The commonplace becomes too ordinary. You can’t see it with fresh eyes. Then you travel across the world and everything seems interesting, at least for a while.

One of the reasons it’s more rewarding to take pictures in tropical countries than in America is because there are more people outside. In America, unless it’s a special event everybody’s tucked inside their car or their house. With the exception of Manhattan, an athletic event or the State Fair, there’s nobody to photograph. That’s why so many beginning photographers snap pictures of bums passed out on park benches.

And why Facebook is full of pet pictures.