Picture this

When snapping a picture, a seasoned photographer usually has some specific goals in mind.

Louis Toulon

I have been a shutterbug for quite some time now, and over the years my priorities have evolved. I Initially took pictures to commit people and places to memory. The shots were in black and white and nothing mattered but to capture entire bodies and faces.

As time went by, I acquired a better understanding of photography and I started to focus more sharply on specific details.

Nowadays I am mainly interested in catching candid pictures of animals or people. What matters to me now, are unposed, spontaneous reactions to unfolding events.

When taking pétanque photos for instance, I want to capture the emotions, the tears, the smiles of the people involved in this sport. Passionate moments are fleeting and you need to be prepared to catch them during the microseconds when it happens. I feel that these pictures are genuine and compelling.

Some people rarely show any emotion, even when engaged in some exciting physical activity; due to this stoic characteristic they unfortunately become less attractive to me. I want to catch a lion when it roars, not when it snoozes.

Facial expressions and body language are now what interest me. If you are a sensitive person, your face, your moves will mirror your inner emotions.

A picture is only interesting to me when it shows passion. A lifeless posed picture is a “nature morte” (still life) thus much less captivating than an “action shot”.

The objective of this collection is therefore to show candid, emotional pictures mirroring people’s inner feelings while engaged in an exciting activity.

Alain

Please watch this collection.
PS: If enough people are interested I might turn these pictures into a book…

Life

Life is a demanding mistress and like a mercurial lover it is often unreasonable and unpredictable… And above all, never expect it to be fair.

When you think that you have everything under control, life can throw you a vicious curveball that will leave you reeling. You might try to prepare for various contingencies but there is no foolproof readiness for life’s capricious U-turns.

“Life is a lottery, we lose, we win, and we never know what is going to happen.” Jacques Salome

In an ideal world there would to be some kind of a document (like a car insurance contract) stipulating exactly when your life ends. This way we could better prepare, including family and friends for the Great Leap.

We know that our demise is unavoidable but most of us prefer not to think about it. Soon or later though everyone will have to confront the Grim Reaper.

We are on this earth for a short time and ideally speaking we ought to live every day of our life like it would be the last. But unfortunately we don’t know when fate will intervene and alter or cut short the course of our existence.

“Life is like a roll of toilet paper; hopefully long and useful, but it always ends at the wrong moment.” Rudyh

Regardless, what everybody ought to think about is his/her own legacy. Every man/woman ought to strive to leave a good account of himself on the Day of the Last Judgment. Some of our playfellows do it, effortlessly, and we will always keep a fond memory of them. Some disappear without making a ripple.

When I cash in my chips, I would like people to remember me kindly. I would like them to say, “he was a good man and he will be missed.” Exactly the way we think about our dear departed friend Henry Wessel.
You can judge the caliber of a man by the void he leaves after his departure. And Henry left a deep, long lasting crater.

When I go, I would like to leave the same legacy. He was a journeyman pétanque player, but a kind-hearted man who had a good sense of humor and loved (almost) all living creatures.

In my book, anybody who co-habits with a pet is a good person. And it should be a prerequisite for anybody planning to enter public service.

Is there presently a pet in the Oval Office? I would be surprised…

Stay victorious!

Alain

NorCal Regional Mixed Triples II

Yesterday my gang and I went to Sonoma to partake in the 2018 NorCal Regional Mixed Triples. My accomplices were Tamara aka (the Pétanque Queen) and Santa Claus (Noel) in civilian clothes.

By Vang

We arrived around 8:00 am as instructed by the VOMPC pamphlet and found very few people on the field. Little by little the participants trickled in and around 8:30 most of the contestants were present. The number was rather small (12 triplettes) but the caliber high.

  1. Mike Cooper/ Hans Kurz/ Lisa Vaughn
  2. Peter Wellington/ Teri Sirico/ Bill Miller
  3. Joe La Torre/ Sandra Sirkey/ Mark Shirkey
  4. Manu Le Bihan/ Janice Bissonnette/ By Vang
  5. Ed Porto/ Liza Moran/ Chan Alberto
  6. Peter Mathis/ Beth Lysten/ Wolfie Kurz
  7. Tim Wetzel/ Kris Edwards/ Rob Houghton
  8. Erin McTaggart/ Mike Meneffee/ Steve Dudgeon
  9. Alain Efron/ Tamara Efron/ Noel Marcovecchio
  10. Maryanne Curley/ Phominik Lee/ Poe Lee
  11. Kevin Evoy/ Holly Sammons/ Dave Lanter
  12. Carlos Couto/ Maggie Lane/ Brendan Cohen

As usual, 3 timed games were played before lunch and in the afternoon people would battle for Concours and Consolante glory.

On our 1st game of the day (against Joe La Torre) we got lucky and we won 13/6. An auspicious beginning.
Then we faced a bunch of cutthroats (the Mathis gang) who slaughtered us 13/1.
Finally (against Hans Kurz and his pack) we managed to win 13/11, and this meant only one thing. In the afternoon we would play in the Concours and tangle with the Big Guys.

In the Concours we faced Erin McTaggart and her posse and they beat us 13/5. This very team by the way made it to finals.

As I always said, pétanque keeps you humble. When you defeat another team, don’t crow too high because chances are that you will probably be whipped by another team soon after.

And in pétanque, like in any other sport, you need to have Lady Luck on your side. Without her assistance you are always walking a tight rope.

In the Concours finals, Manu le Bihan, Janice Bissonnette and By Vang faced Erin McTaggart, Mike Meneffee and Steve Dudgeon.

The match was played in the pebble-strewn area adjacent to the picnic area. This is a difficult terrain, especially for people who are not familiar with it.

In this area, it is hard to point and difficult to shoot. To point well, you need to master the art of “plombé” and to shoot efficiently you need to fire “au fer”. If you are not proficient in any of two these methods, you are in big trouble.

By Vang, Janice Bissonnette, Manu le Bihan

Le Bihan, Bissonnette and By Vang defeated McTaggart and her team by the impressive score of 13/1.
Both teams played well, but the Fresno team kept the pressure on and prevailed. As I keep repeating, “pétanque has a way to keep you humble.”

Concours:
1st place: Manu Le Bihan/ Janice Bissonnette/ By Vang
2nd place: Erin McTaggart/ Mike Meneffee/ Steve Dudgeon

Consolante:
1st place: Maryanne Curley/ Phominik Lee/ Poe Lee
2nd place: Kevin Evoy/ Holly Sammons/ Dave Lanter
3rd place: Ed Porto/ Liza Moran/ Chan Alberto

Alain

Don’t forget to watch the pictures.