Wandering Aimlessly

This shot of an old barber pole was taken while wandering through downtown Rochester. The red of the pole, faded to a near pink color, is repeated in the flowers and the house next door.

"Get out of the car!" This piece of advice was shared by the instructor of a photography class in answer to the question of what might help someone become a better photographer. In the coming weeks I plan on following this sound advice and will post photos taken while "wandering aimlessly". For me, wandering is best done early on a weekend morning, either on foot or on bicycle. Both options allow for stopping and observing, and hopefully capturing interesting images. Wandering can be done on a city street or on a wooded path, in summer warmth or through the snow of winter. Go when and where you will feel most inspired for picture taking. It can be time well spent learning to get the most out of your camera, as well as training your eye for composition. If nothing else, wandering aimlessly can be your chance to get out of the car and view the world from a different perspective.