A number of months ago, I spent a few weekends in downtown San Jose as a personal exercise to try my hand at urban photography. It’s good to push yourself outside your comfort zones. Driving into town, I passed alongside a building lavishly decorated in some wonderful graffiti. The light wasn’t ideal so I made a couple of quick handheld images from my truck with a mental note to return under better conditions with my 4×5 view camera. The thought of a diffusely lit scene that could be printed on Ilfochrome Paper felt like a really strong opportunity.
Alas, I got caught up in other things as we so often do and then, driving through town last friday, I passed the building and the walls had been painted over in beige. I suspect the next urban inspiration I come upon, I’ll make sure and see the potential through.
