June 13, 2026

On empty benches

It has been a while since my last trip to a village bakery. Walking back, I found a side street I had never noticed before, lined with tiny workshops.

There is something calming about returning to the same spot and noticing small changes since the last visit. An elderly couple asked me to take their picture. I used their phone, then made one frame of them on mine.

Locals barely noticed me. A man feeding gulls told me the place looks completely different in spring. Working with an old film camera forces you to slow down. You think twice before pressing the shutter, and that changes the pictures.

The café near a village bakery still serves the same cinnamon buns; I had two and pretended it was research. I tried a few long exposures, but the wind had other ideas. The handheld shots turned out better anyway.

Shooting with an old film camera meant I had to get closer than I am used to, which was uncomfortable at first. The path was muddy and longer than the map suggested, but the view at the end made up for it.

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