Looking In

When you live in a big city like Chicago, you tend to go as fast as you can from point A to point B, without paying much attention to what's in between, especially during the cold and blustery winter months.  Drivers with their car windows rolled up, cyclists with helmets steadied against the wind, and pedestrians disguised in hats and scarves with their collars turned up--they're all moving as fast as they can, and you really can't blame them in the Windy City. 

I, on the other hand, even after 30 years in the city, prefer to slowly meander, with my camera in hand.  I've got weeks of illnesses under my belt this winter to prove it.  One of my favorite things to do is looking in the windows of the storefronts and businesses that line Chicago's many busy streets.  You'd be surprised at the treasure trove of images waiting for you behind those foggy/frosty panes of glass, as well as the images reflecting back at you.

If you ever find yourself at a loss for photos, try taking a little saunter down any street in a business district or a city, and I'm sure you'll find a plethora of images you'll want to take home with you, if not in your tote bag then in your camera.  Here are some examples in our Flickr pool for inspiration.

Please share with us today your photos of Looking In, or any other image captured during a leisurely stroll between Point A and Point B (and Point C and Point D and etc...).

Comments

[Marcie]

I love looking into windows...getting glimpses of people's lives who live within. Here are a couple of my favorites:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=630
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=415

[Vanessa]

Hello all!
Moore street market, empty on a Sunday morning: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3296233716/
Galway toyshop window: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3000620741/
Fishmongers: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3075840658/
Vx

[Mod Girl]

We don't live in a big city and I often miss where I grew up, visiting is always a delight to my heart. The first photo in this post is one of my favorites from 2008.

http://modobjectathome.blogspot.com/2009/01/city-window-thoughts.html

[camerashymomma]

wonderful. i knew it was your photo as it was uploading :)

outside looking in, this time at night:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/3223972817/

[shelli]

I love your photos, and it makes me want to go into the city. I never even get to the downtown area of the college town I live near anymore.

But I did catch these artist's supplies while walking through the streets of Charleston on vacation last summer.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/spabis/2634663064/in/set-72157605811901074/

[Charlane]

love this shot!

[Carmen Torbus]

Love this shot.

[sparrow52]

I love trying to capture reflections in windows. This is one of my favourites stores to shoot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparrow_5_2/3189054976/in/set-72157611702685477/.

[Linda]

This was a photo that I took last fall while window shopping with my niece. I thought it was very fitting of the "looking in" theme.

http://inthelifeoflinda.blogspot.com/

I am linking this to my blog - bear with me I am just starting my blog - (any suggestions with that would be great too:)

[Gabrielle Kai Photography]

Here are images I captured during a recent walk:

http://gabriellekaiphotography.com/blog/2009/02/a-golden-walk/

[Ashleigh]

great shot!

I'll try it out.

[Karyn]

Mine is of a recently empty/closed restaurant downtown. They left all the lights on at night. Sad.

http://www.mundanedetails.com/?p=1460

[Kyla]

I rarely get into town . . . but I LOVE seeing photos like yours!

Here is my version from the outside looking in . . . makes me think I need to get that window washed. SOON!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thekreativelife/3298773880/

[melody is slurping life]

I peruse antique and thrift shops in historic downtown:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/melsphotophun/2691660012/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/melsphotophun/2558650609/

Love the frosted window image.

[Wayfaring Wanderer]

Sunday was our biggest snow since I have lived in Western NC........I wanted to brave the weather so that I could revel in its splendor......I intentionally decided NOT to take photos until I was on my way back so that I could really be present in the moment.

The camera was burning a hole in my pocket, but I resisted the urge. I was glad that I waited because I was able to contemplate the shots I wanted while traipsing through the snow. It was a glorious day!

SUNDAY FLURRY
http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com/2009/03/sunday-flurry.html

and for anyone who may be interested

A Mini Giveaway
http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com/2009/03/spring-in-your-step-mini-giveaway.html

[Diane Schuller]

I rarely ever get to the town, let alone the city. I'm always looking in the windows when I am there however. Love your image!

[Anita]

I love window snapping far more than window shopping! Here are a few of my favs.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrivestyle/3327922165/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrivestyle/2333273539/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrivestyle/2269445234/

[Angie]

Sarah, I have a question for you...I'm going to Chicago for the first time ever this month for a weekend. I'll be staying near a spot to get on the L train to downtown. Do you have any suggestions on places to go? (No car, just L train and public transport). Especially places to take photos?! If so, please email me - angie@thethiers.com. Thank you!!

and here are my pics if anyone's ever in San Antonio... http://www.flickr.com/photos/thethiers/1821108717/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thethiers/2128311656/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thethiers/1821042427/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thethiers/1821061127/

[Kelly]

Great post - was hoping this was the one that was here today after running across it early, early the other morning when I couldn't sleep!

