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Home → Essays and Inspiration

Eclectic Images from a Morning Street Walk

By Thomas Stirr 28 Comments
Last Updated On April 30, 2023

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.

street walk 1
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 44.2mm, ISO 200, 1/125, f/5.6

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.

street walk 2
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 31.9mm, ISO 200, 1/800, f/5.6

I love to find things that make me think, like a bit of philosophy.

street walk 3
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 46.1mm, ISO 200, 1/800, f/5.6

Which, of course, covers all kinds of approaches to life.

street walk 4
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 58.3mm, ISO 200, 1/320, f/5.6

And, some that remind us that life is a relative experience.

street walk 5
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 35.3mm, ISO 200, 1/1250, f/5.6

Many make me smile and remind me of hobby pastimes.

street walk 6
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 80.5mm, ISO 200, 1/100, f/5.6

Style can be found in the most unusual of places.

street walk 7
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 27.2mm, ISO 200, 1/250, f/5.6

Artwork on buildings always intrigues me and I enjoy finding murals of all types.

street walk 8
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 12.1mm, ISO 200, 1/125, f/8.0

It is refreshing to know that the creativity of the human spirit is alive and vibrant.

street walk 9
NIKON 1 V2 + 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 120.9mm, ISO 160, 1/4000, f/5.6

I often will capture images through store windows, looking for dramatic lighting…

street walk 10
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 92.8mm, ISO 200, 1/125, f/5.6

or splashes of colour.

street walk 11
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 10mm, ISO 200, 1/200, f/5.6

Eventually I am drawn to buildings…

street walk 12
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 72.2mm, ISO 200, 1/250, f/5.6

and their beautiful details.

street walk 13
NIKON 1 V2 + 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 72.1mm, ISO 200, 1/125, f/5.6

The artistry of stained glass always draws my attention…

street walk 14
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 58.3mm, ISO 200, 1/640, f/5.6

as do the angles and symmetry of structures.

street walk 15
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 79.1mm, ISO 800, 1/20, f/5.6

Geometric shapes are particularly appealing to me and I often find myself lost in the shapes and angles I find around me.

street walk 16
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 14.4mm, ISO 200, 1/50, f/5.6

I also love high contrast things…

street walk 17
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 67.6mm, ISO 160, 1/60, f/5.6

or everyday items that are rich in detail.

street walk 18
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 17.1mm, ISO 160, 1/160, f/5.6

Repeating patterns act as a magnet and draw me near.

street walk 19
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 35.3mm, ISO 160, 1/1250, f/5.6

The stronger the repeating lines or patterns…the more dramatic and compelling they are to me.

street walk 20
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 56.2mm, ISO 160, 1/50, f/5.6

Sometimes I will play with common things like a steel bench, shooting at different angles to create a somewhat abstract image.

street walk 21
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 38.8mm, ISO 200, 1/320, f/5.6

I enjoy creating simple compositions that extend lines from one element to another.

street walk 22
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 75mm, ISO 160, 1/50, f/8.0

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.

street walk 23
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 100mm, ISO 160, 1/500, f/5.6

Nostalgia can often be found during a walk…like a brand from my teenage years…

street walk 24
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 67.6mm, ISO 200, 1/800, f/5.6

or a reminder of what used to adorn the top of my head…before most of them jumped ship!

street walk 25
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 37mm, ISO 160, 1/800, f/5.6

A street walk reveals character that is demonstrated by rust and age…

street walk 26
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 37mm, ISO 160, 1/30, f/5.6

or by mismatched human attempts at repairs.

street walk 27
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 72.2mm, ISO 160, 1/50, f/6.3

Character is found in artistic bricklaying – a skill that is sadly dying away in many cities.

street walk 28
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 65.9mm, ISO 200, 1/800, f/5.6

I often wonder what happened inside the buildings I pass.

street walk 29
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 25.7mm, ISO 160, 1/80, f/6.3

The truth always seems to have a way of revealing itself – peeling back attempts at disguise.

street walk 30
NIKON 1 V2 + 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 76.4mm, ISO 160, 1/30, f/6.3

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.

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Filed Under: Essays and Inspiration Tagged With: Nikon 1 V2, Street Photography

About Thomas Stirr

Thomas Stirr is an author, photographer/videographer, and executive coach based in Grimsby Ontario Canada. He specializes in industrial photography, as well as safety/training/corporate videos. His work also includes landscape and nature photography, and experimentation with photo art. Nikon Canada has featured Tom's work numerous times on Facebook and Twitter. To follow Thomas, please visit his photography blog and check out his eBooks.

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PaVink
PaVink
May 1, 2016 8:43 am

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…

0
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Thomas Stirr
Thomas Stirr
Author
Reply to  PaVink
May 1, 2016 1:35 pm

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

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JD750
JD750
April 27, 2016 9:30 pm

A street walk that reveals nostalgia and yields a most excellent lesson in philosophy, composition and form.

Thank you.

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Thomas Stirr
Thomas Stirr
Author
Reply to  JD750
April 28, 2016 5:06 am

Thanks JD750 – I appreciate your comment!
Tom

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Reply
Shirley Schweizer
Shirley Schweizer
April 26, 2016 10:55 am

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.

0
Reply
Thomas Stirr
Thomas Stirr
Author
Reply to  Shirley Schweizer
April 26, 2016 6:51 pm

You’re welcome Shirley! I hope you have an enjoyable and creative walk with your camera.
Tom

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Phoenix
Phoenix
April 26, 2016 7:16 am

Tom, thanks for always expanding my vision. Much enjoyed. Continued happy walks and other journeys. ~Phoenix

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Thomas Stirr
Thomas Stirr
Author
Reply to  Phoenix
April 26, 2016 6:50 pm

I appreciate your comment Phoenix!
Tom

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Joe Sandrin
Joe Sandrin
April 25, 2016 4:30 am

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!

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Thomas Stirr
Thomas Stirr
Author
Reply to  Joe Sandrin
April 25, 2016 6:25 pm

Thanks for sharing your experiences Joe! Like you I enjoy trying to see the world around me with ‘different eyes’.
Tom

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srikanth
srikanth
April 25, 2016 3:12 am

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.

0
Reply
Thomas Stirr
Thomas Stirr
Author
Reply to  srikanth
April 25, 2016 3:50 am

Thanks srikanth – I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Tom

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Art Tyree
Art Tyree
April 24, 2016 6:18 pm

An exceptional subject is not nearly as important as exceptional perception, as your work demonstrates.
{ :- ) .
Art

0
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Thomas Stirr
Thomas Stirr
Author
Reply to  Art Tyree
April 24, 2016 6:40 pm

Thank you for your generous comment Art!
Tom

0
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Waldemar Kruk
Waldemar Kruk
April 24, 2016 2:31 am

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!!

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Thomas Stirr
Thomas Stirr
Author
Reply to  Waldemar Kruk
April 24, 2016 4:23 am

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

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Fran L
Fran L
April 23, 2016 12:37 pm

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.

0
Reply
Thomas Stirr
Thomas Stirr
Author
Reply to  Fran L
April 23, 2016 12:42 pm

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

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KathleenM
KathleenM
April 23, 2016 10:43 am

Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos Thomas. Your photos always inspire my to take more photos myself!

0
Reply
Thomas Stirr
Thomas Stirr
Author
Reply to  KathleenM
April 23, 2016 11:27 am

I appreciate your comment KathleenM…and I’m glad that you find that my work provides a bit of inspiration!
Tom

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