Last Sunday Sutter St. hosted the annual Peddlers Fair. The street was blocked to traffic and filled with people and vendors selling antiques, coins, dolls, old records, fruits and vegetables and anything else that might turn a small profit. Not quite in the mood photographically, I went down anyway and soon changed my mind. There were photo ops everywhere.
I found the old and odd objects to be great subjects. Better than that, the manner in which the sellers displayed of all this stuff made statements all their own. I concentrated on finding quirky things, full of color, next to other quirky things. By selectively framing this menagerie I made my own statements. I ended up with images that bordered on the abstract, but with readily identifiable subjects. I came away with enough shots for a new portfolio of images quite different from what I usually do. It’s always good to stretch and grow and surprise yourself in the process.
These game boards required holding the camera over my head to reach the top shelf on which they sat.
A small farmer’s market was set up on a side street. More color opportunities.
After talking for awhile with a seller of antique typewriters, I asked for a photo. He wasn’t too sure, but graciously obliged. I converted to B&W with the channel mixer in Photoshop.
Color, texture, placement. All good for visual interest.
An obviously well-used tool kit in un-manly baby blue sits in direct sun. The shapes, shadows and angles of the tools looked like a jigsaw puzzle to me.
The Peddlers Fair turned out to be a rich source of images on a day when I was feeling pretty unmotivated. A good lesson for when we don’t think we’re feeling very creative. Just get out there and shoot.
