It was Macworld Jan 2008. Again in Moscone Center SFO. Steve announced the MacBook Air. The keynote was electric as Steve pulled out the Air from a yellow envelope. It was a dramatic performance.
After the keynote as the audience filed out, I ran towards the stage. I had heard a tip from a photographer that after the keynote, Steve comes back on the stage to do some photo-ops for the journalists/press photographers after the audience leaves.
Sure enough after the hall was mostly empty, Steve came out with the MacBook Air. The photographers went crazy. He was initially holding the Air in front of him with both hands. I was taking pictures from two or three rows from the stage. I was being blocked by taller photographers in front, so I decided to stand up on the chair and take some pics.
The moment I stood up on the chair, Steve looked up straight at me since now I was much taller than the photographers around and at stage level.
I signaled to him to raise the MacBook in one hand using the tips of his fingers only. He looked puzzled initially but after demonstrating to him with my hand and holding my camera up, he got the point.
He smiled and raised the MacBook Air on the tips of the fingers of his right hand. That created the perfect photo for the lighter than air MacBook. He looked back at me and smiled a thank you.. I just kept on clicking away..
The two-handed photo op...
And now the one handed iconic shot...
Later, again while roaming the Macworld exhibit floor as I was coming up on the Apple booth, I turned and there was Steve standing in front of me. Just like that. This time he had no gaggle of reporters or people around him. He was walking alone and undisturbed.
He looked at me and looked away and then looked back again. He smiled and then said ‘It’s you again…’
He had recognized me even after the switcher campaign had been over for over 5 years. He shook my hand again and said ‘Thank you’. He kept saying ‘Thank you’ a couple of times and then walked away.
I was again dumbstruck and left spouting gibberish…
Steve was many things to many people. To me, he was something to aspire to. I hope I can make a dent in the universe...