution

Lots of revolutions in my legs tonight. Writing this up rather late because I made the most of another beautiful evening to get out on the bike. Taking my time (on good advice), and without any great plan, I ended up going south rather than the usual north, feeling the need to explore roads less travelled - even if it that meant a more urban and not such a pretty ride. It did feel good to be on routes I'm not familiar with, including the climb out of Mytholmroyd up Cragg Vale, where the Tour de France headed just over two weeks ago. It's the longest continuous ascent in England but with a bit of a tailwind today I seemed to reach the top in no time at all (exactly 25 mins for the record). I guess I shouldn't really have put the watch on it but I was curious.

I need to record some thoughts on the Vivian Maier fllm I saw last night with Mr. John. I was quite enthralled by it and, for the most part, I thought it was done very well. However, thinking about it a little more critically while on the bike tonight I've been left a little disappointed in a few respects. It's too late to go into that right now but there was one letter which made it clear that she knew very well how good her photographs were. I wasn't aware of that previously and it came as a very happy revelation.

Despite a rather prickly personality I suspect I would have really liked this woman. The fascination just grows and grows. The more we come to know about her the more we realise that we don't actually know very much at all. I have a hunch that, in her position as a nanny, wandering the streets with children in tow, she knew very well the uniqueness of the opportunity she had to take photographs. Perhaps she wanted to preserve that cover. Rather than being a nanny who took photographs, I see her as a photographer who chose to be a nanny to best pursue her true vocation. The most amazing thing to me, reinforced with every photograph of hers that I see, is the consummate skill with which she practised her art. I was left in awe. And totally inspired.

Reading back my hurried write-up yesterday I was bit embarrassed to realise how much I was singing the praises of my own photograph. I'm not sure that's good form really but thanks so much for your endorsement. I always get excited when I see a picture on the screen which reveals far more than I ever noticed at the time. It feels like such a gift. Cheers everyone. You made my day.