Bridges

     We're living in difficult times. The word ''unprecedented" has been used so much that it has become trite.  It's a language development that in and of itself is ''unprecedented''. Everything and everyone has been affected in one way or another.

     So I went out for a walk this morning. I made some photographs that, hopefully are decent or at least mildly interesting. Of late, I've been shooting with a Fuji X-E3 that I purchased for myself back in February. You know, back when life was relatively normal. At the time,  I purchased it as an early birthday gift for myself. I know, I know, I didn't need another camera! But I believe Fuji was in the process of discontinuing this model and a store in Toronto was clearing them out with an incredibly good package deal. Besides, it was my 60th birthday coming up.  After surviving six decades on this planet, I wanted something shiny! I'm glad that, on the advice of a friend, (Thanks Francine!)  I decided to grab it early.  When I got to the shop in Toronto,  they only had one left! And, you guessed it. It was a silver one! (Regular readers of this blog know that I generally prefer black cameras.) 

https://refractivereasoning.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-silver-camera.html

     Well at least the two lenses I have available for it are black. They were purchased for another recently acquired camera,  a black  Fuji X-T1. (Thanks Tom!) It kinda creates a cool retro vibe for it. Back in the day, most camera lenses were black even though they were often mounted  on silver camera bodies. Think Pentax Spotmatic or Leica M3. (God! I'm so old!)

     Like most children,  I tend to play more with my newest toys. So, for the last two months, I've been doing most of my shooting with the X-E3. I like its sleek minimalist design, it's touch screen and some of the newer bells and whistles it features.  This morning however,  I opted for my trusty Fuji X-100F. (Hey, it's nice to have choices!) The X-100F has been my main camera for the past few years. It has provided the majority of the images I have taken. It features a very cool retro design and, from a functional standpoint, harkens back to the days of rangefinder film cameras. It's a photographer's camera. Lacking a zoom or even interchangeable lenses, it forces me to work a little bit harder for the shot.                                                                                                     

     I guess that I chose the X-100F this morning because, perhaps on a subconscious level, I'm looking for a return to the way things used to be. That's the biggest problem with this crisis that we're experiencing. It's the damn uncertainty. How big is the risk? When will it be over? What if it's never completely over? Just part of a new reality like the seasonal flu. How will we adapt to this new reality? Let's face it.  This new virus has set the whole world on it's ass. The medical community, the scientists, the politicians. No one is really capable of providing solid answers as yet. Maybe this will all be over in a month or so. Even if it is, there's no question that, one way or another, there will be a new reality.

     That being said, in addition to shooting with a camera that is as familiar to me as an old comfortable coat, perhaps I was functioning on another subconscious level.  When I got home and uploaded my pictures, I noticed a common theme. A lot of the my photos were of bridges. Not entirely out of the ordinary. Considering that I live in a town where two rivers meet, bridges are a crucial part of the infrastructure. I've photographed them before.

 William St. Bridge here in Paris, Ont. Taken Oct. 2019

     

     Maybe there's a silver lining to this cloud. We've already seen a greater appreciation for the courage and dedication of   medical workers on the front lines of this crisis. Maybe the politicians will now provide proper funding for hospitals and healthcare. Maybe we can raise the minimum wage so that people working in the retail sector, especially in food markets, pharmacies and other essential services can live with dignity above the poverty line. Maybe we can develop domestic industry so we are not so dependent on foreign supply lines at a time of crisis. Maybe we can burst the housing bubble so families don't have to have two incomes just to have a place to call home. Maybe our politicians will realize that they are elected to serve the people and not provide tax breaks and handouts to greedy corporate billionaires. Maybe  we can provide seniors with the pensions and resources they deserve so that they are not our most vulnerable when times are hard. Maybe we can each do with a little less so that as a society we can all have a little more.                                                              

                                                              

                                                                

     Then again, maybe none of the above will happen. It's that  enormous uncertainty factor again. There are, however, some things of which I am certain.  Bridges exist to provide a means of passage over obstacles, like a river or ravine. Perhaps my photographing them is symbolic of a hope to find a way to overcome the obstacles now present in our lives. Ultimately, all we really want is safe passage in this journey of life.

     Safe passage everyone. 

               ...more later