A reflective walk and a legacy shot

/ March 25, 2015

After our working lunch at Clark’s Ale House to discuss and take pictures for the Photo 101 lesson glass, squaredTuesday, by longtime friend Jim McKeever and I walked along South Salina Street toward his place of business, talking about this and that, like two guys on the far end of their 50s who’ve known each other since they were in their mid-20s can do.

At one corner he spied James across the street. We waited until the homeless man maneuvered his cart full of his earthly possessions safely to us so Jim could say hello, make sure the chilly man with the gap-toothed smile was OK, and introduce him to me. If you haven’t yet made your way to Irish Investigations, this piece that updates Jim’s periodic study into the fate of James’ journey to survive here is a good place to start.

Jim told James he had some sandwiches up in his offices to bring him later, and James shook his head to the affirmative. Then it was just three guys talking winter’s grip on spring for a short minute until James raced away.

Jim was convinced he hadn’t gotten the photo he wanted yet for his blog, so he was still working the angles. I was shooting him reflecting the situation outside the Galleries of Syracuse.

The Public Library is on the second floor.

As I saw so many times when we shared the smallest two-person cubicle in the whole newsroom of the big daily, the man could do some serious thinking.

Working the bridge.

Working the bridge.

Before we got back on the streets of downtown, though, I shared one of my thoughts. Out of all the years we’ve known each other, good times and hard times and back again, I cannot recall one photograph of us together. He agreed.

To the good times.

To the good times.

I rectified that with this legacy shot, taken during a working lunch in Clark’s Ale House, on March 24, 2015, Bialczak and McKeever.

Have you ever discovered that there are no pictures of you and a friend you’ve known for 30-some years? Which shot of McKeever at photographic work do you like best, and why?I stayed back, but would you have gone in for the closeup instead?

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49 thoughts on “A reflective walk and a legacy shot”

  2. I’ve been following you and Jim on your photo adventures. It’s interesting to see how the two of you have interpreted the various assignments since you live in the same city. (This is the first picture I’ve seen of Jim.)

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  4. I was waiting for a photo of James. How sweet to bring him sandwiches! I like the first one of Jim better because of the lighting. You’re soon going to be another one of those people that are putting us professional photographers out of business, Mark. 😉 Yes, I do find that I have too few photos of some of my lifelong friends and me. I need to rectify that! 😀

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    • I did not want to spook the moment by taking out my camera phone while we were talking to James at the corner, pure and simple, Rachel. He is kind of skittish, I can tell.

      Thanks for your kind words. And yes, do get those photos of you and your friends, finally and now. ❤

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  9. Love this! I wouldn’t have gotten closer to Jim. I like that you included the backdrop of the photos very much. No previous photos of the two of you together – wow – glad you captured on yesterday – you guys look great! ❤
    Diana xo

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  10. My favorite shot of your friend, which you captured very well with a great perspective was the one which showed his shadow in the lines on the sidewalk shadows. The arched Galleries of Syracuse sure is a pretty building, Mark. I have made a big point in recent years of getting photos with my friends and when I can my family, too. We are all realizing time limits and we try to capture moment more often in photos. I am so glad you got yours. You are quite a pair and it would have been quite interesting to be a ‘fly on the wall,’ while you talked about new things and old, too. Mark, this is one of my favorites of your posts!

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    • Yes, Jim and I know each other before my dear wife Karen and his great girlfriend MG were around. She worked at the paper, too, and they knew each other as friends first just like Karen and I … Heck, we knew each other before our grown children were born, Robin. The fly would hear great stories. You are right.

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  15. Considering how few pictures of me now, I know there aren’t any as you describe.

    I like the distance shot. Shows what he was trying to capture at the same time.

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    • Uh-oh. IDid you try shutting your iPad completely off and turning it back on instead of just letting it go to sleep. This has worked for me when I’ve had WordPress photo-seeing issues. Push the power button on the top left until you seen the apple appear. Let the screen go completely dark. Let it rest for a minute. Push the same button again to restart your iPad. Let me know if this works.

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  18. Sadly, I don’t think I have a friend that dates back that far unless you count FB acquaintances. I like the top shot because you captured the scenery as well as the photographer. Don’t think you would have been able to do that so well if you were any closer.

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    • Yes, Marissa, I hung back for the effect. I wonder if a shot of his face close up would have been revealing in a different way. Oh, well. When you move cross country, as you did, that takes a bite out of the friendship thing. I have now lived in Syracuse since 1983, so the years are adding up.

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      • Yes, definitely is hard to maintain friendships long distance. Now as a mother I am building friendships which are starting to accumulate in years but more like 1 or 2…not quite at the 30 marker yet!!

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    • Shots with longtime friends are a great thing, Ann, for forever reflection. I hope someday to have a photograph of you and I together. Two versions: For our blogs we’ll figure out how to capture your portion of the image! Have a great day.

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  21. Awesome, Mark! I prefer the photos of me where you’re as far away as possible with the camera! (For the record, that’s my THE Ohio State University hat, of the national championship variety). Thank you for the legacy shot, and for a very rewarding assignment. As you pointed out, we were probably the only Photo101 students in the world to team up on one.

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