From time to time I like to go out for a walk with a camera and create a small challenge for myself. This morning it was walking a few blocks up one side of a city street, then down the opposite side, while capturing a few images along the way. Unlike many photographers I never take images of people when I am out on a street walk as I am much more fascinated by what people create…and tend to leave behind as a legacy.
Initially I am usually draw to signs of all different types. The plague above was imbedded in the sidewalk. It is something I’ve been asking myself every morning for well over five decades. As I get older I’m likely asking the question for a different reason.
I love to find things that make me think, like a bit of philosophy.
Which, of course, covers all kinds of approaches to life.
And, some that remind us that life is a relative experience.
Many make me smile and remind me of hobby pastimes.
Style can be found in the most unusual of places.
Artwork on buildings always intrigues me and I enjoy finding murals of all types.
It is refreshing to know that the creativity of the human spirit is alive and vibrant.
I often will capture images through store windows, looking for dramatic lighting…
or splashes of colour.
Eventually I am drawn to buildings…
and their beautiful details.
The artistry of stained glass always draws my attention…
as do the angles and symmetry of structures.
Geometric shapes are particularly appealing to me and I often find myself lost in the shapes and angles I find around me.
I also love high contrast things…
or everyday items that are rich in detail.
Repeating patterns act as a magnet and draw me near.
The stronger the repeating lines or patterns…the more dramatic and compelling they are to me.
Sometimes I will play with common things like a steel bench, shooting at different angles to create a somewhat abstract image.
I enjoy creating simple compositions that extend lines from one element to another.
One of my great joys is working with angles and shapes to create the illusion of something that is not there in reality, except in my mind’s eye.
Nostalgia can often be found during a walk…like a brand from my teenage years…
or a reminder of what used to adorn the top of my head…before most of them jumped ship!
A street walk reveals character that is demonstrated by rust and age…
or by mismatched human attempts at repairs.
Character is found in artistic bricklaying – a skill that is sadly dying away in many cities.
I often wonder what happened inside the buildings I pass.
The truth always seems to have a way of revealing itself – peeling back attempts at disguise.
Invariably towards the end of one of my walks something will leap out at me and compel an image, causing me to think. Was the hubcap discarded and of no more use…or is it simply waiting for the next journey to begin? If there is a new journey – where will it lead?
Article and all images are Copyright 2016 Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, adaptation or reproduction of any kind is allowed without written consent. Photography Life is the only approved user of this article. If you see it reproduced anywhere else it is an unauthorized and illegal use.
Thomas, well done and inspiring as ever… Most of all, it is nice to see how you enjoy taking photos – rather than discussing gear. I love how you stick to the ‘old’ V2, whereas any ‘real professional’ would have replaced it by something ‘much better’ by now… Almost all the popular websites are about ‘gear’ and filled with comments from fanboys who seem to know it all – your post is refreshingly different.
Before switching to an RX100M4 recently, a J1 and/or J2 were my travel companions. I love what these small cameras can deliver, and my D7000-with-a-set-of-lenses hardly comes out anymore these days…
Hi PaVink,
Thank you for the supportive comment – much appreciated! As far as replacing my ‘old’ Nikon 1 V2’s goes…the V3 actually had some design issues which made it difficult for me to use it with my business. Many folks who make some money with their cameras will attest to the fact that prematurely replacing gear with a ‘new’ model doesn’t magically create more client business. Early replacement simply adds costs and hurts cash-flow. There are a lot of folks who are far more technically oriented than I will ever be and they would be much better at doing gear reviews. Gong gear reviews, for the sake of doing reviews, has never been of significant interest to me.
Tom
A street walk that reveals nostalgia and yields a most excellent lesson in philosophy, composition and form.
Thank you.
Thanks JD750 – I appreciate your comment!
Tom
Thanks for sharing your very revealing “walk”. Lately, I have been in the doldrums so you are giving me the incentive to get out there and see my world from a different perspective with my camera. Many thanks.
You’re welcome Shirley! I hope you have an enjoyable and creative walk with your camera.
Tom
Tom, thanks for always expanding my vision. Much enjoyed. Continued happy walks and other journeys. ~Phoenix
I appreciate your comment Phoenix!
Tom
I agree that walking aroundand looking for light, shadow, forms, and things other than people is fun and great training for the eye. People may wonder what you are looking at because they do not always take the time to look around at where they arenow.
In a photgraphy class with Vincent Versace, he recommended going out and “shooting the alphabet”. That is, finding the letters of the alphabet in the shapes, forms, light and shadow and not by finding those letters on a sign. It causes ypu to focus on something different and trains your eye to look and look again.
Nice photos and I would bet it was a very relaxing walk for you. Keep up the articles!
Thanks for sharing your experiences Joe! Like you I enjoy trying to see the world around me with ‘different eyes’.
Tom
Beautiful images as ever. I liked the leading lines in your image of the buildings. And the composition on benches is good. Definitely abstract and well shot.
Thanks srikanth – I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Tom
An exceptional subject is not nearly as important as exceptional perception, as your work demonstrates.
{ :- ) .
Art
Thank you for your generous comment Art!
Tom
Melbourne, Australia, is a city of ….MURALS!!! And as you I walked the city early on two days ago at 6 am long before the streets became crowded and took lots of photos of the murals…before they are replaced by new….murals!!! Which city are you living Thomas? It looks like there are fantastic murals there in your place too!!
Hi Waldemar,
The mural images were captured in Hamilton. I would love to spend time in a major downtown area like Toronto where murals are much more common.
Tom
Tom, your photos are beautiful! It’s amazing how much subject matter jumps out on a walk. In particular, I love to photograph patterns … the symmetry and beauty of something so simple.
Thanks again.
Hi Fran,
We are kindred spirits in our love of patterns! When on a ‘photo walk’ I think our senses and perspectives are in a heightened state which enables us to be much more aware of our surroundings.
Tom
Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos Thomas. Your photos always inspire my to take more photos myself!
I appreciate your comment KathleenM…and I’m glad that you find that my work provides a bit of inspiration!
Tom