Toronto

[tgtaylor]

I will be in Toronto on a business trip later this month but will have the evenings and one weekend free. I'm bringing a Toyo 45CF with 90mm, 150mm, 250mm Imagon soft focus lens, and B&W sheet film. I'm hoping for a silver and alternative (e.g., salted paper) output. I like landscapes (especially the grand landscapes), seascapes, architecture (both modern and historical), historical sites, and picturesque urban settings.

This is my first visit to the area and your input of photographic possibilities is kindly solicited and greatly appreciated. I will have access to a rental car.

Thanks,

Thomas

[bob carnie]

Thomas

You will here when?? The Contact photo festival starts the week of April 29 till the end of May, each evening is jam packed with photo events.
As far as photo opportunities others here may have better input than I as I only photograph in a studio setting, with hot lights. If you are here long enough a Salgado exhibit is opening during
this festival.

The GTA is over 6 million so a bit of driving is required to find grand landscapes.

[tgtaylor]

Thanks for the reply Bob. I'll be there the week of the 15th so regrettably I'll miss both the festival and the Salgado exhibit. I'm going to do my homework and come-up with a doable photography itinerary. Having traveled in Canada no further east that Winnipeg, I’m looking forward to this trip.

Thomas

[cowanw]

Out of town, maybe the Cheltenham badlands, or perhaps take the ferry across the Toronto harbour and see Toronto islands, a sort of quiet country in the city community and get the sky line behind you.

[Jody_S]

Thomas

You will here when?? The Contact photo festival starts the week of April 29 till the end of May, each evening is jam packed with photo events.


Great, I will be in TO from th 28th - 2nd, I will look into this.

[bob carnie]

Well if there is anything we can do we are here, Maybe a list of restaurants are go to areas.


Thanks for the reply Bob. I'll be there the week of the 15th so regrettably I'll miss both the festival and the Salgado exhibit. I'm going to do my homework and come-up with a doable photography itinerary. Having traveled in Canada no further east that Winnipeg, I’m looking forward to this trip.

Thomas

[adelorenzo]

Polson Pier and Humber Bay are two easy to access areas with good views to shoot the city skyline. Anywhere along the lake shore has a ton of possibilities for pictures. Check my flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/delorenzo) for a couple of examples.

I was there last month and if I had more time I would have shot more in the Hamilton area it's really interesting, especially if you are into industrial stuff. I'd love to explore more around the harbour and whatnot.

[bob carnie]

If you stay till the 3rd then there is a big opening at Arta Gallery on the 2nd with our people, Sandy King will be with us that evening. May 1 is the contact opening at MOCCA, very packed with people and interesting exhibits.



Great, I will be in TO from th 28th - 2nd, I will look into this.

[C_Remington]

I'm in Toronto about every other week. If all else fails, there are some nice galleries.

[Fred L]

While there are pockets of interesting architecture, I think Toronto is a semi-wasteland re:heritage and cultural buildings. Compared to Montreal and Chicago for example.

I like the grounds of the University of Toronto but they'll be small, intimate kind of spaces. It's also close to some nice neighbourhoods so that might be worth a wander and it's a short walk to Chinatown if you're hungry.

Cheltenham badlands can be good but if the weather is nice, it's going to be hard to avoid people ;)

[Ari]

While there are pockets of interesting architecture, I think Toronto is a semi-wasteland re:heritage and cultural buildings. Compared to Montreal and Chicago for example.

Almost correct, Fred: Montreal is a complete wasteland of heritage/cultural buildings; a few examples of uniqueness remain, but rampant corruption and general indifference give the city a dull and dirty look.
I say that with regret, not to poke fun.

As for Toronto, well, there's always the CN Tower :)
Don't forget Kensington and Annex areas; King street east used to be close by a lot of abandoned industrial buildings, maybe they've cleaned it up by now.
City Hall is always fun to try out with a view camera.

[bob carnie]

Right now Toronto has more towers and cranes operating than most cities in the world.
Really quite remarkable.. Urban Landscape for sure.

Could be interesting to get a vantage point high up in a hotel or building and doing some large format documentation.

[adelorenzo]

I can't help but think that there is some case of familiarity breeding contempt here. Since I moved away from Ontario in 1997 I have spent very little time there and I find Toronto and its environs to be a fascinating place. I'd love to go back there with a few cameras and some actual time to shoot.

[Jody_S]

Almost correct, Fred: Montreal is a complete wasteland of heritage/cultural buildings; a few examples of uniqueness remain, but rampant corruption and general indifference give the city a dull and dirty look.
I say that with regret, not to poke fun.



