Marcel Proust wrote: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
John and I are slowly learning the lesson that exciting cruising doesn’t mean we have to go to the Arctic—we can take great walks, make cool pictures, meet neat people, and enjoy ourselves wherever we are. It just takes looking with those “new eyes” to find meaning, even in our own backyard.
[John Writes] In keeping with Phyllis’ point, I have put together a slideshow of images I took while out for walks in unremarkable small towns on the way south along the US East Coast. Being able to make photographs like these that satisfy me without being in a visually spectacular place is a big part of my ongoing development as a photographer—maybe as a person too!
Click on the slide show to enlarge.
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Stan Carlyle November 21, 2011 at 8:33 pm
Hi John and Phyllis:
My initial thoughts were “It’s easy to take great photos like these when you are in such a beautiful countryside!” but the more I thought about it and looked at your photos, images like these surround me, but I don’t often see them. I live in the Vancouver, BC area, and although the images would be different, it too is extremely beautiful.
Stan
Pat Kelly November 22, 2011 at 7:24 am
Great pictures!
John November 22, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Thank you
David Nutt November 22, 2011 at 9:26 am
Beauty abounds all over the world when ones primary navigational aids, ones eyes, are open all the way to the brain.
John November 22, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Hi Stan and David,
That’s exactly it. There is beauty as well as interesting people and things all around us, the trick is seeing it all, particularly on a walk to the grocery store along a nondescript highway on a rainy day (when I made five of the images). I’m working on it, but still have a long way to go.
John Armitage November 22, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Thanks for the great Proust lesson, Phyllis.
Very nice images, John.
Michael November 23, 2011 at 4:24 am
Hi you both,
thanks for this beautiful photographs… Pure poetry ! And good motivation for us, as we want to sail the same route next year on our way south from Greenland.
All the best
Martina and Michael
John November 26, 2011 at 10:02 am
Hi Michael,
Thank you for the kind comments. High praise indeed coming from you. [Michael is am incredibly talented photographer see this series.]
So great to hear that you are coming back this way. Let’s stay in touch and plan to meet up.
Doug & Dale Bruce November 28, 2011 at 10:35 pm
Hi Guys …
As always, LOVED your photos ….
hope you are well and enjoying your surroundings….
we miss you
D&D
John November 29, 2011 at 10:06 am
Hi D&D, thanks very much for the kind comments. Come and visit, its warm down here!