Commuter Photo: Atlanta Skylines and Byways

For most of 2026, I've been commuting to mid-town Atlanta. Traffic, parking, the walk to the office--It's all a pain. But, it has opened up new areas of the city, new photo subjects, new times of day, and new light to me as a casual photographer.

Of course, my shots tend to be quick. I've got places to be. But, it also means the shots are real. I can't stand around taking pictures when I was supposed to be in a meeting five minutes ago. These shots are of lines and light and urban scenes that catch my eye.

Street Photography: After Work Stroll

Have you ever tried street photography?  Here's a shot I took in an Atlanta, Georgia, area live-work-play community.  It's just a quick snap shot with my cellphone camera and stripped of metadata.  I just tried to capture a moment of neighborhood life.

Woman walks dog in Avalon in Alpharetta, Georgia

If you are looking for tips on street photography, check out this book-- Street Photography: Pocket Guide by Bryan Lloyd Duckett on Amazon.

Street Photography: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Last year, I went to Minneapolis on a business trip.  It gave me a chance to take a few quick shots of city life in another part of the country.  Here's my humble attempt at street photography.

Pedestrian in Minneapolis

Street photography is generally considered to be "candid" shots of life in public spaces taken in a uncomposed or hastily composed manner.  Street photographs provide a snapshot of life.  They are literally a quick peek at life.  I'm no expert in this genre, but it does provide an opportunity to bring life to the lens.
    
Most of the shots I took were literally snapped through the windows of a light rail train.  Unfortunately, life isn't always easy.

Homeless in Minneapolis

Another trip to Minneapolis provided a chance to walk around in the downtown area.

An Oppressive Looking Old Building

While many street photographers enjoy using film cameras and "lomography" cameras, I found that my cell phone took great photos.  In addition, cell phones are everywhere and escape the notice of most people.

Crossing the Street

Photo: A Horse-Drawn Carriage in Downtown Atlanta

Downtown Atlanta has plenty of skyscrapers to divert your eyes skyward, but sometimes you see some interesting things at street level. I photogaphed this horse-drawn carriage in downtown ATL back in June.

A Horse-drawn Carriage in downtown Atlanta

Swamp Street Photography

Street Photography is all the rage.  You get candid shots of life on the streets.  Here's a street in St. Marks NWR.  Do you see the critter?

A Coyote walks alongside the road in St. Marks NWR

It's hard to draw a camera in a moving vehicle, get it on target, get focused, and get a shot off before an animal gets wise.  However, this coyote sure beats those artsy New York City pictures.

A zoomed in shot of a coyote in St. Marks NWR

Of course, some folks might miss the urban vibe and the night life.  However, we've got plenty of that too.

A huge alligator lurks by the road in St. Marks NWR just after sunset