Can't really argue. We do have a gas station on Nun's Island that is listed as a Heritage building. It's ugly. Thanks, Sadie.

[Fred L]

I can't help but think that there is some case of familiarity breeding contempt here. Since I moved away from Ontario in 1997 I have spent very little time there and I find Toronto and its environs to be a fascinating place. I'd love to go back there with a few cameras and some actual time to shoot.

This may very well be the case adelorenzo.

Also seeing the city change and not for the best visually or aesthetically, is kind of sad. There are pockets if one looks for them but it seems the most popular places, and they tend to draw the meet up groups, are the graffiti alley where Rick Mercer does his rants, the Brickworks (a place i should have gone more often before it was gentrified) and Kensington Market (a really interesting neighbourhood). I don't really dig urbex unless it's got historical value. The Crystal at the ROM has some very interesting lines but I never really felt compelled to use film on it.

Toronto can be a good place for street shooting if that floats your boat and I find the financial district (King and Bay) really good for this.

@ari Indeed, King east used to be great, esp along with the lower Bayview extension but that's now becoming apartments for the 2015 Pan Am games. Basically any area that was visually worthwhile has been bought up and condo/yuppified. Also sorry to hear Montreal isn't that great anymore, unless one wants to do a project on overpasses ;) A good project imo. It's fascinating hearing about the corruption that went on at city hall and who knows where that will end.

To get back OT, I would suggest taking a ferry over to Ward's Island and seeing what you can photograph there. Some of the homes are still pretty basic and it has a certain feel I can't quite describe. Some homes have been renovated pretty heavily such that they stand out against some of the simpler ones.

Have a great trip here and maybe some of us can meet up if you have the time.



cheers

Fred

[tgtaylor]

Have a great trip here and maybe some of us can meet up if you have the time.
Fred

That's a great idea Fred!. I will be arriving Monday afternoon, the 15th, and will be free in the evenings and all day on Saturday and Sunday, the 20th and 21st. I don't know where I will be staying yet (the person who books hotel rooms was on PTO today) but if anyone would like to meet-up send me a PM.

Thomas

[bob carnie]

You are welcome to drop into Elevator for the 20 cent tour, We will be in full production for shows so I am not sure how much time I can get away from work but at least you can see the shop .
Bring Fred and others if there is a group. Saturday or Sunday would be the best, during the week its crazy.

[Fred L]

Work Mon and Sat is claimed already so Sun would be best day but need to confirm some things. Bob is also speaking on the 15th ( I won't be able to go, work et al)

http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=ad1d44831b32bdfb58d9b4e9a&id=d161f99d65

[Frank_E]

I am currently traveling but will be back for the time you are in Toronto. Should be available for the weekend of April 20 and 21st. I have a car and know most of the Toronto sights let me know if you want me to show you around or shoot LF together.

Bob and I also know each other so if he is at Elevator on the weekend I can show you where he is located.

[tgtaylor]

Great idea Frank and Fred! I'm thinking of spending all day Saturday and Sunday photographing. I'll send you guys a PM with my contact information in Toronto as soon as I know.

Thomas

[tgtaylor]

Update:

I'll be arriving in Totonto Monday evening and will be available to meet-up any evening after 5pm - except on Thursday when I have a business function to attend - and on the weekend. I'll be staying at the Quality Inn & Suites Airport on Ambler Drive in Mississauga and will have a company issued cell phone with me.

I will be checking my inbox on the forum on a regular basis so if you get the chance send me a PM and we'll meet for coffee or photography.

Thomas

[Fred L]

Have a safe flight in.

Not to scare you but you'll have a bit of a commute if you want to see downtown Toronto ;) Public transit will be fine but require a few transfers and maybe an hour. I used to take the subway and bus from downtown Toronto to go to Nikon (around the corner on Aerowood, a bunch of blocks from the hotel) so it can be done ha ha.

Have fun while you're here.


Fred

[photobymike]

just add an "A" at the end of all of your sentences and you will fit right in.... most people were very friendly, but i did have a few run ins with some younger people that hates americans...... An American working at Henry's gave me this tip..... So have a good time "A"

[bob carnie]

that would be eh eh

just add an "A" at the end of all of your sentences and you will fit right in.... most people were very friendly, but i did have a few run ins with some younger people that hates americans...... An American working at Henry's gave me this tip..... So have a good time "A"

[Jody_S]

just add an "A" at the end of all of your sentences and you will fit right in....

Eh?

