The Stoplight Project

Sitting at a stoplight today I was behind this truck. The truck isn't very interesting save for the fact that it said this on the back:

All I could think of was the possibility of some crazed person suddenly popping out of the pile of junk and throwing stuff at me. I got a bit scared actually. What would I do? How would I react when a bag of trash or any assortment of junk was thrown at me?? Would my insurance cover this??

These are totally the things I worry about.

At the next stoplight I took a picture.

This shot itself isn't interesting but it got me thinking. I very rarely pay attention to anything around me at stoplights, except traffic and the screaming kids in the backseat. I wonder how many interesting things - buildings, people, signs - I've missed.

A lot of times details elude me. I walk into a room with tunnel vision. I know what I'm looking for, who I want to see. I focus on that and the real details - the interesting textures and lights and images - around me fade. I swear I'd make the worst police witness ever.

I don't like my lack of attention to detail. So I'm starting The Stoplight Project (TSP). I'm vowing to bring the camera with me, even on the most boring of rides, and document what I see at stoplights. And you lucky people can come along with me for the ride! Maybe along the way I'll discover something I never knew - some really cool building or person.

And I'd love it if I could come along on your rides. Show me what you see. For one day shoot what surrounds as you sit in traffic. It could be anything. Obviously, from the selections above, I'm not setting the bar very high.

So consider this day one of TSP. Can't wait to take my next ride!