Brian Moore
Moderator
Yesterday I was at Santa Anita Park. It's a famous old horse racing venue near Los Angeles. It was "Photography Day." I spotted some photographers on the roof above the press box and I wanted to go up there too. I found an elevator hidden away that looked like it might be my ride to the top. I pressed the button and when the door opened their was an elevator operator sitting there.
I stepped in and said "Take me to the top, please." Those are the words that actually came out of my mouth and I confess I was surprised by them. I normally don't speak in such cavalier fashion unless I've had a jar or two. Which I hadn't yet.
Anyway, Phil (not his real name--I never got his real name--but to me he looks like a Phil), perhaps swayed by my apparent confidence, at first moved to press the blast off button but then his senses apparently returned to him and he had second thoughts. He inquired as to my bona fides.
Well, one thing led to another and suffice to say that despite my attempts to persuade him that I belonged up there with the others he refused to provide me passage. (A phone call to a dimwitted superior reinforced his position on the matter.)
Nevertheless, he allowed me to have my picture taken with him and we parted the best of friends. I admonished him playfully to give me a big smile and I think he did, in his laconic kind of western mustachioed way. Perhaps you can see it.
I took this image with my 7D and Tamron 18-270.
