November 3, 2025

What bicycles taught me

It has been a while since my last trip to a village bakery. On the way home the train was nearly empty, so I reviewed the day's notes and planned the next trip.

A light drizzle started around ten. I sheltered under a bus stop roof and photographed people hurrying past. I tried a few long exposures, but the wind had other ideas. The handheld shots turned out better anyway.

Locals barely noticed me. A man feeding gulls told me the place looks completely different in spring. Working with a 50mm lens forces you to slow down. You think twice before pressing the shutter, and that changes the pictures.

I underexposed most of the frames on purpose, to keep the mood quiet rather than bright. The path was muddy and longer than the map suggested, but the view at the end made up for it.

An elderly couple asked me to take their picture. I used their phone, then made one frame of them on mine. Walking back, I found a side street I had never noticed before, lined with tiny workshops.

If you go, bring warm socks and a thermos — the café closes early.