Photographer's day off

What does a photographer do on the weekends/days off, on vacation, etc. – take pictures of course! That’s because it doesn’t feel like work – it’s a way of seeing the world in ways that may not be obvious at first – the emotions people feel, the juxtaposition of things that are ironic, funny, make a statement. Capturing those moments in time that evoke a feeling, wonder, draw you in.

Growing up I was fascinated by photographs in publications such as Life Magazine, National Geographic – the photography added a richness to the articles, sometimes being so powerful that words were not necessary. You could almost write the story yourself from the photographs.

As passionate photographers, we try to create/capture images that have impact, evoke an emotional response, draw you in, regardless of the type of image - a headshot, a landscape, or just being somewhere and seeing the world. Personally, I capturing those moments that tell a story – whether it’s about a person, an event, a place, etc..

Each year, our town (Wellesley, MA) has a parade shortly before memorial day – the scenes often remind me of the great yet controversial American illustrator/painter Norman Rockwell, who depicted American life in small towns for 50 years. Marching bands, jugglers, various businesses, the town fire, police, sanitation, public works trucks, military – you get the idea.

I usually walk to the parade route with my camera looking to capture images to give a sense of the parade, as well as things that tickle my funny bone. Below are some of my favorites – the truck with a phone number that only consists of 4 digits, the gentlemen driving an antique car while talking on his cellphone, the dog statue that appears to be howling while the band plays. I have no illusions that these images would make the cover of Nat Geo or Life Magazine, but they still bring a smile to my face and hopefully yours – and that’s the point.

Even if you’re not a photographer, you can still look for and appreciate the world around you – be aware, keep your eyes/mind open to exploring, looking for those iconic images and record them at least in your mind. You may be surprised how many iconic moments you’ll actually see.