I have mentioned this over and over again in this section and I will speak to it once again. Meeting and interacting with people is one of the most rewarding parts of this hobby. Over this weekend, Tracy and I have had the pleasure of having men from all over the globe converge on this little area known as the Bay Area to share our ‘hobby.’ But in reality, we all gather not to take photographs, but to share in one another’s lives.
Yes, we all met ‘online’ in that sometimes humorous, sometimes frowned upon way of ‘meeting’ people. Weeklyshot is where each and every one of us ‘met’ and began our online friendships. But just as in the days of old when writing letters seemed hollow after a time, in order to really establish relationships, people have to do it the old fashion way; we have to meet.
So from Germany comes Vernon, from Dallas Texas comes King and Paula, from Costa Mesa is George and Santa Barbara Jarrett. But in addition to those folks already familiar with one another, we bring others – friends we have met in ‘real life’ who have no apparent connection to our hobby. The world of those that are familiar grows and that familiarity grows into friendships.
This week a man who I had only met once in San Diego shares our home. This morning, most everyone who went shooting with us on Alcatraz last night will break bread as Tracy makes her famous French toast. Then this afternoon we will all share time together shooting in the Embarcadero area of SF.
Yes, we gather for a hobby, but today and tomorrow it is something much more rich than light, shadow and subject matter. I’m proud to call each of these men and women my friends.
