Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Seeing behind the leaves

Bare
London, ON
January 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram


Most folks despise winter, and I get why: it's cold, wet, miserable, monotonous, dangerous.

You don't experience it as much as you fight it. Even taking a walk is a major production as you spend an inordinate amount of time collecting your cold weather gear, and carefully putting it on.

Once you're outside, you're either busting through deep snow, trying to stay upright on icy, unmaintained sidewalks and trails, or both. Then you get to reverse the entire process when you get home, with bonus points for anyone who wears eyeglasses. We'll leave the wet socks discussion for another day.

So we've established that it's a labor-intensive, annoying, sometimes-frightening time of year. But every dark side has its light.

Winter clears the leaves away, lets us see the underlying trees. The forest may be bare by the traditional definition, but that's only one way of looking at it.

Without leaves in the way, we can see the trunks and branches that form the structure of this impossibly diverse place. Normally it's all hidden, but winter exposes the skeleton, and lets us experience it in ways simply not possible the rest of the year.

The season may add challenge to the journey, but coming across scenes like this one makes me realize it's all worth it in the end. The leaves - and the warmth that feeds them - can wait.

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

Monday, January 17, 2022

Back to school. Sort of.

Life at the threshold
London, ON
January 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram


Millions of kids in Ontario are returning to class this morning.

To be frank, our provincial government doesn’t have a clue. Fun fact: throughout the pandemic, the province has kept kids home more days than any other North American jurisdiction.

And once we’re piling on, the feds aren’t any better. But this isn’t about politics.

My wife is a teacher, and I joined her yesterday as she got her classroom ready yet again. We’ve been here before, carting her stuff back as she transitions yet again from remote to in-class teaching.

As the clock ticks down to these doors being thrown open, debate rages. Parents fret over what the right choices are. Kids try to shift gears amid a landscape they neither control nor understand. Educators move heaven and earth to keep kids learning despite the challenges. Critics on all sides of the issue miss no opportunity to criticize.

So wherever you may find yourself in this impossibly chaotic mess of politics, community, parenthood, childhood, life, whatever, please give yourself and those around you a break. We’re all just trying to muddle our way through despite checked-out politicians, ignorant populations, and unpredictable variants. There is no ideal path.

And whether or not you and/or your kids will be walking through doors like these today or any day, we’re all simply doing the best we can.

And some days are harder than others. In school. Anywhere.

Please keep this in mind. Please lead with kindness.

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #school #backtoschool #teach #teacher #education #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Sunday, January 16, 2022

Twin buildings (almost)

Always look up
London, ON
December 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram


Permanent architectural standoff.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #architecture #design #architecturephotography #geometry #building #street #photography #masonville #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

No cars available here

Nature reclaims her territory
London, ON
December 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram


When car dealerships die; next Geraldo.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #random #urban #oxford #street #old #building #architecture #ruinporn #streetphotography #monochrome #photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #google #pixel2 #teampixel #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Saturday, January 15, 2022

Same street, different angle

Nearby compression effect
London, ON
December 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram


I've been walking, cycling, and driving this particular stretch of Oxford Street in #LdnONT for more years than I can recall, and I've never seen it quite like this.

I guess if you stand on a traffic-choked street corner, stare into the distance, and squint your eyes just so, you'll see the familiar in an unfamiliar light.

Funny how that works, huh?

#london #ontario #canada #urban #street #photography #oxford #road #traffic #zoom #compression #hydro #wires #utility #electric #company #canon #canonphotography #canon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Parking lot nightmare

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


As I stand on the edge of a parking lot the day after Christmas and watch the bargain hunters frantically look for places to park, I can’t help but think we’ve gotten it all wrong.

Sorry, Earth.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #parking #parkinglot #car #cars #street #photography #masonville #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Related:

Friday, January 14, 2022

The lion tree sleeps

Branched
London, ON
January 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram


They say there's no color in winter.

I rather disagree. So would this tree. If it possessed that ability. Story for another day, I guess.

And who are "they", anyway?

Whatever the case, I just can't say no to a bare tree standing on its own in a wintry valley.

And there doesn't have to be a story attached to it as long as it catches your attention.

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #valley #forest #tree #trees #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #walkabout #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

On making mistakes

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."

 

Mapping the ice fields

Tectonic-like
London, ON
January 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram


On occasion, we'll come across scenes that leave scale completely to the imagination. This could be a close-up/macro shot, or viewed from space, or something in between.

It's one of the many reasons why I freaking love Canadian winters. They play with our brains in ways we can't even anticipate when we first set out on an adventure.

