Art Meripol
Well-Known Member
As a young photographer and budding photojournalist I was often intimidated by other people. None more so than those that wanted to intimidate me.
This shot was in 1974, early in my junior year of college. I was shooting a photo essay on the town's local farmers market on the square. 50 years ago people looked different than today. Today everyone seems to want to look like a 'somebody'. But in '74 there were still older faces from the pre-war days and veterans, people whose faces looked like something from the FSA era. I was just another long-haired hippie looking kid. I looked much younger than my barely 20 years.
It was the first year of the farmers market and all the old-timers and farmers kind of held back that first year, unwilling to commit their produce until they saw how it would go. I can report that they just celebrated their 50th anniversary and it's one of the most beautiful markets on any town square.
All those old photos take me back with faces from a different era.
In the moment I shot this I didn't notice the man behind the older man in front at first. But after taking the photo he continued to stare at me a moment too long. That baleful stare, toothpick in the corner of his mouth really did stop me.
Likely shot on my then new Olympus OM-1 with the Zuico 135mm and Tri-X
Today I imagine he would have approached me and said something. Back then people kept more inside in public.
This shot was in 1974, early in my junior year of college. I was shooting a photo essay on the town's local farmers market on the square. 50 years ago people looked different than today. Today everyone seems to want to look like a 'somebody'. But in '74 there were still older faces from the pre-war days and veterans, people whose faces looked like something from the FSA era. I was just another long-haired hippie looking kid. I looked much younger than my barely 20 years.
It was the first year of the farmers market and all the old-timers and farmers kind of held back that first year, unwilling to commit their produce until they saw how it would go. I can report that they just celebrated their 50th anniversary and it's one of the most beautiful markets on any town square.
All those old photos take me back with faces from a different era.
In the moment I shot this I didn't notice the man behind the older man in front at first. But after taking the photo he continued to stare at me a moment too long. That baleful stare, toothpick in the corner of his mouth really did stop me.
Likely shot on my then new Olympus OM-1 with the Zuico 135mm and Tri-X
Today I imagine he would have approached me and said something. Back then people kept more inside in public.
