The anonymity of edges
I'm finding out that my favorite places tend to be at the edge of an open space. I recently had the opportunity to walk through most of Battery Park in New York, starting from the north end. The lack of sound was amazing to me, especially after coming from the subway. It was very calming to look out over the Hudson and reflect on the weekend. I will probably never be a good photographer of people – I value my inobtrusiveness too much. Landscapes and architectural details are my bread and butter, at least with my current camera. (I suspect increased zoom and image stabilization might help me branch out some more. But I digress.)

Anyway, I hadn't felt comfortable taking photos in New York up until my arrival in Battery Park. This was probably due to the number of people on the streets – there weren't enough people walking around to enjoy the anonymity of a crowd, but there were enough people for my camera to be noticed. Once I got to Battery Park, though, I pulled out my camera and started shooting in earnest. I get the same comfortable feeling standing on the shore of Lake Michigan and an outlook off Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Mountains.

Perhaps it's the dominance of an edge that affords the visitor anonymity – the abrupt change in scenery requires people's attention to be focused on the water or the land below, and that stills observers. It's one of those cases where you can be in a crowd of people but still feel like you're having your own personal experience with your surroundings.