Pretty frozen

Step outside, look up
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The world is ugly.

So let’s find the pretty.

Wherever it may be.

Whatever it may look like.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #ice #icicle #works #winter #weather #wx #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

City of (No) Music

Silence
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

#LdnONT made headlines last year when it was designated a UNESCO City of Music.

Yet small venues here continue to shut their doors, further reducing the ability of new artists to connect with and cultivate their audiences.

This is, or was, Call the Office, and its stage, like so many others in town in recent years, has gone silent.

You'd think the so-called City of Music would have a plan to ensure venues like this continue to thrive.

You'd think wrong.

#london #ontario #canada #building #architecture #architecturephotography #buildingporn #architectureporn #urban #city #downtown #night #streetphotography #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

If only Putin listened to the t-shirt

Sigh...
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Be a good human. The words on a simple pink child’s t-shirt stop me dead in my tracks.

This should be an obvious one, right?

Then why do so many get it wrong?

Why does history repeatedly allow them to get away with it?

#StandWithUkraine #ldnont

Show us your dog

You promised me a treat
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram and Facebook

Fact: the world would be a better place if everyone had a dog.

We’ll start with this one.

Feel free to share yours.

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

Reflecting on a world on fire

Light > Darkness. Always.
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

As day gives way to night, we hold onto the light as best we can.

Darkness can never win. The light inevitably returns.

#StandWithUkraine #ldnont

After the fall

Gravity's frozen aftermath
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

You learn many things when you take a tumble on an icy sidewalk. Here are 4, in particular:

1. People are fundamentally good: two women in separate vehicles pulled over and ran over to me to make sure I was OK. Wouldn't continue on their way until they were absolutely certain I was fine. I thanked them both more times than I can remember, and the second one said, "We’re all neighbors. We always watch out for each other."
2. Technology is incredible: I wear a Garmin watch, and it has a fall detection feature that texts and emails a specific contact - with precise GPS coordinates - if it a) detects an incident, and b) you don't answer it within a predetermined timeframe.
3. I owe my wife an apology: The notification from my watch scared the bejeebers out of her. She has the patience of a Saint.
4. Our streets aren't safe: For a city in the middle of the so-called snow belt, we do a terrible job keeping the streets and sidewalks clear of snow and ice. It renders the streetscape virtually inaccessible to the disabled for large chunks of the year, which is inexcusable and unforgivable.

The good news is I'm fine. Shaken up a bit, but otherwise OK. This life thing doesn't come without the occasional bump and bruise, and I'm lucky this particular one had a happy ending, with a few learnings mixed in for good measure.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #random #street #night #snow #winter #weather #wx #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Branches on a snowy afternoon

Waiting for the season to change
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Winter may represent one of the more challenging seasons for photographers. And on occasion it'll downright mess up even the most carefully laid photographic plans.

But it's still quite the kick to get out there and at least try to make it work. The results may never be what we intended - or even come remotely close - but photography is hardly the only human endeavor that rarely plays out as we expect.

I have no idea if this photo represents my best work, and if we're being brutally honest I don't much care one way or the other. I enjoyed the process of capturing it, my wife liked it, and every time it shows up in my feed, the memory makes me smile.

That's all I need.

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #walkabout #forest #tree #trees #window #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #weather #wx #winter #snow #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Russia invades Ukraine: world hasn't learned

Not a happy day on Planet Earth today, as Russia invaded Ukraine in what is likely the most geopolitically dangerous unilateral action since the Second World War.

I wasn't around in the 1930s, but I suspect this is what it felt like to watch tyranny unleash itself on countries and people whose only sin was being in the wrong place on the planet. Or being the wrong, you know, religion or culture.

I similarly suspect today, the day that Russian dictator (please, let's not mince words) Vladimir Putin, ordered his troops to invade Ukraine, will be remembered in history as yet another turning point where the world crossed the line from blissful ignorance to cruel realization of an inhuman reality.

I remember the former Soviet Union collapsing under its own weight in 1989. I watched the incredible scenes of the Berlin Wall being torn down, and I wondered if once-Soviets-now-Russians could really change their stripes overnight.

Hatreds going back hundreds of years don't simply vanish in a blink, and to assume that those who ran the machinery of a limitlessly oppressive, paranoid, and corrupt USSR would suddenly see the democratic light and join the rest of the world in a sort-of-post-Cold-War rendition of Kumbaya struck me as more than a little idealistic.

Just over 32 years since the fateful fall of the Iron Curtain, it's now clear that little has changed. Putin was simply biding his time.

The world now faces a stark choice: allow it to happen, and thus virtually guarantee Putin and his sycophants a license to continue their campaign of European expansion, or draw a line in the sand and reinforce the fact that the world of 2022 is very different than the world of the 1930s.

Today, I'm not convinced it is. And that should frighten us all, wherever we live, to our very core.

Red car door handle

Dirty Henrietta
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram
 

Grab on. Get in. Go.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #henrietta #honda #filthy #red #car #carporn #automotive #parking #lot #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:

Light the way home, January 2020

Frosty the doorman, November 2018

Dirty Miata in Deerfield, May 2018

Thematic Photographic 199 - Got the blues, June 2012

The Heartbeat of America, March 2012

Slickly wet logo, February 2012

Every boy's dream, July 2011

History on wheels, June 2011

Forget the Oscars...the Impala's the thing, February 2011

Thematic Photographic 1 - Automotive, June 2008

Parked curves, August 2007

Snow kidding

Shaped by the wind
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Facebook and Instagram

The best things in life are surprisingly elemental.

Start by dropping the temperature way up in the sky.

Mix in some moisture.

Whip it around with a bit of wind.

Then finally brush it with some early morning sunlight.

That’s it. Air, water, wind, and light.

We just have to remember to notice it when it happens.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #snow #white #blizzard #storm #onstorm #drift #texture #frozen #winter #walkabout #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #stilllife #monochrome #photography #apple #iPhone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Technical adjustment now complete

The real me
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Aaand we’re back…

Had a bit of a cybersecurity adventure over the past couple of days, as my Instagram account had been compromised by a cryptocurrency-swilling hacker who pretended - badly - to be me.

Many thanks to everyone who reached out, submitted reports, and made sure I was still, you know, me.

Thanks to the good folks at Meta, particularly Alex Kucharski, who worked miracles to resolve my case. My account is thankfully restored.

So let’s get back to the serious business of sharing pixels and words, shall we? We’ll start with photographic proof that this is actually me.

Onward…

P.S. Consider this your reminder to activate 2FA (2-factor authentication) on ALL of your online accounts. If you aren't sure what that is, hit me up with a DM.

Pause for technical adjustment

UPDATE - FEB 22 1:35 PM:

All fixed. I have regained control of my Instagram account (instagram.com/carmilevy) and all is once again as it should be.

Back to pixel-pushing.

--

Apologies if you're following me on Instagram and are getting weird messages from me.

Please ignore them: they are NOT legit - so please do NOT click on any links or follow any instructions.

I'll let you know when it's really me. Thanks! Carmi (the real one)

Towering peaks close to home

Natural, with a little help from humankind
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

There’s a new mountain range in the neighborhood.

Unfortunately it probably won’t be hanging around as long as we’d like. All mountains are temporary, after all, but some are just a bit more temporary than others.

So we’ll enjoy it while it’s here, and remember it well, long after it’s gone.

Why do I get the sense this isn’t just about an artfully piled-up pile of snow at the edge of a parking lot?

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #snow #white #blizzard #storm #onstorm #drift #texture #frozen #winter #walkabout #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #stilllife #monochrome #photography #apple #iPhone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Textured snow across the street

Forces of nature, visualized
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

While we slept, another wintry blast rolled through the region and reshaped the landscape.

Mother Nature is apparently quite the sculptor. I wonder what she’ll come up with next.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #snow #white #blizzard #storm #onstorm #drift #texture #frozen #winter #walkabout #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #stilllife #monochrome #photography #apple #iPhone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

One tough leaf

Holding on...
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I feel for that single leaf, clinging defiantly to the tiny rock in the middle of the rushing creek.

I know: it's just a leaf. And a forgotten, shrivelled-up one at that. It's the middle of freaking winter, and no sane person goes into the woods intending to take pictures of...leaves.

