March 30, 2025

Learning to see morning markets

Some places are better in the off-season, and a lighthouse at the end of the spit is one of them. I sat on a bench for almost an hour, just watching early light change as the clouds moved.

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 tried a few long exposures, but the wind had other ideas. The handheld shots turned out better anyway. The light was cold and clear, and morning markets 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.

Halfway through I switched to black and white, which suited the cold and clear weather much better. Shooting with a borrowed medium format camera meant I had to get closer than I am used to, which was uncomfortable at first.

I will probably come back in a few weeks, when the season turns.