From day to day we move ourselves from one place to another. Sometimes we engage with our environment, sometimes we go for a ride with our thoughts, and sometimes we engage with others by text messaging or talking to them. Either way, we are connected when we are wandering along from one place to another. Photography has taught me something I now cherish. It has taught me to be present in my environment, to really look at the street I am walking down and all its little gems, be it a historical building looking grand or a shop window radiating colour.
Moving from one place to another is no longer wasted time – it is time to cherish, time to really see my environment, smell its smells, hear its sounds, watch its people. From wandering on foot, I took this to my bicycle after some homework from my study class. We had to notice something on our journey to work that we had not noticed before. All of a sudden I am not arriving at work wondering how I got there, despite my lungs and legs telling me I had indeed ridden there. Instead I could recall the morning sun’s warmth on my skin, the number of green lights I got to zip through, and signs for houses to let all along the way. This engagement is incredibly freeing from the round about of thoughts that can repeat themselves 900 times over in a 30-minute cycle commute. Instead I arrive home free of work and feel more connected with the city I live in.
Bravvissimo Ames. Love the picture and your words. It’s so true. I have learned so much with photography. I love to get really close to the subject. The details tells a story every time.