4pm, phantom wildfire smoke sets haunting glow on manhattan skyline, M and I stare at the immobile ducks lying on still water with the upside down city reflection. i tell him how photography helps with solo walks. i enjoy traveling with people because u are observing the world together and getting real-time feedback on what you’re seeing. if i see a cool tree or church i can point it out. if i were just walking alone and see a pretty scene with no one around me, i feel sullen. but with the camera, it’s a phantom friend that i can talk to, take a picture, and preserve that moment for a future conversation, when i show a friend look at this that i just saw! cameras are a great friend for moments of introversion at a party. there are moments when your convo goes dead and you hear the uproar around you pressing into your eardrums. camera as escape, i can melt away into the background and float around and take photos.