Here is another image from the belly dancing in Kensington Market recently. This image is of a dancer Audra of the Dark Side Studio) waiting in wings for her groups turn to perform. I was struck by how the various groups enjoyed each others performances, in a supportive atmosphere.
(Canon 7 35mm Rangefinder, Leica 90mm/f4 Elmar lens, Tri-X developed in Microdol-X)
I’ve mentioned on more that one occasion how I like working with actors, musicians and other performers, as well as models who understand that it’s not just about “looking pretty”. Young model Julia MacKenzie (who has also had some acting experience) gets it. During a sequence a photos we came up with a story/scenario, and Julia was immediately able to immerse herself in it. More than just looking pretty.
(Nikon F, 85mm/f1.8 Nkkor lens, Ilford Delta 400 developed in Microdol-X 1:1,
negative scanned and post-processed with Nik Efex)
Yesterday afternoon I was shooting in Kensington Market again. The streets were closed to all vehicular traffic, making for a great atmosphere. A belly dancing show was taking place, surrounded by photographers, as in the image below. Sometimes it’s as much fun to watch the audience!
(Canon 7 35mm rangefinder, Leitz (Leica) 90mm/f4 Elmar lens,
Ilford Delta 400 film, developed in Kodak Microdol-X developer, 1:1 for 15.5 minutes at 20 degrees)
Much is said about communication in Social Media circles, specifically in the context of audience. When I use old film gear, like I did for this image of Rebecca below, I feel in a way that I am also communicating with photographers who have gone before me; holding an old film camera, I feel a connection to the history of photography that I just don’t feel with a digital camera, almost a ghost in the machine kind of thing.
Canon 7 Rangefinder camera, 50mm/f2 Summitar len, Ilford Pan F film)
Another image from my recent shoot with Jennifer at U of T. It was around 7 pm, so the sun was lower in the horizon. The sunlight was coming at an angle through trees, which made for some great lighting!
(Nikon F2, 85mm/1.8 lens, shot on Kodak Tri-X at box speed developed in Xtol 1+1 for 9 minutes)
I had a great time yesterday shooting with Rebecca again; I used a variety of cameras, including my Nikon D7100 and LensBaby Spark lens. The Spark is an interesting lens: it is a doublet (only two elements), and you focus by squeezing it like an accordion for a focus point, surrounded by blur; it can be a trick to control, but it is fun to use!
Last week I made the following statement on Twitter:
“The human face is the landscape of life, and is infinitely more incredible than any geography on Earth”
I think this image I took of model Jennifer Santos Bettencourt last evening serves as a good illustration of what I was saying. What sets Jennifer apart from so many other models is the depth and subtle intensity of the facial expressions she creates. truly a landscape of life.
(Rolleicord IIIa Twin lens Reflex, 75mm/f3.5 Xenar lens, Tri-X developed in Xtol 1:1 for  minutes)
With the ubiquity of cell phones, we are seeing fewer and fewer pay phones; they are increasingly seen as obsolete, and the ones that are still around tend to be in pretty rough shape. These two outside the Bathurst subway station seem different; they are both in decent condition, and seem determined to maintain dignity and a sense of purpose. In a sense, they remind me of an old married couple: not flashy, but dedicated and devoted.
(Canon 7 35mm rangefinder, 50mm/f2 Jupiter 8 lens,
Fomapan 100 film,
developed in Tmax developer for 9 minute)
This past weekend I had a shoot on Saturday at Sunnyside Pavilion in Toronto. While waiting for the couple to arrive (and more on them in a future post), I did some shooting of my own. This location has become a bit of a wedding photography factory, so I mainly skulked around the edges and did detail images.
(Canon 7 Rangefinder camera, circa 1961, Soviet Jupiter 8 50mm/f2 lens,
Fomapan 100 film developed in Tmax developer 1:9 for 9 minutes)
My Third Eye 