Still stuck in a parking lot

Where no one wants to go
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Here's another view of the tired old mall I explored over the weekend. The EXIF data tells an interesting, if somewhat trivial, story:

• Blue brick photo: DSC_3652 - 5:05 p.m.
• This brown brick photo: DSC_3663 - 5:09 p.m.

So 11 frames and 4 minutes separate the two. I can probably retrace the steps I took to move from the westward-facing blue wall in the first shot to the southward-positioned brown wall in the second. And in doing so tell you what I was thinking as I made the short trek and set up the second batch of shots from the crumbling concrete at the edge of the lot.

Why the hell am I sharing this? Because a photo isn't just a collection of pixels. It's the story that leads to the moment those pixels were recorded, the meta-story, if you will, that explains the context of the moment. I shoot not only because I like pretty pictures, but because the stories that surround them can matter as much as they do.

Sometimes - okay, often - I'll look back at what I shot and what I wrote, and I'll escape right back to the moments in time when I was shooting them. The people I was with. What we may have been chatting about. How I felt. Maybe about the lines of bricks and mortar. Or the unseen hands that laid them down all those years ago.

So, yeah, this is a stupid brick wall overlooking some busted shipping pallets in the corner of a ratty old building that probably should have been torn down years ago. I wouldn't want to be alone here at night, and even during the day it isn't a place I'd recommend visiting.

Yet here I am, drawing an indelible few moments in pixels. That's got to mean something to someone, even if that someone is just me.

I'm hoping, though, that you've got your own ridiculously weird places to explore, and your own unique stories to tell and retell, even if only to yourself.

It's how we navigate life. Or so I think I'm starting to figure out.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sherwood #forest #mall #architecture #design #architecturephotography #concrete #building #buildingporn #brown #brick #blue #sky #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everythıng

#IfYouReadOneThingToday - I am (not) the egg man

I'm a sucker for longform journalism, feature stories that stick themselves into your mind and never let go. And sometimes, I'll share them as part of our #IfYouReadOneThingToday series.

I was lucky to visit Las Vegas a couple of times over the past couple of years. While the work schedule kept me and my team busy for much of the day, every once in a while we'd be able to sneak some time, usually late at night, for a quick walk or visit to the admittedly indescribable world outside.

On our last trip there, a year ago November though it feels like yesterday, we were able to grab a few hours exploring the part of Las Vegas that time seems to have forgotten. We left the strip and got a glimpse of this town the way it used to be.

This article made me wish I could be walking those streets again. Maybe soon. Enjoy the read.

The Egg Men: How breakfast gets served at the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas.

By Burkhard Bilger

New Yorker

August 2005

Related:

A blinding light in the Nevada desert, November 2019

Po takes on Vegas, November 2018

Fading retail against a blue sky

Look up, anyway
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

If you haven't photo-walked around the outside of a fading local mall lately, I highly recommend it.

The architecture may seem forgettable. No one ever wrote effusively worded magazine articles when this place was built, and time hasn't done it any favors. The dollar store shoppers illegally parked in the fire lane to save themselves four steps can hardly be bothered to take in the concrete-block design as they rush inside in search of plastic wreaths and off-brand toothpaste.

Yet there's something to be said for being out here among the madding crowds, trying to coax something, anything from a haphazardly designed and built structure that's never been asked to tell its story.

I wonder if I should be here at all. So do the dollar store shoppers, who have now returned to their selfishly parked pickups and are staring at the weird guy wandering around the lot with a camera in his hand.

If they weren't so busy texting and driving, they'd be welcome to join me - safely distanced, of course - to explore a place that doesn't seem to invite exploration.

Or maybe it does, but we've convinced ourselves we're too busy to notice.

Maybe there's virtue in otherwise humble slivers of the local landscspe, going about their lives quietly, asking nothing from those who unwittingly rely on them more than they'd ever admit.

Maybe we'd all do well to wander the parking lot every once in a while and wonder about the places that shape our day-to-day lives.

#ldnont #london #whitehills #ontario #canada #sherwood #forest #mall #architecture #design #architecturephotography #concrete #building #buildingporn #blue #sky #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #health #everything

Losing the cone of shame - for now

What if I said, "Please"?
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I can't thank everyone enough for your kind wishes re. our pup, Calli, this week.

In the overall scheme of things - especially this year - a dog's injured ear probably doesn't rank as a major deal. But when you weigh all of 15 pounds and lack discernible language skills and opposable thumbs, a bloody boo-boo is still a pretty lousy speed bump in an otherwise charmed life.