May I share a "looking out"? I was on the phone with my mom yesterday, and peeked out the window at the azaleas that have been coming for a week. I shot this off through the window as we talked...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8702729@N02/3328748516/

And a "looking in" left-over from Christmas...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8702729@N02/3181196442/

[natala]

I store front window displays...
http://flickr.com/photos/atheart/3328153123/

[laura-dolcepics]

I took a walk the other day (really to put the kid to sleep) and there is nothing better than taking a purposeful walk to train your eye. I've walked by this lamp many times and finally saw it as a photograph.

http://www.dolcepics.com/whatsyourplay/35/

[Alejandra]

I can definitely relate to this post because one of my FAVORITE things to do is to wonder the streets with my camera.

Here is a piece of Los Angeles:
http://fotografias-fotografias.blogspot.com/2008/11/fenced-in.html

A sliver of San Francisco:
http://fotografias-fotografias.blogspot.com/2008/04/laundry.htm

And, a slice of Encinitas:
http://fotografias-fotografias.blogspot.com/2008/10/curtains.html

[Alejandra]

Oops,

The San Francisco link is:
http://fotografias-fotografias.blogspot.com/2008/04/laundry.html

[Wanda]

I've been enjoying windows, too...

http://whatwouldwandado.blogspot.com/2009/02/now-is-time.html

http://whatwouldwandado.blogspot.com/2009/02/dawning-of-age-of-aquarius.html

[Crystal]

Looking in... you see the Elvis painting, but you also see our reflection. :) (that's me with my son)
http://flickr.com/photos/krstlchik/2791809041/in/set-72157606920495110/

[AmiN]

Oooh, I love this shot. Here's mine, from a long walk yesterday: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31832480@N06/3327021838/in/pool-shuttersisters

[Sarah]

Here is one from the brown line near my old apartment in Albany Park in Chicago...it was a gorgeous sunny day and I wanted to be sure I remembered my life as a train rider (I've since moved to Florida): http://timewaitsphotos.blogspot.com/2008/06/grand-illusions-constantly-in-motion.html

[Alicia]

This kind of fits with the post I have for today. I happened upon the puppet theater the other day when walking home from the library. I knew it was in the neighborhood and maybe I've seen it before, but not from the view I was seeing the other day... it was bright and stood out in the snowy gray day.

http://aliandsethinthecity.blogspot.com/

It's the entry titled "Yellow on a Wednesday"

[Tracy]

This is a great post!
This is from a Paris department store window display, taken last year: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31417716@N00/2462954633/

[Michelle]

How funny you should post this today as my Tuesday post is a picture of some guerilla art I found while visiting Chicago.

[Shawna]

I tried this for the first time last month. I was happily surprised with the focus my camera chose :O)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28479290@N05/3220353027/

[margie]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/margela/

[kristyk]

Love windows and reflections. Here are a few of mine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristyk/88748236/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristyk/626711058/

My favorite are drive thru windows. I have a huge collection of drive thru window pics...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristyk/sets/72157600009108133/

[Julie Alvarez]

I love to wander with the camera!
I will leave you some of the links.
Shops and markets:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2595294805/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3082831987/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3224386416/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2831961076/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2831954304/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2559387720/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2558565575
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2614490133/in/set-72157605258685922/
Other things and places:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/307904705/in/set-72157605258685922/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2850095971/in/set-72157605258685922/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2859045856/in/set-72157605258685922/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2913415717/in/set-72157605258685922/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3083719074/in/set-72157605258685922/
OK, I'll stop.

[chocolate covered musings]

i found these delightful things last night in two shop windows. i was on the way to a show and wandered down a little side street whilst waiting for my friends to arrive.

buckets of tiny bulbs - http://flickr.com/photos/leoniewise/3332082564/
tiny treats - http://flickr.com/photos/leoniewise/3332083482

[spread your wings]

i like taking photos of windows, looking in and looking out. Many of my "looking in" photos include a cat soaking in the sun. This one was in Frederick, MD

http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/3332173290/in/pool-shuttersisters