Photo Journal Book 1
For years now i’ve carried a little camera with me as a way of keeping a photo-journal of sorts. Just capturing random moments and things I see as I wander about.
Beneath the Red Hill Expressway in Hamilton
I was fortunate to come into the world of photography when printing was a huge part of the experience - the final destination. That has always stuck with me. There is just something so satisfying in the printed image. It could be just my own bias, but having the work physically printed just makes it feel so much more real. The images come to life when printed in a way they just don’t in the digital world.
Dupont St.
I’ve always loved photo-books, so i’ve started printing 8 x 10 inch books of my photo-journals. Here are a few spreads from the first book.
High Park
For those who live near my studio, you’ll probably recognize a few spots i’ve captured on my walks. Sometimes these pictures are taken when we break for lunch and I pop out for 20 minutes. But generally, these images are just captured as I go about my life snapping away at whatever catches my eye.
Laneway behind Dundas St. W
Most of the photos in this book were shot with the beautifully small and pocketable Contax T3. I was also using the Olympus OM-1 at the time.
Laneway behind Dundas St. W
Beneath the Red Hill Expressway and Old Van
Alley near Dupont St.
Algonquin Park
The Junction
Dupont St.
The Garden
Just got back from spending 2 weeks in Hawaii. Specifically the island of Kauai, known as the 'Garden Isle’ with a small population of 67,091. While I was out shooting, i found myself attracted to the cars, trucks and vans of the people that live on the island. Obviously, surfing is huge in Kauai and surfers need trucks, vans that they can drive up onto the beach with their boards. A lot of trucks are old and beat up but they are beautiful, often modified to suit the rough roads and beaches of the island. To me, these vehicles represent a different set of priorities and values. something I find extremely refreshing.
Another aspect I was drawn to is the lush tropical colour and quality of light on the island. There’s often a mist coming off the ocean which creates a soft and hazy feel, it’s just beautiful. The graphic plant shots were shot in the gorgeous garden of the house we were staying at.
One of my goals on this trip was a bit of a digital detox, so I shot film and it was a wonderful experience. Working without a light meter was a lot of fun. It makes you really tune into what the light is doing in your shot and how you want it to be exposed. I simply followed the F16 and Sunny rule. I’d highly recommend this for anyone looking to get back to pure and simple photography. There’s also something really nice about not being able to see the photo immediately after clicking the shutter. I love the sense of anticipation & mystery when waiting to see the processed film.
Here are my favourite shots from the trip. If you want to see more I’ll be posting all of the shots to my Tumblr page in the coming week.
Kekaha Beach. Olympus OM-1 50mm. Kodak Portra 400
Princeville. Olympus OM-1 50mm. Kodak Portra 400
Hanalei. Contax T3 35mm Kodak Portra 400
Lumahai Beach. Olympus OM-1 50mm. Kodak Portra 400
Abandoned resort contsruction site - Princeville. Contax T3 35mm. Kodak Portra 400
Off Highway 56, North Shore. Contax T3 35mm. Kodak Portra 400.
Polihale State Park. Olympus OM-1 50mm. Kodak Portra 400
Princeville. Olympus OM-1 50mm. Kodak Portra 400
Lumahai Beach. Olympus OM-1 50mm. Kodak Portra 400
Waimea Canyon. Olympus OM-1 50mm. Kodak Portra 400
Anini Beach. Olympus OM-1 50mm. Kodak Portra 400