She's been in her cone of shame for the entire week, and we took it off for a bit today to eyeball the injury and give her a bit of a break. She hates it, and all the explaining in the world won't make those sad eyes any happier or quiet the near-constant whimpering.

So she gets extra treats, lots of cuddles, and near-constant attention. The ear seems to be slowly trending in the right direction, and the hope is another few days in her snazzy cone will hopefully be enough.

As cones go, it's a keeper, with green paw prints and a lovely textured finish that magically doesn't get stuck on the trees and roots she inevitably goes after on her walks. We take small victories wherever we can find them.

We know all too well that this little chapter in a little life may not merit headlines. But given how much she already has on her shoulders, we nevertheless need her back at full strength.

Something tells me she understands this with absolute clarity.

Feel better soon, little one.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #calli #callitheschnauzer #dog #dogs #schnauzerpuppy #schnauzersofinstagram #schnauzergram #schnauzers #dogsofinstagram #instapuppy #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Bulrushes, part 3

Magic is everywhere
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Some folks see faces in clouds. Others see them elsewhere.

Can you see one here?

Where else have you seen faces in unusual places?

#ldnont #hyde #park #london #ontario #canada #forest #tree #trees #walkabout #stilllife #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #d750 #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Bulrushes, part 2

Start of the breakdown
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Nothing lasts forever, not even rushes growing wild in the shadows of a city too busy to notice.

So today's lesson, then, is a simple one.

Notice.

#ldnont #hyde #park #london #ontario #canada #forest #tree #trees #walkabout #stilllife #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #d750 #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Childhood bulrush memories

Welcome to the swamp
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Bulrushes dominated the landscape of the suburb where I grew up.

Back then, #Chomedey, just north of #Montreal, was a newly developed area of tract housing surrounded by forests, fields, and swamp areas. Over time, developers beat the land into submission and paved over the lovely spots. But when I was a kid, we had limitless places to explore.

Swamps being swamps, bulrushes like these were everywhere, and they made a delightful mess when we used them as makeshift swords. Yes, it was a very different era.

Fast forward to adulthood and we live in a city surrounded by wetlands and woodlots. Which means lots of bulrushes to shoot, and countless foggy memories to ponder as I compose the shot.

I guess that makes this somewhat more significant than a mere photo of a wildly growing plant. I guess photography is less about taking photos than it is a way to connect with yourself. I like how that works.

More to come...

#ldnont #hyde #park #london #ontario #canada #forest #tree #trees #walkabout #stilllife #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #d750 #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Related:

As the rush comes, October 2006

This used to be my playground, August 2013

A crumbling icon fades to black, May 2016

Reflections from a speeding train, August 2019

#InfoTechBrief Video - The EU gets serious

I'm stoked to share the latest #InfoTechBrief video from Info-Tech Research Group (link here, embed below), and hope you enjoy watching it as much as we've enjoyed creating it.

This week, we zoom in on some pending regulatory changes from the EU that will rock our world no matter where we may live.

I'll leave it to you to find the Easter egg.

 

Related: Info-Tech Research Group YouTube Channel

#IfYouReadOneThingToday - On Helping

#IfYouReadOneThingToday, make it this eye-opening piece from The Atlantic about a journalist moving heaven and earth to help the unemployed in her community.

When a News Anchor Does the Government’s Job

By Ilana E. Strauss

The Atlantic

November 26, 2020

#MediaMatters #JournalismMatters #TikkunOlam

When giant planes disappear forever

Beached whale
Toronto, ON
November 2019
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Almost a year ago to the day, I stood face-to-face with an Airbus A380 through the glass of Canada's largest airport.

I had been on a bit of a travel jag at the time, and as I've so often done while flying, I wandered the terminal and drank in the experience.

I had been studying this monster plane for much of my adult life, but had never seen one close-up and in the metal until this day. While it was humbling to think that something this large could leave the planet and cross oceans, it was even more sobering to imagine the gumption ít took to conceive - and green-light - such a project in the first place.

Because some folks don't just dream big. They act it, too, even when the math doesn't quite add up. Because history isn't always written by the mathematicians.

As I pressed my lens into the glass in a futile attempt to get this entire behemoth in-frame, little did I know what lay ahead. That the majority of these planes would soon be grounded. That Airbus would cancel the beleaguered program. That the first still-young airframes would be cut up for scrap. That the terminal around me would empty out. That the world was about to change.

When the planes return here, the A380 likely won't be among them. Airports will look irrevocably different after this is all over, as airlines retire their four-engined passenger craft in favor of far more efficient twins.

