I do not have a particularly strong connection to my hometown, but I do very much enjoy being in Downtown Los Altos. It is small, generally quiet, and has most everything one could ask for during a day out relaxing. Its proximity to my home also means that I can go there basically whenever I please. It’s quite a common hangout spot after school for groups of students, and it has fostered quite a homely and almost nostalgic feeling within me.
I wanted to capture an overhead view of one of the streets, to frame the composition as if the viewer is looking down at a diorama. I wanted the lighting to be low, which you accentuate the street lamps and sparse sunshine, to make the composition more interesting. I used the street as a natural leading line, directing the viewer’s gaze towards the man crossing the street, who could be seen as the “subject” of the photo.
I think this photo captures that feeling of vague nostalgia and whimsy with which I associate the Downtown area.