window shopping

I'm introspective by nature, so on most days you can probably find me doing some kind of soul work and pondering about art + life. On those many days, if you see me out in the streets with my camera, I probably have a faraway contemplating look, I'm starring at the horizon, and I am most desperately looking for something beautiful to catch my eye, just so I can shoot it and find some sort of relief to my longings. I know... Eeek, right?  I am proud of the fact that I try to live my life artfully, and with intention and mindfulness. On the other hand, living life (and shooting) like that can be too intense...

That is why some days are meant for window shopping! :) Shooting fun window displays has become one of my favorite pastimes. There is opportunity to explore composition, color, lighting, patterns, reflections, and the styling is already all done for us! There is no room for heaviness here, because why? Well, it's shopping, for heaven's sake! And shopping without the spending (which is even better), with the extra bonus of coming back with lovely photographs to keep. In addition, there is always the possibility to come back for more at the same exact spot, because windows change with the seasons, holidays and collections, offering the chance for a fun documenting project as well.

So who is up for some retail therapy? What do you say if we all lighten up, kick the winter blues, and share some cool window shots today?!

And if window shopping is not your thing (YET!), what do you shoot when you need to lighten up? Show us what you've got.

Also, you can probably tell I'm really digging polaroid these days, can't you? The sx70 has also helped me lighten up on gear and processing. I'm so glad there is a photography toy for every one of our moods out there ;P

Comments

[Kat]

How fun! I enjoy store displays too, especially here in Italy. There is such an artfulness to them here. I have a couple of different store displays from Milan located here:
http://www.kateyeview.com/2010/03/sunday-in-milano.html

[suzie]

ooooh, where to start!
shop windows are one of my fave, recurring themes. Like Kat in Italy, here in France we have amazing displays, especially cakeshops! Here's a few:
my most recent on expired film http://www.flickr.com/photos/ascatteredbrain/5410440397/in/set-72157625896849834/
Yashica GSN http://www.flickr.com/photos/ascatteredbrain/5410440397/in/set-72157625896849834/
B&W http://www.flickr.com/photos/ascatteredbrain/5285476808/in/set-72157625896888596/
and lastly http://www.flickr.com/photos/ascatteredbrain/5144976287/in/set-72157625896888596/

[Angela DiGiovanni | Living Out Loud]

Well, here is a different kind of Window Shopping! Window Reflecting? Shopping near a window? :-)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/digang/5418157116/

[Jennifée]

Just yesterday I walked past a store selling ladies' hats. Their merchandise was neither my style nor in my price range, but I loved looking at their displays - and while my dSLR was out of battery, I fortunately did have my camera phone:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/5417438899/

[Marcie]

Window shopping - yes. I suppose that's what you might call this:
http://marciescudderstudios.squarespace.com/home/2011/2/4/gypsy-rose.html
What a wonderful way to pass a winter day!

[Stephanie Meckfessel]

Fun topic! I have always loved window displays, but I'll be looking at them with new eyes now.

Finding myself among the clutter:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58066769@N05/5417833397/

Nature was truly the designer here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58066769@N05/5405385068/in/set-72157625918654594/

[agrippinamaior]

oh this is one of my favourite things to do! actually i have a love hate relationship with shopping. but i love photographing shop windows :-) here are a couple of my favourites

galleries lafayette christmas window, paris
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agrippinamaior/3174708085/

shop window + street art by phibs, fitzroy, melbourne, australia
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agrippinamaior/4081718580/

harrods, buenos aires, argentina
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agrippinamaior/4716952958/

[kristen]

shop windows + polaroid is something i love to shoot. here are a few of my favorites:

Here are two from Paris:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/acumamakiki/3320195398,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/acumamakiki/3408350276

NYC:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/acumamakiki/4080441812

And here in Los Angeles:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/acumamakiki/5339735161

[Diane]

I'm not much of a shopper but I did take this photo while visiting Sidney, BC:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/5419120026/

I thought it was one of the more unique retail windows I've seen.

[melissa]

yes! those are the things I love about window shooting!! love and I shoot with my phone like a Polaroid and it does make things lighten up and surprises me every time too with what comes out of it!!

[Geneil]

I love window shots. Here's one I took last winter of a bakery at night.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/indybreeze/4275042091/

[Gail]

Going through my files I noticed I didn't often take photos of shop windows...When I do it is usually involves food:)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22733432@N08/5420359114/

[spread your wings]

it was the color that caught my eye. i took a photo of it to share instantly with my daughter - it's what i love about the iphone.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/5418883823/

[A Sanedrin]

I read this and it sounded like such a good idea that I drove down to main street and look for something to photograph. It didn't take long for something to capture my eye. Heavily decorated with Valentine's Day decor, this bridal shop had manequins lined up like models on a runway posing for glamour magazines.

http://allansanedrinphotography.blogspot.com/2011/02/window-shopping.html#comments
http://allansanedrinphotography.blogspot.com/2011/02/window-shopping-2.html#comments

[Kathy Winter]

I don't know why, but I'm drawn to display windows, too. Nice to know I'm in good company. These were taken during 2 differnt photowalks. In the first 2, I caught some nice reflections:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathywinter/4836307782/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathywinter/3747057885/in/set-72157621659175903/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathywinter/3747058049/in/set-72157621659175903/

[jag]

Oh, I too love window shopping! So much beauty to be found there... Here a are a few of my faves:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jagspace/3326754951/in/set-72157616191500256/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jagspace/3741747532/in/set-72157621752235680/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jagspace/3391169506/in/set-72157616191500256/

It's nice to hear (and see!) that others enjoy this as much as I do...
xox

[dws~11]

Some shop windows are pure visual artistry while others strike a note ...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21985823@N07/4522321689/in/set-72157614391285436/

[L.S.]

I love shooting windows and displays whenever I could! But that's not always the possibility. When I was traveling in China, a lot of the times when I was inside a store wanting to take a picture, I would get told no because the owner is afraid that I might be working for one of his competitors!!! What do you do in those situation? Yes, my initial response was, no big deal, I just shrugged and pass on. But times after times if you get told no, won't you get a little discouraged? Nowadays I'm always a little apprehensive when trying to take a pictures inside a store or restaurant...

[Kristina]

Some windowshopping in Bern, Switzerland
http://le-fabuleux-destin-de.blogspot.com/2011/02/foto-focus-reflections.html