WHAT ARE ALL THOSE HATS ABOUT?
When I saw January 15 is #NationalHatDay, I began to think about all the hats I’ve photographed over the years. I started looking through the images I created and wanted to share a few images and memories with you.
New Mexico Hat in the Afternoon. © 2018 SuZan Alexander. Digital Photography
The Story Behind:
One of My Favorite Hats Image
While my collection of hat photograph expands each year, I discovered that they are not even close to representing even a fraction of the different hats available. Just the basic research of this Wikipedia article became a primer of all the hats I should be searching for in the future. Oh my!
But, this particular image of hats in a store window is a favorite of mine. It is not a technically proficient image, but it was one of the first images I created after a very L-O-N-G absence from photography… like a 30-year absence.
I learned photography back in the analog days and was gifted a digital point-and-shoot camera some 30 years later. It was that gift which re-ignited my interest in photography. So, I went about re-learning how to use a camera again.
In addition to the new point-and-shoot digital camera, I even dusted off my old film camera from my college days and carried it with me so I might capture images in my beloved black-and-white film. I think it was sort of my fall back plan… my security blanket of sorts. But, boy oh boy it felt good to have a camera in my hand again - and remembering to really SEE.
During a trip to far west Texas, we visited Fort Davis. Along the main street, there was a small building with hats in the display window. The businesses were pretty much all closed for the day, so I felt like I could practice my skills and take pictures of the window. As it turned out, the window was none other than the Limpia Creek Hats.
After the film was developed, I knew I could make a better image, so on our next trip to the area, I went in search of the hats in the window. Gone! Moved. But I still had this photo and my memories of how I felt taking this photo - rediscovering the art of photography.
Hats 4 Sale © SuZan Alexander. Photography
Fun Hat Trivia
While I was researching hats, and the Limpia Creek Hats, in particular, I discovered a few factoids (or trivia) about hats. Here goes…
Triple Stack Hats. ©2013 SuZan Alexander. Digital Photography
How long does it take to make a hat?
According to the Limpia Creek Hats website, their custom hats are all handmade and the whole process takes around 40 hours per hat.
What is your hat size?
Well, measure your head where the sweatband will be positioned. Then, divide that number by Pi. WHAT?! Did you forget your math classes? Not to worry. I got you on this. Pi = 3.14. How cool is that to dust off those math skills?
What is the proper way to store a cowboy hat when you remove it from your head?
This is probably the opposite of what you think. The hat should be placed on the crown with the brim up. Apparently, it ruins the shape of the hat if you rest the hat on its brim… well, that AND it’s bad luck to place a hat brim side down because the good luck runs out.
Now that you have your #NationalHatDay trivia in place, it’s time for full disclosure. I have to admit that I don’t often wear a hat. But, oh how I love hats of all shapes and varieties. There’s a part of me that hopes fashionable hats will become stylish once again. (Sorry baseball, give-me caps… you are disqualified.)
YOUR TURN:
So, do you have a favorite hat or memory of a hat? Do tell.
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If you read this far, I tip my hat to you.