Why did you take that?

A few days before Halloween, our neighbour Anna reached out to ask if her three kids can walk over to visit for a trick or treat. I'm not sure why this festival has reached New Zealand shores but I guess it is not surprising since culture transcends geographical boundaries so easily with modern internet reach and social media. The only difference is that walking for trick or treat becomes more logistically challenging in rural areas where, if there is no guarantee of lollies or chocolate at the end of the long walk, the group of children might end up truly being angry ghosts.

I was prepared with Lindt chocolate balls and Reeses peanut butter cups. However, I was not prepared when the kids rushed into my photo and work out studio to look at the photos I took of them a while back. They loved to see themselves on a photo, on a wall. But as they looked at the other photos, middle child Harry, pointed to the photo of people exiting and boarding a train carriage, asked innocently, Why did you take this photo?

At that point of time, I found that I could not answer. Do I try to explain what Street Photography is? Am I suppose to justify why I consider that photo interesting? Or do I explain that not every photo we take needs to be conventionally beautiful or rich with story? And that  practising photography is just as important as capturing beautiful pictures.

Upon reflection, I realised I over complicated a simple question. I took the photo because I liked what I saw. Unfortunately, everyone had left the room.

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Some other photos I took that I like. Scenes from Wellington a couple of weeks back.