But sometimes we just see random stuff along the way, and after we get home and look over the stories we've just told, it's okay to wonder whether this is the universe's way of tapping us on the shoulder.

Maybe it's something. Or maybe it's nothing and I'm simply wasting my and everyone else's time.

But imagine if we never looked out at the water at all. Or asked whether or not the things we see have meaning. Or asked existential questions like this in the first place.

That's not an existence I'm willing to entertain. And if you've read this far, I'm guessing you feel the same way.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #forest #thames #river #valley #tree #winter #weather #wx #water #waves #texture #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Drinking it in, figuratively

The things we see...
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

There’s something very Zen-like about hanging out beside flowing water for a while and just staring at its ever changing surface.

I don’t do this enough, and as I stand in the snow, alone in the middle of this heavily forested river valley, I resolve to get out here more often.

The human brain is an amazing thing, because it is remarkably adept at blocking out the things that don’t matter so we can focus on the things, in the moment, that do.

Assuming, of course, that we give ourselves the time, space, and energy to allow that to happen.

Noted.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #forest #thames #river #valley #tree #winter #weather #wx #water #reflective #reflection #texture #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Could have been a beaver

Where I stare at rocks in the middle of a river
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

It was a terrible time and place to shoot.

Lousy light. Bitter cold. The only worthwhile subject was the smallish river that created this entire valley.

I wanted to shoot the water, but needed to get up close and personal because I’m stupid like that.

I also didn’t want to drown. Or get soaked. Or ruin my equipment. Or otherwise have to explain my stupidity upon returning home.

So I walked carefully and kept my distance. Which made for crappy, generic photos that wouldn’t even qualify for inserts in the frame section at Walmart. I hadn’t drowned (yay!) but my pictures were awful (boo!)

Then I noticed how low the water was. Which meant maybe I could find an exposed, gravelly stretch along the bank. Which would solve my get-close-but-safely conundrum.

Sure enough, I found a couple of great spots. And before long I was happily shooting low-angled textured-water, tight depth of field scenes because in that moment they spoke to me in ways nothing else could.

These rocks probably won’t be visible in a couple of days, as a major winter storm now blanketing the region will likely push water levels way up. Or maybe they’ll disappear entirely. I’ll just have to go for another walk after the storm warnings get taken down.

The day still sucked for photography, but just being out there and working through this admittedly ridiculous creative process made it an experience I won’t soon forget.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #forest #thames #river #valley #tree #winter #weather #wx #water #waves #texture #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Mercury on textured water

Reflecting the forest above
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I’ll apologize now for all the water pics in my feed this week.

Sometimes my head just gets wrapped around something, and exploring it for a bit seems to make me feel a little better about Planet Earth and my place on it.

In this case, I keep coming back to that fact that water is clear and colourless, yet if the conditions are just right, and you stand right there, and you look at it just so, it’ll take on a completely new and different look.

Like a mirror. Like liquid mercury. Like magic, really.

Because we all need magic. Indeed, I need magic. And this, to me, is magical.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #forest #thames #river #valley #tree #winter #weather #wx #water #reflective #reflection #texture #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Down by the rushing waters

Depth of field, visualized
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Running water has its own sound, energy, texture.

But you'd never know it if you didn't crouch down just so by the edge of the river and get as close as possible to it.

Down here, the air, churned by the water beneath it, just feels different. Cleaner. Fresher, even.

I can't describe it. Nor can I ever come close to capturing it in a photo. You’ll just have to trust me. And maybe when the weather's right, you'll get to experience it first-hand.

Safely, of course.

For now, enjoy the scene from one of my favorite stretches of running water.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #forest #thames #river #valley #tree #winter #weather #wx #water #waves #texture #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Not-so-still waters

Almost frozen, infinitely textured
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Time moves quickly when you find yourself standing in a valley amid the fading light of a late winter afternoon.

Even now, 45 minutes before sunset, it's clear the camera - and by extension the person holding it - is fighting a losing battle. Because sunset comes earlier when you can't even see the horizon.

So you look for elements that harness the light. Accentuate it. Reflect it. That take what little is still there and make it an iota more workable. So you can squeeze out a few more scenes before calling it quits for the night.

