Come walk with me. Bring your camera.
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It is said that “Photowalking is the act of walking with a camera for the main purpose of taking pictures of things that the photographer may find interesting.”

Yes, that is pretty much it. Photowalking is my favorite way of seeing the world through my camera. I especially like it if I can venture into a place with nature, hidden or not, for the first time or everyday, where there is always something waiting to happen.

Magic waiting to be captured.

It first caught my heart in July 2010, in London, where for the first time I sat down on a park doing nothing. I did it again the day after and the day after that. I took my camera and clicked away where my feet took me, found other parks and walked around randomly. Camera Walks I called it. Because you know, I was just walking with my camera.
Later I found that Osanpo Camera means Camera Walk in japanese, and that was that. Friends for life.

Photowalking/Camerawalking can be done in the company of others or by yourself, which makes it a very beautiful activity, you can just grab your camera and head out into the world without having to wait for anyone else.
This is particularly good when you’re having a bad day, need a rest, or just feel the need to slow down a little. When the camera is in your hand your feet know its time to take little steps, and life will do its best to make you notice the little things.

When you invite other people, comparing the pictures by the end of the day (thank you digital era!) is the most rewarding gift you can get out of it. You might even be surprised at what captured the heart of your friends.

But today, we are going solo.

Today I would like to invite you to see the park through my view finder, and we are going to change our view.

8949292790_cd10cb7701_b 8948702885_3459ae93a9_bAlways take more than one picture and never delete until you get home. But what I would like to show you here is, how changing your view can change an image. Imagine you’re a little kid (this is my golden rule, what would a kid do?) and then do it.

Get on your knees, sit dow, lay down, look UP.

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Capture everything that stops you on your track. Look closely and then take a step back, go for the details and the big picture.

You never know, a red leaf might catch your heart and when you step back… heart shaped tree? Don’t mind if i do.

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Its your decision to walk with a destination in mind or not, plan a picnic if you don’t feel like “randomly walking through a park” or take a book with you, then sit down and read it. You can come up with themes or just let nature guide you.

And if you’re going for a theme… Props.

I adore real life props out of place. If you live near by, go brave and get a stool, chair or maybe a floor lamp.
You read that correctly, a floor lamp.

Anything goes, props can change an image dramatically, and if you’re a little shy about placing yourself in the picture (where do my hands go? which way do I look?!) props always help. I always take baskets, if I’m alone, to carry my camera, if I’m with the kids, to carry pebbles, leaves, nature finds…

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You should take a moment to sit down, regardless of where you go on your photowalk and just be with yourself.

Breathe and think, nobody can find me here. This is my secret place.

Now go outside and click.

van