January 5, 2026

A morning at the botanical garden

Some places are better in the off-season, and the botanical garden is one of them. A light drizzle started around ten. I sheltered under a bus stop roof and photographed people hurrying past.

Most of the morning went into watching street corners; I took fewer frames than usual, but each one felt deliberate. Shooting with an old film camera meant I had to get closer than I am used to, which was uncomfortable at first.

By noon the crowds arrived, so I walked further along the path, where street corners were still undisturbed. Walking back, I found a side street I had never noticed before, lined with tiny workshops.

Nothing dramatic happened, and that was exactly the point.