Monday, November 12, 2012

Thematic Photographic 221 - Windows

Windows to history
Kitchener, ON
July 2012



















I'm looking forward to this week's Thematic theme, Windows, because it's so ripe for wide-open interpretation. In and of itself, a window usually isn't much to look at. It's transparent, near-invisible. But pull back a bit and suddenly the story becomes a bit richer.

This lovely set of upper-floor windows sits just above a Home Hardware store in Kitchener, a city about midway between Toronto and London. My wife and I had come here on our way back from dropping the little man off at camp. We didn't have anything scheduled for the rest of the day, so we took our time on the return leg and enjoyed the somewhat quiet journey.

It was a warm day, so we took a rest on a well placed bench on the sidewalk out front (note to city planners: buy lots of benches. They rock.) Inevitably I ended up staring at the facade, and just as inevitably my fingers fidgeted on my camera bag. As I composed the shot, the store's owner came out from his shop. I half-expected him to challenge me - sorry, but my big-city roots continue to betray my general sense of cynicism - but instead he was smiling. He noticed my Nikon, mentioned he owned one, too, and a delightful bantering session ensued.

In the end, I got my shot, but also came away with a life lesson that mattered far more than any collection of pixels on a memory card ever could. No offense to the big box stores at the edge of town, but I don't think I would have been able to have this moment of connectedness anywhere else. Score one for small-ish town life, and keep your hopes up that it continues to survive in an ever more bottom line driven society.

Your turn: You know the drill...take a picture in support of the theme, post it to your blog, pop back here and leave a comment letting folks know where to find it. Repeat as often as you wish through the week and feel free to bring along a friend or two or three. If you're new to Thematic Photographic, our weekly photo sharing/learning/enjoying activity, just click here. Thanks!

19 comments:

Kalei's Best Friend said...

hey, C. mine is a bit different or not so obvious, then again you knew it would be... :-)
http://afreshstartwithkalei.blogspot.com/2012/11/tp-221-windows.html

Unknown said...

Windows from Rajasthan....... known as jharokas...... City Palace, Udaipur : http://mypinkcloud-ranu.blogspot.in/2012/09/city-palace-udaipur-1.html#.UKHVo-Rtj6k

Kiwi Nomad said...

I've just spent a weekend in Christchurch, a city that has been the scene of much earthquake devastation. The two photos I have chosen speak to me of both loss and hope. http://kiwinomad06.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/tp-221-windows.html

CorvusCorax12 said...

I love windows, but realize i don't have near enough picture of them.
Here are mine
http://throughthelense-twain12.blogspot.ca/

theMuddledMarketPlace said...

what fun...i'm supposed to be doing something else....!

mine (in haste) are here

theMuddledMarketPlace said...

and again, if i may?

fredamans said...

Great reflection!

http://fredamans.blogspot.ca/2012/11/thematic-photographic-windows.html

Kelsea said...

A few more windows!

http://glimpseoflightbykelsea.blogspot.com/2012/11/windows.html

Jess Brady said...

A jazzy take on this week's theme...

http://jessbrady1035.posterous.com/windows-and-a-little-bit-of-jazz

Jess :)

21 Wits said...

Carmi very nice windows- if I could just look inside! I really hope to do more than one post-because there are so many levels to windows! Here's mine

http://twincitiesblather.blogspot.com/2012/11/thematic-photographic-221-windows.html

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Here are some windows from German Village in Columbus.
~

DNLee said...

Windows - Tanzania
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/urban-scientist/2012/11/14/wordless-wednesday-open-window-bricked-in/

M. Bouffant said...

Hollyhock House.

Janet said...

I love looking at, and in, windows when I'm out and about! Mine's up:
http://fondofsnape.com/?p=4772

photodoug said...

Here my window.

Bob Scotney said...

A few windows for you.
http://bit.ly/SPwhE0

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

I've got a couple more.

(I looked up that building I took shots of in the earlier Windows post. It was the Born Capital Brewery, one of four German breweries concentrated along South Front Street during the late 1800s and early 1900s.)
~

21 Wits said...

You sure are shooting some great window shots! Here's my promised part two

http://twincitiesblather.blogspot.com/2012/11/thematic-photographic-two-221-unusual.html

Max Sartin said...

Here's mine.