The river offers up an easy answer. So I look for the perfect spot, the one that reflects the light just so. I shuffle in every direction to find that magical point in space, careful to avoid going for an unplanned swim in the freezing current.

I’m here for barely two minutes before my fingers lose feeling amid the increasingly bluish light. I tuck the camera away and bury my hands deep in my pockets, thankful to have had even a blink of time to take this spectacle in.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #forest #thames #river #valley #tree #winter #weather #wx #water #reflective #reflection #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:

Watching water tumble endlessly, December 2020

Playing with light, water, and time, May 2020

Stare into the reflective waters, December 2019

Stopping by the river to take in the view, October 2019

Ripples are limitless, October 2017

Blackfriars - one last time, October 2017

Brushed by time, September 2017

Flashback to reflections of autumn, September 2017

Shadows on the water, December 2012

Thematic Photographic 13 - Watery, August 2008

Colors and reflections, October 2007

Finding peace in the snowy valley

Cold comfort
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Today was a day that begged for some shutter therapy.

Which explains how I found myself wandering alone through a nearby valley as the sun slowly settled into the western sky.

The river cut a meandering path through the tall forest, its banks blanketed white, the rocks amid the current flecked with tendrils of ice. As the shadows gradually lengthened, the snow reflected an increasingly soft, blue light as the cold settled into my fingers and the landscape prepared for the night.

All I could hear was the burbling water from below competing with the wind in the branches above, a soundtrack that felt infinitely more chill than the relentless drone of traffic that typically defines life here.

Get deep enough into this wondrous place and any trace of urban life seems to fade into oblivion. It’s a blessed change of pace, a reminder that nature holds powers no city can ever hope to match.

Soon enough it was time to head back to the everyday, but not before promising myself I’d be returning here more often.

Because the world - and the people who live in it - can often be harsh, unkind, and unfair This place, though, is the perfect antidote.

Where’s your escape? What’s it like to be there?

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #forest #thames #river #valley #tree #trees #blue #sky #winter #weather #wx #cathedral #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Bagels, possessed

Must be some misunderstanding
London, ON
July 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Disclosure: I'm a bit of a grammar snob.

Granted, I'm a CANADIAN grammar snob. So while part of me cries a little inside when I come across tragic boo-boos like this one, I'm too polite to actually mention it in-person.

So cue this somewhat passive-aggressive social media vignette. Technology for the win, I guess.

Besides, I'd rather be kind than right, and nothing irks me more than someone who lords their knowledge over the rest of us, but looks like an idiot in the process.

So as far as I know, this sign still has the same misplaced apostrophe it had when I first shot this around 18 months ago. But I have it on good authority that the bagels are pretty decent.

Well, they're not Montreal bagels, but they'll do, no matter what's on the sign.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #throwback #bagel #food #foodie #foodporn #instafood #foodphotography #foodstagram #random #retail #stilllife #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Finding the perfect asparagus amid the chaos

They're good for you, too
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Grocery shopping in the pandemic age can be a tense affair.

We no longer hang around the store for funsies. Nor do we wander the aisles endlessly searching for ever more elusive varieties of guacamole and unicorn-themed birthday cake sprinkles. Seriously, look that last one up. It's a thing.

Rather, we get what we need, then get out. The less time we spend exposed to strangers too brain-challenged or unkind (or more likely both) to stay far outside our personal space, the better.

Governments, after all, can’t mandate common sense.

Sure, we could order it all online and have it delivered. But I just don’t want some anonymous store employee picking my fruits and vegetables. And I’d hate to miss tiny moments like this one by the asparagus display, where the combination of color, texture, and light somehow makes an ordinary moment rather extraordinary.

I don't know why, either. But when we look back at this chapter in history, I hope we choose to remember it by more than the dark clouds that dogged us throughout. We should also define this time by the unexpected jabs of color and light that we found in the most unexpected of places.

