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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> What's in Your Town?
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 02/23/2006 03:41:27 PM · #1


What's in your town? I expect there is much more than you realize that is worth photographing. I started a project a while back called MY TOWN that is my own effort to create a collection of photos that represents my town and what it means to me. We, as photographers, sometimes find ourselves bored with our environments. What we see on a daily basis becomes mundane and generally uninteresting to us. Changes don't happen fast enough to keep our attention on exactly what is changing around us. So, what changes?

People change. The styles of clothes we wear and the things we do are all generational. I can look back at my school photos from my elementary school days through high school and see how clothing styles changed. Hairstyles and makeup also change over time. They just change so slowly that we don't take immediate notice of them. Children grow up and become adults. Older people die.

The environment changes. Buildings are torn down. Sometimes they are renovated. New buildings appear. New types of business pop up out of nowhere. Businesses die and fade away. The face of our home towns are in a state of constant change. The changes don't come all at once though. They come slowly... sometimes so slowly that we don't even notice.

Stuff changes. The cars we drive, the tools we use, our computers, our cell phones, our cameras, and all of our stuff is constantly changing. As usual, they don't change fast enough for us to really take notice of it.

From a photographic standpoint, our boredom with our surroundings comes as a result of our desire for immediate gratification. On a boring Saturday afternoon, we may decide that we want to go out on a photoshoot, but can't come up with any ideas. We believe that we have already shot everything worth shooting.

How often have you looked through old family photo albums and become filled with beautiful memories about how things used to be? Those old cars... the bell bottoms... the beehive hair... that little brat kid next door who is now the mayor or chief of police... The list is infinite.

Spend some time taking photos of things you believe are boring in photographic terms. You will appreciate them in time, and so will everyone else who gets the opportunity to see what you have done.
 02/23/2006 03:49:01 PM · #2
John,

Thanks for this post, you are so right. The everyday stuff we all take for granted are the things we all look back on and say, "Remember when?" The shots you have in your collection of My Town are simply amazing. Hella cool stuff man!

NaldSLC

Edit: to include some pics of my town.



Message edited by author 2006-02-23 16:07:41.
 02/23/2006 03:53:05 PM · #3
I agree. I love photographing my city. Someitmes I get bored and think I have photographed it all but then I walk around downtown and take pics from different angles. I've been doing this since 2000 or 2001 and posting the pictures on my website....changing some every week.

02/23/2006 03:55:19 PM · #4
wow just went through the link you provided great shots, wow I like so many/all of them. My favories are the 2 girls feeding the squirrel, the monter truck (grave digger) shot, the 2 warplanes, TerraSurfer III and Brass Ensemble

there are all great I like them all

lol on the bling shot with the baby

Message edited by author 2006-02-23 15:55:56.
 02/23/2006 03:57:38 PM · #5
i don't think I have any shots 'in my town'.. they're all from the big city down the street.

some may have heard of it; it's called Toronto.

(tor-on-o)
02/23/2006 04:24:56 PM · #6
I have a ton from my previous town. Only a few from my new town...

02/23/2006 05:23:37 PM · #7
while my address says I live in Champion, I'm actually in Humboldt Twp where not too many folks live. Humboldt Twp. has a little over 450 people in it - that's counting the 300+ that live right in Champion. lol
Humbodt Twp. - not including Champion, only has about 6-7 businesses. Champion adds a handful more. In it's prime mining days, over 3500 people lived in Champion.
Still - I agree there is probably a lot more out there to take pics of than I realize. Most of what we have here now is run down houses and forests - lots of forests. Guess I've neglected my little town as I dont really have many pics of it. Here's a couple though:

- a mile down my road
- in my back yard
- also down my road a ways
 02/23/2006 05:25:34 PM · #8
Originally posted by saintaugust:
i don't think I have any shots 'in my town'.. they're all from the big city down the street.

some may have heard of it; it's called Toronto.

