Christmas Is All Around Us

It’s been eight years since I made the jump and bought a “real” camera. Since then I’ve never had the gumption to get out in the cold and try out some winter photography.

This week, however, it simply happened. And I’m glad it did.

The act of photography is, for me, an intensely private act. Most of my images are up-close, detailed images of my own construction. I don’t often engage in street or landscape photography because I feel awkward and self-conscious. When it’s 15 degrees, however, the world outside becomes a much more solitary place….

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Irvington is one of my favorite parts of Indianapolis. I chose this location in large part because I will soon be living there. Or pretty darn close, anyway.

And although I am much chagrined at having to leave behind my beautiful little house and a neighborhood that I adore, I like to consider myself an optimist and wanted to capture a bit of what I have to look forward to in my future living situation.

I’ve spent many a day exploring the many quaint nooks of Irvington, and still have much yet to discover. One of my favorite Irvington spots is a place I have affectionately deemed the Fountain of Youth. While I’m sure most of the residents of the neighborhood are well acquainted with this slightly secluded spot off Washington Street, I stumbled upon it by sheer accident one summer day while on a long and meandering trek. I was slightly lost, and not properly shoed for such an ambitious expedition, so this little garden circle with its cool fountain was a godsend. I slipped off my sandals and dipped my feet in. This was instantly one of my new favorite destinations.

I’ve often revisited my fountain, and have found that it’s a wonderful place to stop and sit when I need a place to think, or a simple calming diversion. It’s also an interesting place to watch people.

Often those who work at the many shops along Washington Street will pass through Irving Circle on their way home. Once while sitting there at the fountain I was greeted by an elderly woman who told me about how happy she was simply because she had woken up that morning. I’ve never been quite sure what to think about that, but I certainly haven’t forgotten it.

Irvington is a place with all the beauty and prestige of the Meridian-Kessler I am fond of, but with half the pretension and double the charm. And a much greater potential for discovery and adventure, I’ve found. With its eclectic mix of houses, cobblestone walls, winding streets and numerous small and sometimes somewhat dubious businesses, a simple jaunt through Irvington can be a real treat, no matter the time of year.

I find I’m rather taken with this new hobby of mine. In fact, I think I will be adding winter photography to my list of Cold Weather Things to Look Forward To.

It is finger-numbingly exhilarating to get out into the bitterest of cold, cold days and enjoy the stillness, the unique light, and the little details that you could never see on a gorgeous summer day (like animal tracks trailing down a frozen creek).

You never know what you might discover hiding among the trees: something you’ve passed by a million and one times and never knew was there….

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irvington_Historic_District