Gas station in the sky

Sustainer of the fleet
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

It's a big sky out there, and we all need a mothership to help us find the way home.

#nikonskydrive @airshowlondon @nikoncanada #ldnont #london #airport #ontario #canada #SkyDrive #AirShowLondon #aviation #boeing #kc135 #stratotanker #tanker #flight #aircraft #avgeek #aviationphotography #planespotting #instaplane #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #Nikon #nikonphotography #photography #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

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From the Wright Flyer to Strike Eagles, September 2018

Fat Albert can dance, April 2013

Ground stop in Hong Kong, September 2012

Gradient morning sky

Nature serves up another pattern
London, ON
September 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Some mornings, it pays to look up.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #weather #wx #blue #sky #clouds #gradient #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Return of the Snowbirds

Paint the sky
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The skies over #ldnont were filled with a special kind of rainbow last Sunday, courtesy of our national flight demonstration team, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.

I've lost track of how many times I've seen them in my lifetime, and I get goosebumps every time they fly.

Long may they continue to paint the skies and inspire the rest of us to raise our game - whether we're in the skies or planted firmly on the ground.

#nikonskydrive @airshowlondon @cfsnowbirds @nikoncanada #ldnont #london #airport #ontario #canada #SkyDrive #AirShowLondon #aviation #snowbirds #flight #aircraft #avgeek #aviationphotography #planespotting #instaplane #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #Nikon #nikonphotography #photography #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Where I introduce myself to the Blue Angels

Gear up, burners on
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

They say you always remember your first time.

And so it was with me, as before last Sunday I had never seen the Blue Angels fly.

It was a nice streak to break, as they were, and are, remarkable.

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

#IfYouReadOneThingToday - On Virgin Galactic

My tendencies toward being a self-admitted space cadet fanboy notwithstanding, I've watched the billionaire shootout to be the first to rocket into suborbital space with trepidation.

As much as I think the battle between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin will ultimately benefit the space industry - it brings attention, which drives investment, which results in sustainable economic activity and spinoff tech benefits across the rest of the economy - I've worried about the risks since the first plans were drawn up nearly two decades ago.

It hit me the morning of Branson's epic flight in July, as his PR team ran a perfectly produced video of him cycling to the spaceport in advance of his flight. My antennae twitched when I saw the video. Too perfect. Too staged. Lovely bike, though.

Turns out it was indeed a PR stunt, recorded days earlier on a bike expressly designed by Trek to be sold to space-fan cyclists.

All was not as it seemed. And The New Yorker just published a piece that highlights the sobering safety near-miss that day, two near-disasters in-flight in 2018 and 2019, and the troubling firing of the company's chief safety officer mere days after the Branson's flight because he dared raise issues about Virgin Galactic's safety culture.

This is a disturbing read to anyone who follows the industry. And it underscores the very real fact that it's only a matter of time before someone else dies on one of these things.

The Red Warning Light on Richard Branson’s Space Flight

By Nicholas Schmidle

The New Yorker

September 01, 2021

Back to the Spiderverse

Strong, stronger, strongest
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

If one spiderweb pic is worth sharing, then what does that say about the second?

I'm hoping good things. Because I often wrestle with how many versions of a given scene to share. Photographic Rule #172 (or maybe it's #175) dictates that you shoot more than one frame of a given scene - with different settings, from a different perspective, whatever - to ensure that you bring at least one reasonable pic home.

It's a bit of a holdover from the days of film, when each shutter trigger was rather precious, because it cost you in film stock and processing every time you took a picture.

And if you took one photo, only to realize after the fact that it was blurry, or improperly composed, or exposed, or whatever, you were kind of out of luck. No backsies.

Digital offers no such compromise, as you're limited only by battery duration, memory card capacity, and time. So you take a bunch of shots, seemingly of the same thing, then pick the best one.

But what if "best one" turns out to be "best two"? Or ten? How do you cull down your favorites? Do you share them all? Some? What's the right answer?

