. Starting Christmas

    So, I watched our local Santa Claus Parade last Saturday. Having lived in this little town for twelve years, I've become kind  of used to the events that mark the changing of the seasons. The Santa Claus Parade, as well as Jingle Bell Night, mark the beginning of the Christmas Season here in Paris, Ont.

     This year,  I was hired by the local B.I.A. as the official photographer for Jingle Bell Night. It was an interesting job. It was the first time that the B.I.A. had hired a photographer to capture the event. I asked if there was anything in particular that they wanted me to photograph. They said, "No. Just walk around with your camera and take some pictures."  That's one of the things I like about small town life. It's comfortable. I guess that I've developed enough of a reputation as the "local photographer" that they trust me to get some photos of whatever event comes along. No pressure. Just get some pictures. Yup. I can do that.                                                                                                                                                       

The Paris Firefighters do a Christmas Toy Drive every year and they were on hand with their vintage 1950.s fire truck

                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                            

   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                   

                                                                                                                
                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    As I talked to the people downtown that night, I heard a little grumbling about the town Christmas tree not being up. The tree lighting ceremony is a traditional part of Jingle Bell Night. I talked to some of the local merchants and was told that there were some problems in getting the tree here on time, but, that it should be up in time for the Santa Claus Parade. 

     The Santa Claus Parade was the following weekend and I managed to get a few photos of that too.

My neighbour and her little boy enjoying the parade

The Big Guy himself at the end of the parade.

I guess that this will be my last post to the blog for this year. Like everyone else, I'll be busy shopping, decorating, cooking and just generally enjoying the hustle and bustle of this magical time of year. I'd like to take this  opportunity to thank all the friends who read and follow my meanderings on these pages. I'm not presenting anything of earth shattering importance here. Just the thoughts and adventures of a part-time, small town photographer. But if you like what you see, don't be afraid to leave a comment in the section below or "like" and share to your favourite media platform. It's your kindness and support that keeps me crankin' this stuff out.

     Oh, yeah, in case you're wondering.... They did get the town Christmas tree up before the Santa Claus parade.                                                                                                                

                               Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

                                                    ...more later,
                                                                
                                                              Gord

The Fall Colour Season That Almost Wasn't

I guess that the fall colour season is, for the most, part over.  My last little foray into the outside world was met with sideways snow driven by gale force winds. As fall colour seasons go, this year's was not one of the best. We had an unusually warm September. The temperatures during that month were often warmer than what we had experienced in the summer. As a result, the trees were a little slow to turn colour. By the time we advanced to the colder nights of October, some trees where bare, some trees were in full colour and some were still green. The overall effect was kind of blotchy. We didn't quite get the sweeping grandeur of previous years.                                                                                              

View From The Cliffs, Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area, Taken 2 years ago. Canon EOS M, 1/160 sec.,f/11, ISO 400 

  My abbreviated fall colour tour  this year consisted primarily of a trip to Georgian Bay. My go-to destination when I can't think of anywhere else to go.The trip was under dull rainy skies and the photos I took were far from the sweeping vistas of colour from years past.                                                                                                                                                                              

Autumn On Georgian Bay, Craigleith, Ont. Fuji X100F, 1/125 sec. f/8 ISO 200

Autumn On Georgian Bay, Meaford, Ont. Fuji X100F, 1/125 sec., f/11, ISO 200.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

     At Thanksgiving time, here in Paris, I was able to capture some photos for my traditional "Autumn At The Dam" series that I usually post on Facebook.                                                             

Autumn At The Dam 2017, Fuji X100F, 2.1sec., f/16, ISO 100 

Autumn At The Dam 2017, Fuji X70, 1/500 sec., f/8, ISO 400

     

     My last stab at fall colour photography was just two days ago. I usually go out in November, after the peak of colours, just to glean a little of what's left. For those interested, I wrote a piece about November photography on my old blog,                                            Multifarious Musings. http://multifarious-musings.blogspot.ca/2012/01/november.html
  
     

Autumn In Paris, Ont., Fuji X100F, 1/100 sec., f/11, ISO 200

     At any rate, this year's efforts in the field of November photography occurred on a beautiful fall morning. The air was crisp and still. There was frost on the ground that was just beginning to melt away as I made my way through a wooded area a short walk from my home. Most of the colours were gone although there was still a lot of colour in the newly fallen leaves on the ground. However, I did manage to find a few pockets where the trees had retained some of their leaves. 

