Three New Haircuts, Flash Back, 1985

Three new haircuts in Pasadena, California 1985. And a thought occurs to me.

I’m going through my archives and pulling images that I remember as turning points in my photography career. These three young boys were sitting on a bench outside a barbers shop on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California. As I passed them, they saw that I had cameras with me and asked, “Are you a photographer?” I answered “Yes” to which they responded “Can you take our picture?” Without hesitating I put the camera to my eye and the boy on the right positioned himself closer to the camera and I made the image. It was that synchronous. That’s it!

Having had their haircuts earlier, they were now waiting for their papa who was still in the barber’s chair. I’m sure they were being very patient, as kids sometimes are when parents are taking their time.

These three boys made it easier for me, from then on in my career, to approach people, and allow them to be who they are. In a way… photography can be a metaphor for allowing life to unfold exactly as it is meant to, without any control over the subject or outcome. Thanks for looking. G