Grounded places…

To truly know a place you must spend time on the ground.

Now, I have been back in my hometown for a few weeks now. The year’s insanities have yet to begin in my world of freelance photojournalism – just a couple more days of lackadaisical photo-of-the-day and bail-out crap, I promise.

Then its off galavanting around the world and living in the far reaches, seeking out new life and new civilizations and all that jazz.

But for now, Guntersville, Alabama.

I wrote an article a few weeks ago for the travel site GotSaga, a website something like LonelyPlanet. (Click here to see the article.) It was fascinating to think critically about my hometown. What does it ACTUALLY offer?

And, as small as this place is – a landlocked peninsula with not THAT many places to explore… or so I thought!

Today I took a walk.

Street photography in a small town. It is actually surprisingly difficult, in all honesty.

It is unusual for someone to be walking around with a camera like this… not to mention the general population of the streets are substantially less.

To really know a place you must immerse yourself. Walk slow. And linger.

Notice the little details…

Ask questions that can’t be answered, but inspire all sorts of mind meanderings. Did the owner of that cigarette left burning there in the crack of the bricks intend to come back and get distracted?

Entire short stories could be written about the simple little things seen while walking slow. Take your time…

And interact. Talk to the guy. Pet the dog: her name was Cookie. Ask questions. You never know where things might lead.

My hometown. I spent my first 18 years here.

I come back to it after years away and I see it anew.

It inspires me to realize that no place is ever exhausted of all resources. Even a tiny place of 8,000… there are always things to see.

There are always places to explore.

Stay tuned, I sense my explorations will continue. Then off to the rest of the world…
-Noah D.