Autumn In The Park, Paris, Ont., Fuji X100F, 1/250 sec. f/8, ISO 200

      But, a lot of my hike that morning was spent just shooting the limited foliage that was left.

Last Of The Leaves, Fuji X100F, 1/250 sec., f/8, ISO 320 

Autumn Trail, Fuji X100F, 1/250 sec., f/8, ISO 320

     If  "Much can be learned of the forest by the contemplation of a single tree."  I would posit that "Much can be learned of the tree by the contemplation of a single leaf."                                                                                                                                                                                
  Like this one;

Fuji X100F, 1/500 sec., f/8, ISO 320

 Or this one;

Fuji X100F, 1/500 sec. f/8, ISO 800

  
Or even this one;

Fuji X100F,  1/500 sec. f/8, ISO 320

  
     So, as the fall colour season comes to an end, I'm looking forward to an interesting winter. I landed a gig as official photographer for " Jingle Bell Night" here in Paris. It's a little downtown street festival  to welcome the beginning of the Christmas season. I recently acquired a decent speedlight (flash unit) for my Fuji cameras and, combined with some other lighting, I'm looking to do some portraits. Stay tuned. Things might get interesting.

     By the way; Thanks to everyone who reads my blogs. If you like what you see here, please feel free to leave a comment in the section below. Also don't be afraid to "like"  and/or share on the media platform of your choice. If you want to see more from the life of a small town photo freak, hit the "follow" button. I try to publish here at least once a month. 

                                    ...more later
                                                            Gord                                                                                            

For Mr. Downie

    I went to the river this morning to do some photography. The unseasonably warm temperatures have finally abated and the last two nights have been cold enough that the trees are making a serious effort to change colour. I made the ridiculously short walk up to the dam near my home where I have made some memorable photographs in the past. The air was cool and crisp  and, with the clear golden light of an October morning,  I managed to shoot some very nice images.

   

     I came home and uploaded the pictures to my computer. I tuned in to CBC radio and started editing. " Late breaking story on the CBC."  Gord Downie had died. It was kind of weird. I mean everyone in the nation new that he was suffering from terminal brain cancer. Almost half of the nation tuned in to the Tragically Hip's last concert broadcast by the CBC from their hometown of Kingston, Ontario. Everyone knew that it was just a matter of time before this day arrived. But, somehow, I guess that like everyone else, I had hoped it would be later rather than sooner. Despite any beforehand knowledge or mental preparation, the finality of death always seems to be unexpected. 

     I remember the first time I heard a Tragically Hip song. It was "New Orleans Is Sinking."  Gord Downie's  voice was so distinctive. A high treble with a hint of tremolo. It was powerful yet fragile at the same time. No question the the song has a great  guitar hook. But it was that voice that was so distinctive. It was insistent. A voice that once heard, could not be forgotten. 

     I never got to see the band live. But as they released album after album, it became apparent that they weren't just another rock band. This country has always punched well above its weight in the arts and music world. Even with all that, The Hip were a little different.  They were almost defiantly Canadian. In fact, if you weren't Canadian, you probably wouldn't get half the references in their lyrics. I mean outside of Canada or even Ontario for that matter, who the hell ever heard of the tiny cottage country town of Bobcaygeon? 

     But that it is what this band did. They reflected  our stories and places back to us. Beyond that, they were  a dam good rock band who knew how to write great songs and put on a  show. As I finish off this piece, I've been listening to the the tributes and remembrances pour in on CBC radio. I saw an internet meme that said "Canada will be closed today due to a death in the family." That pretty much says it all. "It was in Bobcaygeon, I saw the constellations reveal themselves one star at a time." It seems to me that the constellations will shine one star brighter tonight.