(FWIW, this is river ice from about 4 or 5-ish metres up. It paints a uniquely different picture every time we visit, which is precisely why we keep coming back for more.)

#ldnont #exploreldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #valley #forest #thames #river #water #snow #ice #texture #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Thursday, January 13, 2022

The rivers we cross

It's all in the details
London, ON
January 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram


Still waters have always run deep.

But what if the waters are neither still, nor deep? What if this is the scene that presents itself when you stick a camera over the edge of a bridge, point it downward, and gently squeeze off a few frames?

I try to avoid overthinking it, because I AM holding a camera high above flowing water, and I'd rather not have to explain to my wife why I'm putting my beloved Nikon into a giant-sized, rice-filled Ziploc(tm) bag. (Note: no cameras were harmed in the taking of this photo. We're all good.)

My fears of gravity aside, I find places like this - shallow water, clear sights all the way down to the bottom, lots of nooks and crannies to take in - to be kind of addictive. Which is why living in a town criss-crossed by rivers and creeks is another one of those tiny little blessings I should probably spend more time appreciating.

Speaking of overlooking, I'll be the guy by the railing on the bridge. There's always a show going on far below, and I'd hate to miss it.

#ldnont #exploreldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #valley #forest #thames #river #water #rocks #texture #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

On brilliant minds

"Sometimes, the most brilliant and intelligent minds do not shine in standardized tests because they do not have standardized minds."

Fire truck, head-on

Someone to watch over all of us
London, ON
November 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram


Remembering the day that firefighters visited the neighborhood.

Heroes. All.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #fire #firetruck #firefighter #emergency #ems #random #street #photography #canon #canonphotography #canon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:
Save me, October 2011
Chopper, July 2007
9/11 + 5, September 2006

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Watch your step

Level up
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
October 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram


Conventional wisdom says stairwells aren't worth shooting.

Aren't remotely interesting.

Or unique.

And most people would believe the conventional wisdom and stay away.

As you've probably guessed, I'm not most people.

And I'm guessing neither are you.

It's worth shooting if YOU think it is.

What anyone else thinks is, to be polite, wrong.

Your call. Your lens. Your life.

Happy shooting. See you in the stairwell.

Or wherever else you happen to find some inspiration.

#saultstemarie #ontario #canada #throwback #roadtrip #travel #travelphotography #hotel #stairs #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #instagood #photooftheday #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Monday, January 10, 2022

This way, please

Sign of the times
London, ON
January 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram


Remember those arrow stickers that showed up on the floors of retail stores and other public spaces in the early stages of the pandemic?

They largely disappeared around last summer as we lulled ourselves into believing things would open up soon.

We all know what happened next. And given Omicron's greater transmissibility, it kinda makes sense for strangers to stay as far away from each other as possible.

I can't explain why I chose this particular arrow sticker to shoot. I think freezer aisles with highly polished floors speak to me. And I think looking for the light in strange places like this is one of the ways we're all going to make it through this next chapter.

So if I see you also framing up the supermarket floor the next time I'm there for some double-chocolate ice cream, I'll quietly wave at a distance before leaving you be.

Deal?

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #metro #cheapside #adelaide #grocery #shopping #retail #store #arrow #covid #pandemic #kindness #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:
Sour cream down! June 2021

Sunday, January 09, 2022

The lonely icicle

Here for now...
London, ON
January 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram


At first glance it doesn’t look like much: a small-ish icicle hanging under the railing of a pedestrian bridge in the middle of this quiet river valley.

It probably formed in the couple of hours since sunrise, and it’ll probably be gone just as quickly, a victim of meteorology or a curious child passing by.

Yet here I am captivated by it. Why? Not entirely sure. Icicles are rather common in these parts, and I’ve probably encountered - and shot - countless examples over the years.

Still, there’s never been one precisely like this one. All the tiny details in its surface, and and buried deep in its frozen middle, betray every moment of its creation.

It is anonymous, unique, temporary, ignored perfection. And we owe it to ourselves to look a little more closely as we walk past.

Because these things never stick around as long as we’d like them to. Nothing worthwhile ever does.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #valley #forest #tree #trees #winter #icicle #icicleworks #weather #wx #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #monochrome #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:
Icy spine, February 2007
The icicle works, February 2006

Branches in ice

Guttered landscape
London, ON
December 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram


I’ve been taking entirely too many photos of the icy worlds that form just under our feet.

Which begs the question: how many is too many?

Something tells me we’re not quite there yet. So here’s another one.

I’m like that.