We owe it to ourselves - and those who rely on us - to look harder for them, and to celebrate them whenever we find them.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #metro #cherryhill #grocery #store #fruit #vegetables #green #asparagus #texture #fruitography #shopping #retail #random #stilllife #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:

Orange pepper still life, May 2021

Eat your vegetables, will ya? December 2019

It's Spuds MacKenzie! August 2019

Thematic Photographic 316 - Food from the earth, November 2014

When stuff looks like an animal, 163rd in a series, November 2014

Found: Cover art for my next horror film, November 2014

A little extra zing, November 2014

I yam what I yam, December 2013

Radiccio, February 2007

A loving gaze at Hussey Block

History on display
Saute Ste. Marie, ON
October 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

What is it about lovingly preserved historic buildings that touches us so?

I can't explain the appeal of buildings like this one, the Hussey Block in Sault Ste. Marie's downtown. Nor can I fully understand how a structure built long before any of us was born can silently attract our attention and prompt us to stop whatever it is that we're doing.

I've stopped counting how many times I've just stood there and stared.

I'm just glad every time I come across one of these places. Because it isn't a given that they'll still be here tomorrow.

Which, I guess, is a bit of a metaphor for the rest of our existence, then.

#saultstemarie #ontario #canada #throwback #roadtrip #travel #travelphotography #building #architecture #architecturephotography #buildingporn #architectureporn #design #lines #brick #urban #city #downtown #streetphotography #photography #canon #canon_photography #canonphotography #instagood #photooftheday #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:

This old house (for now), June 2021

Old brick wall. Many stories. January 2021

Watching architectural history rot, October 2019

Stark brick against a brilliant sky, August 2019

When stores die on Yonge Street, April 2019

Historic glass in a transient space, December 2018

Epic battle between dark and light, December 2013

Home of the Big Gulp, December 2011

Thematic Photographic 166 - Triangular, October 2011

Walking alone on a dark New York street, June 2010

Windows on San Francisco, August 2008

Wordless Wednesday - Vanishing, August 2008

Of times gone by, August 2008

When icicles melt...

Inevitability on display
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

You know that moment when you say or do something, and you immediately realize you shouldn't have?

You wish you could somehow take it back, undo what you've done, or otherwise turn back time.

That's the feeling I get when I watch water drip from the bottom of an icicle and accelerate downward.

There is, of course, no arguing with the laws of physics, particularly gravity. And once that droplet lets go, what happens next is as inevitable as day and night. That tiny glob of water, perfectly reflecting the world around it, has a date with the ground, in this case, in about a second.

So, no, there is no going back. No undoing of what's been done. No reverse or delete button. No making something whole again after an integral piece of it has been lost.

And I can't help but wonder how this simple example of phase change outside our front door holds a broader lesson for us all.

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #ice #icicle #works #winter #weather #wx #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Staring at a screen in the bitter cold

Reviewing my work in the field
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Once upon a time, we took pictures and held our breath for hours and days and weeks in the hope that they came out.

Because there were no screens on the backs of our cameras. Only doors that, if you opened them at the wrong time, would turn your carefully captured moments into optical mush.

Once upon a time, we couldn't stand in the middle of nowhere and review our work in real-time, edit it as if we were in a darkroom, or share our work with the world.

Once upon a time we didn't have cameras built into phones that slipped in and out of our pockets that would have outshot those once-state-of-the-art cameras we coveted on the shelves of a department store or the glossy pages of a catalog.

Once upon a time we shopped at department stores and in catalogs.

Once upon a time we wondered about a future filled with science-fiction-like technologies that erased distances and opened up possibilities.

Sunday afternoon, I stood on the side of a frozen suburban street and lived it.

Wonder lives all around us. We owe it to ourselves to appreciate what we have, and how far we've come.

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sun #sunset #sky #weather #wx #silhouette #walkabout #forest #tree #trees #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #meta #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:

Second look - the meta shot, November 2021

A picture of a picture of a smoky sun, July 2021

Gelt to the rescue, December 2020

Meta cherries on the kitchen table, December 2020

The other side of sunset

Look away from the light
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

When the setting sun is putting on a show just above the western horizon, we owe it to ourselves to look the other way.

I’ve always been a contrarian, anyway, hence this fast peek at the house behind my back. Those windows burned like this for just a few seconds before the show was over.

The lesson: inspiration blazes in the places most of us rarely look. And it doesn’t hang around for long.

