I found myself last week in Boise, Idaho. I’d passed through Boise a couple of times before, staying overnight in a hotel traveling between Salt Lake City and Seattle. I’d seen very little of the city. This visit to Boise included a little longer stay and a chance to actually see the place, at least a little.

One thing I discovered is that downtown Boise is a very nice place! I had no idea. It’s colorful, clean and lively. It’s not as large as Salt Lake City’s downtown, which is no surprise as Boise is a smaller city, yet it feels large enough. There are interesting structures, green spaces, restaurants and local stores. It has plenty of character. It feels a little like a miniature Portland, minus some of the weirdness. It’s probably safer than Portland, too. This is to say that downtown Boise is much more interesting than I expected, and it was a pleasant visit.

Unfortunately, I only had the opportunity to walk around a few blocks. I wanted to explore more, but I just didn’t have the time. Downtown Boise seems like a place where one could come to over and over for street and urban photographs. There seems to be plenty of photographic opportunities. Who would have thought? Not me. Even though it was a short visit, I’m glad that I discovered this unexpected gem. I hope to return soon for more photography.

I used a Fujifilm X-T30 and Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens for these photographs. Some people might say that the 50mm-equivalent focal length of the 35mm lens is not good for this type of photography, that a wide-angle lens is a much better choice. While I do like wide-angle lenses for street photography, the nifty-fifty can still be used effectively. Use what you have to the best of your abilities and you’ll be surprised at what you create.

B&W:

Color: