Last week, we took a field trip located on the edge of Florence. The space had a lot of office buildings and a park nearby with open grassy fields and walking trails. But that wasn’t the reason we went. There is a building that is also found on the property that was once an asylum. As of now, it’s an abandoned building that is falling apart and overflowing with greenery. Many would think an abandoned asylum would have a creepy and dreary look to it. But, contrary to that thought, it isn’t. On a sunny day, it becomes bright and cheery with an overload of nature.
There are also many interesting objects to be found scattered about the place. The skeleton of an old baby carriage, half a bike cemented into a wall, fire extinguishers everywhere, drapery hanging off nails, potted plants lining the patio, graffiti covered walls, as well as an assortment of other odd things. The place held so many possibilities for a photographer and was an interesting area to explore.
Our initial outing was guided by our professor. I decided to go back to further investigate the area this past weekend. Because walking to the place from my apartment would have taken 45+ minutes, I decided to take the bus on my own for the first time. Buying the ticket was easy enough, but trying to figure out the bus system was a tad difficult. Google maps had led me to a bus stop where the roads were under construction, putting the stop temporarily out of use. So I tried a different bus and after getting on, discovered I was going the wrong way. After the main fiasco and a 20 minute wait, I finally got on the right bus and arrived to my destination.
Throughout my ride, I was thinking how courageous many photographers were. I once heard that a good photographer would do anything to get the picture they are after. Whether trespassing into places they shouldn’t or interacting with people who are complete strangers, photographers seem unafraid. And here I was nervous to ride a city bus on my own. I may not have their courage or fearlessness, but at least I’m conquering my own small barriers.
