In Lisbon, we’re nearing the end of the season of jacarandas.
This is the 5th week in the month, so I’m taking a break from my little editorial schedule to re-run an old article.
On a train trip to the North of Portugal, i was messing about trying to start a project to explore what the world would look like when seen from a moving train. As i was looking at the moving landscape, i spotted a road sign. A narrow dirt road came out of a village to meet the tracks. At the crossing, the only signalisation was a wonky, dusty road sign that read: stop, listen and look.
Weeks later, walking in the Marvila neighbourhood of Lisboa, i left the main road to follow a footpath and soon came across a railway. Standing straight and bright, a sign warned: in the absence of indication in the (sound) signals, stop, listen and look.
Some time before, i had seen the same words — pare escute olhe — serving as the title for an exhibition of drawings in the Cultural Center of Cascais. After seeing the photo exhibition that had brought me there, i took some time to look at the drawings. The artist, if i remember correctly, had often heard these words uttered by one of his professors.
Stop
Listen
Look
Pay attention to the world around you. Pay attention to the moment. That is the simple, gentle way into better photographs — and a better life, too. How often do i need to be reminded?
I’ve seen an administrative cautionary notice double as a philosophical reminder. And here i am, taking life lessons from a road sign.
Thank you for reading the Tales of Ink and Light. It’s great to have you on board.
Very nice essay! The low angle depot photo is great!
Love the jacarandas photos!!