"Oh...He's Always Taking Pictures"

I can't remember exactly where I heard it, but last night my daughter explained to someone that I take a lot of pictures. I think her exact words were,

"Oh, he's always taking pictures."

And it's true. Putting a quality camera in something as portable as a modern cellphone is like a dream come true for me. I used to haul around a small Kodak digital camera. It did a decent job, but if you can put a better camera in a phone that is also a computer with photo editing functions and access to the internet, it's the best scenario of all.

After our show last night, a few cast members, along with friends and family, went to a local eatery, Iggy's. The restaurant is a few blocks from the theatre and a place where we regularly go after weekend shows. 

While my daughter and I waited for our "to-go" food, I stood and took a couple of pictures. They were panoramic shots so most didn't work out--weird shots of people's faces blurred because they moved as I panned from left to right. I did get one good shot. It's the photo above.

I like the picture. It captures the feeling at the two tables. There's probably four or five distinct conversations going on at the same time. I believe there were three sets of parents and children, two married couples, one cast member boyfriend, one cast member sister, and one stage manager in attendance. Sometimes there's more, sometimes less, but whenever we go, it's a good time. So, me taking pictures seems as natural to me as ordering food to go and leaving for home early. 

There might be one more of these get-togethers before the show wraps next week, and if/when we do shows in the future, I'm sure we'll invade a restaurant as the traffic flow ebbs, have the staff push several tables together, and enjoy each other's company. And if/when we do, I'm sure I'll be taking more pictures. 

July 17, 2009...Hangin' With Joseph And His Friends

A lot can happen in seven years.

Before I got out of bed this morning, I grabbed my phone and checked a few sites. Facebook was one of them. I saw the usual stuff, pro/anti this, pro/anti that, but it was the "Memories" feature that made me stop scrolling. The memory conjured by Mr. Zuckerberg's invention stopped at an event seven years ago, July 17, 2009 at a restaurant in Centerville, Utah.

The cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat went out to eat after a show.

And I brought my camera.

And I took some pictures.

Seven years ago I wasn't blogging daily. I was probably using my old 10 megapixel Kodak Point-and-Shoot (it was a very reliable camera...). Of course, some of the photos were not the best. Photography technology has improved so much since then.

But what caused me to pause was looking at the faces of those in the pictures. My now teenage daughter looks like she's nine in the photos (because she was...). There's many in these photos who have followed their dreams and are making a living performing. Of course, there's others--myself included--who are doing the same things they did back then, go to work, go to rehearsal, go to dinner after the show.

I miss those who've gone and don't see enough those who've remained behind. I wonder if in seven years I'm going to get a notification as I arise from sleep and I'll see faces of friends, some I haven't seen in years, some I've done shows with a few months past.

I guess we'll find out in then. 

A lot can happen in seven years.