DRUM CIRCLE

Every Sunday afternoon close to sunset, hundreds of people converge onto Siesta Key. They come for the drum circle - a free-for-all, energetic gathering with about two dozen drums beating out shared trance-inducing rhythms. Aging hippies, adults and children of all ages twirl, stomp, dance, hula-hoop, and prance. Many are in costume, some wearing colorful capes. They come to be seen and none seem to object to being photographed or videoed. It’s a good place for me to bring nervous students who want to practice street photography. Since drones fly overhead, it occurred to me to check YouTubes of the circle. In one I saw a man with a brown hat and beside him, a woman with a blue one, far below with their backs to the camera. The man turned and I saw that the drone was photographing me as I was photographing with my iPhone.  What! No one had asked permission to film me! Now I’m offended.

In Meridien Park, Washington DC, on Sunday afternoons, a similar drum circle takes place but with a different flavor. A few photographs are included here.