I just returned from a Glass Photowalk in San Francisco organized by IGersEastBay (Instagrammers East Bay) in conjunction with Trey Ratcliff of HDR fame and Thomas Hawk. Wow. What a turnout. Over 1,000 people RSVP’d and hundreds attended.

If you showed up and were over 18 and a resident of the US you could register to win a pair of Google Glass. Several people were wearing a pair. It was my first exposure beyond the occasional restaurant siting to an atmosphere of Glass.

It was odd to see someone look up at the right top corner of their glasses and press the glasses temple to take a picture. A bit like talking with you while reading email on my phone. Some people wore masks, ranging from animal heads to Darth Vader, possibly to avoid overexposure. Many fewer women than men had a pair. While this technology is not pervasive yet, it’s easy to see how it will change our ability to feel unrecorded or anonymous. It doesn’t take much Glass to perturb the atmosphere.

I didn’t stick around for the drawing, thus remaining in the ranks of the un-Glassed. However, I did have a fantastic time editing photos on the train ride home. Despite the press of hundreds of other photographers, leaping with our characteristic abandon into unseemly as well as athletic poses to capture what must not be allowed to get away, I was able to isolate a few quiet moments.

There was something about the Hotel Pickwick font that shouted, “I’m from long ago.” in a winsome manner.

I saw this wall first with no people walking by. It was a scrim for the shadows of the larger city and a perfect backdrop for human drama, such as this small woman, making her way through the city.

This man seems trapped by the shadows of unseen architecture, eddied up under the lamppost on his way through the city.

Going to the IgersEastBay GlassPhotowalk with Thomas Hawk and Trey Ratcliff was a wise use of time for 2 reasons. It gave me exposure to the impact of Google Glass technology on how people interact in groups as well as the opportunity to make a few new images.

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