Off Hours - Reflection on the third week of 52

Here is the description for the Off Hours theme:

You’ve seen the pictures before: a bunch of people dancing and drinking at the bar; the riverfront crowded with joggers and rollerbladers; the hall packed with wedding guests or business types. These spaces seem so exciting. You find yourself thinking, I really want to be there - right now. But I want you to forget all that. This week’s theme is all about those hives of activity, energy, and creativity when they are snow covered, dark, empty, or closed. You can’t be on all the time. This is your opportunity to capture these places when they are off.

Play ball! by Lauritabonita123

Though Windsor isn’t a seasonal town, nor many Essex towns, when the temperatures plummet along with heaps of snow, aspects of it shut down. Even the time of day can determine whether a space is filled with screaming (hopefully in excitement) children and docked boats, or if the geese have taken over and the docks are filled with ice and nothing more. That was the challenge this week. To capture these spots when they are empty and dark, but hopefully not in a depressing way. I just wanted to explore Windsor – Essex in its off hours.

Closed for the season by Frank Shepley

Frozen Docks by Patrick Firth

Playgrounds and docks were featured, but also empty parking lots and buildings. In spite of these spaces being lonely of people, they certainly were not devoid of a colour and beauty all to themselves, and I commend all the vibrant photographs that came in and the people who captured them.

Children Playground - Off Hours by Lupita Amaya G.

Puddles to Ice 1 by Kate Klinck Photography

I look forward to the next theme’s pictures, week four’s Black and White. Consider this an invitation as well. If you want to talk about what you are taking a picture of, or the story behind how you got it, feel free to send it along to essex.masqueATgmailDOTcom, or include it in the description of the photo on Flickr. I know each one of these photos has a story behind them, and I am sure many would be interested in reading them.

All the best, and happy shooting.
Again, feel free to contribute on the Flickr and Facebook sites.