So don’t be like the most of us. Don’t be afraid to look where others choose not to.

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sun #sunset #sky #window #reflection #walkabout #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:

Reflecting in a frozen parking lot, December 2020

Reflecting the neighborhood, August 2019

Why we take the time to stare up at reflective buildings, May 2019

Stop and freeze the sky, January 2017

Saying goodbye to summer, April 2014

No more cookies for you, September 2012

Stripes on mirrored glass, August 2008

One last show before nightfall

Goodnight, Mr. Sun
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Lessons from a late Sunday afternoon wander through the neighborhood: 

1. When the sky puts on a show just before tucking itself in for the night, get outside to take it all in.
2. Even if it's at the end of your street.
3. If you're Canadian, bring your gloves. It's cold out there.
4. Try to avoid looking like a stalker as your neighbors stare out their windows in suspicion.
5. Have patience. Long after the sun sets, it can still put on a show.
6. Don't just look to the western horizon. There's wonder all around, too.
7. Listen. Nature's singing, but rarely do we take the time to hear it.
8. At some point, cradle the camera and appreciate it for the magical tool that it is.
9. Be thankful that you get to do this at all.
10. Recognize that photography is a metaphor for life. At least it is for me.

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sun #sunset #sky #weather #wx #silhouette #walkabout #forest #tree #trees #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

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Another sunset, albeit someone's missing, June 2019

Difficult sunset, June 2019

Sunset from the parking lot on the hill, December 2017

Looking for a hidden sunset, August 2016

Thematic Photographic 204 - Orange, July 2012

Big sky country, July 2011

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Little man, big sky, August 2010

An idyllic peek, October 2004

The Friendly Giant was right

Touch the sky
Toronto, ON
June 2015
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Always look up.

The scene might make you dizzy. But it might also spark a smile. Or curiosity. Or a curious mixture of both.

And all because you took the time to look.

While we're at it, down and side are just as worthy. Just open your eyes and see what you see.

#toronto #ontario #canada #yyz #throwback #architecture #design #architecturephotography #geometry #building #street #photography #blackberry #passport #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:

Monolithic architecture against the winter sky, December 2021

Brookfield Place in the rearview, April 2021

I'm staring at old buildings again, March 2021

Concrete boxes in the sky, December 2019

Under a brilliant blue sky, September 2019

Curvy building against a blue sky, August 2019

London's icon turns blue, June 2019

Why we take the time to stare up at reflective buildings, May 2019

Really strange architecture way above my head, May 2019

Reflections on Yonge Street, May 2019

This one hurt my neck, May 2019

My steampunk glass commute, April 2019

Before and after days, January 2019

When a building stops you dead in your tracks, October 2018

Big building on a grey day, August 2018

Linear architecture, November 2017

Thematic Photographic 412 - Architecture, May 2017

Reflecting the sunset, April 2009

Linear facadism, March 2007

Look up, way up, April 2006

Every window has a story, November 2005

Looking up at a bare canopy (again)

At one with the universe
London, ON
February 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

When your daughter asks if you’d like to go on a hike in the woods, the only acceptable answer is yes.

It’s like putting the rest of the planet on pause while we wander through fresh snow, bare trees, and frozen-over ponds.

Smart kid, this one.

More to come.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #forest #westminster #ponds #tree #trees #blue #sky #winter #weather #wx #cathedral #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:

Deep in the wide angle woods, October 2021

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One tree trunk among many, October 2021

Visiting the cathedral in the woods, September 2021

Brookfield Place in the rearview, April 2021

Standing in a cathedral of green, October 2019

Cathedral in the forest, March 2019

Behold the glass cathedral, August 2011

CDs, road trips, and nostalgia

Reflecting on a lost medium
London, ON
March 2007
This photo originally shared on Instagram

A lot can change in 15 years.

That's how long it's been since I took this fast-snap of a sleeve of CDs. Back in the day, no road trip could get started before you had lovingly built and burned a perfectly curated stack of discs.

By the time this pic was taken, CDs had already replaced cassettes in the road trip toolkit. 8-tracks were largely before my time, but I imagine they had their time in the dusty dashboard sun, as well.

