Tag: Toronto

Nina Among the Cherry Blossoms

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Every year at around this time, people flock to High Park in Toronto to see the blooming of the Cherry blossoms. Delicate and lovely, they only last a few days at most. I thought it would be a nice setting for a portrait session with Nina Mason, a teacher and actress with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with in a few Alexander Showcase Theatre productions. In contrast to the newness of the blossoms, I used some decidedly old technology: a 1950’s era Rolleicord III twin lens reflex camera, loaded with Fuji Reala colour negative film. I like shooting this camera with the Xenar lens fairly open, as I like the way the background and corners blur.

There is no new, there is no old; only timeless.

Nina Among the Cherry Blossoms

Snow

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On a cold January 1st, we went and spent time at the Toronto Zoo. I took along my Speed Graphic 2×3, and guessed at exposure, using the Sunny 16 approach. The Polar bears didn’t seem to be minding the cold.

Polar Bear enjoying a brisk January 1 at Toronto Zoo

Face as Biography

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I love looking at the people on the TTC (and since I have a one hour plus commute to work each day, I have plenty of time to look!).

Today’s image was taken on Sunday morning on the TTC. It’s been awhile since I have seen so much of the pain and weariness that life holds for some people etched on a person’s face.

So much living and pain

Background as Foreground

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One more image from this past weekend’s shoot with Jennifer. As I think I’ve mentioned before, my strong preference for portraits is close-up: I am captivated by the human landscape of the face. I have to force myself to at least some of the time take a few steps back and attempt a portrait that is as much about the background as it is the subject. Guildwood Park in Toronto has a lot of great backgrounds to use, and as soon as I saw this sculpture, I knew that it would be perfect for a non-close-up image.

Jennifer against the stone

(Mamiya 645 Pro TL, 80mm f2.8 lens, Tri-X @ E.I. 800, developed in Diafine 3+3. negative scanned, and post-processed using Nik Silver Efex Pro 2)

Fence Lines

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While on a shoot with a model this past weekend I took this image, while the model was arranging her hair. I love all the lovely lines in High Park in Toronto!

On a small Bridge

A different view

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I don’t think I’ve posted a portrait shot completely from the back before, but this one works for me; the subject Tiffany is a very creative person, and as such was able to integrate herself easily into the formal style of this section of High Park in Toronto.

Tiffany 3

Something in the Air

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Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with Rebecca Zur, in a park near Yonge St. / St. Clair Ave. in Central Toronto. Twenty minutes before the shoot was to begin, the heavens opened and there was a brief but intense sun-shower. Afterwards, the sun stayed out, and the air remained quite damp and steamy, but the light took on a soft, diffuse and magical quality, which made it perfect for the shoot/ (I was melting in the humidity, but that doesn’t matter :-)) . I shot Polaroid, digital and conventional film for this shoot, and I have chosen one digital and one Polaroid for today’s post, as the looks are quite different, but equally valid.

Rebecca

Rebecca (Polaroid)