SLC taco carts: preliminary results, round 1
Posted on Mon 8-Feb-2010 8:10 AM
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Taco Stand Number 3
I have long wanted to do a comparison tasting of some of Salt Lake City's cheapest eateries: the taco stands. Taco carts started appearing on corners around town several years ago, but up until Friday, I had only eaten from the street vendors once. I had reason to head downtown, so I tweeted up a taco cart meet-up to try out a few new ones.
Taco Stand Number 2
For mysterious reasons that would warm the dead heart of Adam Smith, the greatest concentration of taco stand are arrayed around our nearly-downtown Sears department store. Four different purveyors of tacos, none costing more than $1 (tripe or beef tongue extra), set up their rolling shops at intervals on State, Main and 800 South.
Taco-maker extraordinaire
Five of us, packed an overstuffed burrito, spilled out of Harley's car as he parked at Sears. Over the years, I had noticed that the stand across the street from the department store had the longest lines, even late at night, so that's the one I wanted to try. I didn't make any photos of my three delicioso shredded beef tacos. Harley and Scott enjoyed theirs too, but the taco lady ran out of tortillas, so we trundled over to stand #2 rather than wait for more to be delivered. By the time Rich and Nicole got their plates, Harley had ordered a second round and the taste test was on. At stand #3, Rich upped the competition by asking the taco-maker to select the meats. Taco lady #4 thought it was all completely amusing, especially that we didn't have enough sense to get out of the weather and eat in our car like everyone else (she must have missed the arrival of the circus clown act). She also produced the favorite tacos of the day.
Tacos El Toro
Our winner of the day: Tacos El Toro on 800 South between State and Main.
Tacos from El Toro
However, the taste test won't end there. This is a multi-round competition, with the rules being invented as I get hungry. Watch for twitter and/or Facebook updates for the next convening of the judge's panel. More testers are always welcome. And please recommend your favorite too--a full sampling of all worthy taco carts is the goal.
Defining success, part 2
Posted on Tue 2-Feb-2010 1:36 PM
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Matkatamiba Canyon mile 148
I wrote my last post about defining success during the interval that I teach a winter photography short course for Lifelong Learning. I talk a lot in class about what makes a successful photo outing and how that isn't the same as bagging a wall-hanger photo, especially early in one's photography experience.
I can tell who in my classes have been reading the on-line forums. They are the ones with the most anxiety about their gear. Read some of that nonsense and you'd come to believe that it's hopeless to make a good picture without a five figure investment in optics. I point out that I made this picture with a D70 and the kit lens, an outfit that has less features than any camera currently on the market. I'll make a few snide remarks about the "camera collectors" as I call them, people who spend way too much time reading specs, arguing on forums, but don't actually make pictures. Then we crack open our camera manuals (I make them bring them to class.--few of their covers have ever been creased by turning that first page) and learn how to turn on the histograms feature. The camera you know how to use is the best tool for the job, I say.
I recall an episode of a Julia Child series where she said to follow the recipe through the first time, then improvise from a position of strength. I find wisdom in that concept that extends far beyond the kitchen. Learn the rules: rule of thirds, never compose a line coming from the corner of a frame, don't put a subject in the bullseye of an image. Then break them, but deliberately and from a foundation of understanding, if it helps communicate my visual idea.
Experiments cost nothing in the field, if as beginning photographers we can give ourselves permission to fail in order to succeed. I think Julia summed it up for all sorts of creative endeavors: "The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude." Cultivating that attitude is a major part of my definition of success.
Defining success, part 1
Posted on Wed 27-Jan-2010 8:27 AM
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Running the remuda*
Unless an author sells tens of thousands of copies, writing a book is not going to pay the bills. Breakthrough books from unknown authors happen, but my US89 book, with its admittedly niche subject, was never intended to hit the NY Times best-seller list. Rather than just numbers of units sold, I envisioned my own definition of success for the project, one that focused on production quality and ultimately the enjoyment of my readers.
My vision was this: that somewhere on the highway, someone would buy my book, and it would be successful if it inspired my reader to visit a Highway 89 destination that I had photographed. On Monday, I met a wonderful woman and Twitter follower, who told me that she bought the book at the King's English Bookshopas a Christmas gift for her father. Dad, who lives in California, enjoyed it so much he is planning an extended family vacation somewhere on Highway 89. I'm calling that a victory. What's your definition of success today?
*Wranglers at the Rancho de los Caballeros in Wickenburg, Arizona run the horses through a corridor down the ranch property each morning to corrals where the dude ranching patrons saddle up. Maria Langer took me over to see the spectacle when I visited last week on a book-selling trip to Arizona.
I'm with the band
Posted on Tue 12-Jan-2010 8:56 AM
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Upright bass case
Ahmad Jamal's bassist, James Cammack, travels with his own instrument, its well-worn airline case stashed behind the speakers at last night's Jazz at the Sheraton concert. That concert series is one of Salt Lake's secret treasures, and the Ahmad Jamal concert was one of the best ever.
Ready in the chute
Posted on Fri 8-Jan-2010 9:38 AM
Warming up at the Riverton, UT rodeo
I chose Lightroom as my cataloging tool when I fully committed myself to a full-scale Digital Asset Management workflow. Now that I have my system set up, backed up and in use, it's interesting to see how my workflow has changed.
Continue reading "Ready in the chute" »
