I recently read an article on a new term called “hometown tourist” kind of a fun no frill spin on “staycation.” Itâs about picking up the camera, grabbing the kids or besties and tour your neighborhood from the eyes of a tourist — this article actually made me a little home sick for NYC — where every time I go back I feel like a stranger in a familiar place, now it seems we are even farther from it.
Well, down here Jake and I donât really have to pretend much, we are actually pretty new to the area, and everything looks so different from our New York City / New Hampshire background. Jake likes to comment that up in New Hampshire the roads werenât on grids like they are down here, and Iâd roll my eye and tell him that finally iâm back in a state that runs on the grid system instead of whatever tangled mess New Hampshireâs got working up there.
On Sunday morning the Waterfront District looked so different. The kiosks were gone, and so were the crowds and the cars we saw on Tuesday. The streets were empty, and as we walked down the sidewalk with Allison, it felt like exploring a whole new place - one that belonged to us alone, calm yet colorful, empty of people yet overflowing with creative energy.
One of the great things about moving to a new area is getting to see so many places for the first time. Even the second and third strolls down the same street can feel novel when the context is new. With our cameras in hand, a row of palm trees we once saw as shelter from the midday sun became a beautiful tropical backdrop for creative composition. And a delicious frozen drink from T and Me became a fantastic prop for our shoot (then it became a delicious frozen drink again when the shoot was over and we got one for ourselves).
Weâre so lucky to have found a path that leads us to such beautiful places and such surreal experiences. I hope that we never forget to take time to reflect on the moments that help us change the way we see the world. I think thatâs what photography is all about; seeing something in a new way, and sharing that vision with the world.
Is there a place youâve explored recently (for the first time or otherwise)? Weâre always looking for new locations and new faces for our photography, so feel free to share your thoughts with us.
Model: Allison Kahan
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