October 2, 2026

A short walk: a birch grove after rain

The alarm went off before dawn, and by six I was already at a birch grove after rain. The light was quiet, and winter colours kept pulling my attention away from anything I had planned to photograph.

On the way home the train was nearly empty, so I reviewed the day's notes and planned the next trip. Locals barely noticed me. A man feeding gulls told me the place looks completely different in spring.

A light drizzle started around ten. I sheltered under a bus stop roof and photographed people hurrying past. An elderly couple asked me to take their picture. I used their phone, then made one frame of them on mine.

I underexposed most of the frames on purpose, to keep the mood quiet rather than bright. Shooting with a cheap zoom from a flea market meant I had to get closer than I am used to, which was uncomfortable at first.

Next time I want to try the same walk at sunset.