San
Antonio's River Walk – Part VI
"Man
Made" Section of the River Walk
Photography © 2007
by Tony Hearn
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to River Walk Photos – Part I
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to River Walk Photos – Part II
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to River Walk Photos – Part III
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to River Walk Photos – Part IV
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A Note about Photography
The San Antonio River and River Walk is probably the
last place I will take pictures with a camera. It is also the "most
fun" place I have ever used a camera in my life. I am NOT a
professional photographer. I am a
retired "print" journalist –
who has ALSO taken pictures. There's a difference! My game has always been
using words; I've NEVER really understood photography.
For the record, I used a Canon PowerShot A20 digital
camera to take pictures of the river and river walk. A professional
photographer will understand why some of the photos look the way they do. I
bought my first Canon PowerShot when I lived down in Laredo. I paid around $400
new back in 2001. I had to replace it for reasons I won't go into. I bought the
PowerShot used for these photos off eBay for $50 in 2006. Cameras lose value
pretty fast.
Let me share the story of how I became a picture
taker - not a photographer.
Back in the very early 60s, I was a cub reporter for
the Poughkeepsie Journal in the mid-Hudson Valley of New York.
Late in my first week on the job, the editorial director
of the newspaper yelled at me: "Hearn, go cover the dog leash ordinance
this evening in Wappinger Falls. And take this camera. Get some good action
shots!"
"But Mr. Rozell, I'm not a photographer! I'm a
news reporter!"
"Well, I don't care what you call yourself,
Hearn! I want some good pictures!" Mr. Rozell bellowed at me as he tossed
a heavy 4x5 Crown Graphic press camera my way.
I made the mistake of catching the camera. "I
don't know how to use one of these things!" I cried.
"Then LEARN!"
That night I began a long apprenticeship, and I
managed to evade ever discovering over the years the mysteries of a darkroom.
Thank god! Someone eventually got around to inventing the digital camera.
Goodbye, roll film!
Tony Hearn
Picture Taker