Back in the 1960s, it seemed that time really did stand still in places like this small town in the North Carolina westernmost mountains. Back then, I worked with two Nikon cameras, a wide-angle lens on one and a telephoto on the other. I could capture an overall view and then quickly move in for the close-up.

I was standing on the other side of the street photographing the checker game when I saw a gentleman come out of the store and take a few steps to his right where the sales clerk was showing him a pair of pants on display on the sidewalk. Those days, after switching to a 35-mm camera from the old Crown and Speed Graphics, it opened new opportunities for unposed pictures. These people never knew they had been photographed. While experimenting with my new system, I unknowingly had captured a time-proven, classic glimpse of small town life and the enjoyment of simple pleasures among trusted friends.

Checker Playing in a Small Town

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