[photobymike]

LOL LOL thanks for the correction :-) Should there be a question mark after.... eh?

[bob carnie]

eh? this could go on all day long , there are so many snowbirds in Tampa you should know this already eh.
LOL LOL thanks for the correction :-) Should there be a question mark after.... eh?

[photobymike]

Yes my mother and father in-laws are living in Toronto, originally from Jamaica. I love going to henry's camera store and all of the pawn shops around it. There is a camera show every month in a library i used to go and spend my yankee dollars. In a couple of years i plan to move there...eh?

[photobymike]

There is also guy that repairs hasselblad near the CN tower.. I could not afford anything he was selling but it was like a camera museum. He had fifty of everything on display

[tgtaylor]

Henry's is up there? That's good to know. I bought my Gitzo G1348 from them and will stop by their store.

Back in my hitchhiking days I hitched thru BC to Winnipeg. Upon reaching Calgary I ran out of Pesos and went to a Manpower office thinking it was the temp labor office in the states. Turned out it was the Canadian equilavent of EDD here in California. They sent me to a large company in the truss building trade and issued me a Canadian SS card so that the employer could pay me. The Canadian's were the only people that consistently ID'd me as a yank from the South. Thast surprised me because people in the states think I'm from the Northeast - especially from Boston - even those from adjoining states to my birth state. I'm from New Orleans and have a NO accent which confuses everyone else - lol.

Thomas

[bob carnie]

I know of the dude you are talking about, Russ is his name I believe.
Henrys store is a block away from Downtown Camera as well.

There is also guy that repairs hasselblad near the CN tower.. I could not afford anything he was selling but it was like a camera museum. He had fifty of everything on display

[Fred L]

Russ is near the tower ? Didn't know that, if he still is. I see him at the shows (if this is the Kominek Russ we're talking about) whenever I decide I have spare change to give up.

[Jody_S]

If you stay till the 3rd then there is a big opening at Arta Gallery on the 2nd with our people, Sandy King will be with us that evening. May 1 is the contact opening at MOCCA, very packed with people and interesting exhibits.

I can't stay for anything on the 2nd, our car has to be returned in Montreal Friay 8am. The trade show ends at 3 on the 1st, we should be packed by 5. I could probably make the opening at MOCCA. I just looked at the Facebook page (???!!!), I gather it's open to the public and I can just walk in? My wife is interested in coming also, neither of us has ever been to a TO museum and we don't know anyone in TO.

[bob carnie]

Well I won't hold that against you.


You can Walk Into Mocca ( I would not call it a museum but a big event hall) its the location for opening for Contact and more the better, the crowd will be large your wife would be welcome as well. I would strongly suggest going to Metiver Gallery to see some Salgado prints before the main event.
You will be happy you did.

I can't stay for anything on the 2nd, our car has to be returned in Montreal Friay 8am. The trade show ends at 3 on the 1st, we should be packed by 5. I could probably make the opening at MOCCA. I just looked at the Facebook page (???!!!), I gather it's open to the public and I can just walk in? My wife is interested in coming also, neither of us has ever been to a TO museum and we don't know anyone in TO.

[Jody_S]

Well I won't hold that against you.


You can Walk Into Mocca ( I would not call it a museum but a big event hall) its the location for opening for Contact and more the better, the crowd will be large your wife would be welcome as well. I would strongly suggest going to Metiver Gallery to see some Salgado prints before the main event.
You will be happy you did.

I did, this afternoon. Magnificent. The only prints I have ever seen that rival these are Jerry Uelsmann's. It was a bit of a mix-up of a lot of his work, I gather, 2 or 3 prints from each phase. I am rather fond of his 'workers' series, and they did not disappoint.

For those who find his later work cartoonish, HDR'd, or whatever, all I can say is they (well, the one on display) look a lot better in person. And it was marked as a 'silver gelatin print', same as the others. The only surprise was the obvious grain, visible from a viewing distance of 4-6 ft, even on some of the smaller prints. I don't count that as a flaw, it worked with the prints on display, I was just a little surprised.

[Jody_S]

I went to the MOCCA opening last night, with my wife. I'm speechless.

What the h*** was that?

[Frank_E]

I went to the MOCCA opening last night, with my wife. I'm speechless.

What the h*** was that?

not having been there yet, I am assuming your comment suggests that you didn't like it?

[Jody_S]

I can't help but feel that I missed something. I walked around looking for a door leading to another room, but I never found it.

Please, go see, maybe I never got past the entrance to the museum?

