One last look at the beach

Erosion in action
Grand Bend, ON
September 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I don't know how many years it's taken Lake Huron to wear these impossibly diverse stones down to the form you see here, but I thought it might be worth a closer look.

Floating on multicolored water

Come sail away
Port Stanley, ON
September 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Everyone and everything has a story, but from the outside looking in - or from far away onshore - it isn't always apparent.

Maybe it's meant to be for me to stand with my feet in the sand, wondering who's out there, where they're going, and why.

Two F-16s and one fast car

Viper on Viper
London, ON
September 2018
Photo originally shared on Instagram

Anyone who's been following me for any length of time knows about my love of anything that flies. And among flying machines, the F-16 Fighting Falcon ranks at the very top of my must-see list. It's a rare designed-to-a-purpose bird that, in its nearly 40 years of service, has managed to remain fairly closely aligned with its original mission.

While its official name is "Fighting Falcon", pilots often call it the "Viper". So when, at the London International Airshow I noticed one of the event vehicles - a Dodge Viper - driving past the USAF Viper Demo team aircraft along the flight line, I couldn't resist taking the shot.

I'm not sure what a V-10-powered sports car has in common with an F-100-PW-229-powered multirole fighter jet, but the name-familiarity alone made it a moment I didn't want to forget.

Go flight!

Thematic Photographic 424 - Green!

Leafy goodness - for now
London, ON
September 2018
Photo originally shared on Instagram

In advance of the Northern Hemisphere going bonkers over the fall colors, I wanted to take one last opportunity to remind myself that green is a color, too, and it also deserves to be celebrated. Mundane and everyday? Yes, that's the point.

It’s also the foundation for this week’s Thematic theme, green. I haven’t focused on colors much, of late, and I’m hoping to change that not only this week, but in the near future. Because there’s something to be said for looking closely at all the shades, tones, and variations of a color and having a little photographic fun with it.

Your turn: So what’s next? Take a pic with green in it. How you interpret the theme is entirely up to you - as long as you enjoy the process, we’re good. Post it to your blog, website or social media account, then leave a comment here to let everyone know where to find it. Visit other participants to spread the photographic fun. If you’re into hashtags, spread the word using #ThematicPhotographic. If you're new to this, head here. And thank you for making Thematic such a highlight!

Flight into the wind

Three birds of a feather
Port Stanley, ON
August 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

You can learn a lot about life by watching Canada Geese launch themselves headlong over the crashing surf and into the windy sky.

Good metaphor for a new week, I think.

Red skies at night, revisited

When the sky puts on a show
London, ON
September 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

As we stepped out the front door to run an errand last night, the landscape seemed to be bathed in a surreal yellowish glow. It happens every once in a while in our area, and when it does, you'd best look up to catch an especially vibrant sunset and twilight.

Since our house is surrounded by trees, we needed a different venue to shoot the moment. Thankfully I have a deeply understanding wife, because when we got in the car and I asked her to "bear with me for a quick sec," she knew exactly what I wanted to do.

I drove a couple of blocks out of our way and parked in a nearby parking lot, then quickly ran over to the adjacent park and shot some pics of the now-wide-open sky. I was done in under a couple of minutes, and soon we were back on our way.

As we drove on, the sky gradually darkened and the glow quickly disappeared, the moment slipping into the past before our very eyes. I quietly reflected on how lucky I am to be married to someone who appreciates why we need to stop and freeze time every once in a while.

Hornets, Galaxies and Extenders, oh my

Crowded parking lot
London, ON
September 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

A pile of curvy, expensive, awe-inspiring metal. Simple, really.

Sit, Calli, sit. Good girl!

Early-morning puppy moment
London, ON
September 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Someone listened especially well on her walk this morning. Perhaps it's an inconsequential thing when measured against the crushing load of seriousness being borne by the rest of the planet.

But in the Zen-like bubble that encompasses me and this somewhat bonkers Schnauzer puppy as we walk the sleepy neighborhood in the early morning, it's enough to make me smile. Perhaps that's sufficient.

Your (stolen) chariot awaits

No shopping here
London, ON
September 2018
Photo originally shared on Instagram

Every time you see one of these on the street, you can be sure of one thing: It's stolen. While some may call it a victimless crime, we all end up paying more for our groceries to cover store losses. And these things aren't cheap.

Still, this one looked kinda neat sitting forlornly on an Adelaide Street sidewalk.

Let them eat (lots of) cake

Eat dessert first
London, ON
September 2018
This photo originally shared in Instagram

Never miss an opportunity for a piece of honey cake. Or two.

From the Wright Flyer to Strike Eagles

Tails up, elevators down
London, ON
September 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The traditions of aviation are, to me, just as - and often even more - fascinating than the technology and the physics.

There's an easter egg in this one, and if the sight of F-15s could ever make me tear up, this was the day.

Ladders and shadows

Grab on
London, ON
September 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Metaphors for life, baking in the morning sun behind a half-abandoned strip mall:

1. No matter what you're climbing, take it one rung at a time.
2. Cast a giant shadow along the way.

Warthog in low-level flight

Thunderbolt & lightning, very, very frightening
London, ON
September 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The best tool for any job isn't necessarily the prettiest. It's usually found in a dusty corner, scratched, scraped and banged up from hard, honest use, hardly something you'd put on a pedestal.

But pretty doesn't save lives when the enemy is metres away. Pretty doesn't return its pilots home with chunks torn out of the airframe. Pretty doesn't instill fear and respect by simply showing up. Indeed, I think pretty needs a new definition, because every time I see an A-10, I think this is what pretty, in an aviation sense, needs to be.

Grey plane flies, quickly, into a grey sky

Light 'em up
London, ON
September 2018
Photo originally shared on Instagram

Turn. Burn. With a bit of vapor thrown in for good measure.

Sidewalk, chalk, and a dog

Not the actual artist
London, ON
September 2018
Photo originally shared on Instagram

The world was particularly nasty this week - and promises to continue to be nasty well into the weekend, and likely beyond. So I'm offering up a random moment in our dog's life as an antidote.

Calli came across some sidewalk chalk art on a walk earlier this week, and I thought it was worth remembering. Because sidewalk chalk is awesome, and the kids who put their smartphones down and head outside to share their temporary art with the 'hood should be knighted. Or at least thanked for the smiles.

I'm not so naive as to believe that one photo - this one or any other - will fix what ails the world. But if this spontaneous moment in the life of a dog brings one smile to one person, then perhaps the ball will begin to roll in the right direction. Can't hurt, right?

Birthday girl

#LoveHer
London, ON
September 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

It's my wife's birthday today. I kinda celebrate every day with her, but the end of an orbit and the beginning of another merits an even bigger celebration. Whatever the day, she deserves it. And, selfishly, I get another day, another year, of staring into this face. Lucky me.

Messy brown water

Impressionistic waves
Port Stanley, ON
August 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I'll just come right out and say it: We're pretty avid beach people. Living less than an hour's drive from two Great Lakes - Erie to the south and Huron to the north - makes day trips to the shore an easy family decision.

When we go, Dahlia and I take our cameras, and at one point during the day we go for a wander to see what we can capture. As a parent, I cling tightly to rituals like this one, and count my lucky stars we have kids who appreciate why small-ish experiences like walking the beach with a camera with dad matter as much as they do.

We stood on the pier for a while, talking about the rushing waves for a while, swapping strategies for getting the right kind of composition, the right kind of mood. Looking at this particular frame, I think not so much of the surreal-looking result, but of the conversation that spawned it, and the magic my kid manages to create every time she and I sling the straps over our shoulders and head out.

 

21 trips around the sun

Serious by the water
Vermilion Bay, ON
July 2018

I'm not supposed to embarrass my kids, so I'll be brief: Today is our daughter's 21st birthday.

Dahlia came into the world a tiny, beautiful being with eyes that wouldn't let go from the moment we first caught her gaze. She's since grown into a less-tiny being, even more beautiful inside and out, and those eyes still captivate.

She's always seen the world through her own lens. Like her mom, she's limitlessly kind, fiercely creative, sharply intelligent, with a wicked sense of humor and an ability to connect with anyone of any age. Watching her with kids reminds me of Debbie - that teacher's gift. She has it.

If she's your friend, she's your friend forever. She's always been something of an old soul, and time spent with her is always time you wish you had more of. Whether it's barely sunrise and we're getting ourselves and the dog ready for the day, or we're running errands in the car on the way home, or we're just walking the beach with our cameras, talking about the possibilities and the technical challenges of bringing decent pixels home, moments with her matter.

Parents are always proud of their kids because, well, they're theirs. But when I get stopped by friends, colleagues and strangers alike so they can gush about what a fundamentally good person our daughter is, I've got to think that somewhere along the way, the universe saw fit to bless us with not just a child, but a truly special one.

I blinked and 21 years went by, but I'm thankful she's grown into such an accomplished, beloved individual. It's all any parent can wish for.

Your turn: Feel free to drop her a line on her Facebook page or Instagram account. Tell her Dad sent you :)

Post-industrial-age lunch room

Timeless inside and out
London, ON
July 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

This is The Factory, a 21st century indoor playzone for thrill-seeking adults that was built out of the bones of an old Kellogg's cereal factory after modern-era kids decided breakfast cereal wasn't cool anymore.