     I went to the river this morning to photograph some fall colours. Mr. Downie, this one's for you.                                                                                                                                                        

                  ...more later

End Of Summer

     I know, summer doesn't officially end til Sept. 21, but, it's the Labour Day Weekend and for all intents and purposes, the summer season is soon to be over. It's been a tradition of mine to write something  on the Labour Day Weekend, either a blog post or just an entry in my personal journal. This year, I decided to go with the blog post. Sorry about your luck!

     For me, this past summer has been somewhat lacklustre. At work,my department has been short staffed and that, combined with the usual summer vacations has caused me to give up some of my days off to work overtime. I haven't been getting out as much as I would have liked.   The weather has been mostly rainy which often put a damper (literally) on outdoor activities. In scrolling through my recent photographs, I was struck by how many of them feature stormy skies. Even the sunset pictures look a bit threatening!

     At one point , earlier in the season, Heavy rains to the north of us caused the river near my home to swell to levels I had never seen before.

The river on May 6, 2017

This is how the previous scene usually looks!

    Miraculously, despite the fact that we live a stone's throw from the river, we experienced no flooding!

     Earlier in the season, I had the opportunity to fulfill a bucket list aspiration by going soaring in a glider. Despite a delay in waiting for the pilot/instructor to arrive, It was an awesome experience!                                                                                                                         

One of the tow planes in the hangar. Note the rear view mirror which looks like it was salvaged from a '65 Chevy!    

My ride for the event. With tow pilot and pilot/instructor.

Pre-flight check.

The instrument panel.

The tow plane.

    

Selfie at 5000 ft.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

     On Father's Day this summer we did what Dad (me) likes to do best. We road on a train. This involved a return visit to one of my favourite little railways, The South Simcoe. You get to ride in a vintage heavyweight coach or combination coach/baggage car pulled by a very old coal fired steam engine. Once again Greg and I obtained the conductor's permission to ride in the combine (baggage) car where we had the whole seating section almost to ourselves. We revelled in the sound of 136's steam whistle and waved to folks at the crossings. As always,it's a great experience to ride  on a vintage train with the smell of coal smoke and live steam occasionally wafting through the open windows.                                                                                                                                                                                               

Vintage style silver rangefinder camera, old school canvas camera bag, vintage railway car.
"These are a few of my favourite things."                
 

Greg aboard the S.S.R.

Same kid, same train, six years earlier.

       Our last summer adventure was cut a bit short by inclement weather. The plan was to go to Manitoulin Island and camp for a day or two then drive around Georgian Bay to spend some time camping at Killbear Provincial Park. The weather was great up til our second day out. We spent a rainy night on Manitoulin before packing up and continuing our travels. On the plus side, I learned that the new tent I bought last summer can withstand a Manitoulin thunderstorm. We drove through some pretty heavy thunderstorms and made our way to Parry Sound where we took a motel room for the night. 

   

     Before coming home we did get to ride on another vintage train however. (Did I mention I like trains?) This time it was the "Portage Flyer" on the Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway. This railway, once billed as the shortest commercial railway in the world, is a little narrow gauge line that once connected steamship traffic on two of the lakes near Huntsville, Ont. It's now even shorter than it used to be. It operates a small steam powered tank engine and two open coaches. The rides is only about twenty minutes and the engine is so small that they turn it by hand on small turntables at each end of the line. But it's very quaint and a fun little ride,

The Portage Flyer

  

Stormy Skies Over Fairy Lake

     

  

The quintessential "Little Engine That Could"        

      For me, these are the highlights of the summer that was. At the beginning of this entry, I bemoaned the lack of decent weather and my slightly longer work hours. However, in putting together this post, I realize that overall, I had a pretty good spring/summer season. As usual, Labour Day is a little melancholic as we wind down the last of the summer days. But, I also look forward to the coming of Autumn, my favourite time of year. I love  the cooler days and brilliant colours of the coming season. I'm planning a little fall colour tour and will hopefully garner some good images to be shared here. Enjoy these last days of summer.

