Value of a Photo Walk

Apr 4, 2025 - I’m a huge fan of doing a photo walk (or photo drive if wanting to venture further). I simply grab my camera and go with no agenda, no plan, and no real direction. Of course, my main interest when out photographing is to capture architectural images, so I’m naturally looking for buildings and structures. What amazes me is how many interesting things you serendipitously stumble upon when you head down an alley, around the corner, or the backside of a building. These are details you never notice when you’re going about life and driving through the city every day. For me, the real value of a photo walk is that it forces me to slow down, pay attention, and make discoveries I normally miss. Some of my favorite images have come through my spontaneous photo walks. And as my friend Paul Kraay says, ‘walkarounds require no planning, no real travel, and cost nothing’. I highly encourage you to grab your camera and head out the door to a world of new discoveries and photo opportunities. By the way, here’s an image I took along the bike path not far from the Belleville Metrolink Station while out on a photo walk.