There really isn't one. Creativity has no rights or wrongs. If it touches your soul and feels right, that's all that really matters. Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself.

So with that in mind, you're getting another spiderweb pic. Maybe I'll have more. And if they touch my soul, they'll show up here at some point. Cool how this photography thing works, isn't it?

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #spider #web #iron #gate #fence #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #monochrome #stilllife #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Spidery artwork on an iron gate

Both engineered to last
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Never let it be said that spiders aren't miracle workers, or that their webs are anything less than massively engineered works of art.

I'll admit some people may find scenes like this creepy, but it's hard to ignore the wonder taking place literally under our noses.

It's nothing short of remarkable, and I feel a twinge of responsibility to bring images like this home.

Because if we miss out on the spectacular scenes playing out just out of plain sight, what else don't we see?

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #spider #web #iron #gate #fence #landscape #landscapephotography #nature #naturephotography #monochrome #stilllife #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

The mural beside the tracks

What once was
Thorndale, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Look closely into the margins of downtown alleys, midtown underpasses and, yes, even giant storage buildings way out in farm country and you're likely to come across spontaneous outbursts of art that would hold their own in any gallery or museum.

Murals are art for the rest of us, creative genius on display not in an access-limited, air conditioned environment, but in a shadowy brick-lined alleyway, or on a sun-baked stretch of corrugated metal hard by the tracks.

And beyond the art itself - which is staggeringly beautiful - there's the story of how it came to be. Somewhere in this community, there is a narrative among now-unseen artists and the patrons who support them about how an unassuming stretch of wall in an unexpected place came to be a focal point for artistic genius.

Whatever that story may be, it ended up enriching the landscape for countless folks - who live here, or who live elsewhere and pass through here - whose lives have been painted with a little more color than would have otherwise been the case.

For every time we encounter scenes like this, in unexpected places, it's hard for us not to be moved or changed in some way.

And while there's no one here to thank directly, we can always hope those responsible for this mural and others like it know how profoundly cherished their work eventually becomes.

#thorndale #thames #centre #ldnont #london #thames #centre #ontario #canada #rail #railroad #train #history #landscape #landscapephotography #cycling #cyclist #cycle #bicycle #bike #cyclinglife #random #roadside #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Under an angry sky

Ruh roh
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The skies were especially angry the other night, so I did what any logically-challenged human would do: I went outside as the thunder intensified.

Because who doesn’t want to be outside in the middle of an electrical storm?

My childlike idiocy notwithstanding, it felt strangely comforting to be standing on the lawn as the atmosphere above churned itself into varying shades of unsettled grey and threatened to unleash Noah's Ark-class levels of rain.

The sky felt alive, with a texture that made me wish I could reach up and touch it. Maybe the tree branches in the corner of the frame felt the same way.

The planet can be an entertaining place if you’re in the right place at the right time. And if wandering into an approaching storm is the biggest risk I take on any given day, I lead a pretty blessed existence indeed.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #weather #wx #storm #onstorm #sky #clouds #monochrome #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

On finding the truth

"Always go too far, because that’s where you’ll find the truth."

Albert Camus

The shadowed bicycle

Always with me
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

So I’m standing over my bike just before a ride, and I catch sight of its shadow on the pavement below.

And as is often the case, I end up staring at it, wondering about this ephemeral companion of mine. It's never really far from me - either leading the way or following in my wake.

Sometimes as I spin along a country road, I'll catch a glimpse of it and smile at the notion of painting a highly temporary scene along the road, gone as quickly as it arrived.

It makes me wonder: is this shadow even real to begin with? Does its ephemeral nature make it any less real?

I'm guessing it's a lot more real than we might think. Like reflections in mirrored glass, or rainbows in the sky, or fog that paints the landscape a translucent grey in the early morning murk, they're as real as we want them to be, less a "thing" in their own right, and more something for us to play with in our minds and make very much our own.

So the bottom line, to me, at least, as I hold the handlebars and prepare to power myself far from here, is that this is very much real, very much part of the story that got me to this spot over the pavement, and the story I'm about to write with each push of the pedals.

