On the day prior to my taking this photo, my camera and I were on disagreeable terms.
My Nikon refused to focus where I wanted. It put shadows where it sought. I kept tweaking over and over, as many of you who follow my blog know and I was about to put it on a time-out.
Even people and places of interest were not interesting, until we found ourselves at la plaça de Pi.
The sun was magic, uplifting my spirits and making a promise to me of better minutes at hand.
Juan de Pi
Barcelona, 2008
I listened and watched and discovered
Juan.
He was sitting on a step, watching and smiling at me and having a good time with another attention-grabbing fellow.
He called me over and told me not to be scared. See, he knew I wanted his photo.
And, I clicked my accommodating camera that appreciated my nervous and exciting energy and it too knew that this was a special man.
Los Manos de José de Pi
Barcelona, 2008
We exchanged good-byes and I went about my business, but I couldn’t escape leaving the plaça de Pi.
A little while later, Juan called me and showed me a magic trick. He was feeling good and important that I had no idea how the card trick was a trick. But I knew.
His hands were fun and fascinating and I have a penchant for hands of the older genre.
Yes! He was a photographer’s dream come true.
I got my many pictures, one better than the next, and he made a friend.
