The Birth of Feeling: Jean Guy.

The unmistakable Glint; Montreal, Juin 2011.

Downloaded the entire discography of Ottis Redding by mistake today. I was shooting for a single album, any, and ended up with the lot. Suits well, what a sound. Soul on my mind, soul in my soul. Woke late both Saturday and Sunday--no baby at my breast--just massive amounts of pillows. Thought of Willa and Rags, then coffee. Woke with hot hands, ooooh weeee! Time to switch to the summer quilt that reminds me of Lisa King and our many journeys to rural Manitoba thrift stores together.

Great Sunday. Top notch, it was one of those. Woke, had a simple breakfast for three on the back balcony. Jamie explained how the brickwork buildings in the ally reminded him of Scotland. Come to think of it, Europe was heavy in conversation today. English, French, Portuguese; European tall tales colliding with force!

I met a portrait photographer from Paris today. Laure is her name. She is participating in a photography internship while visiting Montreal. I was told before moving there would come a day I would connect with someone in such a way the language barrier would pay no matter. Indeed. Today it went unnoticed, despite all the laughter filling in the blanks of diction. Kind woman she was. Half Italian, half Parisienne, so startlingly quiet in her beauty. It was wonderful to meet another medium format photographer while sitting in the park with a circle of people. Beer, wine, almonds filling the spaces between conversing bodies. She gave her face to the lens before we even introduced ourselves.

Blew through so many rolls this weekend between La Ladybird and Parc La Fontaine. Faces were all around, I couldn't help my hands from triggering the camera before my eyes had time to steady and find the line. On Friday it was the elderly Portuguese father and son on a bench on Fairmount. I was feeling ballsy and asked to shoot in passing. The son shot me with "Il est malade". Hands up, one holding my camera in the air. No offence! I hesitated long enough to catch the father elbowing his son in jest. "Ca va!". So I shot the pair and felt stupid afterwards that I didn't have the words to thank them properly or even a card to give. (A card is an absolute must. Anyone know any thing about business cards? Terrifying territory, digital design. Eeee!). Saturday, a shot of an elderly Spanish gentleman playing Spanish guitar on his porch, presented itself. Maybe there was a hat too, I can't remember now. Ours was a wordless exchange, I danced for him instead and he posed afterwards.

Okay, I am going for this thing so many people do. Photography. This weekend clarified any question I had. Too many portraits showed themselves, I have no choice but to study this and am beyond thrilled with the chance to learn. Frightened as hell, nervous excited, but hungry. It is exciting to recognize progress in one's self, even when the direction is the most surprising! Who knows what is to come. It feels good to be steady right now.

I am going steady with myself.

Today I happily spent nearly every single bill made from yesterday's sale at C & L Cycle, my bike shop of choice in Montreal. Quality work and zero intimidation. A new headset for Jessica Alba, new bearings for the rear hub. Jean Francoise, who knew the name of my bicycle before my own was the mechanic today. Learned by watching the pieces come off and replaced anew. In conversation, he would stop while whacking away at the front tube at relay the punch line of the joke he was making to me in english. I could just hear Will Belford laughing in the background of thought this afternoon! Shit, I love the bike shop. This weekend was a crazy one for Montreal cyclists. Tour de Nuit, a night long family ride on the city's bike paths was entertaining throughout the night. I love the enthusiasm. Today's race was the Tour de Lait. Not sure what that one was all about, the race seemed to have zero rhyme or reason as people cycled all over in every direction wearing milk jerseys. Cool! I decided while watching the Tour de Nuit that I would participate in a race by the end of the year! Pressure is on.