[Leica] LALUG - Chicken Beak Gang pic

[Ron & Bee Lian Miller <rkmiller001@earthlink.net>]

Hi folks,
On my webpage I've posted a photo of the infamous Chicken Beak
Gang/Terrorist...whatever! The image was lent by Stasys Petravicius. For
all the techies: R5, Vario-Elmar-R 1:3.5-4.5/28-70, Tri-X rated at ISO
200, developed in Microdol-X, N+15%.

I've included Doug Landrum's wonderful account of that day below. With
Doug supplying the story, Stasys...the scan, and myself, the host place,
this was the only way we could post this for people to share a view of
the zaniness that went on during the first LALUG gathering.

Please forgive me for the slow up load of the entire page but the single
pic is worth it. It is on the first page, second row. ENJOY

regards to all,
bee lian
http://home.earthlink.net/~rkmiller001/index.html
sorry i cant do thumbnails as has been suggested because it is
earthlink's template. Nope...dont know html stuff.


> Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 23:08:52 -0700
> From: "Douglas Landrum"
> Subject: [Leica] LA LUG
>
> The LA LUG met for the first time in Pershing Square in downtown LA last
> Sunday beginning at 7:00 am to capture the early light.  Bee Lian Miller
> organized the event.  Bee Lian, Stacys Petravicius, Craig Semetko and myself
> were in attendance toting three M6's, one R5, one R6 and one R7 and an array
> of fine lenses.  After introductions, we strolled around the square.  Bee
> Lian chose the black tape method of obscuring her M6 from curious eyes, but
> a keen eyed homeless man was not fooled - immediately spotting Bee Lian's
> Leica and commenting on its fine qualities.
>
> As sharp eyed observers, we immediately noticed the public art project
> decorating the downtown area with angel sculptures each painted distinctly
> by local artists - quite an impressive project.  With keen observation we
> noticed that all sculptures encountered were sporting the same plastic
> chicken beak attached with an elastic band.
>
> While hunting subject matter in the light, we were accosted on Grand Avenue
> on Bunker Hill by one of the angel artists (and her dog) who stopped her
> small Japanese car beside our group.  The artist grilled us about our
> knowledge of the criminal defacing of the angel sculptures with CHICKEN
> BEAKS.  She was on a one woman mission to remove all offending chicken beaks
> from the angels inhabiting the City of Angels.
>
> Though shaken (with laughter) by our encounter with the artist avenging
> crime, the LA LUGGERS carried on searching for light through the downtown
> business district and along Broadway - LA's version of Mexico City.
>
> After Stacys' famous shoe study on Broadway - yes name brand new shoes just
> laying on the sidewalk along Broadway - we suddenly faced starvation.
> Walking several blocks to 9th and Figueroa, the LA LUGGERS were able to find
> that ancient Los Angeles oasis - the Pantry.
>
> At the Pantry we deposited our Leicas on our table and ordered a heart
> stopping breakfast, after all photographing on the streets of Los Angeles
> works up a tremendous appetite- particularly when you WALK - people in Los
> Angeles don't walk - they drive or run for exercise but don't WALK.  Our
> four musketeers were seated adjacent to a table strewn with Nikons and -
> dun, dun, dun - CHICKEN BEAKS!!!!!!
>
> Stasys made contact with the adjacent table occupants and behold, busted the
> defacing culprits of the angel sculptures.  The truth came out that our
> table neighbors were the perpetrators - self admitted placers of CHICKEN
> BEAKS on our precious angels.  They claimed to be artists and journalists
> making a statement to the world of the plight of CHICKEN BOY.  Now, Chicken
> Boy is a sculpture of a - kind of - superman figure with a chicken head that
> once stood proudly outside of some LA restaurant before my time.  Their
> protest was to publicize the necessity of a home for this LA landmark in
> mothballs by placing CHICKEN BEAKS on the pride angels of the City of
> Angels.  Joe Friday, my heart be still, we have busted the BEAK TERRORISTS -
> Dun Dun Unt Dunt.  These table neighbors were the bad guys.
>
> Upon letting them go - and observing that the BEAK TERROR squad paid their
> check and left a tip - the Nikon wielders visited our table strewn with
> Leicas.  Their only words about being apprehended by the intrepid LA LUGGERS
> was - "nice cameras."
>
> Douglas F. Landrum
> Laguna Beach, California
> dflandrum@earthlink.net
>