Barefoot

Artist: Picasa;
Exposure Date: 2012:11:19 16:57:18;
Copyright: © by Caplio GX100 User ;
Make: RICOH ;
Model: Caplio GX100 ;
ExposureTime: 1/2 s;
FNumber: f/4;
ISOSpeedRatings: 154;
ExposureProgram: Normal program;
ExposureBiasValue: 4294967286/10;
MeteringMode: Pattern;
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode;
FocalLength: 15 mm;
Software: RawTherapee;
ExifGpsLatitude: 48 49 48 48;

I was walking along Camp Bowie Blvd on the far west side of Fort Worth (what used to be called Hwy 80 West) snapping photos one night. A few minutes earlier I'd photographed a gal wearing a t-shirt reading "Leave Me Alone", with her consent. It was a funny moment.

I noticed a police car pulled over with a man standing in the car's headlights. As I passed I noticed the man was barefoot, with his shoes nearby, and his posture was oddly stiff and unnatural. I didn't want to embarrass him so I just snapped a photo of him from the waist down.

The cop immediately shooed me away, saying "He doesn't want you taking his picture." There's no point debating this sort of thing. I'm no longer a working journalist and this wasn't particularly newsworthy, just a bit sad. So I just said OK and moved on.

The motion blur wasn't intended. I just forgot to reset the Ricoh GX100 from Auto ISO to Auto High ISO, so the shutter speed was too slow. I liked the photo anyway for the ambiguity and odd swaths of color. It suits the photo because this vague blur is pretty much all I remember anyway.