This week, we welcome Ritva to her first challenge as a Lens-Artists team member. She started out with a unique topic that certainly is challenging for me. Ritva asked us to focus our photos on window shopping. She writes, “I take photos of creative window displays, I have not limited my shots to fashion. Anything goes, like decorations and even food. Please join and share your take on this theme.” She also provided several other suggestions for flexibility in focusing on this challenge. With that in mind, For my response, I feature some older images that I feel meet the spirit of window shopping in her alternative category options. Interspersed with the older images I included several images captured last weekend on a real window shopping with a camera tour. It features street photography of people in the act of window shopping. I hope you enjoy it.

A decade ago, we were walking along a street in Boston. As part of the Freedom Trail experience, there were many re-enactors dressed in period costumes. As I walked by a restaurant, I spotted a Revolutionary War British soldier sitting at the window. I suspect the cast is not allowed to display anything other than period technology. Even though he tried to hide it underneath his hand, it was obvious that he was using a cellular phone. It’s hard to see it without zooming in, but between his fingers, I could see the outline of a cell phone. I had forgotten how the invention of the cellular phone wasn’t enough of an advantage to bring success to the British Army in quelling the rebellion >grin<.

As I walked along Old Town Scottsdale, there were plenty of tourists who were window shopping. This couple looked for some time at this specific display. I was able to capture a couple of shots, but this one was my choice to share.

Above one of the saloons in Skagway, a brothel museum features a tour of a one-time brothel. The red light in the window once attracted customers. Looking through the window, though, you can see a couple of window shoppers checking out a store across the street. As an aside, I just finished reprocessing this image. In its previous version, I filtered out all but the warm colors to focus on the red light, the boa, and the chair. At the time, though, other warm colors bled through in unwanted places (for example, the hands of the window shoppers), and I didn’t have the tools or expertise to fix them. With Luminar Neo, I was able to mask those unwanted areas and convert them to grayscale.

In Scottsdale Old Town last weekend, I tried without success to capture some very well-done window displays, but Ritva’s experience shows in her challenge. I was unable to get a usable image of the window displays due to the bright Arizona sunshine. Reflections were so strong that even when I tried to minimize them, the window displays didn’t photograph well. Maybe a polarizing filter would have helped. The window above is an example, so the sign became my focus for this shot.

In San Antonio Texas a few years ago, I spotted a man talking on a cell phone. He appeared to be window shopping in reverse, looking outside at the River Walk that went by the mall and hotel complex.

While the two ladies chatted, the gentleman was intently studying the menu posted in a frame by the window of this small restaurant. It was already after lunch and after this shot, Lynn and I headed toward an ice cream shop where we each enjoyed an ice cream float.

In Old Town Scottsdale, these two gentlemen were sitting outside a store. Were they waiting for their significant others to finish shopping in the jewelry store? Considering that it appears they were tied to their chairs and that they were unmoved by the many people who pass by each day, these two cowboys are still where they were sitting several years ago, the last time I visited Old Town.

The Federal Reserve Bank in Denver features a money museum where I like to think I could go shopping, well at least window shopping. To be sure of its location, I checked the website. It turns out, the museum is temporarily closed to visitors. No explanation as to why.

For a closer look at my challenge response images, you can view them in HD on Flickr here. Thanks, Ritva, for getting me out from in front of the computer and taking some new photos for a challenge. Next week, it’s my turn to challenge you to share some examples of your compositions. I will post the challenge on Saturday, at noon EST. If you’d like to join in the challenge with your own responses, here are the details on getting started.

John Steiner