The Joy of Seeing
I enjoy walking early in the morning, but one day this weekend when I woke up later than usual to grey skies my enthusiasm waned. While I was surfing the net, I came across an article about Jay Maisel, an 85 year-old street photographer who lives in New York city. After reading it and looking at his photos, I was inspired to get off my hill where I live, and walk the streets of downtown Seattle with Jay's philosophy in mind: stay open, look for color and light, and see what you can find to experience the joy of seeing. Take a look at this short documentary about Jay - it is worth the watch.
Stay Open: This can be challenging, but I find that when I allow myself to not have any expectations I am more curious and can find interesting shots that I wouldn't have seen before. Seattleites do have a sense of humor as you can see in these two photos. Yes, that is actually a mannequin on someone's deck. Quite colorful!
Look for Color and Light: Jay is known for his photos that feature color. Of course, walking around New York City provides many opportunities to see and capture color, but even in Seattle, with our grey skies, color abounds if you look for it.
Explore: I knew that I wanted to end up at the Pike Place Market because it is a great place to capture the unusual, and there is a Ellenos Greek Yogurt stand there with the best Greek yogurt I have ever tasted. It was the prize for walking the distance. This is a bit off subject, but if you haven't tasted this yogurt and live in the Northwest, take a look at their website to find a location near you.
Not only did I find beautiful and colorful flowers, I came across a stand selling fairy and princess crowns that were so inviting. Made me want to buy one, but I restrained myself.
And there was a patient dog waiting for his owner to get off of his cell phone. The dog seemed to be taking in the view.
As I walked back, I explored some of the back streets and found colorful street art. Taking detours along my walking routes can produce some interesting shots.
Camera Walking is about finding the unexpected, seeing the beauty in the ordinary, and embracing what calls to you - to experience the joy of seeing. After my walk, I was refreshed and inspired. I hope that this post will encourage you to get out with your camera and explore. We love to hear from you, so comment below, post on our Facebook page, or send us an email.
