When There Are Humans


As the winter winds down in Provincetown, I’m bracing for the streets to be filled again with tourists and summer residents–who I’ll appreciate seeing for the first weeks, at least. 


Of course it’s technically spring right now, but I think of March and April in Provincetown as the fourth and fifth months of winter. The weather is often foggy and cold this time of year–and that even holds through a lot of May. So although we get some spring-like days, it’s not consistently nice until early June.


As I’ve written about before, what Provincetown lacks in warmth in the winter (and fake spring…) it makes up for in human scarcity. Which is great for photography! I have so much time and so many opportunities to get shots of the streets, houses, and landscape without needing to dodge humans. 


But even in the winter months, I do occasionally encounter people while out shooting. And I then need to decide whether or not I include them in my composition. 


I’m not an aggressive street photographer who is trying to get in people’s faces, but if I can anticipate a good shot coming together with people in it, I’ll go ahead and take it, no matter what time of year it is. (I only do this if people are clearly in public spaces, and I rarely include the faces of children.) 


And sometimes I really like the results! I think especially in the winter months, when town is quiet, adding a person or three into a street- or landscape can create a nice effect. I find it to be especially true when the weather is foggy–there is something evocative about seeing another human in the foggy distance on Commercial Street. Or seeing a solitary individual walking past one of the more colorful and carnival-like stretches of Commercial Street. It’s like town got ready to put on a play and only one person bought a ticket to the show. 


And the size and scale of the Outer Cape become so immediately clear to me when I spy a person or two out on the beach or walking the Breakwater. It’s a startling reminder of the expanse of this place, which is easy to forget in the crowded summer months.  


Here are some of the photos I’ve taken over the past few winters and off-seasons that include people in them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!