...more later

The Immediacy Of Photography

     I'm getting older. In my case, the accumulation of years results in a tendency to spend too much time in contemplation of the past. Perhaps the reality of what is commonly known as the mid-life crisis is a dissatisfaction with what has been  achieved in one's life and the relentless tendency to mentally chew over mistakes and regrets of incidents and periods of 
the past. Ultimately, it is a debilitating waste of time.  Of course, not all memories of the distant past are negative. However, spending too much of one's existence in the land of happy nostalgia can be just as crippling as rehashing " would have, could have, should have" scenarios. When I find myself too wrapped up in the past, I find that usually the best solution for me is to grab a camera and go for a walk. 

     The act of picture taking is an immediate experience. I can only photograph what exists in front of my camera in the now. If I am successful in the creation of an image, that image becomes a catalyst to the memory of an experience which, hopefully,  is fundamentally good. Perhaps if a photographer is looking for a reason to create an image, that is as good a reason as any. 

     I live in a very picturesque small town which, of late, has become something of a minor tourist Mecca. For the most part, a lot of what I shoot are local scenes and points of interest which I market in a few local stores in the form of prints and postcards.                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                           

The stores on the main drag (Grand River St.) back right onto the river. This is probably one of the most photographed scenes in town.

     

The Arlington Hotel. An iconic small town landmark if ever there was one.

     However, I don't feel tied to that particular style of photography. I will often photograph whatever catches my eye.                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

I saw this guy in the window of our local hardware store. Apparently it's a lawn ornament whose eyes light up at night. Not your average garden gnome!

     
     Lately I've been getting back into shooting monochrome. The Acros film simulation in my new Fuji X100F produces black and white images that seriously rival anything I could do   back in the days of film. When I think of all the hours I spent in a darkroom processing films and printing.... Damn! I'm back in the past again. I think I better grab a camera and go for a walk.

...more later

The Silver Camera

     Just about every article about photography that I have read advocates the use of a black camera for street photography as well as other other genres within the craft. In street photography, a small camera, preferably in black,  is said to be  relatively unobtrusive and allows the photographer, to some degree, the ability to be  inconspicuous in  obtaining  the much coveted candid portrayal of street life. The other advantage to a black camera is the much reduced reflective footprint when photographing shiny objects or taking a picture through glass. 

     Personally, I think most people, (myself included) prefer  black cameras simply because they look cooler.

     In my photographic career, most of the cameras I have owned have been black. Starting with a Yashica FX3 (my first serious camera) back in 1979. Generally, given a choice, I prefer black cameras.  

     However my latest camera purchase is gloriously silver. It all came about when I pre-ordered my Fuji X100F. I had been reading about this camera in several online articles prior to its release in the Canadian market. Before its release I had gone to a Fuji event in Toronto to take a look at it and try it out a bit. I was smitten. After much deliberation, (Well not much really. If you read my last post you'll know that I'm a self admitted gear junkie!) I decided to pre-order the camera. Before pre-ordering it, I called the camera shop in Toronto that had hosted the Fuji event. I wanted to confirm that the camera would still be available on its advertised release date. I hate placing an order for something and waiting weeks to get it. I was assured that the camera would indeed be available on its release date but, if I wanted the black one, I would have to wait a couple of weeks more. Did I mention that I hate to wait weeks for something I've ordered? Okay.  You know where this is going.

     Precisely on the release date, Canada Post dutifully delivered my little silver gem. It arrived about 20 minutes before I had to leave for work. I felt like a little kid at Christmas who's not allowed to play with his new toy.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

My Fuji X100F

     For the record, I have to say that this is, without a doubt, one of the coolest cameras that I have ever used. If I were a little more qualified in the world of digital imaging I might even write a review of it. There is a lot to it and I seem to be discovering something new almost every time I use it.

     Part of the charm of the X100 series of cameras  (and indeed the entire Fuji X series line) is the old school look and design. I am an old school photographer. Okay, full disclosure. I'm not really "old school". I'm just "old". I like having conventional dials to control things like shutter speed, aperture and focus. I'm not a big fan of digging through menus to control a camera. 

