Si! Se Puede! Pro-Immigration Rally, Springdale, Arkansas

Thanks for all the feedback. Very nice comments and insights.

Alan, thank you for responding to my PM. I am with you on the super-WA point, am personally fond of the 24mm - it's my preferred FL, but can completely understand how it might be abused. Lately, I've been tinkering with 45- and 35mm Rokkors, both extremely capable lenses. I think the 35mm is a bit sharper, but the 45 has something going on with contrast that makes me happy, too.

I would have had the 24mm going last night, but I am a flash cripple, and the only flash I own is an old Minolta Auto 28 - not a bad flash, but I don't own a synch cord, so wasn't in the mood to learn how to calculate for straight 1/1000th flash bursts, preferring to focus on compositions. The 50s are so fast, I grabbed them and ran out the door.

It's a weird feeling to go from 24mm to 50mm in a crowd. Some areas were less dense and I could move around for perspective and frame, but sadly, many shots were not to my liking for having to work with what I had in tighter areas.

I admire you PJs, would love to pursue the same path, but at my age probably too late to get serious about it. However, I enjoyed your Kosovo words and images and found myself short-breathed at times, experiencing the moments as you described them, with vicarious glee. I realize that sort of conflict shooting is dangerous. Hats off, and I do not think it would be a cakewalk to do, but were it not for my wife killing me first, I would probably try to get involved in same against better judgment.

I was happy to see what now appears to have numbered 3-4000 folks standing together in peace. There had been rumors of anti-immigration protesters possibly coming to counter, but I saw no signs.

I ran out of frames at 72... only grabbed 3 rolls of Tri-X-24 that I had handy, thinking it would be over too soon. Took me 50 mins to shoot that. The protest was just really getting off the ground. I was too far from home to bother. Next time, I will carry more stock.

I saw plenty of local press shooters there, but per my wife, little coverage in the dailies and mostly focus on national rallies, with an inch or two to blurb the local gig. I haven't seen any of the local images other than my own at this point, but what I recall was most of the PJs schooled at stage-back, waiting for the op to come with the crowd facing them. I prefer to insinuate myself, which is also why I generally shoot 24mm.

Anyway, thanks again for all the comments. I witnessed history last night in this area of the country - not seminal historical moments for sure, but something that even 10 years ago would not have gone over so well in this land of intolerance.

C.