Marlboro Man

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Those are some sad eyes underneath that hat. Interestingly (or maybe not-so-interestingly), a friend of mine's father WAS the Marlboro Man. Apparently, he never actually smoked and is doing quite well somewhere on the East Coast. I fear this gentleman actually practices what he preaches. Great shot!

Thank you.

 

He did seem to have a sad, worn look that attracted me.

 

So the real Marlboro Man was neither a cowboy nor a smoker. That goes to show how powerful the illusions of advertising can be. I think we are seeing that in photography as well, where illusion seems preferable to reality. Somehow that says to my that our real lives aren't worth examining. I don't believe that.

That is a wonderful shot. It is taken in less than ideal surroundings, and, yet, you seem to have isolated him amazingly well from that confusion. Just superb. I wish I had the ability to capture people the way you do.

You certainly have the ability to take 'street portraits' much better than this. It just takes the right circumstances. I like small town festivals, which seem to bring out people with character in their faces. And they aren't likely to smash your face in for taking their picture.

 

I'm anxious to hear about your trip and your reflections on it!

this is an awesome shot. Don't you imagine this man is a wise old man. When my mother was in her 80's and we were sitting in the porch swing talking, she looked over to me and said "People think I don't know what goes on, but I am a wise old woman". Sam and I talk about our yesteryears, our marriages, divorces, our relationships and experiences, etc., and we, too, are becoming wiser everyday. We both agree we had to go through those experiences to get where we are in our thinking today. What a pity that most of the younger generation does not even know what is going on and it does not even matter to them.

Janie, I think there are more opportunities to gain wisdom as we experience the trials and tribulations that inevitably come our way. But I'm not sure we all do. There seemed to be a sadness in this man's eyes, as if he has been beaten down by life.