We all leave our mark, after all. How long it hangs around for is no indicator of its worth to us. That part is entirely within our control.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #abstract #sun #shadow #cycling #cyclist #cycle #bicycle #bike #cyclinglife #bikelife #instabike #random #roadside #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

A Hornet burns a hole in the sky

Set burners to stun
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Every once in a while, it does the soul good to plant your feet on the ground, stare at the skies, and watch airplanes do their thing.

I did just that yesterday, hanging out on the tarmac of London International Airport with a camera in my hand. Which is my way of warning you we may be a bit heavy on aviation photos over the next little while.

This one's of an @rcaf_arc #CF18 dancing among the clouds. The airframe may have been in Canadian service for nearly 40 years, but she showed she still has moves, and can still inspire the rest of us.

I said a quiet thanks for their continued ability to protect our skies, but the afterburner drowned me out.

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

Wheel meets grass

A sunny lesson in geometry
Bowood, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Impromptu roadside photo shoot #42: ditch edition.

Because photographic visions can pop into your head pretty much anytime, anywhere.

And it simply wouldn’t be right to ignore them when they do.

#bowood #ontario #canada #farm #corn #cycling #cyclist #cycle #bicycle #bike #cyclinglife #bikelife #instabike #orange #devinci #hatchet #gravelbike #wonderland #road #abstract #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Riding the rails in Thorndale

Baking in the midday sun
Thorndale, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Ribbons of endless steel crisscross this vast land, connecting communities and fueling economies.

We may grumble when we have to sit at a level crossing and wait for a freight train to cross, but chances are that many of the things we use in the day-to-day found their way to us via rail.

It's funny how that works, the invisible forces that power society yet somehow lurk so far below our personal radar that we never fully appreciate their value to us.

We'll routinely complain about the 18-wheelers on the highway without considering who drives them, how hard they fight for their careers, often far from home and family. We'll yell at construction workers who close entire roads for days, weeks, or months, blithely ignoring the fact that without them, our cities would literally crumble into chaos.

So when I'm pushing the pedals far from my own home, I'll often stop near a crossing to remind myself of the things too many of us choose to ignore. Appreciation is a funny thing - and we don't practice it as often as we should.

So on a scorching afternoon in Thorndale, I took a break behind the animal feed store in the very middle of this picture-perfect town and reflected on the role these rails played in building this community and so many others like it.

And as I got back on the bike and turned for home, I said a quiet thanks to all the unseen heroes whose work enriches our modern existence. And I resolved to no longer take them for granted.

#thorndale #thames #centre #ldnont #london #thames #centre #ontario #canada #rail #railroad #train #history #landscape #landscapephotography #cycling #cyclist #cycle #bicycle #bike #cyclinglife #random #roadside #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded

Chasing the sun at the end of the day

Storm's coming
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Tonight's mission was to chase the sun before it disappeared for good.

Not so easy to do when the planet is moving at ridiculous speed through space, and the best I can manage on the bike is around the sprint speed of a cookie-motivated Labrador Retriever. With a tailwind.

Never mind the physics of roadside smartphone sunset cycling photography - it was worth every sweaty, air-so-thick-you-could-eat-it pedal stroke. It may not be the most convenient way to get the shot, but I'm fairly certain it's the most rewarding.

Maybe I'll ride tomorrow, too. Who knows what I'll find at the edge of the planet on my next adventure.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sunset #blue #sky #clouds #storm #hydepark #road #farm #country #light #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

Our daughter the artist

Sunflowers by Dahlia
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

This one of those good news/bad news kind of deals. So let's get into it...

Good news: our daughter is madly, giftedly creative. She painted this, just because, and the first time I saw it, I couldn't stop thinking about the texture. It just pulls you in and sticks with you.

Bad news: you can't have this one.

Good news: because she sold it. Which, as a parent, is another in a long line of moments where we feel nothing but pride for her, for who she's becoming. I remember selling my first creative works - in my case, articles - and being amazed that something I created from nothing possessed value to others, to the point that it could generate revenue. It was amazing then, and it's amazing now.