The panes of glass - where dreamers like me would gather to marvel at the outsized machines parked just outside, seemingly within reach - will never be the same. The skies, too, will look radically different. Less wondrous, even, as the queens of the skies land for the last time.

Rational craft will take their place because the math says they must. But history, legacy, and wonder will be left wanting by their absence.

#toronto #yyz #pearson #international #airport #ontario #canada #throwback #airbus #a380 #road #trip #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #flight #flying #aviation #avgeek #canon #canon_photography #canonphotography #photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Where trees stand against the sky

Let's work together
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

This stand of trees is either a stark reminder of what once was, or a silent promise of what will be.

The choice is entirely up to you.

#ldnont #hyde #park #london #ontario #canada #forest #tree #trees #walkabout #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #monochrome #stilllife #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #d750 #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

This is a test...

Background: Canada has a national emergency alert system called Alert Ready. It's a 21st century version of the old Emergency Broadcast System that used to interrupt your favorite TV shows. Except no one watches broadcast TV anymore, so an internet/mobile-enabled solution was called for.

It's been in service in Canada for a couple of years, and by and large it does the job. Except for the fact that every time it's used - either in a real emergency, or in a test as each province and territory did this week - social media lights up with complaints about the timing, the volume, the annoyance factor.

So I shared this on social media to hopefully add a little perspective:

Aaaand let the whining begin...

With all due respect to the whiners - and let's be clear, I have none - pray you never need this. And be thankful it’s there for those who do.

The subtle art of finding colour

Ready for winter
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The calendar tells us we’re way past peak autumn colour. So do our eyes.

And while the forests are no longer aflame with blazing spectra or eye-searing shades, if you stare into the woods long enough, you’ll see plenty of colour.

It may not be as bright. Or as obvious. Or overt. But it’s there. A bit more subtle. Gentle. Subdued, even.

Of course, at the end of November, no one cares anymore. They’ve gone hunting for their fall colours, found what they were looking for, and packed their cameras away for the next big event on the photographic calendar. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, the first big snow, a birthday, whatever, they’ll get the big shot or shots, then disappear.

Indeed, on this grey Saturday morning, I’m the only one here. And it strikes me as something of a lost opportunity, because the forest is still here. Maybe not as bright or obvious or headline-grabbing. But still worthy of attention in its own right.

So I stand on the sidewalk and peer into the near-but-not-quite-monochrome landscape. Because even the smaller, less obvious stories deserve to be told.

Why do I sense I’m talking about more than quiet forests on the verge of winter?

#ldnont #hyde #park #london #ontario #canada #forest #tree #trees #walkabout #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #d750 #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Escaping to an overgrown landscape

Waiting for the snow to fall
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I’m spending more time with my camera these days, deliberately picking it up and going for photowalks. On one level, I’m simply taking pictures, but on another, I’m escaping.

Since we live near woods and trails, much of my recent work features nature and landscapes. I’ll probably venture elsewhere when I’m less afraid of crossing the path of people who don’t understand the basics of physical distancing. But for now, a quiet suburban trail with no one around is a reasonable spot to go and think and shoot. Today’s shot was taken in an industrial park, further proof that you can find inspiration anywhere.

I never have an agenda or plan. I scan around me and look for things that draw my interest. I think through how I’d like to capture the scene, the story I’d like to tell. I play with settings, light, composition.

I immerse myself in something, for a few fleeting moments, that isn’t a blaring headline, or a burning deadline, or yet another example of humanity’s potential for unkindness. Sometimes I even talk myself through the process. When everything is reduced to a simple view through glass, it’s a lot easier to find focus.

Eventually I run out of time. Or get cold. Or hungry. Or my phone beeps. And the real world calls me back. But there’s always another trail to walk. Another sliver of time on the schedule. Another memory card to fill. Another opportunity to unplug for a bit and do little more than find things that look pretty.

I hope today’s image is a pretty one. I hope tomorrow I’ll be able to head out to capture some more. Because I can’t imagine not having creativity to lean on when the weight of the universe seems upon us.

#ldnont #hyde #park #london #ontario #canada #forest #tree #trees #walkabout #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #monochrome #stilllife #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #d750 #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Ear all about it

Sad clown and her beloved donut
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

As evidenced by the sad look on her face and the rather festive-looking cone of shame surrounding her head, our little guppy had a rough weekend. Which, of course, means WE had a rough weekend, too. And Monday. And...

Why all the fuss? She suffered an accidental cut to her ear, which if you've ever hung around a Schnauzer before, is one of the least desirable places to have any kind of boo-boo.

