'Grab*ssing: Rite of Maturity'

Boys in a fast food restaurant, one of Chinese descent and four of

Vietnamese, all friends. Two engage in an exaggerated dispute, which

Americans know as grabass, all seemingly over the contents of a piece

of paper and perhaps its writing. Your ratings and critiques are invited

and most welcome. If you rate harshly or very critically, or wish to

make a remark, please submit a helpful and constructive comment;

please share your photographic knowledge to help improve my

photography. Thanks! Enjoy! John

Note:  Despite the notation of the number of 'friends' in the Request for Critique above, not all the friends are shown in this photo, and I do not believe the fourth individual is one of the named individuals. (for the record).

(In case his mom sees this and gets upset.)

Can't say for sure he isn't as I wasn't memorizing faces, but I suspect he isn't one of them, but all the young men were exemplary in their behavior and manners (just a little aggressive and 'rambunctious' which is why I sat where I did . . . as I later explained to them, knowing almost to a certainty I would get a shot like this, based on their prior observed interplay, which did NOT include behavior like this  . . .  but suggested it might be a possibility, so I just sat down with my Coke, fries and burger, fiddled with my camera (reviewing prior photos, editing some in camera) and when the fun began, moved up, forward and took a rapid sequence of the entire event.

Later the whole crew and I discussed the photos and the events . . . and made friends (this happens a lot with well behaved subjects).

I then had a deeper discussion with the one Chinese among the others who were Vietnamese about America as a 'melting pot', and he gave me interesting answers ( and some unexpected ones) to questions I posed . . . .)  This is how I learn many of the facts,  I write; I go directly to the source and ask direct questions . . . . from people who appear trustworthy and good 'reporters' of fact after I have judged their capabilities of reporting facts well and for truthtelling.

It's fair to my readers, as I have few of what may be called agendas, and when I do I try to reveal what others may call an 'agenda'.  In fact, an agenda may simply be trying to adhere to the truth, rather than some fiction manufactured by someone trying to sell a product, an idea, a party or a candidate . . . . .

I am leery of people 'selling' things.

You can be 'leery' of what I write; in fact I invite discriminating readers to test my facts at every opportunity; I do not claim to be the only seeker of truth or the only authority on nearly any subject of which I write (except where it involves my personal life as I view it, or stories I have heard from others and then only to what I have heard (not the truth of the stories).

In other words, I may print hearsay if I deem if truthful, to prove the fact being printed, just as do courts which do accept hearsay evidence.

Courts have so many 'exceptions' to the ban on 'hearsay' that they deem an extraordinary number and sorts sorts of hearsay as quite reliable . . . . and allow hearsay evidence on a continual, daily and even often witness by witness and question by question basis (with some fundamental questions and some answers still being barred or worse, being allowed as answers to prove one thing -- but not another ;~(((((.

John (Crosley)

Outstanding street capture, amazing moments been so well lit and composed here, wishing you all of the best.

Great work!!

I have good instincts about predicting that 'something' is possible, and position myself accordingly, then just set about being patient.

Sometimees, as here, it happens.  Other times, which I seldom write about, nothing happens and everyone just moves away; no photos are taken.

Eventually, and with very little effort, such photos come about, and a few are very memorable, with many (like this) pretty workmanlike.

Thanks for the compliment.

john

John (Crosley)

Yes, 'dramatic moment'.

Who wants to look at four boys sitting on a bench?

For the same reason no one wants to read that cars drove the the roads and freeways with no difficulties or buses ran on schedule.

It's the oddity that is interesting, especially, if here it's interesting yet still falls with the outliers of the normal, I think.  You know, stuff you can see every day, but not too often - not important enough to go tell a spouse about, but something you'd definitely turn your head to see!

That's what this photo is about - one of life's little interesting moments, and with some relatively good design.

Thanks Alan for the compliment.

john

Thanks for the compliment.

I regarded it highly, but initial raters didn't, nor did initial viewers, which surprised me.  Now it seems to be reviving.  That does not surprise me so much, as I think it's pretty strong; not my best, but quite interesting, with just enough detail that one can wish to click to see exactly what the attacker is doing with his hand, reading something probably taken from his 'victim'.

Thanks so much for letting me know your thoughts.

john

John (Crosley)