Time Out Sunday / Alice Austen

Weeks round here tend to get emotional, so it seems safer to time travel into equally emotional, yet far more inspirational places. (Does the b&w editing look dramatic enough?! Throw in a pair of squeaking floor boards and a drum roll.)

Given opportunity I like to pick a part of city and just roam the streets peeking into people's back yards and such. To have some focus I google what's on the sightseeing radar. Staten Island had been on my bucket list and it turned out that there's a house museum of someone called Alice Austen - a female (street) photographer from the late 19th century. I was sold. Sunny ferry ride, one of the oldest homes in New York City, calm beautiful views over Manhattan and ships. All that and more in one go. Oh yeah, and did I mention - all the crowds went in the opposite direction. (Clap your hands, say yeah!)

She took photos that were ahead of her time. She could have easily been one of the photographers included in the photo history books representing her time. You can see some of her photos here. She knew her camera, she knew her darkroom and she had a helluva time. She took some sharp photos (literally and not so literally). One (yes, including me) shall only hope to have enough sharp (mental) images of one's own. Just enough to stay true (and a little bit extra for an occasional rebellion). On that deep and self-reflective note I shall call it a day. And not just any day, but holiday-yay! (Yes, I am on holiday and it feels fabulous.)