people-photos:

untitled by I Shot Baltimore on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Basketball- It was my childhood. Watched it, played it, read it, relentlessly. Nerf leagues in my room. An inverted lampshade tied to an air hockey table leaning against the wall of my basement. Dribbled between my legs as I walked for miles around my neighborhood. Same with a tennis ball in high school. Read every book on the subject, especially the ones about the playgrounds of NY. Peter Vescey was my hero. I savored his Hoop du Jour column like a fine wine. I was a Knick fan, when the only thing pretty about it was a Hawthorne Wingo jumper. Win-gooooooo..! Never thought I’d stop playing, but I did. Still followed it voraciously until I dropped it cold about 5 years ago or so. Through the years, the people who grew to know me were shocked that I know so much about it. Me? I was kinda envious that they were all so knowledgable about the arts or musicians & I wasn’t. I had a good sense of style, I had read a lot of books, spent inordinate amounts of time observing people in general & asking questions, but the thought of “art” becoming my life was very distant. This all changed when I picked up a camera. As years passed, I began to realize that the time I put into basketball wasn’t for naught. I shoot like a basketball player. I appreciate the beauty of the game. The only difference from when I was a kid is that now I have killer instinct. I’ve acquired all kinds of skills along the way. Time to call “next” & get in the game.