(tor-on-o)


You mean Torana?
 02/23/2006 05:28:27 PM · #9
Thanks John. You have provided some much needed inspiration. Sometimes I need a kick in the butt to open my eyes to what's around me. This is why I come to DPC. Beautiful photos. I especially like the one of Joel Meyerowitz. Nicely done.
 02/23/2006 05:33:31 PM · #10
We've got a lot of choices in my "town", from the beaches to the everglades,



and the agriculture regions to Little Havana. I haven't explored the photo ops in the last two yet
 02/23/2006 05:38:44 PM · #11
This is a good point that's been brought up. There have been too many times that I'll be watching some show on TV and see the scenery etc, or a movie and there's some killer landscape (espcially pride and prejidice) and wish I had something better here in Calgary. Then I remember some of the shots I've taken and even more I've seen around and haven't been able to get to.
Saw a great potential one yesterday after all of our snow but couldn't get off of the train to make my way to it.

Just a matter of turning our heads the opposite way as usual and opening our eyes, or squinting, to see things a little different.

Thanks for bringing this up jmsetzler
 02/23/2006 06:22:49 PM · #12
Just took these shots today. Both are a stream that goes under a road, about 1/2 mile from me. You wouldn't even see the stream if you weren't looking because it is below the road and there is lots of trees blocking a quick view. Only noticed it while I was taking a walk.
 02/23/2006 06:27:04 PM · #13


Taken last summer.
 02/23/2006 07:25:07 PM · #14
02/24/2006 12:39:14 AM · #15
The MY TOWN series also finds its way into a 4x6 print album. I periodically get prints made. I also include a 4x6 plain paper print with each image that contains my comments. When I fill the album up, I'll seal it and put it away until I'm old or someone finds it while cleaning out my stuff when they bury me.
 02/24/2006 03:56:57 PM · #16
Speaking of "what's in your town/what has changed/what was that building?" there was recently a very cool thread on that other site about a strange building that somebody ran across. It's not far from where I live either.

Take a look if you're interested in such things -- it's a fun read if you don't skip to the answer, and there are more pictures about halfway down.

(That link takes you to the threaded view -- I think that story is easier to read that way. You can click to the Flat view if you prefer.)

Message edited by author 2006-02-24 15:59:28.
 02/24/2006 04:36:33 PM · #17
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
How often have you looked through old family photo albums and become filled with beautiful memories about how things used to be?


Funny you ask this as we were talking about this the other day. Apparently the answer to this question, at least for the small sample of people involved, is never. Ten people, all having family photo albums, not a single one had ever looked at it after putting the photos in them.
 02/25/2006 01:17:26 AM · #18
I find it hard to believe that they don't look at their albums. It must be me, but I always dig through all my albums, as well as the ones I inherited from now long gone family members. I also look at my video tapes alot as well, so that I can hear their voices again and remember all that I learned from them and all the love they gave me. I guess you are either a sentimentalist or your not. I for one will always be sentimental.
Originally posted by TechnoShroom:
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
How often have you looked through old family photo albums and become filled with beautiful memories about how things used to be?


Funny you ask this as we were talking about this the other day. Apparently the answer to this question, at least for the small sample of people involved, is never. Ten people, all having family photo albums, not a single one had ever looked at it after putting the photos in them.


Message edited by author 2006-02-25 01:18:06.
 02/25/2006 01:28:00 AM · #19
The places I live and frequent are some of my favorite subjects,as anyone could probably tell from viewing my portfolio :D.


A footnote on this shot---this cafe is a small chain that exists in Rhode Island. This was our neighborhood branch that we haunted from the time of its opening in '92. This year it became an Asian fusion place. They still serve Ocean coffee (roasted by Excellent Coffee in RI) and there are a few of the old employees. They didn't change much, actually, but these umbrellas are gone.



I could post countless more...I love the outstanding and the mundane and familiar things about the beautiful place I live, Rhode Island.
 02/25/2006 01:48:10 AM · #20
Okay...here's another...:D or two or three...

This is right around the corner from me.

India Point Park, Providence, RI

North Scituate, Rhode Island


Message edited by author 2006-02-25 01:48:57.
 02/25/2006 01:57:40 AM · #21


Here's a shot I took for the Branch challenge in Sept.'05. I wanted to go back and see what else I could capture from this little pond, but it's wasn't there. :( It's now part of an open field that's for sale.
 04/24/2006 03:13:28 PM · #22
On and off the beaten path in Atlanta.








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