Since we came back from walking in the Dolomites, and as the weather in Amsterdam has been improving, we have been doing some more walking around the city. Short after work walks, and long weekend walks.
Walking and photographing is a bit different than going for a photo walk. Here, the primary purpose is to walk, to experience the city physically, rather than looking for a photo. It doesn’t mean that I don’t carry my camera, it is just about being present, and taking the time to be. I carry the camera with me, and I shoot when I find interesting scenes.
Today I wanted to share more about those scenes. Things I’ve noticed while not looking for something. I would say it is a bit of a photography random walk. No objective, just noticing.
One activity I’ve started to notice more and more is fishing. Fishing in the middle of Amsterdam is a bit strange I would say. I doubt there are too many fish in the IJ, nor in the canals. However, it’s an activity I somehow get. The activity is an excuse to be out, to enjoy a bit of the good weather, and, in some cases, be social. Maybe that’s just the grown-ups’ version of playing in the streets. I enjoy noticing the different ways people find to occupy public space. A bench, a fishing rod, a camera.
A couple of weeks ago I went to Lisbon to attend an expo. Most attendees were in blue suits. You know, one of those events that are very formal, very serious. However, one of the stands that did best at attracting people was one with a game. And funnily enough, one of the best conversations I had was while we were playing with paper planes. That got me thinking, we grow up, we become “serious”, but we still want to play, to have fun. Why don’t we design for that? To get fun into our daily lives, whether at work or commuting in the city.
I don’t have an answer to that, probably my version of play is taking a camera and observing others. For others it might be going fishing in the city. What I know is that I find people interesting. What’s your version of play in everyday life?
