Why is it that so many people rarely have their cameras ready to capture an image? We carry our cameras all the time (and maybe you do, too, if your camera is your cellphone). The difference may be that we actually use ours – often, almost every day. When you see a flower in perfect bloom, unusual clouds fanned across the sky, a quirky sign in a window, are you ready to click?
We’re staying in Palm Springs, CA and enjoying time to catch up. We spent an afternoon looking back through photos of the last few months and noticed that we have a collection of photos that required a second look. Are the subjects really what they first seemed?
We walked down the street in Buenos Aires and saw a rather unusual scene. Our heads turned as we tried to understand what we were seeing. We finally realized the angel was outside the Recoleta Cemetery and the pedestrian was being thanked silently for dropping a contribution in the angel’s pitcher. We pulled out our cameras to capture the scene.
Another day and in another neighborhood of Buenos Aires, we walked down a street closed for a street fair. Maybe this group was gathered before their performance? We thought it made for a fun photo.
We’ve noticed that the more photos we take, the more attuned we are to looking at our surroundings in a different way. It’s not seeing every object or scene as a potential photo. It’s realizing a potential for capturing a certain essence in the subject. And sometimes when we’re lucky, a photo can convey its own story that intrigues the viewer as much as the photographer.
Our last day in Buenos Aires we took a long walk before heading for the airport. The pedestrian ahead of us was casually carrying a mannequin. Really?
On that same walk, we saw this striking mural on the side of a building. As we studied the artwork, 2 doors appeared within the painting.
We strolled through Eastern Market in Washington, DC a few days later and saw this “brain.” Could it really be? No, just a pumpkin it seems.
Developing an eye for what is going on around us – and then pulling out the camera and capturing some magical images – is one of the joys of our traveling life. We feel there are three important aspects of travel: planning the trip, taking the trip, and remembering the trip. Our photos provide a rich memory book that stretches our trip for years after.
January 2017
simpletravelourway 
Instead of a big, heavy camera, I bought a smaller camera with great features so I can carry it all the time. I’ve found I’m always on the lookout for a nice shot and the way I look at the world has changed. I love the photo of the guy carrying his mannequin. I wonder where he was taking her.
We wonder too!
Agree – photos are such an important reminder of your travels, the detail that can get a little fuzzy in the memory is rejuvenated when you look at the photos. My biggest problem, especially when in rougher terrain, is keeping my eyes on the ground under foot rather than scanning my surroundings for interesting things.
Lovely shots. I’m pretty good at carrying my camera almost all the time.