A Photo of the Day - Inches Between

Inches between, 2022

It was an Italian restaurant in Santa Monica. I was with Lukas. We had ended up here completely by chance after our original plans fell through. Upon arriving at the trendy, flashy restaurant we originally planned to visit, I felt the atmosphere didn't align with me. No offense to the people there, but I sensed many were putting on airs or trying hard to project a certain image that didn't feel genuine.

Unfortunately, the venue gave me that vibe. So we left and went on a quick search to find something nearby that was still appealing. And there we were. The restaurant was low-key, simple, yet dignified. The atmosphere was lovely and homely. I remember all the other customers except us were elderly, likely in their 60s to 80s. There was a large group of friends at a round table, couples over wine, happily conversing. Seeing joyful seniors warms my heart. When young, it's easy to forget our lives are fleeting, and we will age and hand things off to the next generation. Isn’t that the real beauty of life?

I took the photo with my Canon point-and-shoot camera with a pop-up flash. Of all the 35mm film cameras I've owned, none served me better than this one. The camera was found the camera at a flea market in Korea for only a dollar; I wasn’t even sure it would work. It was more for decoration. But my curious mind wanted to try my first roll of film. Now looking back, I want to say my photography journey began then. I found real joy in capturing things, anticipating the photos, and even being upset about accidents like exposing the film. I liked every imperfection in the photos I took with this camera.

The closest plate is out of focus due to the distance from me, as it focuses on the most distant subject. But that tells I was sitting in front and enjoying the pizza and time with Lukas, that is why I decided to capture the moment. What's more important than that? Whenever I get frustrated about my photographs, I try to remember what I liked about carrying the little camera in my winter pockets, having a wondrous mind to find the moments to capture.

One day, a piece holding the film cap broke. The camera shop guy told me fixing it would cost $200, which was the price of at least two of the same cameras. So I decided to give it some time to rest. I will forever cherish the moments when I carried it around and the photos that grounded me.