Backstory: The County Line

Always expect serendipity to show up.

My wife and I were staying in a hotel along the San Antonio River Walk. I had recently purchased a “fancy” digital camera. My first digital camera: a 4.1 mp point-and-shoot. Looking out off our balcony I was taken by the shadow of the lightest on the brick wall across the Riverwalk from our hotel. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a guy in a cowboy hat walk across the street and stop. I unzoomed the took this shot just before he walked across the street. Except for the models of the cars in the parking lot in the background, this could have looked like it was shot in the ‘60s or earlier.

A year later a friend of mine sent me a link to Smithsonian Magazine’s 4th Annual Photography Contest. I entered this pic in the Americana category. To my surprise and delight it was picked as a Finalist. The magazine printed it and hung it in the Smithsonian Institution’s “Castle” building along with the other finalists and winners.

We got a chance to visit the museum and see the photo on display. I asked the woman who was arranging the collections if I could get the print when the exhibition was complete, and she agreed. So, in December of 2006, a large package arrived at our front door: the Smithsonian not only sent the print, they sent it still mounted and framed along with the placard that was affixed on the wall along with plaster that came off the wall. Thus, I not only got my printed photo, framed, I also have a piece of the Smithsonian Institution on display in our home.