Stitches loom in her very near future, followed by some more time in the cone of shame. Needless to say, she's not the happiest of campers, and we're hovering extra closely.

Today I worked from the living room floor to ensure she wasn't alone, and she starred in a number of work-related videoconferences. Not like I need a reason to appreciate the incredible folks I work with, but it's days like this that I especially appreciate their kindness for accepting the presence of a whining dog over my shoulder.

Indeed, beyond the unplanned Microsoft Teams change-of-venue, we are remarkably blessed that it wasn't worse. And that she'll fully recover after a few miserable days.

These days, we'll take small blessings wherever we can find them. And if it means extra hugs, just because, then that's just the way it'll have to be.

If you've got any suggestions for making her smile, I'm all ears. Thanks in advance.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #calli #callitheschnauzer #dog #dogs #schnauzerpuppy #schnauzersofinstagram #schnauzergram #schnauzers #dogsofinstagram #instapuppy #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

That winter look

Here, for now
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Mother Nature got out her snowy paintbrushes again. She's quite the artist, isn't she?

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #valley #valley #forest #weather #wx #winter #snow #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Reflections by the edge of the forest

Seeking something
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Serious question: What is it about scenes like this that make us want to return to them?

If I could stand on this bridge every day and take this riverbank in, I would.

For as much as we could probably find something new with every visit, there’s comfort in knowing we can always return to places that whisper “home” to our soul.

More to come, then.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #forest #tree #trees #river #reflective #walkabout #thames #valley #parkway #tvp #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Standing guard in the fading light of the day

Where the river meets the sky
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #forest #tree #trees #goldenhour #blue #sky #walkabout #thames #valley #parkway #tvp #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

A Lightning makes some vapor

I am speed
London, ON
September 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

If you're not happy with the weather, just make your own.

When making vapor, it helps to have more than 40,000 pounds of thrust at your disposal. Even better when it's surrounded by a stealthy, sensor-laden airframe.

In this case, whoever brings this toy, wins. And the weather is always ideal when the afterburner's been lit.

#ldnont #london #airport #ontario #canada #SkyDrive #AirShowLondon #aviation #lockheedmartin #f35a #lightning #stealth #fighter #flight #aircraft #vapor #avgeek #aviationphotography #planespotting #instaplane #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #Nikon #nikonphotography #photography #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Henrietta shows her backside

Scene from a parking lot
London, ON
August 2019
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Photography isn't so much about the photo as it is the pursuit of that photo, the process it took to capture it, the hoops you had to jump through to get there.

And sometimes the usually ordinary, forgettable things you see every day suddenly look...different. Perhaps the light is unique. Or your mood has shifted. Whatever the cause, if you're into this photography thing you already know what that feels like.

It's a good feeling. Where everything kind of snaps into place in your head as you figure out how you're going to go about capturing this suddenly visible-to-you moment.

And so it was on this sunny Saturday summer afternoon where the lines and the light and the color all seemed to align, and the story shaped itself in my imagination.

Snapping the photo was the easiest part. All I had to do was answer the call in the first place.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #throwback #random #urban #suburban #street #photography #car #carporn #red #honda #civic #civicnation #henrietta #twopointoh #google #pixel2 #teampixel #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Green lane of death

Proceed at your own risk
London, ON
October 2016
This photo originally shared on Instagram

#LdnONT rarely gets the #cycling thing right. It's a city traditionally led by politicians who don't ride bikes, so they can't - or won't - empathize with those who do.

So we end up with inadequate bike infrastructure, typified by the general attitude that paint is enough. For the record, it isn't.

The green paint you see here is especially problematic, because it gets ridiculously slippery when wet. Very safe when you're braking before a major intersection, surrounded by high-speed traffic. It's great fun.

And since large flashes of colorful paint are a cheap way to convince the masses that the city is getting something done, they're popping up everywhere. Lipstick, meet pig.

Still, it does look somewhat surreal when it's just been laid down and hasn't been streaked with rubber by drivers busy with their smartphones. This would be a pretty rad shade if it were on a rec room wall and not threatening to kill us on the commute home.

Aesthetics aside, I think it's time more folks at City Hall rode their bikes to work. Then we wouldn't have to argue ourselves hoarse that there are better ways to build cities that work for everyone and not just drivers.

#LdnOntBike #london #ontario #canada #bike #bicycle #bikesofinstagram #cycle #cyclist #life #cyclingislife #forever #perspective #wheel #wheels #green #paint #notabikepath #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #health #everything

More warts. More wonder.

Jabberwocky
London, ON
September 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I don't care what anyone else calls this tree: To us, it's the Wart Tree, and I think today is as great a day as any to take another look at it*.

