Lomo-ish Chef Walking East on SW Morrison

I took this photo on October 23, 2010, as I rode by the Scottish Rite Center at 1512 SW Morrison Street, while riding home on the MAX.

It appeared that Portland's Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts had just held an event of some sort, maybe an awards program or a graduation--I saw several much younger men in white chef coats, most wearing a tall white chef hat and a medal around the neck hanging from a blue ribbon. They stood outside, talking with what might have been family members or friends.

It was this man and his hat that grabbed my attention. Although the photo is blurry due to both of us moving in opposite directions, I still liked how it turned out. Before posting it, however, I had fun at Picnik, finally deciding on a special effect called Lomo-ish because I particularly liked the over-saturated colors that appeared when I tried it.

Then I got curious about Lomography. To Wikipedia via Google where I found this: Lomography emphasizes casual, snapshot photography. Characteristics such as over-saturated colors, off-kilter exposure, blurring, "happy accidents," and alternative film processing are often considered part of the "Lomographic Technique." Users are encouraged to take a lighthearted approach to their photography, and use these techniques to document everyday life ... Similar to Eastman Kodak's concept of the "Kodak moment," the Lomography motto of "don't think, just shoot" presumes spontaneity, close-ups, and ubiquity, while deemphasizing formal technique.

Imagine my surprise when I read these statements and realized that I had a sort of Lomo photo to begin with, digital not film of course. Too me, all it needed was the over-saturation. Serendipity, that's what I call my happy accidents, my own don't think, just shoot photos. Gotta love it.

By the way, I figured these chefs were from Le Cordon Bleu because I could see enough of the logo on this chef's jacket to match it with the logo at their Web site.