Viewfinder: Asian Grocery

One of the few things I enjoy more than photography is eating. Last week I was able to combine the two through a visit to Asian Gourmet Market, an Asian grocery store on 3239 Williams Blvd in Kenner, LA. The store was swimming in fruits, veggies, and meats of all kinds, not to mention desserts. Let’s just say it’s a good thing I forgot my wallet.

Each location has its own sets of limitations when it comes to photography. The Asian Gourmet Market is filled with delicious foods and colorful packaging, but the quarters are tight and the lighting is sometimes dim. Without a wide-angle lens, it’s hard to portray the physical presence of a tight space. On the other hand, a picture that includes too much can lose a sense of balanced composition, so focusing on the smaller moments is sometimes advantageous. A lot of my pictures turned out blurry or out of focus because of dim light (and my hands); some were too cluttered, and others lacked context. While I managed to narrow down a set of images that I am satisfied with, I sigh when I think of all the shots that could have been.

Photography is nothing if not a lesson in problem-solving and patience and each project brings me closer to obtaining the best pictures possible. Next time I’ll bring a couple different lenses, a flash, and a high ISO camera.

And, of course, a wallet.