A Poor Puppeteer

Chris Erb: 30th Jul 2006 - 22:33 GMT

I wonder how long it was until he was shooed away by police? The Market has really been cracking down on panhandlers and buskers in the Market area (and the whole city in general).

I see he has a new puppet. He used to have an old monkey that had seen much better days. He always puts a smile on my face and I always try to give him some change if I have any on me.

Great photos BTW. I love having another Frederictonian here!

Marlo: 30th Jul 2006 - 22:40 GMT

Thanks :)
I find that taking pictures of whatever place you happen to be in refreshes it for you. Seeing other people's photos does that even more so, because you're not just looking from the perspective of your camera, but from that of another person's. That, in conjunction with the scenes from other cities makes the experience of environment all the more special and illuminating. (A very roundabout way of saying I'm glad I found this site and hope to see some other Fredericton pictures too.)

I realise the concern for panhandlers, but aren't they part of the life of a place? You cannot shoo away the people of the streets.

Chris Erb: 30th Jul 2006 - 22:58 GMT

This site has really refeshed Fredericton for me. I used to see neat little things while walking and wished I could share them with me. The idea of a photoblog always crossed my mind but I couldn't imagine many people making a point of visiting it. Citynoise is great because it allows you to have an audience and you can, in turn, be an audience to people like you in other cities.

I now never leave my city without my camera and my walks are no longer boring as I'm always on the watchout for something interesting to post. Few of the pictures I take make it on the site but it stll allows me to have fun. The only problem is it's caused me to want a new (and expensive camera) so my pictures won't constantly turn out looking like shit. Oh well.

Marlo: 30th Jul 2006 - 23:18 GMT

But even the least expensive equipment can yield some interesting results. Andrei Tarkovsky (a film maker) carried a polaroid everywhere with him, and some of the results are astounding.
It is tricky to find a balance between equipment, environment, and inspiration. The three have to work together just so to create something that reflects that harmony.
I've often thought I wanted a nicer camera, but couldn't justify it financially or artistically. There's the chance, of course, that exploration of new equipment leads to new insight as well, and certainly we can see that particular photos might have benefited from better equipment, but then isn't it all the more wonderful when you find something wonderful produced from something (relatively) simple?
I recommend these: http://film.guardian.co.uk/gall/0,8544,1226197,00.html

Chris Erb: 31st Jul 2006 - 01:55 GMT

I agree, it's always nice to be able to get great shots with not so great equipment, I just find that too much of what I photograph could have been enhanced with a better camera. Image quality isn't always my biggest problem either. My camera, being quite old, has a pretty nasty delay on it which keeps me from getting action shots. It also makes me wait up to 15 seconds before I can take a picture after I've taken one. It also can't take night photos at all.

I don't want an expensive camera, just something that takes good pictures, has a good zoom (which mine definitely doesn't), has no noticeable delay, can taake pictures at night, and has a large memory. If I could get something like that for a decent price, I'd be very happy. Unfortunately, I have to move and go to school soon so I'm going to have to stick with the camera I have for now.

Like I said though, this camera has taken some good pictures, many of which are up on this site. It does make me feel good knowing that I was able to get something good considering the equipment I have to work with.

Marlo: 31st Jul 2006 - 05:45 GMT

You're going to Montreal I've gathered-- that'll be nice. But why (if you don't mind my asking) are you leaving Fredericton? New school?

Chris Erb: 31st Jul 2006 - 14:01 GMT

I'm leaving for Montreal to go to Concordia. The only real reason i'm living in Fredericton is because I wanted to get out of Sussex after graduating highschool. I didn't want to go too far away because I was dating someone who was still living in Sussex but I couldn't bear staying. I was originally going to move to Saint John but my friend who I was planning on living with decided to go to school in Fredericton so I went with him. I've been here for two years and I'm more than ready to move on to somewhere bigger.

EvilGentleman: 31st Jul 2006 - 14:27 GMT

I suspect Chris, like many who grew up around the Maritimes, has finally reached that stage of life where he must venture off to sample life in the big city before deciding where he belongs in this world.

This is not to be confused with him deserting the Maritimes, but the simple reality of life is that the region does not offer as many opportunities to experience urban life as do major cities like Montreal, Toronto or New York. Look at Peter and his journey from small-town Tennessee to the bright lights of The Big Apple. He has since built a new life in New York, and is flourishing.

In Chris' case, he is only going for an education at the moment, the exact same process that brought him from Sussex to Fredericton in the first place. He may very well take the education he receives here in Montreal and return to Fredericton, or even Sussex, with a wider perspective and an appreciation for the little things about the Maritimes that make it home. Or he may be at the beginning of a lifelong journey that will take him to new and unexpected locales. Only Chris himself will know the answer to this, and it may take years to know for sure.

One thing is for sure, though. No matter where Chris may wind up, he will always be appreciated and welcome, as long as the polite and honest, intelligent and insatiably curious persona that he shows us here on Citynoise is actually the real him, and I believe it is. As you Maritimers are so fond of saying, "He's good people."

I also speak from experience, since most of my father's military postings were in the Maritimes, so I grew up there more than I did in my family's hometown of Kahnawake. I was in Greenwood, NS from birth to age 2, and for four years between ages 14 to 19. I was in Summerside, PEI from age 4 to age 7, and in Chatham, NB from ages 7 to 11. I have not been back to the region since 1989, but I feel the call of the East Coast in my veins, and I definitely have to bring my family there for a vacation, so I can show them the various places I grew up. And take pictures. Oh, do I need to take pictures.

I see Chris has commented while I was busy typing. And life's journey goes on...

Chris Erb: 31st Jul 2006 - 17:11 GMT

Thank you for all the kind words EvilGentleman, they have really brightened my day!

I know things can change drastically as you get older but I have no real desire to return to the Maritimes in the future. I've never really felt like this is where I belong. I certainly don't hate this little part of the world but it's never really been anywhere that I've been overjoyed with living. Anytime that I've ventured away (with the exception of my trip to Nashville which is a story in itself) I've always had a blast and didn't want to come back. I'm really looking forward to moving to Montreal and hopefully living in other places in the future. For me, life is too short to stay in one place forever, I want to see all that the world has to offer.

However, like I said, things always change. Maybe I will end up back in Sussex or Fredericton someday (I somehow doubt it though).

Marlo: 31st Jul 2006 - 19:55 GMT

I can certainly relate. I had felt the need to get out of my home town (Dallas, TX) since I was a very small child, and university gave me that opportunity. You might be able to create a niche anywhere you live, but some are certainly more comfortable than others. Montreal will be a wonderful experience!

Chris Erb: 1st Aug 2006 - 00:09 GMT

How did you end up going from Dallas to Fredericton? That seems like quite a jump!

Marlo: 1st Aug 2006 - 01:51 GMT

It was a well thought out jump. I wanted to get away from Dallas, go north, to a different country, where English is spoken, and be able to subsist financially, all while getting an interesting liberal arts education---hence St. Thomas.