As a vegetarian, Shakeema Smalls (“The Poetess”) pays a weekly visit to “Yes! Organic Market” on the district’s U Street.  (Derrick Haynes)

I’m not any competition for Scurlockor Nykvist (yet) , but all novice photographers need time to grow and break away from their amateur status.

In the slide show below, my friend graciously allowed me to play the paparazzo while she embraced her inner Lady Gaga (she is a “little monster” after all). Before schoolwork monopolized our time and buried us alive, we spent a Saturday morning running around U Street.

Despite the stares of on-lookers and fellow grocery shoppers, I kept on shooting frames for my project while paying them no mind. Most of the shots “expanded” greatly on my initial story board.The total number of shots I took were more than I realized: 200 plus photos for an almost 20-minute photo shoot.

Smalls walks down “Abbey Road”…via U St. (Derrick Haynes)

Ms. Smalls starts off in her dorm room before jaunting pass U Street staples such as Uncle Ben’s Chili’s Bowl. She takes the time to stop inside of Busboys and Poets to buy a poetry book and pick up a spoken word flyer.Then she  finally heads to Yes! Organic to buy some groceries.

“Up Jumped Spring” (Freddie Hubbard’s Backlash LP), a vocalese performed by the late-great Abbey Lincoln (also known as Aminata Moseka), helps the picture convey the “end of summer” feeling I was going for.

Qui sait (who knows) there might be a parte deux…