Accordion Player in Montmarte

Another shot from the past...1996

Taken on a wedding anniversary trip to Paris.

We had been staying on the Left Bank and trying like mad to avoid the usual tourist traps.

We wandered along the river, crossing back and forth. I had my OM1 35mm and my YashicaMat 124G twin lens reflex with me and it was using this that I made this picture of an accordion player in Montmarte.

I don't usually take photos of people but I was drawn to this man, I would have loved to asked him how long he'd played there?, what his memories were? how many times had he had his photo taken? but, like most Englishmen I don't speak another language much to my shame.

As it was I just smiled at him, pointed at my camera, he nodded I fired the shutter and put some money in his hat (not the one on his head)....and walked away.

Photographers Andre Kertesz, August Sander, BenShahn, Ed Clark, Walker Evans and Bruce Davidson (many more I'm sure) have all been drawn to Accordion players - many were blind so they couldn't see they were being photographed.