At one point, I told my wife that we had a giant roll of bubble wrap in the car (left over from packing up our trade show display), and perhaps I should go back to the car, wrap myself in the stuff, and return to the museum so I could bump into random people. Everyone would have thought I was a person of note, an artist. I probably would have fit in better than I did wearing plain slacks and a golf shirt.

My wife did see a photo she liked.

[Frank_E]

ok finally got there yesterday
and now I can relate to your remarks
it certainly did not grab me….
pity because in previous years during Contact they did have some good photography there


I can't help but feel that I missed something. I walked around looking for a door leading to another room, but I never found it.

Please, go see, maybe I never got past the entrance to the museum?

At one point, I told my wife that we had a giant roll of bubble wrap in the car (left over from packing up our trade show display), and perhaps I should go back to the car, wrap myself in the stuff, and return to the museum so I could bump into random people. Everyone would have thought I was a person of note, an artist. I probably would have fit in better than I did wearing plain slacks and a golf shirt.

My wife did see a photo she liked.

[bob carnie]

I will try to convey Mocca's role each year in a simple way.

The photographic political forces that govern this event is very wide spread and diverse, each year the opening is reaching out these different groups.
I have been at every opening since Contacts early days and have found the opening event a bit of a lunch bag letdown but each year there may be images of some interest that catch my eye.
This year was no exception, I actually enjoyed Micheal Snows room and really liked the main room, just their were too many images to look at. If one goes through the book and knows who is who you will find fantastic shows going on each day of the month.
Even the book is highly risky to follow as the feature shows, in a lot of cases are presented as features have taken a lot of behind the scene arm twisting, and the viewing public can be lead astray.
The comments about wearing plain slacks and golf shirt is kind of condescending as I was in that crowd as well , if I had of recognized you in your habs outfit I would have said hello.

The opening events are a way for many to just say hello in a neutral space and celebrate the fact that such a large and wonderful photo-festival graces our wonderful city.

[Frank_E]

this Toronto Star Article on the show is actually quite insightful

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/visualarts/2013/05/03/contact_festival_archive_of_modern_conflict_show_opens_at_mocca.html

but I still found both exhibits took a little too much time and effort to really enjoy them
when I go to a photography exhibit I prefer to be more engaged by the artwork
instead of having to work quite that hard to try and understand it so that I can appreciate it

here is a quote from the above article

"Pictures are grouped in tens, or dozens, or sometimes threes and fours, hung salon-style in loose, off-kilter grids that invite a spontaneous viewing, letting the eye travel until it sticks"

I just found it took too long for my eyes to "stick"

but I did find the Robert Frank photograph…...

[bob carnie]

I watched the Dam Busters movie as a child , and it was incredible to see actual ariel photographs of the Dam just after the attack.
That image alone was worth the time spent at the opening.

[Jody_S]

I will try to convey Mocca's role each year in a simple way.

The photographic political forces that govern this event is very wide spread and diverse, each year the opening is reaching out these different groups.
I have been at every opening since Contacts early days and have found the opening event a bit of a lunch bag letdown but each year there may be images of some interest that catch my eye.
This year was no exception, I actually enjoyed Micheal Snows room and really liked the main room, just their were too many images to look at. If one goes through the book and knows who is who you will find fantastic shows going on each day of the month.
Even the book is highly risky to follow as the feature shows, in a lot of cases are presented as features have taken a lot of behind the scene arm twisting, and the viewing public can be lead astray.
The comments about wearing plain slacks and golf shirt is kind of condescending as I was in that crowd as well , if I had of recognized you in your habs outfit I would have said hello.

The opening events are a way for many to just say hello in a neutral space and celebrate the fact that such a large and wonderful photo-festival graces our wonderful city.

My apologies, I wasn't trying to be condescending, but I know from experience that my sense of humor often comes across the wrong way. When we went, it was packed wall-to-wall and it was a struggle just to move through and try to see everything on the walls. Plus, we were both completely exhausted from the trade show, I had just spent 3 hours packing up and preparing crates for shipping, not to mention an earlier 5k walk on the islands, and was really just looking forward to spending an enjoyable evening seeing something new. I didn't know what to make of any of it, and I didn't have the guide or book that explained what was what. I didn't see any for sale, though I did see a couple of people with what looked like a type-written list.

We were both so uncomfortable in the crowd that we left rather quickly (the bubble wrap was our way of joking about it). My wife, who went to art school, was laughing at me because I couldn't make any sense of anything. She said that's why she went from art school to graphic design, because she, like me, is very clinical and detached when looking at art. We would not have gone to the opening if our schedules had permitted a visit the next day.