the saddled streets, the burro beats down my door

So I left Richmond today and went to Rosenberg. Rosenberg is only a town over, so I really didn’t go far, however I did get out of town. And I took pictures. Double win.

As I drove through Rosenberg I had a realization: it reminded me of Middlesboro. Sure, I’ve only been there twice (I think), but looking at the streets and the stores, the size and location, I made a connection. Small towns are everywhere, and rarely do they change. Be it in Texas or Kentucky. There are stories there, people who have something to say, something to show.

I’ve never taken pictures in Middlesboro, but I can bet there are some.

Anyways, my dad had to go into town to get his wedding band resized and I decided to join in on the trip. While he and my mom ran errands, I wandered around Main Street to take some pictures. Not seeing anything, I was disheartened. Then I heard Lupe.

Lupe is from Rosenberg. He knows two songs and one chord. I spoke to a women who works in the antique shop a few stores over from this photo, and she said that this is the first time she’s heard Lupe. She said that they have their regulars, but Lupe’s wail is new. I noticed that he went to check on the Immigration and Tax Services building across the street, so I wonder if Lupe is originally from Rosenberg.

I’m not really sure how I feel about these pictures. Lupe didn’t mind me taking them, but at the same time, I felt like I was sort of taking advantage of his situation. When I spoke to him, I noticed he wasn’t all there. But while I took his picture, I spoke with him, asked him questions, made sure he was comfortable with the situation.

When he asked me to stop, I did. I thanked Lupe and wished him a good day. As I walked away, he continue to strum the same chord while those who passed by gave him a dollar or two. If there are regulars who hang around Main Street in Rosenberg, I might just drop by again tomorrow. It was nice to get back into taking pictures of people. My dad watched me as I interacted with this man, watched how I took his photo and spoke to him. He seemed pretty impressed. I’m glad he finally got a look at what I love doing.

Everyone has a story to share. I need to find out what Lupe’s is.

—–

In a change of subject, I toned these in black in white not only to spark discussion on which is better, but also to build off of Brad’s latest post. I definitely suggest heading over there…he’s making some good points on the recent surge in black and white photography.

Anyways, like I said, I’m not sure how I feel about these photos, so I’d appreciate a bit of a critique.

Black and white photos below: