New Year Resolutions

Well it's the start of the New Year now. So here's a couple of what I resolve to do. Note, these are my only resolutions, and it doesn't really count against my "No new resolutions" resolution 15 years ago.

First I will not over expose pictures:

(my apologies for the glare)

Second, which follows the first, I will not UNDER expose pictures:


I will make sure I get the proper "White Balance" set before I take a picture:



Trust me on this, this is the way it should have looked....



Flash is not always a good thing:


Auto Focus only works when it's switched on....


And no, I wasn't focusing on the Bus Stop either.

I can't say it enough, "WHITE BALANCE" is key:


And finally, a Nikon is a high quality camera. Stop acting like it's a point and shoot......



Bad photography, how I hate it. Especially when I am the one responsible. So, Happy New Year everyone, stay safe, and may the coming year be great.

Paladin Phil

Public Sculpture: Downtown Still

Looking through my pictures of public art I think I am almost finished with the downtown core. Almost. Still have a few that are kicking around somewhere as well. Then there's the University of Toronto campus and Harbourfront to detail as well. What can I say? I am a shutter bug. Anyway, I am going east of Yonge street now and there are a few pieces that are located from Front Street to Queen st that I will be showing today.

First off the bat is the location where Front st and Wellington st merge. There's a little park with a few that cover the range of size and style. I thought I had uploaded some that I had taken recently but I appear to be mistaken. There are two that I don't have online yet so I will get back to them.

Some artists I noticed pop up all over the place. One is Andrew Posa. I have found a few other of his pieces as well. "Marlin" being one of them that I have shown already. Another on Wellington street is "U.V. Ceti". He has a similar style for most of his works, a little repetitive I think. You will see what I mean eventually.



Up on Queen street is a piece that had a lot of thought that went into the concept. It's different from most being that it's made from cast iron. The title of the piece is "Full Circle" by Peter Von Tiesenhausen. Read the plaque for the full detail on the story behind the work...

And now the piece in discussion:


Looking at my uploads at the moment I can't find anymore from this area. I do have them some where so I will have to get around to uploading and showing. Anyway, stay warm on your walks.

Paladin Phil

Country Life

I like getting away from the city at times. I am thankful for friends in remote spaces. Looking at a real snow buildup is nice too. Especially when you can leave it behind when you go home.

My Christmas

Well, I went away for Christmas. More like Boxing Day really since I had to work the holiday. Sometimes I hate going back to my hometown. It's depressing to me really. My hometown is Orillia Ontario. I spent most of my childhood and part of my adult life there. I will probably talk about it some other time, with pictures and more memories about how I have seen things change. This is about the meeting of friends and family though.

I spent almost all of Boxing day with my mom. We had people over for dinner in the early part of the evening and had a good time just talking and enjoying the company of everyone. Gifts were exchanged and the usual stuff. Of course I had to take my pictures and "document" the whole experience.


Every family has a tradition of one form or another. Traditions may come and go, but some will remain. My mom has been slowly collecting small little buildings and figurines for years. Every Christmas season she sets up her little village on cotton batting and turns the lights on. It's gotten rather extensive over the years. It's a good thing that my mom's cat is well trained in avoiding the display, she could really wreak havoc on it if she wanted to.

My mom's cat, Aramathea(I think that's how it's spelt), has been part of the family for over 9 years now. Hard to believe it. Silly cat barely tolerates me at times, rarely looking to me for attention, often giving me swats as I walk by at my normally quick pace. When she's resting though, it's best to let her lie.



She does like getting involved in the action too when there's a lot of stuff going on.


After we opened presents the next big task was dinner. I had taken over most of the big tasks for my mom in the kitchen. Getting the roast chicken ready, carving the ham, mashing potatoes, the usual stuff. This gave her time to relax and get all the good china and dishes ready for the meal. We bring out the good stuff for Christmas and Thanksgiving when we get together.



Well food was served, people dug in and laid waste to the bounty before us. I would list everything we had, but I am getting hungry at the moment thinking about it. Besides people drooling over their keyboards isn't a good idea. After we were done, we sat back to let our digestive juices do their duty and just relaxed before the final flurry of putting stuff away and getting dishes ready to wash. One reason why I like using the good china is that my mom won't let me touch them in the sink. I had the dubious honour in the family of breaking an unbreakable Correlle plate back in my youth.



Well, I am tired all over again. Just getting my day started and I already feel like cat napping. I guess Aramathea will have to take over that task for me instead.


Less then a week till the New Year. Lot's of planning to do, and places to walk to. I hope everyone's Christmas and holidays were good ones.

Paladin Phil

Merry Christmas Everyone

Hi folks it's been a slack week over all with the Christmas spirit and all. So for today here's some pictures I took yesterday on the way to work. Please excuse some of them, I don't have a tripod or monopod to steady my hand.






Enjoy your presents, turkey dinner, family, egg nog, and anything else you do.

Paladin Phil

Pictures,

Just look at the pretty pictures. I got nothing else today....

Public Sculpture: Front Street Part 2

Still feeling a little slow this week. The whole run up to the winter holidays and minimal sunlight. Times I hate this part of the year. I look forward to spring. So the last time I talked about Front street there were a few pieces that I didn't get around too. So now lets take a look at them now.

On the north side of Front street, right beside the Royal York hotel is a collection of pieces that make up a whole. "City People" is like cut outs of people on stands on a wall and some are even like wind vanes that move with the breeze. All shapes and sizes scattered through a street level and above street court yard.



In the courtyard as well is another piece. The name of it is called "Foliage". It took me a little time to track down the name of it, and I used to call it a standing wave. The bronze it's made of is brilliant, and when the weather gets nicer again I will be returning to see if I can get better pictures of it.



Finally for today is one that's in front of the Hockey Hall of Fame on the corner of Yonge and Front streets. This one looks like the wall of a players bench in a ice rink. A group of kids in gear looking all excited. The name of it is "Our Game". You will have to forgive me with the pictures because they aren't the best quality. Never got around to returning to the location and retaking some better ones. Yes, I know, it's on my list.



Well that's all I have to say today. Have fun and enjoy your holidays.



Paladin Phil