We'll likely never understand the biological processes that led to its uncontrolled, chaotic growth - I'm all ears if anyone knows anything about this stuff - but I believe that's part of this tree's appeal. When every answer is a Google search or Siri query away, sometimes it's nice to revel in the mystery for a bit. Because we all need more wonder in our lives.

Hmm, looking for wonder; these three words keep bouncing around my head. And as we slowly build our list of safe family activities to do over the winter months, I'll keep them in mind as we look for things to do and places to go that make us smile, make us think, and make us somewhat whole again.

Suggestions always welcome. Maybe we'll all find another Wart Tree. Or something equally wondrous.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #thames #valley #parkway #tvp #river #springbank #park #tree #trees #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

--

* Related: Visiting the Wart Tree, October 2020

Office park

Change of scenery
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Many of us lucky enough to have work these days are largely working from home. Nerdy types shorten this to WFH.

Every once in a while, though, a properly physically distanced WFA - work from anywhere - session is called for. And when the weather beckoned, I knew just the place to park myself for a couple of hours.

This is what it looked like. Po the Teletubby insisted on tagging along.

Unlike my home office, this, ah, workspace lacked extra displays, external keyboards, and a comfy office chair. There was nowhere to plug in. My Wi-Fi was my phone's hotspot, which made me look like an 8-bit Nintendo character during the one and only video meeting I dared attempt. The ergonomics were awful, and if we're being blunt, the bench got pretty uncomfortable 15 minutes in.

Yet I couldn't wipe the stupid smile from my face. I sat there in the late afternoon sun, typing away, plugged into my fave tunes, feeling more alive than I had in a while.

I smiled as quizzical strangers stared my way from a safe distance. It was glorious and strangely life-affirming. And with winter fast approaching, I doubt I'll have many more opportunities like this one.

As we ponder the darkness of an historically challenging year, I think moments like this matter more now than they might have previously. Given the advanced mobile technology we can now toss into a backpack, this kind of workspace was definitely feasible pre-lockdown. But we didn't NEED it to the degree we do now. We probably didn't appreciate that need as much, either. Didn't feel like it was anything more than a frivolous way to spend an afternoon.

These days, though, everything's different. Small things ARE the big things. Not at all frivolous. They matter more now than we might think. Yours may look different than mine, but that's beside the point. Find them, anyway.

And don't be surprised if Po asks to come with you. She promises she'll wear a mask.

#ldnont #ontario #canada #north #london #athletic #fields #remote #mobile #office #technology #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Electric sky

Sunset angles
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Power to the people. Sort of.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sky #sunset #dusk #silhouette #orange #clouds #light #weather #wx #abstract #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Standing over a suddenly snowy forest

Water in many forms
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

As you can see, it’s snowing in #LdnONT this morning, and the weather people are promising much more to come later today. The dog says bring it on, and I agree with her.

The winds were strong, and visibility was questionable, so I didn't linger long over this photo before heading back to the safety of home - and oatmeal. But in the few seconds that I had to take in the scene, I was struck by how quickly and how profoundly this resonant place not far from our home has changed. 

Not so long ago, it was ablaze in color, a veritable painting of every imaginable shade everywhere you looked. Fast-forward to today, and you're looking at a color photo of the same scene, only all that's left are varying shades of grey.

It isn't sad. Or worse. Just different.

It's another layer on a planet that seemingly has limitless numbers of them, that reinvents itself almost by the season. Or month. Or minute.

It's another example of the power and speed of change. And our responsibility to take it in.

Because soon enough, the landscape ahead of us will change yet again. And we wouldn't want to miss it for the world.

Wherever you may be, please take a moment to take it in. And think about what was and what might come next. I'm pretty sure the significance of all this extends beyond a simple photo.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #valley #valley #forest #weather #wx #winter #snow #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

#IfYouReadOneThingToday - On Michelle Obama

#IfYouReadOneThingToday, please make it this heartfelt perspective on the presidential transfer of power from ⁦none other than Michelle Obama*.

Reading her words makes me realize how much we've all been craving real, empathetic leadership for the better part of the last 4 years. Because the world needs kindness and perspective, as well as folks like her who exemplify it in their very DNA.

--

* Follow her at @MichelleObama. And check out all our #IfYouReadOneThingToday entries here.

Apple goes M1. So I shoot a video.

So Apple releases #M1-powered Macs. Our latest Info-Tech Research Group video - from my home studio - explains why this matters so much to IT, and what you must do next, no matter WHAT you use.

