EXPLORE MORE: SEATTLE
(I originally wrote this article for the ZEAL Optics website where it accompanied a photo essay from my recent trip to Seattle.)
What does ‘explore more’ mean to me? Well, I know it’s not limited to grabbing a passport, hopping on a transoceanic flight, and paddling in a dugout canoe to some far flung corner of the globe. ‘Explore More’ is a mindset. It’s about seeking out unique moments and new experiences where ever you can find them.
Whether it’s eating at a new mom and pop taqueria in town, skiing a new area, or floating down a remote river with friends -- these are the experiences I look for and what I consider to be ‘exploring.’
Recently, I traveled back to Seattle; the city of my youth. My best friend from high school picked me up at the airport, and we spent the day roaming around various neighborhoods taking photos and 'exploring.'
A camera is a great excuse to slow down, to look at the details, and it’s your ticket to ‘explore more.’ To stroll the sidewalks, check out the alleyways, study architectural details, to walk into stores, restaurants, tattoo parlors, coffee shops and begin conversations with people from every walk of life. At the end of the day I had a fresh view of the city I thought I already knew so well.
You don’t have to travel far to do this. Just visit a place you’ve never been to before. Invite a friend. Get out of your car. Walk around. Strike up a conversation with a stranger. Order a meal you can’t pronounce.
Want to ‘explore more?’ Then stop reading this article and head outside. You don’t have to have a ticket to a foreign land to be an explorer, just a mindset to get out and experience something new. The world is waiting.