Furries, Furry Friends, and Street Photowalk Moments in Boston Commons
#022 One Day on a Beautiful Photowalk on A Cool Afternoon in Boston with Furries and Furry Animals and More
Furries in The Boston Commons
On Saturday, I was walking home from Copley Square. It was a photography day for me. Starting in the morning, attending a Boston Camera Club Workshop on Portrait Studio Techniques. Thank you Bobbie and Lee for your great moments of practical learning!
It turned into a classic Boston photowalk, mixing street photography with unexpected characters…
I saw these Furries and they were dancing up a storm. It was funny, and an opportunity for some photos. (I missed their annual event this year).
As some others were walking by, they freaked out and yelled, “Furry Boys Dance Party…” and ran up and joined in. So fun. Had to show this series of three.
A perfect little burst of street photography Boston energy!
Photographer Learning on This Boston Photowalk
Changing it up a bit and sharing my learnings in the post rather than waiting the end.
I Should have stood in front of the Furries and caught a shot head on. Didn’t do it till the other people joined in. Why did I hesitate? [Street Photography is uncomfortable].
Video would have made this more interesting. Something I will start incorporating more into my photography work. Dancing is not quite the same on 2 dimensional picture.
Speaking of Furry and Furries - The Photowalk was Full of furry friends
It seems that Furry is the word of the day!
Before I entered the Boston Common, I walked down Newbury Street (Boston’s version of 5th avenue). It was sunny, a brisk 45 Degrees (F), starting at 2pm for an afternoon jaunt. Sunny days brings people outside in Boston, at least until the first snow.
Humans Carrying Their Dogs (and Cats) for a Walk
Turning the corner onto Newbury Street, I was struck by this little brown guy sticking out of this woman’s coat. He saw me and my big lens and stared while is grandma noticed my lens too! I talked with these woman, (complete strangers) and the mom joked that I should pay them $100 for the picture. But I glanced at her side and there was an SLR… we laughed for a minute and then said goodbye. Taking Street pictures is full of anxiety, but I find engaging is the best approach.
Project Potential
During my photowalks, it never stops amusing me how many people carry their dogs while walking. I have at least 40 examples from the last 2 years alone. Would you like to see them?
And… a few minutes later…
A few feet later… BAM! Another Human walking their dog as they “Ride” along. I took a series of five pictures around this.
Learn More about How Dogs View the World and You
Meanwhile, Back in the Park, More Furries
After entering the park, something unusual happened. More Furries! But this time, they were not people or dogs, but cats. What is even stranger is that its common to see people feeding the squirrels in the commons (and sometimes the Geese). The squirrels do not seem concerned about people.
Then I saw this!
Did you ever hear the story about the man with his cat feeding the squirrel?
In all seriousness, this was a hoot, but adorable. (can a guy say adorable?) The Cat was totally mellow about the whole thing. And that squirrel… Mr. Chunky seems appeared well-fed, and seems un-phased by the man or his feline companion.
As I “worked” the scene, the man was not concerned about me and we exchanged glances and smiles and wonderment over this scenario. He was so excited, he shared a picture of the squirrel with his cat.
Another Cat around the Corner
Rarely do I see a cat out for a walk, but here you go.
All set with a carrier and a really long lead. This woman was giving her cat a great time, with a long lead. The cat was beautiful, but you could tell had strong hunting instincts.
The cat was in heaven, on the prowl and the chase began. Jumping to a 5 foot high branch, she hunted for prey invisible to me. Unusual site for the city and park.
Interesting People on My Photowalk…
Of course there were a number of interesting characters throughout the park. Even Royalty, maybe.
Or, perhaps it was a wedding party in formal wear. Who knows. 😎
I am working on getting better at finding the light and shadows and how it changes the message of an image. Great examples from my friends here on Substack such as Giles Thurston, perfectlight, and Susanne Helmert who I learn a lot from their photography and writing skills.
A regular event with lines here in the park. A portrait on 3x5 inch lined note paper. hmm. (No judgement here, seriously).
I feel compelled to photograph people who are happy and show it. As I shot 10 or so pictures of her talking with her friends, I remembered the smile she brought to my face as I was pressing the shutter. It’s contagious and the world needs more of it!
At the end of the Commons, you enter “Downtown Crossing” the retail and department store section of Boston. They closed off the street and had DJ’s spinning vinyl. Seriously good music.
See more of my DJ Photos Here:
Fun Day Closes with Another Sunset from the 14th Floor Balcony
The sunsets this fall have been amazing. Check out my last Sunset Fury Post!
While i may not be able to see the Aurora Borealis due to the light pollution, the end of my day rarely disappoints from my 14th floor Perch in the Boston Seaport. Great way to chill after a long walk 15,000 steps) and a nice break before dinner with my girlfriend (wife).
Wrap Up
What a fun Saturday. Its days like this that keep me excited for life, adventures, and learning and investing more time in photography and building a growing body of work.
Before I go, I also want to acknowledge and thank Emily Belz. I sat down with Emily this week to get some smart, fresh perspective on my journey in photography. She was amazing at pointing out things I missed or didn’t see, confirmed my skills, strengths and weaknesses. More importantly, she gave me perspectives on approaches that are practical and make sense to lay ground work for some project work I will take on.
Lessons learned 🧠
Not a lot to unpack here, but there are some learnings as I shot and wrote this:
Taking Pictures of Stranger is Uncomfortable — But, its not bad, not ugly or vulger, and most of the time, its welcomed by the target, if they know you are doing it. My advice is SMILE.. and they will acknowledge you and appreciate you. And if possible strike up brief conversations.
Working the Scene IS Key to Composition! — I know, it seems a no-brainer, but its okay and important to look around and see other approaches to the subject of the image. Get in front, but then look at the angles. Go low or High, left or right. Do not stand in one place, too often…
Think More About Media Options — Our cultures around the world are growing learning and watching videos. In my past business life, it was clear and remains so, that retention of information from multi-media (text, audio, and video) has exponentially greater value compared to any one of the components. As a photographer/creative its clearly a better way to tell a story. More to come on this topic.
Your Turn 🤔
So as always, thanks for getting this far in my post. You all mean the world to me, just for listening. I also love hearing how my photography impacts you… good or bad. So please do not hesitate to contact me or leave a comment here.
Copyright Stuff
All photographs and images were taken and produced by me, David Rosen, unless noted otherwise. Feel free to share this post by linking to it, re-stacking, or creating notes to spread the word! The images are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or distributed without my explicit permission. If you’d like to use any of them, contact me at click@davidrosenphoto.com. Thank you for supporting my work — subscribe or share to stay connected with my photography journey.
I love how you constantly pushing forward willing to learn, reflect and act on it.
It looks like you had a great day out and about. I wish I could have peeked over the shoulder of that artist who was drawing the portraits. I wonder what his drawings looked like.
Your street pics are terrific!