I shot this in the renovated cafeteria, and I'm thinking a return trip is in order so I can continue to explore this amazing place with a lens.

Whatever else I find, this particular image reminds me what an epic place this is to ponder life before heading back to work.

Punching a hole in the sky

I feel the need for speed
London, ON
September 2017
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Flashback to last year's #usnavy F/A-18F Super Hornet demo at @airshowlondon.

The camera's ready for another go at it tomorrow. Apologies in advance for my photographic/avgeek exuberance.

Storm's coming

Angry sky over a peaceful land
St. Thomas, ON
August 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I shot this from the parking lot of Shaw's Ice Cream. This place is an institution, an iconic stop along the way home from the day at Port Stanley Beach, and an important memory for our kids. So it was a given that we'd pop in on the way home from a day at the shore.

As it was, we left the beach early as the threatening clouds began to gather. A combination of a worrywart dad and highly precise weather radar apps on my phone meant I didn't want to chance getting caught in a southern Ontario thunderstorm. As we drove north, we watched the skies darken still further.

They opened up seconds after we finished our cones, jumped into the car and got back on the road. But thankfully Mother Nature left me just enough time - about 10 seconds, by my post-event estimate - to compose and shoot this shot across the road as the winds picked up and we could feel the first droplets of rain. Sometimes you get lucky.

Caught a horse in a parking lot

Mustang Sally
London, ON
August 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Subtle, well-executed design shows itself when we least expect. But are we taking the time to notice?

Drama in the sky

Duelling clouds
Port Stanley, ON
August 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

You're never too old to lie back and stare at the clouds. You never know what surprises lie in store above you.

Thematic Photographic 423 - On the street

Urban chaos
London, ON
August 2018
Photo originally shared on Instagram

I've been doing a lot of walking around this summer. Working in a new neighborhood on the edge of the downtown core has given me ample reasons to wander the streets in search of new sources of inspiration. While some of it is big, brassy, and new, this week's Thematic launch photo suggests that isn't always the case. You're looking at the back of a row of buildings that front onto tony Richmond Street (aka Richmond Row.) IMHO, the front-facing parts don't hold a candle to the laneway you see here.

In fact, the view is often more interesting when you get around the back of a thing and peer beneath the literal and figurative covers. Facades are pretty thin, after all, and all it takes is a quick walk along virtually any street to confirm that very simple fact.

Your turn: This week's Thematic theme, On the street, celebrates the random or not-so-random pics we shoot when we're out and about. If it's a street view, we want to see it. Post it to your blog, website or social media account, then leave a comment here letting everyone know where to find it. Visit other participants and feel free to invite a friend along for the ride. To learn more about how Thematic Photographic works, head here. Otherwise, happy shooting!

A Hippo makes an unexpected visit

Search and rescue
Port Stanley, ON
August 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Most beach days involve little more than sitting under an umbrella trying to avoid being burned to a crisp by a certain nearby star. And maybe some snacks. And an occasional visit by a seagull.

Yesterday's, however, involved a bit of a surprise: a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130 Hercules did a couple of passes along the Port Stanley Beach because...well, we're not really sure. But it made our day.

The urban jumble

Chaos theory
London, ON
August 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Peering into a downtown laneway always makes me wonder about who lives here, and what stories they would tell. 

Eyes open, wings up

Am I pretty or what?
Port Stanley, ON
August 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

On our most recent family visit to the beach, I was back at it with my camera, stalking birds and generally making a nuisance of myself.

Sea gulls aren't exactly exotic, yet for reasons I cannot explain, I continue to come back to them whenever I'm looking for a bird fix with my camera. I guess I just like them.

Don't need much more of a reason than that, right?

Where brick meets sky

Straight up
London, ON
August 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Life is about finding time in between everything else to do the things that inspire you. Like pretty much everybody on the planet these days, I don't have a lot of free time. I can't just drop everything and do photo shoots wherever and whenever I want.

Instead, I try to grab the opportunities as they present themselves. Like when my daughter was getting together with a friend for coffee. I dropped her off, then wandered the neighborhood for a couple of hours. She texted me when she was done, and on the way home I told her about the couple of gigs of pixels I had captured through the lens.

What's funny is this wasn't one of those neighborhoods that offered up anything particularly interesting. A major intersection where two of London's busiest arterial roads meet, and huge expanses of big box retail have been built in just a few years. The amount of energy here is overwhelming, but the architecture is hardly memorable.

But you do what you can with what you've got. So I walked behind one of the big box stores and eyeballed the brick wall carefully from the desolate parking lot. The occasional vehicle cruised on by, but I was largely on my own. The sun was setting, casting its perfect golden hour light on the giant stretch of red brick. I immediately knew it was worth coming here.