Black Masons

Every educated American knows that, since Reconstruction, African American people have been barred from many white social organizations. So, in many cases, they formed their own. Masonic lodges lave a long history in Europe and the Americas. African American Lodges are sometimes known as the Black Masons. They always take part  in the Annie Malone parade.

I enjoy seeing them. They are so elegant and perfectly tailored. The  ladies in the second picture do what some call the Windsor wave, the way Queen Elazabeth holds her arm and hand up and just rotates it at the wrist.

Late post today. I wish life would leave me alone a little more.     

A Family Outing

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When I walk around at public events with a couple of DSLRs hanging off me, it's not unusual for someone to call out, "Hey, take my picture!" It happened a couple of times at the Annie Malone parade. This family was simply charming. The vivacious woman at the left said that she worked at the big Renaissance hotel downtown, I think in a marketing or management position, and I should come over and have breakfast some time. Sadly, everyone was rushing around and I didn't get their names.

Maybe one of them will see this and contact me. I'd love to send them a copy of the picture. They may have had the two cutest kids west of the Mississippi.

The Beat

At the end of the Annie Malone parade last weekend, some participants hung out on the side streets, keeping the beat going and thumping it off the surrounding office buildings. This young man was with a group of percussionists and dancers in the courtyard of Louis Sullivan's Wainwright Building. It is of great architectural significance, being one of the first couple of steel-framed skyscrapers in the world. (Eleven stories was a skyscraper in 1890.) These kids put on a great improv dance show for their own pleasure but I was fascinated by this young man's disengagement. I liked his crooked yellow bow tie and the way the light played off his face, too.

TOMORROW: Poker Face

Chips Pickles Candy

This man was selling ice cream and snacks on a side street just off the parade route. I stopped and chatted with him well before the parade started when he was not busy. He works special events and, in between, just cruises neighborhoods and parks. The idea for this kind of shot is that a photographer can just go up and start talking to somebody about him or herself - never about you. Once a little relationship is established you can ask to take their picture. Few people say no. If that happens, just be polite, smile, say thanks anyway and find someone new to meet.

TOMORROW: Thursday Arch Series (special sauce department)

King DJ

The Annie Malone parade Sunday went on for about two and a half hours. There was a huge amount to shoot but the main parade route was out in hard sunshine, creating harsh shadows and bright spots. I went up a side street where the parade was ending and there was some shade. This man was riding on top of a truck, promoting his DJ service. His hat says "King."

There are some excellent nature photographers on CDBP. Other kinds of fauna interest me more, some wild, some domesticated.

TOMORROW: Chips, pickles, candy.

Two Sides of St. Louis

There was a lot going on downtown yesterday. We had the annual Annie Malone Parade. The Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center is a 120 year old institution in the black community. Their annual grand parade is one of the biggest celebrations of African-American society in St. Louis. In addition, the Cardinals were at home, meeting the Tampa Bay Rays in interleague play. As usual, it was a sell out.

As I walked around with my camera, it was interesting to watch the almost exclusively white crowd going to the baseball game and the almost exclusively black crowd watching the parade. This honkie is an equal opportunity photographer.

TOMORROW: The King of DJs