It only looks like a puppy

All natural, all the time
London, ON
April 2019
This photo originally shared on Instagram

For as much as the future of groceries will likely become increasingly e-commerce and technology-driven, present-day realities still dictate periodic trips to conventional stores, where we hang out and play with actual produce before tossing the whole enchilada into a squeaky-wheeled cart and lining up with the other proles at the checkout aisle. It looks and feels a lot like grocery runs with my dad when I was a kid, and that’s strangely comforting.

Also comforting is getting up close and personal in the fruits and vegetables section. Because unlike the boxes and bottles of processed unmentionables that fill the rest of the store, this stuff has texture. And soul. I’ll never get tired of shooting here. Or in any other kind of grocery/retail environment.

I do, of course, have to move quickly lest the grocery cops take exception to my, ah, addiction. A sense of humor and a well-placed smile or two also come in handy, because folks tend to let you get away with stuff when you’re nice. At least that’s what I’ve been told.

None of this is groundbreaking. The resulting photos won't merit frames and over-the-mantel positions of honor. They won't be iconic, or turned into posters for kids to plaster their walls. Not every photo is about the photo.

But that’s entirely the point. Because I’ve found these seemingly trivial shoots to be just the kind of little experiences that take the edge off of a challenging chapter. Because it’s hard to frown when you’re staring at a giant root that sort of looks like a puppy. Because it’s hard to ignore the old lady over there who’s smiling as she watches the moment unfold. Because the how can matter more than the what. Because in-public, on-the-street photography has always been a remarkable way to connect. And our world needs more, and better, ways to connect.

I’m not saying I have the answers. I am saying we owe it to ourselves to keep trying.

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