Perfectly Harmless

Last night I went down to the local skating arena with Shawn. He needed to take shots of kids wearing helmets to use in the City recreation guide. Apparently, all the old skating shots are unusuable now that helmets are the rule. The powers that be cannot be seen as encouraging children to risk knocking their tender, unprotected skulls on the cold, merciless ice.

My main role was to stand next to Shawn, proving to wary parents that he was not a pervert. It's good that I went, too. Shawn hasn't had a haircut in ages and his wildman afro is at odds with the friendly photographer/civil servant personae he was trying to convey. However, my presence, along with my silly and supremely non-threatening striped toque, seemed to reassure everyone and he got lots of great shots.

My second role was to keep an eye out for any non-white kid. It's too easy to end up with photos that are all Aryan, all the time. So I scanned the ice, occassionally nudging Shawn, "pssst - cute little Asian kids wearing helmets, five o'clock!"

All of the parents were easygoing and happy to lend us their children for a few shots. The kids were all hams and I'm sure they'll be smiling out from the cover of every winter activity guide for years to come