Fast forward to today and CDs are mere memories for most of us. Most cars can't even play them anymore - with the removal of input jacks, it's Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, USB, or nothing.

All of this new tech is infinitely more convenient - pulling together playlists for a long trip now takes minutes instead of days, and not having to wrestle with physical media is a godsend, as well as a welcome safety enhancement.

But no smartphone could ever capture the light quite as dramatically as a CD. And no virtual playlist will ever be as visceral as a Sharpie-labelled disc or mixtape.

The stories of our lives, played out in song, are no longer things we can hold in our hands.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #throwback #random #cd #audio #music #roadtrip #old #technology #stilllife #photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Where cows laugh

Slices of happiness
London, ON
February 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Behold the Laughing Cow wheel of cheese, a staple of mine for as long as I can remember.

This humble addition to our fridge proves we live in a world where cows can be red if we want them to be. And they can laugh, too.

The pragmatist in me realizes it’s all just slick marketing for some rather tasty mass produced dairy products.

But way down in the very depths of my soul, I'd like to imagine that Bessie and her pals can belly laugh with the best of them.

Moo.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #throwback #laughing #cow #cheese #dairy #food #foodporn #retail #random #stilllife #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

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The adventurous shopper - Part 1, October 2004

Bike. Art. Same thing.

Let's ride
Delray Beach, FL
December 2019
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Look closely.

This isn't a real bike. Not even close.

It's wall art, and I found it a couple of years back inside the community pool clubhouse not far from my aunt and uncle's house.

It has a lovely south beachy vibe to it, the perfect machine for a world where nothing is ever rushed, and there's always a swaying palm tree and good friends and family to be found at the end of a comfy cruise through the neighborhood. I like to imagine what gets toted along in the basket out front. Hopefully snacks.

I think of this bike often, because it's a great example of something small that kind of burrows its way into your soul.

And every once in a while, it pops into your mind to remind you there's always a better day ahead, where you'll get to ride on a real machine to a real place with real people who will be elated to see you. And you them.

I call these anchors of hope. They can take on any form. Hold onto your own. And don't let go.

#delray #beach #delraybeach #throwback #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #vacation #seafoam #green #blue #bike #bicycle #cycling #art #life #stillife #photography #google #pixel #teampixel #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Where the trees paint the grey sky

Not as empty as it seems
London, ON
December 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Canadians complain endlessly about the weather, particularly when it's winter.

While I'll admit to joining the whinefest when it gets particularly cold and yucky, I still think the season offers up more happy faces than sad ones.

To wit, the treeline. Removing leaves from the equation opens up all sorts of fun possibilities. Like this stark silhouette of branches against a foreboding sky that makes me want to run for cover.

Summer doesn't offer up the same visual palette. So instead of complaining, I'll take the camera out and make the best of it while it lasts.

Rules for photography. Rules for life. Is there really any difference?

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #tvp #walkabout #forest #tree #trees #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #weather #wx #grey #sky #monochrome #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Flight in any form

Hey, this is my sky
Toronto, ON
November 2018
This photo originally shared on Instagram

There are four birds in this photo, only one of which was born to be in the sky.

I wonder what goes through birds' minds as they cruise over an airport. Part of me wants to believe that they're not terribly impressed.

#toronto #yyz #ontario #canada #throwback #pearson #international #airport #road #trip #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #aircanada #flight #flying #lasvegas #aviation #boeing #boeing787 #dreamliner #boeing777 #avgeek #plane #planes #canon #canon_photography #canonphotography #lifeinthemargins

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Fake trees. Real sentiment.

Conical
London, ON
December 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Can you see the (artificial) forest for the trees?

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #michaels #texture #shopping #michaels #retail #store #random #stilllife #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Winter meets the downspout

Is it supposed to look like this?
London, ON
January 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Not all icicles grow in the spectacular spaces above our heads.

Sometimes you’ve got to look in the shadows, in the otherwise unassuming places. Like way down in the light-starved corners of a wintry driveway.

Because beauty and inspiration live there, too.

Why do I get the feeling this isn’t just about icicles?

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #ice #icicle #works #winter #weather #wx #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins