Connections

In the evening I watched a rail travel programme by Michael Portillo, the former UK politician.

I heard him speak once - at an event in Kirkcaldy, which is his mother's home town. It wasn't a political speech so I could appreciate it (his politics are not mine). Very impressive. He spoke without notes for an hour and developed his theme perfectly.

This journey took him from Schenectady to Niagara Falls via Rochester, all in New York State. In Rochester he visited the Eastman Kodak headquarters and its museum.

One of my (long lost) university friends is from Rochester. I visited once in the 70s. We also visited the Falls. Another university friend (also long lost) married someone from Rochester. 

The history of photography has never caught my imagination, but the programme did make me think of cameras I used in the 60s and 70s.

The Blip is one of the few photographs I have on display is the house, and is historical. It's by Robert Doisneau. La Dernière Valse du 14 Juillet. The Last Walz on Bastille Day.

Doisneau was born in Gentilly, now a southern suburb of Paris. I passed through it regularly for several years on my way from the city centre to Sceaux (and v-v) on the RER.