I'm sure she'll paint others. In fact, I'm counting on it. There's something joyous about being surrounded by things that got their start as spontaneous visions in our daughter's mind. This kid - our kid - has got serious game.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #parenthood #art #paint #painting #stilllife #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

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Dahlia Levy Design on Instagram

Dahlia Levy (personal account) on Instagram

Google vs. Sesame Street - a Best Buy story

Fun with technology in public
Boynton Beach, FL
December 2019
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I miss a lot of things about pre-pandemic life. Having a little bit of innocent fun with the display computers in big box stores definitely ranks high on my list.

Exhibit A: The Best Buy in Boynton Beach, Florida, the day after Christmas 2019. If memory serves, I needed a cable. Or maybe that was just my flimsy excuse to visit the computer section - it's like a candy store to me.

After I found what I needed, the demo machines loomed like beacons of giddy opportunity. As background, I've been attracted to these display units like a moth to a flame ever since I was a child. I'm just old enough to remember the earliest machines, and spent many afternoons messing with whatever the local Radio Shack happened to have on display that day. TRS-80 Model III for the win, kids! Yes, I'm ancient.

We're way beyond impromptu in-store BASIC programming - 10 PRINT "something only a 10-year-old would say" | 20 GOTO 10 - these days, but you can still have fun with the Google command line.

As you can see here, apparently the algorithm has a drug problem with Sesame Street, and I'm betting it's Ernie's fault. He always seemed a little shady.

#boynton #beach #boyntonbeach #florida #fla #throwback #road #trip #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #vacation #explore #towncenter #mall #retail #shopping #bestbuy #store #random #abstract #photography #google #pixel2 #teampixel #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins

Painted cloudy sky

Light and water
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

Every once in a while, it helps to stop what you're doing so you can simply look up at the sky.

Maybe it'll be spectacular. Maybe not.

But you'll never know if you don't at least take the time to figure it out.

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #sunset #blue #sky #clouds #light #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

6 feet apart, please

Still necessary
London, ON
August 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The other day, I noticed the supermarket with the shiny orange floor had removed the circular stickers from the ends of the aisles that for much of the pandemic tried in vain to point shoppers in the right direction.

In their place were ghostly residue-flecked circles with a lot less shine, and shoppers who cared even less than they had previously about which direction they walked, or how far they remained from others.

Let's be honest with ourselves: no one followed those lines anyway. Well, I did. But most days it felt like a losing battle.

The funny thing about the timing of this change is that it comes just as vaccination rates stall and the Delta variant surges. You'd think we'd need more distance between us, not less.

So when I came across this worn-but-still-functional floor sign at another store, I hovered over it for a bit and pondered the sheer futility of public messaging throughout this historic event, and the inability of ordinary people to follow simple instructions designed to keep us from getting sick.

Whether or not a given stretch of floor has stickers, I'll continue to put as much distance between myself and strangers as I possibly can, because you just never know.

And if I've learned anything since March 2020, it's that you can't trust anyone but yourself to navigate global - or local - turbulence.

All I want is to fetch my stupid groceries so I can get home without catching something deadly along the way. That isn't too much to ask, is it?

#ldnont #london #ontario #canada #shopping #retail #store #covid #pandemic #kindness #photography #apple #iphone #iphone11 #shotoniphone #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything

When wildflowers shrivel in the shadows

Past its prime, but still...
Elginfield, ON
July 2021
This photo originally shared on Instagram

You can find beauty anywhere, even in the post-sunset gloom among a stand of plain-looking, largely-shrivelled wildflowers in a ditch beside a busy regional highway.

So let's look harder.

#elginfield #ldnont #london #ontario #canada #country #farm #rural #roadside #flower #nature #naturephotography #stilllife #photography #Nikon #nikonphotography #nikon_photography #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #nofilterneeded #lifeinthemargins #family #everything