One of the more colorful features of life in foreign cities is the café. In Europe, we visit the grand coffeehouses of Vienna, the artist-frequented cafés of Paris, and the more exotic coffeehouses of Amsterdam. In other cities on other continents are variations on the theme, but one universality is the café or local tavern or pub as a place of congregation and talk, of food, drink and relaxation, an integral part of urban life.

Below is an image made in Princeton, New Jersey, in my home area. From across the street, the morning light was such that the two individuals stood out against the shaded interior, and the façade of the building had interesting texture in the slanting sunlight. This is one of several coffeehouses in Princeton. This is a scene I would have found instantly appealing in Paris or Buenos Aires or Tokyo. The lighting and contrast make the image.

This was shot with a Nikon D5300 and the Sigma 18-250 lens, at ISO 100, 52mm, f/4.8 at 1/50 sec.