Around Town

How people move through our communities, seen up close. Look for the everyday details that make someone stop and look twice.

Think: a headlight beaded with rain, light on chrome, the curve of a fender, a steering wheel, wheels and spokes, a bike basket, train tracks and station clocks, running shoes, tire tracks in fresh snow. Tip: get close. A detail often says more than the whole car.

A close look at the built character of our towns — not simply buildings, but the details people normally pass without seeing.

Think: doors, windows, stone carving, brick patterns, ironwork, gates, columns, rooflines, staircases, stained glass, hardware, shadows on architecture, weathered materials, old and new side by side.

The repeated actions and objects that give rhythm, comfort or meaning to everyday life. Photograph the evidence of the ritual rather than a portrait of the person doing it.

Think: morning coffee, backpacks by the door, packing lunches, a dog leash before a walk, Saturday pancakes, gardening gloves, setting a table, practice equipment, a book and tea, shoes waiting by the door.

The visual culture of how our communities eat: ingredients, markets, tools, preparation, traditions and the objects around food. Broader and more artful than a plate at a restaurant.

Think: farmers-market produce, ingredients on a counter, herbs being chopped, flour and rolling pins, hands kneading dough, an old recipe card, baskets of berries, preserves, picnic prep, family recipes in progress.

What residents grow, harvest, build and discover outdoors — not just flowers. The August deadline lets you capture gardens at their summer peak.

Think: vegetables, fruit, herbs, tomatoes on the vine, seed heads, garden tools, potting benches, gates, arbors, fountains, birdbaths, pollinators, watering cans, children’s garden projects, the turn toward harvest.

Creativity seen through the tools, materials, instruments and spaces where people make things. Your photograph is the creative work — we’re not judging finished artworks.

Think: paintbrushes and palettes, sketchbooks, pottery tools, hands at a wheel, piano keys, violin strings, ballet shoes, theater props, sewing machines, woodworking tools, easels, works in progress.