Delighting in the Unexpected Things

I am leading a photography group on Flickr. Together a small group of us are working through David duChemin's book The Visual Toolbox, lesson by lesson. I say "leading" in a loose sense, I am there to post the lesson each week, give encouragement and delight in what each member posts in the group. It is up to each member of the group to decide how much they want to participate, some are just observing, some have jumped in with both feet, and some play it week by week.

This week's lesson is Lesson 1 - Consider Your Vision (this isn't week one of the group, I just tend to randomly jump around). I have been pondering my vision since I read this book a month ago. I looked back through my Lightroom Library which goes back to 2012, my vision is still similar in the things that I like to photograph, but my point of view of them has changed somewhat over the past three years.

This past week I was in Chicago, actually a suburb of Chicago, staying with a dear friend. Another of our photography friends also came to stay, so three photo buddies set out one day to go downtown and photograph the city. I love downtown Chicago, at least for a day or two. I couldn't live there, too many people, too much noise, but for a day it is a delight to see things that don't exist in my normal day to day life.

We took the train into the city from the suburbs. I have to say this was my favorite part of the whole day. I love riding the train, and this definitely does not exist in my day to day life. Trains are the ultimate form of adventure transportation.

I was with two gals that love to photograph people and love street photography. This is not my vision or my strength.

Now give me an old building and happiness abounds.

This is The Rookery, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Daniel Burnham and John Root, built in 1886.  The top floors held the architectural firm of Burnham and Root, who were the architects for the 1893 Chicago's World Fair. I toured the inside of this building once on a walking tour of Daniel Burnham designed buildings, oh the glorious details.

Across the street, I noticed something that I hadn't seen when I was focused on photographing the outside of The Rookery...these vintage blue food trucks. 

My heart did a little flutter and I knew that this was one of the things that I consider to be part of my vision, finding the unexpected things, the old, vintage things. 

My version of street photograph, definitely subtle. I love the look on the Donut vendor's face.

I love structures of any sort; buildings, food trucks, trains. If people happen to be in them it is just a nice bonus for me.

Well this first post on my trip to Chicago got us to the corner of Adams Street and Michigan Avenue. I will be back soon with the second part of our day in the city.