We call it the #InfoTechBrief, and I hope you'll watch and share. Here's the link.

And if you want to mock my new glasses, have at it :)

Small dog in a big bed

Dreaming of her toys
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Note to self: be more like her.

Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #calli #callitheschnauzer #dog #dogs #schnauzerpuppy #schnauzersofinstagram #schnauzergram #schnauzers #dogsofinstagram #instapuppy #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Crew-1 takes flight

Go Dragon. Go Resilience. Go Falcon. Go Crew-1. Safe flight and Godspeed, Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and Sochi Noguchi. Heroes all, for creating light in the darkness.

@NASA @SpaceX #ISS #Crew1 #LaunchAmerica #Space #SpaceFlight #History

Golden hour over Wonderland Road

Never again
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Every morning and every night, the skies above put on a show.

Photographers call it Golden Hour, when the dawn/dusk-tinged light takes on a soft, yellowish hue that seems to paint everything below in a near-hypnotic, ethereal tone.

You have to get outside to enjoy it. Or, if you're worried about maskholes and close-walkers, sit by a window.

But take the time. Because while the show itself may never quite play out the same way twice, it's always compelling enough to stop us in our tracks and feel tingles down our back. And it's always worth the price of admission. I wonder how the setting sun will paint our stormy skies tonight.

I guess I'll just have to look up to find out.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sky #sunset #dusk #silhouette #orange #clouds #light #weather #wx #abstract #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Peppers under glass

Grocery still life, latest in a never-ending series
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I call these fast-finds, tiny flashes or moments that present themselves to us as we go through the paces of day-to-day life.

Tightening restrictions amid spiking COVID numbers mean we're spending less time out there, more time indoors, alone, isolated. It means we've got to squeeze more light and energy out of the outdoor moments, find new ways to inspire - ourselves and others - so that we can navigate indoor life a little more easily.

So my offering is a weird still-life shot of jars of peppers at the local Farm Boy grocery store. And while I appreciate that it may seem trivial to some, I passionately believe trivial escapes like this furtive scene will help us get through the next few months.

Life is hard for many of us, perhaps more so now than ever before.

So look for the fast-finds. They're all around us, wherever we happen to be.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #grocery #store #red #pepper #peppers #jar #display #farmboy #fruitography #shopping #retail #random #stilllife #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Golden hour forest

Taking a break
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

This tree may look empty and lifeless, but looks can be - and indeed are - deceiving.

Autumn's rains will soon give way to winter's snow, and this single tree is ready for whatever comes next, hunkered down amid the silence of the forest.

Come spring, the snow will melt, and its leaves will return. And while some may see it as a return to life, that ignores the unseen vibrancy playing out beneath the surface.

We have to trust it's there. And we have to promise - ourselves and others - to return to this spot in the middle of winter's worst to remind ourselves that life has a way of prevailing under any circumstance.

I'll be returning here when it snows. You're welcome to tag along when I do.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #forest #tree #trees #goldenhour #blue #sky #walkabout #thames #valley #parkway #tvp #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Taking in the new spans

Rust in peace
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

You always remember your first time walking on a brand new bridge. Even more so when there are two new bridges to walk on, and they're 800 metres apart.

I got to do just that in north #LdnONT last week, as this long-awaited addition to the Thames Valley Parkway multiuse path system was opened to the public.

Photos, of course, needed to be taken, but the most powerful memory didn't come from what I saw. Rather, it revolved around what I felt.

See, it was an unseasonably warm autumn afternoon, and the bridge was a busy place. This being a pandemic and all, it was a little nerve wracking, but most folks kept a respectful distance. And viral risk notwithstanding, it felt good to stand amid others who were just as excited about this new structure as I was.

I could feel the movement of the crowd through my shoes as the deck flexed slightly under the load. There are very easily explained engineering reasons for this, but it was magical all the same, a tangible, safe connection to others despite living in a time of isolation.

Cyclists carefully cruised along the pathway that no longer abruptly stops in the middle of town, split by a yawning gap that forced them to battle traffic - or, just as likely, not ride at all. It was obvious this new section was already opening up the city's northeast neighborhoods. The vibrations below my feet were ample proof that something had already changed here.

I'll be riding this stretch often, silently thankful for what little attention this city pays to anyone not driving a car.

And I'll do so hopeful for a future where we feel more connected to our neighbors, and where the way we build our cities makes it easier, safer, and healthier to spend time with them.

They may be a couple of inanimate spans connected by strips of asphalt, but they're already connecting us to that better urban life ahead.