     Apart from the practical aspects of the design, there are the aesthetics of the instrument. Just the look of this camera has been getting me a lot of comments. Unlike most "street"  photographers, I'm not really interested in stealth. I happily and proudly sling whatever camera I'm using around my neck and it is in plain sight whether I'm using it or not. I do not feel the need to carry even my smallest camera ( a Fuji X70) in a pocket or under my jacket. I prefer compact cameras simply because they are lighter and easier to carry and, with today's technology, they are capable of producing results that seriously rival that of  their much larger and heavier brethren. About the only time I feel the urge to hide my camera away is if I find myself in one of the shadier neighbourhoods of a large urban centre, or to protect them from environmental damage, heavy rain, excessive dust etc. I also tend to keep my gear under wraps when I find myself in close crowded conditions such as an event or on public transit. I think that any photographer with an ounce of common sense and intuition knows when to put the camera away.

     I find this need for stealth to be almost ludicrous. News flash people. The average human, walking about,  is used to the fact the there are people with imaging devices almost everywhere . Everything from high school kids taking selfies with their cell phones to full time professional photographers with large cameras and sophisticated lighting kits doing wedding portraits in a scenic public location. The average person passing by usually does not care that you might intentionally or otherwise include them in a photo. In this day and age, people are bombarded with thousands of images daily. Is it really necessary to treat photography like an undercover stealth operation worthy of an international spy agency?                                                                                                                                                           

Debbie; A local lady I often run into when I'm downtown. Today it was the thrift store.  She spotted my camera and asked if I would take her picture. As I brought the camera up to my eye she grabbed a hat off of the rack and popped it on her head. Kind of a cool candid.  Fuji X100F

Urban Explorer;  The Eaton Centre Mall in Toronto has this cool compass rose inlaid on one of its floors. Photographing from the mezzanine above, I made a few photos of passersby walking through it. When this guy, complete with backpack and camera in hand entered the scene, my finger stabbed the shutter button before my mind could even register the shot. The situation was almost too perfect! Yeah okay, sometimes I'm  stealthy!
Fuji X70

Autumn Stroll; Taken with my pseudo Leica. (Leica D-LUX Typ109)  Unlike many  photographers, I have never felt the urge to cover the red dot on my Leica. Actually one of the most common questions I get when using it is, "What kind of camera is that?"  In other words, the average non photographic person has no  idea  what the Leica brand is about and no knowledge of the significance of the red dot. Everyone's heard of Canon and Nikon. Leica?... Not so much. For me, masking the brand is not worth the effort of digging the electrician's tape out of the toolbox.

      Furthermore, not hiding the camera can actually be an asset. It's a chance to promote my brand. I'm a photographer. I make photographs. It's what I do. It involves a camera. I rarely feel the urge to hide my camera away when I'm out and about.  A few days ago I was walking through a local park making some springtime photos. As I passed by a woman and her young daughter, the daughter asked if I was a newspaper photographer. I replied that no, I wasn't, although sometimes my pictures are used in the local papers. I told them about how I was marketing a series of  local postcards and prints through a couple of downtown stores. The child's mother responded by saying that she would check them out next time they were downtown. I gave the mother my card and wrote directions to my flickr page. ( I don't have a website yet)  A good human connection through photography. You can't buy that kind of promotion.

    I live in a small town. Before Christmas last year, I participated in an art show and sale at our local market centre. One of the most common comments I got was, "We've seen you out and about with your camera. It's nice to finally see some of your pictures."                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

The Art Show & Sale; Wincey Mills Market, Paris, Ont.  I got the chance to meet and talk with a lot of people. We sold some prints and took orders for several more. Never underestimate having at least part of your portfolio ready to show on a handy tablet! 

     I could provide a lot more examples of interesting chats that I've had while being out with my camera. For me, it's not an uncommon occurrence. The human connection is important. Photography tends to be a solitary activity. Most of the time, it's just me and a camera out taking pictures, not to mention the countless hours spent by myself in front of a computer screen editing them. But the human connection is important. Anyone can buy a picture and hang it on their wall. But if they've talked to the photographer, and know a bit of the story behind the image, that picture takes on  more significance. Never underestimate the power of the human connection. It's the reason people will pay serious money to go to see their favourite musical artists in concert, even though they can download their recordings for next to nothing.

     So, I've found a feature of my cool, new, shiny, retro styled, silver camera that is not mentioned in the brochure. It gets people talking. 

We talk about photography. We talk about pictures. We talk about art. 

We talk about life

...more later.