In a world obsessed with big landmarks and bucket lists, there’s something quietly radical about noticing the small things. Shutters & Gutters was born out of this idea—the belief that the real heart of a place often reveals itself not in the famous sights, but in its forgotten corners, its chipped doorways, and its everyday details.

Find magic in the margins.

Through photography and short reflections, I’ll be sharing fragments from my travels—small scenes, textures, and tastes that have stayed with me long after the trip ended. My hope is that Shutters & Gutters inspires you, in some small way, to wander differently: to see with a slower eye, and to find magic in the margins.

As we move further into the details beneath our feet, it’s worth pausing to consider another perspective. While the manhole may seem like simple pieces of infrastructure, they also act as quiet storytellers. Some might see only rust and concrete, but others might notice the emblems of a forgotten utility company, or the echoes of a city’s industrial age. These covers invite us to ask questions: Who designed this? When? Why does it look different from the others? Looking closer doesn’t just change what we see — it changes how we move through the world. Small things begin to matter again. The city becomes less of a backdrop and more of a living archive.

In the end…

noticing something as ordinary as a manhole is about more than curiosity — it’s a small act of reverence. It’s a way of honoring the craftsmanship, the stories, and the forgotten details that make each city unique.

Next time you’re walking a street — whether in a faraway city or your own hometown — look down. Trace the patterns, read the crests, notice the wear of cobblestone. Every step you take could be layered over a century of history you would have otherwise missed.

The streets aren’t just where we travel. They’re where we connect to the hidden life of the places we love.