#london #ontario #canada #walkabout #thames #valley #parkway #tvp #river #cycling #cyclingislife #bridge #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

A reflectively magic school bus

Playing with yellow in the morning sun
London, ON
October 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Look into the mirror and tell me what you see.

It almost doesn't matter what you answer, for this isn't an exercise of rights and wrongs or winners and losers. Indeed, so much of life isn't.

Rather, the important thing is that you took the time to get out there and look in the first place.

#ldnont #london #hyde #park #ontario #canada #yellow #school #bus #mirror #reflective #abstract #stilllife #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #health #everything

Sunrise, sunset

Saying goodbye to one, hoping for another
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

It’s easy to stare wistfully at the glowing horizon after sunset and think tomorrow’s another day.

And while the planet will indeed spin around to greet the sun once more, those of us on its surface are never guaranteed a seat at the show.

I’m reminded of that every time I stand in a place like this. We aren’t given an infinite number of these moments. We aren’t immortal.

I have no answer to this universal truth, no way of snagging more sunsets, for myself, for anyone else. No words that can make life less finite.

So we remember the ones we’ve been given. We reach out to those who matter. If only to make each sunset, each day, that much more worthy of the fact that we were gifted it in the first place.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sky #sunset #dusk #silhouette #light #tree #abstract #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Remembering for more than just a day

In Flanders Fields
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Today we put our regular lives on hold for a couple of minutes so we could remember the sacrifices made by so many in wars in the distant past as well as more recent conflicts.

Like my late uncle, who flew C-47 Dakotas for the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War, and luckily made it back. Like so many others, who did not.

If we're being honest with ourselves, it seems like an inadequate gesture. Two minutes for a lifetime of twisted memories.

Or a life not lived at all.

We ask the members of our military to literally put their lives on the line so that we may enjoy freedom, then blithely forget about them for the other 364 days of the year.

Or we loudly proclaim our patriotism on special days, or when the camera is on, but fail to follow through in those in-between moments that matter so much more. I don't have answers today. But I'd like to think Canadians - and, frankly, citizens of any other freedom-loving country, meaning all of us - will come up with something better than periodic pomp and circumstance, followed by months of quiet ignorance.

We owe them more than that.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #remembranceday #remembrance #veterans #day #lestweforget #remember #poppy #poppies #random #urban #street #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #health #everything

Red peppers of hope

Bright pile of natural goodness
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The world is still an ugly place, so I'm still seeking out pretty things in unconventional places.

Today's find: red peppers. Please note I did not buy them all. One was enough.

Your mission: Find something similarly pretty and distracting. Shoot and share the photo. Tell us what you like about it.

We call this #TikkunOlam. Repair the world. With photography. Weird photography.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Go...

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #grocery #store #red #pepper #peppers #loblaws #fruitography #shopping #retail #random #stilllife #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Let's start colorfully

Gradient in the sky
London, ON
October 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Color has power.

To grab.

To inspire.

To heal.

So we'll start the work week with a now-vanished example I picked up while walking through the woods a few weeks ago.

I've been shooting an inordinate number of nature scenes lately, and I think I'm doing so because I'm looking for some kind of refuge. A break.

Maybe we all are.

And maybe the answer to whatever it is that drives us is color.

So where's your color? I hope you'll share.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #westminster #forest #fall #tree #trees #autumn #color #colors #blue #sky #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Pelicans, briefly

Seeking shelter from the storm
Delray Beach, FL
December 2019
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Almost a year ago, I stood on a South Florida beach and watched a line of pelicans cross the sky.

They worked together, barely moving their wings as they gracefully stayed ahead of an approaching storm.

Over the course of the afternoon, they repeatedly flew back and forth, high above the sand, silently watching the oblivious beachgoers below.

We obviously aren't going near Florida beaches anytime soon. So photos like this will have to do for now.

Hopefully our pelicans will still be there when we can finally return, quiet sentinels keeping watch over us, working as one to stay alive amid an angry planet that promises tommorow to none of us.

#delray #beach #florida #beach #throwback #road #trip #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #vacation #explore #bird #birds #pelicans #flight #wingman #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #zoom #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Saying goodbye to Alex Trebek

The colors of the autumn of life
St. Thomas, ON
October 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

News that Alex Trebek died this morning at the age of 80 didn't come as a surprise - he had been battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer - but it still feels as if Canada has lost an important voice. And I'd be remiss if I didn't share a thought here.

The longtime host of Jeopardy has long been the exemplar of the good Canadian son who achieves success afar, but never forgets where he comes from. In quintessentially Canadian fashion, most of us felt his influence.

