Elephant

I mentioned in an earlier post that there were some great pieces of public art, and shortly after I wrote that I discovered this fine fellow in the financial district. And then in true Scott fashion, I decided to capture just a section of it. I tend to see something as most people do, and probably as the original artist intended, and then I try to look at it differently, or focus on a particular part. Now you get to create in your mind how you picture the rest of the elephant, the surroundings, and whatever else comes to mind. It is such a wonderful process, isn't it?

New Year

January 1, 2010. A new year, a new beginning. May it bring us all joy, happiness, health, and wonderful moments captured by a camera.

Cheers.

Honourable Mention 2

This is the second of the two Honourable mentions I received for The City of Toronto photo contest. It was Titled "Spring in St. James Park", and the category was city parks.

I love to take shots of water in various forms. Still, moving, rippled, splashes, reflections, and in this case raindrops. Much like weathered wood, peeling paint, and rust, I like how water can become abstract. Finding beauty or interest in unconventional things.

Printed, framed and hung, they often look spectacular. In my opinion anyways...

Honourable Mention 1

This is one of two photos that I received an honourable mention for in a photo contest held by the City of Toronto. I submitted around 64 images over a few month period, and recently found out I had placed 2nd and had two honourable mentions.

This photo was titled "Layers", and was taken in the Historic Distillery District. It is a segment of an old metal hatch that time, and weather have caused the paint to peel, and create multiple layers. It was also one of my early photos of urban decay, and the results helped spur me on to capture all things weathered, worn, and rusting.

I will post my other honourable mention when I find it amongst my few thousand photo files. :)

Detail

As I have mentioned, architecture and architectural details are high on my list of subjects to photograph. This is an example of the type of details I think go by unnoticed in this city. There is so much fine detail in many of our older, and heritage buildings, and I hope to show you over time some of the ones that have caught my eye. In many cases, such as this shot, they are not just simply details, but they are stories. They tell us stories of society, commerce, art, industry, or simply what was in fashion at the time the building was built. Clearly this building was built during the Art Deco period.

Texture 1

This is one of my urban texture shots I absolutely love. I am fascinated how time and weather create art out of man made objects. This brick wall was on Queen Street west, and it stopped me in my tracks. I took a couple shots of the wall, but this was by far my favorite, and it now hangs on my apartment wall.

It will be one of many texture shots, as I simply can not resist rust, peeling paint, and weathered wood. I hope to put a collection together of such items some day.

2nd Prize

I started my photo adventures in the early months of 2008. Equipped with a digital point and shoot camera I headed out and without a clue as to what I was doing, started photographing buildings and architectural details I loved around Toronto. Most of the pictures I turned into black and white, because at the time I was convinced that was what I wanted to do.

Early in 2009, a photo competition hosted by the City of Toronto, was pointed out to me, and so in the weeks that followed I entered some 63 (I think) images in a wide variety of categories. The city went on strike later that year, and so the competition was halted, then delayed, and in my mind forgotten about.

On Christmas eve, I received a letter of congratulations that one of my images had won second prize in the 'city history' category. What a great surprise! I have won a City of Toronto pin, and a pass to the zoo. My photo will of course be published on the citie's website, and possibly in print material.

As for the actual picture, I now look at it and groan. I keep thinking, I should have done this, and done that. The sign is cut off, the tree is in the way...and so forth. So the lesson I guess I have learned is that I have grown, and hopefully developed a better eye. I know I have a long ways to go, but it has been a fun process thus far.

So I just wanted to share with you one of those early photos...a sneak peek so to speak.