I love the colors, the smells, the vibrancy, the hustle and bustle and real life feel of the public markets no matter where I am roaming. But being a bit claustrophobic, I often get overwhelmed by all the motion and commotion. Usually, I am walking through alone and it is all too easy and typical for me to wander off somewhere that looks interesting and quickly get turned around. Often, for me, getting lost, leads to wonderful finds. But it isn’t quite as enjoyable in a crowded zone where there isn’t as much room for slow meandering. I took a walk through the Mercado last week-end with Detour Viajes y Culturas, a tour group here in Granada, Nicaragua.
It was helpful to be with a group of people. Together we could take our places and stop long enough to hear a bit about the activities and wares for sale all around us. Even within a group, there still was not time or space to put my camera up to my eye, compose and focus. Instead, I set my settings, and then holding the camera waste high or as needed, I pointed in the desired direction, and took a shot or two or three. I was generally carried off in one or the other direction by the flow of the crowds, balancing wares on their heads, or large, heavy boxes that barely fit the width of the aisles, I had to keep moving, and this option allowed me to keep my shutter clicking without inhibiting the flow.
If you find yourself in a vibrant part of town with throngs of people moving in and out and around you. If you don’t have a whole lot of time and space to stop, take a stance, look through the viewfinder, compose, and focus, try this out for surprising and serendipitous results
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