I was part of my high school's Reach for the Top team. Think Quiz Bowl for nerdy academics. We watched game shows as part of our training, and I had stacks of VHS tapes with Alex Trebek's name on them, study material for my crash course in trivia game show technique.

We got wasted by the eventual provincial champions in the first round, but the experience represented my first taste of a television studio, and I was hooked. We'll save discussion of my on-air swear-fest for another day.

I choose to share this picture now because it reminds me that no one is guaranteed anything. We are given a set amount of time, and then it ends. Crying foul over losing cultural heroes like Alex Trebek does nothing to change the reality. It is how life works.

I'd rather focus on how he made use of the time he had, and how his inspiration, from humble Canadian roots in Sudbury to icon of a generation, ultimately inspired the minds and souls of countless folks. Including me.

The leaves you see here shrivelled and died soon after I took this picture last month. But while they were here, they mattered, and they imprinted themselves on those lucky enough to have encountered them.

If you take nothing else away from the news of Alex Trebek's passing, let it be this: He mattered. He imprinted.

Please make sure you can do the same with the time you've been given.

#AlexTrebek #Canadian #stthomas #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #elevated #park #railway #train #bridge #landscape #autumn #fall #color #colors #photography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Biden wins. History is made.

Scene from a living room
London, ON
November 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Saturday, November 7, 2020, 11:24 a.m. Eastern. Remember where you were at this moment, who you were with, what you were doing. This is what a moment in history feels like.

I'm not one to spill much ink on politics in my feed, but I'm also far from naive. As a journalism major who minored in poli-sci, I profoundly respect the role media plays in any democracy.

And listening to a wannabe-demagogue demonize media for years because he feared they stood in the way of his nakedly autocratic roadmap has been nothing short of painful.

Indeed, politics often spills over into the tech space, and I frequently write and speak about where they intersect, and what it all means. I have no intention of allowing a hate-filled rageaholic, white supremacist-baiting narcissist to further erode the very essence of who we are.

Once upon a time, I was an idealistic kid who went to j-school because I believed in the power of the craft and the ideals of those who practiced it. Trusted members of the media have always held those in power to account, and have always served a crucial role maintaining the democratic process.

The only fake news is the orange-tanned accused rapist who will soon be filling U-Hauls at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The truth will come out - his taxes, his rape cases, his criminal sham of a family business, his deadly pandemic malfeasance, you name it - all at the hands of journalists who won't stop doing what they do simply because he calls them names and dismisses them without reason or fact.

At 11:24 a.m., the tables finally turned. And we'll all remember where we were when that happened. Nothing fake about that. #election2020 #goodbyetrump #hellohope #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Just another kind of color

What once was
London, ON
October 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Conventional wisdom dictates that autumn's colors are just about gone now, and all we're left with are memories, like this one, from a few weeks ago.

But I choose to look at things somewhat differently. First, I've never been remotely conventional. So, sorry, but I'm not about to subscribe to notions whose roots are founded in... well, I'm not entirely certain.

Second, color is a relative thing. Sure, the bright, blazing colors of fall have largely given way to a more faded palette of dirty yellow and brown leaves on the ground and naked grey trees, all blanketed in a deepening, damp cold that doesn't exactly encourage reflection.

But those dirty near-monochrome yellows, browns, and greys are colors all the same. They don't jump out at us, or otherwise grab our attention, which means we just have to look for them a little harder. We have to tease out their story a bit. Or maybe rely on other cues, like shades, textures, and negative space.

So as we continue to head out into a world of ever flattening color, I remind myself that we haven't run out of opportunity. Rather, we simply need to shift our perspective so we can navigate this next chapter with just as much spirit as we did the last one, when the trees still blazed with fire.

They're still blazing, just in a more muted manner. It's our job to take the time to figure out how to tell their story as it stands now - and not lament what once was but is now lost.

Hmm, perhaps this isn't just some idle musing about shooting pictures of trees.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #westminster #forest #fall #autumn #color #colors #red #orange #green #blue #water #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Window to a vanished past

If this glass could talk
Hyde Park, London, ON
October 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Walk the neighborhood.

Slowly.

Stare intently at old buildings.

Without being creepy, of course.

Muse to yourself about who lives there now.

Or may have lived there before we were even alive.

Imagine who might have looked out this window.

Wonder about the lives they led.

And the stories they might have told.

We'll likely never know.

But we're here today.

And nothing stops us from telling our own stories.

About being on the outside looking in.

So do tell.

#ldnont #london #hyde #park #ontario #canada #architecture #design #architecturephotography #century #old #building #brick #window #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #dslr #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #health #everything