Coffeeshop in the city

[The_Traveler]

[Rick Waldroup]

There is such a serene, yet hectic feel to the photo.  I love this, Lew.  I find it especially touching since I am currently reading Patti Smith's M Train, in which Smith recounts many days spent reading and writing in her favorite coffee shop.  There is a warmth to the interior of the coffee shop which plays off the coolness of the outside scene. 

[Gary]

Like Rick, I also appreciate the image. The contrast to me is the race card ... the white guy is inside all comfy while the people of color are outside in the obvious cold in a scene much less serene than reading a book with a beverage. 

[The_Traveler]

Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse is advertised as a 'Workers cooperative radical bookstore, vegan/vegetarian restaurant, and coffee roaster in Baltimore.'[/size]The bookstore carries mostly books in the area you can interpret from its drscription and from knowing a little bit about Red Emma herself.  Red Emma was Emma Goldman (1869 – May 14, 1940) was an anarchist known for her political activism, writing, and speeches. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europe in the first half of the 20th century.The cafe/bookstore used to be in a small space located in a medium nice area right around the corner from Peabody Conservatory close to downtown Baltimore.
Two or three years ago the cafe was relocated to the Station North district, on the corner of Charles and North Avenue. This is a burgeoning arts area, near Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), yet most of the housing around there is definitely working class.
I like it there because the lighting is great as is the people watching.

It is ironic that the cafe is 'for the workers' yet their customer base is totally middle or upper middle class from the local arts community and MICA (tuition 40K/year) and the locals don't come in because the prices are a bit high.

Over the last two years I've tried to get shots that display that dichotomy but .....I have to be careful shooting because people get irritated if I shoot inside.[/color]

[elsa hoffmann]

what I noticed was there was only one person in the coffee shop.
it doesnt look cosy or inviting.
cant be a good coffee shop

[Fons Baerken]

Elsa there were at least 2 Lew included.

A strong discomfort permeates the scene, the dof makes the presence of the street very palpable,
the man reading forces himself to be engrossed with the text, but is he?
the hobby-horse like sculpture in the street suggests change..

[BEZ]

Excellent capture Lew, well done!    ....I did not see the race issue, perhaps that is a cultural thing. But I did feel the atmosphere of the calm comfy coffee shop, against the cold hectic street.

Cheers
Bez

[Anthony]

I agree with Bez, the race thing obviously resonates with US people, but with Lew's added explanation I can see the point.

[armando_m]

Interesting story about the coffee shop

From the image I get the impression this place has seen better days and it is currently half falling apart, I agree with Elsa's comment about not looking very inviting

The scene has a very wide dynamic range but the image has low contrast, perhaps because the shadows have been recovered although there is nothing to interesting to be seen in the darker areas of the image

I brought the image in ACR, reduced shadows, increased contrast, IMO looks better

[Gary]

I think being racially colorblind is a very good thing. But we in the US have a long way to go. Having experienced the U.S. race riots and tumultuous social changes of the '60's and '70's, (and being a minority myself), I may be ... make that I will always be hypersensitive to the social/economic inequalities based purely on race.

That being said ... while I can see an equality in the photo, that may not necessarily be the case. It may just be a small group waiting for a bus ... or purely a matter of happenstance and not a case of racial oppression ... ala a "Whites Only" coffee shop (as an extreme example). But on the flip side, as Lew pointed out, the locals tend not to frequent the coffee shop because of the prices. If the people outside are 'locals' ... there may be a race/economic/education/social thing going on ... that even a run-down coffee shop is out of the reach of the local/indigenous/racial-different population. And then again ... maybe not ... lol

This is what makes Lew's image so captivating is that it begs so many questions yet delivers so few answers.

[The_Traveler]

Thanks all.
This is actually quite a large space and usually quite busy  but I was able to get a moment where the man was actually.
I typically sit at the one end of the space with high tables so I get a good look at what is going on.

This is like being in Taos, NM where the Anglo, Native-American and Mexican cultures mix except here it is the culture of the working class inner city and the hipster-wealthy student-arts aficionado cultures meet.

The cafe has three large, clean restrooms which are the only public facilities for several blocks in each direction and people waiting at the bus stop want to use them their demeanor changes noticably. They walk quickly and quietly back to the restrooms and return. It is a fascinating demonstration.

[Gary]

I do like the idea on an anarchist's coffee shop. I need to find one out here on the west coast.   

[John Geerts]

Me too 

Very effective image, Lew, it all fits together.

[tommiejeep]

Lew, excellent images and thanks for the details on the Coffee shop.  I like both but the first is my pick.
Cheers,
Tom

[The_Traveler]

Thanks all.
Have been much too whelmed to do anything.
Hope to bring some pictures back from Iceland (short trip 1-5 Nov)