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #water #ice #frozen #winter #walkabout #nature #naturephotography #stilllife #streetphotography #photography #apple #iPhone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Related:
Frozen, a new season, December 2021

Saturday, January 08, 2022

Winter's new color palette

Random sumac tree
London, ON
January 2022
This photo originally shared on Instagram


When your daughter asks you to join her on a hike through the woods on a cold, sunny, windy winter’s day, say yes.

You’ll inevitably see some neat things along the way.

More to come.

#PandemicPics #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #medway #valley #forest #tree #trees #red #stilllife #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Footsteps amid the waves

For now...
Delray Beach, FL
January 2012
This photo originally shared on Instagram


I'd like to continue the 10-years-on theme from my last entry with a bit of an observation about beaches: everything is ephemeral here.

Nothing stays the same, on this beach, or any beach, really, for very long. Between wind, waves, animals, and people, anything within your field of view will likely be reshaped within seconds or minutes or hours.

That's the joy of this place, where we can close our eyes for a few seconds, only to open them to an entirely different scene.

It's a small thing, really. But you know how I feel about small things: they're really the big things.

Which is why these are the most giant footsteps imaginable, and I'm lucky to have captured them just after my kids danced through the frame, and just before Mother Nature decided to wield her brush yet again.

#delray #beach #throwback #florida #fla #atlantic #ocean #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #vacation #waves #water #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #naturephotography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Friday, January 07, 2022

The 10-year-old wave

Washed away
Delray Beach, FL
January 2012
This photo originally shared on Instagram


Whenever I'm feeling melancholy - which, to be blunt, is often these days - I pop open my photo archives and go back in time.

Sometimes I'll focus on specific milestones, like 10 years ago today.

Which explains why you're looking at a wave mere milliseconds before it ceases to exist as it breaks on the Delray Beach shore. I'm a bit obsessed with waves for reasons that make even less sense to me than they probably make to you.

It's a very Zen thing to stand amid the breaking waves with a lens trained on the churning, foamy, ever-changing surface. You hear and feel the pounding surf and the swirling winds, and you can probably taste the salt in the air, too, as the death-cheating gulls fly frantically mere inches above the roiled waters.

Your brain races as it tries to capture something, anything amid the chaos. It's an insanely fun state to just get lost in. You. The camera. Nature. That's it.

I do this every time we come to this place. Or any other beach-like spot where land ends and water begins, that magical place where worlds collide and the everyday gets put on pause while kids play in the water and adults pretend to be just like them.

We'll get back here eventually, and while the waves and the wind and the screaming gulls will still be there, I probably won't be able to capture this particular scene again. Because randomness only occurs once in a lifetime.

Still, I'm sure whatever I do capture will be just as worthy of reflection later on. A different random, then.

May we all be so lucky to be gifted the time to appreciate it.

#delray #beach #throwback #florida #fla #atlantic #ocean #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #vacation #waves #water #nature #naturephotography #landscape #landscapephotography #naturephotography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Light the burners

Everything is a tradeoff
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram


The afterburner is the ultimate hot rod device, a theoretically simple piece of engineering that literally dumps fuel into the exhaust stream of a jet engine, then lights it.

It's a quick-and-dirty means of giving military planes a huge boost in power, which matters in a business where speed, acceleration, and agility could mean the difference between victory and not getting back home.

Fuel economy? Not so much. A typical F-16 Fighting Falcon in full burner would dry the tanks in 20 minutes. The twin-engined F-14 Tomcat that Tom Cruise flew in Top Gun? Around 10 minutes. The F-35 Lightning's B and C variants can handle about a minute's worth of full burner before the plane's antennae, sensors, and stealth coatings begin to degrade.

So it's a powerful tool, but one best used only when absolutely necessary. But, my, what a sight when it's used during an air show, as this CF-18 from the RCAF demo team illustrates in this photo. I have video of this moment somewhere, as well, but it doesn't do it justice. It's something more felt to the base of one's soul than anything else. And it isn't something that's easily forgotten.

We're in the midst of a long, cold winter - literally and figuratively - so I've been spending more time rooting through my photo logs, lingering over pics that make me feel something. Because photography isn't so much about the picture as it is about the impact it has on your soul.

Pictures of planes impact my soul. What kinds of photos impact yours?

#nikonskydrive @airshowlondon @nikoncanada #ldnont #london #airport #ontario #canada #SkyDrive #AirShowLondon #aviation #boeing #mcdonnelldouglas #fa18 #hornet #fighter #flight #aircraft #avgeek #aviationphotography #planespotting #instaplane #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #Nikon #nikonphotography #photography #lifeinthemargins