2008: Mornings.

Mornings, as a security guard working the night shift I saw a lot of them. I don't mind mornings that much, I just like them on my terms. So with my camera in hand I took the mornings and used the opportunity to catch the sunrises when I could. It's amazing how the light changes in the area at different times of the year. Or in different weather conditions. Take this picture for example.



You have to see it in a larger size to catch the light. It was if I recall one of those days were it was raining with the cloud cover just over us and the sun was "under" the cloud cover. The way it was filtered through was just breathtaking.

Other mornings were typical in the summer. I would catch the light off buildings, through buildings and between buildings.



All these pictures were taken in the downtown core where I was working. I wasn't there all the time though. Sometimes I was other places and caught other scenes. Like down at the beach.


That was a journey. I was on a mission which I will talk about in a separate post.

Not all mornings are sunshine and glory, you get the cloudy days as well which have a light and dark beauty all there own. When the clouds are high and rolling, or low and foreboding. They are all there to be appreciated as well. Sometimes it will suit a mood, or bring you into one.


I am always keeping my eyes open. Watching and looking. I seem to have my eyes to the sky most often. I guess it's the light and the dreams I used to have. I haven't always walked. Anyway keep walking and looking for those sunrises.

PaladinPhil

2008: Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Writers block is difficult to beat. Even when you have hundreds of pictures to sort through it can be hard to just focus on one topic. I thought about my winter pictures yesterday, but just couldn't think of a thing to write about.

Well with the cooling of the season, and first frost this week I thought I would look back while looking forward. Yes that time of year most sensible adults cringe at. Winter, and snow. Last year our snow started early. When I mean early I mean early for us in Toronto. Our first snow fall was in the end of October. We had a few flakes afterwards, nothing major that stayed though. Then there was a major dumping in the end of November, and the big storm we finally got in December. After that it was very constant.

Here's some pictures from those three months, starting in order from October.





The last three above pictures were taken at my old job location in the downtown core. I used my settings to take some interesting looking pictures as well. The sepia and black and white setting gave the winter snow an interesting look. And not to forget the flash did wonders with the falling snowflakes.





Yeah we had a snow storm that lasted days. It started on the 17^th and went on to the 21^st of December 2008. Needless to say we had a white Christmas last year.



The colder weather also allowed me to take some nice pictures of cooling towers from the sky scrapers and other buildings. What you are seeing next is not smoke but humid warm air coming out of roofs and stacks.



Personally, I like this picture for the snow coverage of the Roy Thomson Hall.



Any way, that's it for now. If you wish to look at the other pictures in the album, go ahead. Enjoy.

Till next time.

PaladinPhil

2008: Buildings in Toronto

A lot of people walk around and don't pay attention to what's around them. Due to my reading, training, and out look over all I do pay attention. I mean, one of the first things I do when I step outside anywhere is look up. As well I look at other things and every now and then I say to myself, "That looks cool." Okay so my language could use a little work in that aspect. But there's no other way I can express myself. Here in Toronto we have a wide range of architechture and styles. Everything from modern glass skyscrapers to old buildings that look like they have been around forever. Just in the downtown core you can have both types of buildings side by each.

For example, Roy Thomson Hall was one of my recurring targets when I was working downtown. Right across Simcoe Street you found St. Andrews church.



Of course there are some...interesting buildings in the city too. The whole "Crystal" design for the Royal Ontario Museum was a long time in coming, but when it was done it was breath taking. Unfortunately there aren't nearly enough windows as the orginal design called for. A lot of the artifacts can't handle it anymore. Still though...



I think I will end here. My muse is running short and I will save some other pictures I have for another time. Enjoy.

PaladinPhil

2007: Going Fourth or Out and About

Okay, yeah I am shamelessly stealing titles from Black Adder. Can't help it, I am a partial fan of his. Well, good english humour at the least. I am trying to get my muse going here, feeling a little rough and muffled in the thinking. So anyway onto the picture show. As I went on, I was learning that my camera was very finicky. It had to be held really steady in order not to blur when the button was pushed. I managed to get some good shots over the year. I was up and back to Orillia, across some areas of Toronto, and even out to Kelowna B.C.

Winter shots if you are prepared for them can be quite nice. As I was working night shifts at this time I was able to get a good one downtown before the crowds trampled it into brown slush.



I have a lot of pictures of Roy Thomson Hall that I have taken. Mostly from the winter and we will be seeing more of it later on. Of course my journey around the city wouldn't be complete without a picture of the CN Tower as well.



I swear to god that I am missing a bunch of pictures that I took. It's going to take awhile till I find them all. Anyway in the middle of the summer I was visiting my mom and she took me out on a boat cruise. "The Island Princess" from the Port of Orillia does a meal and cruise of lakes Couchiching and Simcoe. It was a nice evening and I managed to get a few shots of the sunset.



Also on the boat ride we passed through the Narrows from Couchiching to Simcoe, and I managed to save a picture of the break wall for the Port of Orillia. (posted in that order)



If you click on the first picture to get a larger view, you will see a blue heron in the center of the picture. We see a lot of them in the wetlands around the area.

I didn't take many more scenery pictures until about October when I went to Kelowna. The Okanagan Valley is very picturesque with the lake, mountains, and vineyards. These pictures were taken from beside the lake and at Mission Hill Winery as well.




Just noticed when looking at my pictures how I lined up these two shots perfectly.


(well almost perfectly)

Anyway, that's it for the out and about, and tomorrow I think I will deal with the odds and ends I took in 2007. Stay tuned.

PaladinPhil