Queens Park Gothic

It's hard to believe that is the top of Queens Park. This whole time I've looked at this building never did I notice that the top had such intricate architecture. It almost doesn't look real. One day I was walking around there and noticed a storm was on its way, lets take a picture of that, and there it was. I uploaded the photos to my computer and to my amazement I seen this for the first time.
I think I looked at that picture for a while in shock. Wow! this needs to be seen by the world, as most of us just drive or walk by this building not aware of how amazing it is. You could stand there for hours and see something different at every angle.

Then you look across the street to see this building, which sits at the corner of Collage Street and University Avenue. I love how the reflection off the building stands out. No matter where you look, this building has art all over it. It was well placed and planned, I could take shots of it all day. 

There is never a shortage of concrete art when you walk down University Avenue. More building porn then your eyes can handle. Another plus? The TTC will take you there, as the subway runs right underneath there. Soon enough you guys will see just how obsessed I am with the Toronto Transit Commission, I'm always taking photographs of buses, streetcars and subway trains. Even Mississauga Transit will make its way in here somehow, I grew up on that transit.

Thanks Bustalk and Google.

Here sits my favourite bus 9207, I remember it from my teenage years in Mississauga. It used to run on the 9 route to Meadowvale Town Centre from Square One. Magic, some very nice person took a picture of it, thanks to whoever you are. Enough of that, buses are for another post.

Humber Streetcar Tracks

There is definitely some thing great about the Humber river area. Walking around looking at the water that runs through it, an the path that runs beside it, can bring a calm to anyone. If you like that sort of thing. This bridge is sitting at the base of the Humber river, right near Lake Ontario. What a wonder it is, such modernness and geometry going on in one structure. Every time I walk over this bridge I have to stop and take a look. Usually there is a picture taking event happening, bet we knew that. The magic hour has proved to make this shot an awesome site. 

Continue walking and this is what I found that day. There was steam coming out of a hidden area and through the trees, ta-da, you get this shot. I had to stop an capture it, a beautiful moment I will never forget as long as I live. I know that I was in a great mood that day, as you can see with all the happy pictures. Not every day is doom and gloom for me, if I seen a perfect moment I snap it.

TTC love here we go. I do have a transit addiction that started from a young age. My Grandma used to take me on the bus when I would visit her, we would go downtown on the TTC and I must say that I loved every minute of it. That love never went away. The above picture caught my eye when I was walking over this bridge in the west end near the Humber loop. The sun has a way of shining just right to show all the shadows and light, all at the right time and in the right place. Plus, it's streetcar tracks, which I love. You know what would have made the shot the ultimate of all photos? If a streetcar had been going by at that exact moment. Oh well, I did get this photograph and I hope you too love it just the way it is.

Sunnyside Flowers And Fountains

For the love of flowers, yes I do think that flowers are beautiful. When I choose to capture them, I look for the most interesting angles. This one was perfection, the sun was right and boom...picture. There is something to say about Sunnyside Beach, wonderful place to go and find beauty. This area was inside a closed off park like setting. Colours everywhere and the sun was at the perfect magic hour. And then I turned around.

Fountain, look at that fountain. Actually the hard part was capturing the water falling at the exact position that it is. Almost looks like plastic the way the water is frozen in time. 

As for Sunnyside pool, I'm actually afraid of it. At least when it's empty I am. This fear I do need to overcome, but empty swimming pools have scared the crap out of me for years and I don't know why. At least if there is water in the Olympic sized pool I can stand next to it and be fine. Empty it and I'm freaking out. 

Thank you Wikipedia

As you can see in this very old picture found on Wikipedia the pool is a fair size and great for all the family to get out and enjoy during the hot Toronto summers. Never actually swam in that pool, however I've walked past it many times. The view of the water front in beautiful any time of the year. 

At least once or twice every year I need to make a visit, camera in hand, down there. For the most part I do like to look at Lake Ontario alone in my own thoughts and music playing in my ears. 

Graffiti In High Park Abandon

Some look at graffiti as damage to society, I would call that tagging. However, graffiti can be a work of art in so many ways. I take pictures of graffiti and turn it into my own art. The shot above was just your run of the miss spray paint canvas on the wall, but I seen more into it.
My start was to find the exact thing that i needed in the photograph and follow it up with an edit that could be breath taking. There it is. All this fun explains how depressed I felt that day, the darkness flowing through my veins, the thoughts of worthlessness I was dealing with. However, upon completing this piece, there was a sense of calm and peace in my mind, because I was able to put it out there and make it something. Something I could be proud of.

Here is another piece that came from my heart on another day. I found this one behind an abandoned house near the High Park area. Mind you this block of abandoned houses was torn down a couple years ago, when I came across them I needed to explore. Remember to always explore with caution, as you may not know who is hanging out in these places. 

I carefully went from house to house, making sure to turn my music off just in case someone was behind me. I would hear everything. Luckily no one was around most of the times that I went. I knew that when I seen this art on the wall, I needed to make it more. Something exciting and colourful. So there you have it. As for the spot that these houses were sitting? Well now a condo is being built there, because that is what Toronto needs is more condos!! It would have made more sense to leave the older looking houses there in the first place. Those families were bought out and moved out. Brings a tear to the eye.

From Lights To Buses

This is enjoyable, I went back in time to find this photograph for you. 2007ish. I think. The reason this picture still stands out in my mind is because this light fixture is still sitting there in the same window, in the same place, doing the same thing in 2014. I see it on my way home everyday. There is a store on Dupont Street that only sells light fixtures and I'm sure it has been around for for many years prior to my picture being taken.
One day I may walk right into this store and buy the damn light. As for now now, there it is. For the most part the reflection is what makes the photo interesting to me. It's like a two in one done way before the days when you could combine photos on your smartphone. Just a camera, as light fixture, a window, and a refection of the building across the street.
I'm really wondering how much that thing costs as I may want to buy it now. Just watch, the moment I enter the store it will be gone or sold to someones else. No worries, it made the shot.
Dupont Street is filled with adventure, so many old buildings and stores with old things in them. You could almost feel the 1940's all over that street, maybe earlier. I should look that up one day. Every time I walk down that street, camera in hand, I find something that I've never seen before, even though I look at it almost every day.
This also brings me back to a time when they used to run trolley buses down the street, the 4 Annette Street bus (which has been replaced with the 26 Dupont bus, same thing, different name). I remember as a kid in the 1980's waiting for the bus to roll on by, they were so quiet, just a swoosh of vehicle going by.

Thank you Wikipedia.

There is an old shot of the buses I used to see, so awesome looking. Ok so now we all know about my love for transit and well the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission). I do wish that I could ride in one of those trolley buses, but they removed all the overhead wires years ago, and most of those buses are in museums or rusted out somewhere. Bummer. 

Niagara Fall of Adventure

Going to Niagara Falls every summer would the best thing on the planet, starting to think it would be great to live there. Then there is this big part of me that would miss subway trains and streetcars and you know Toronto. So that would be out of the question. My heart is still there. Never a place to be bored.
When my family and I visit this wonderful city we spend an hour doing the touristy things and then the rest of the time driving and walking around the rest of it. Did you know that the downtown core of Niagara Falls is NOT Clifton Hill, true story. It's actually Queen Street, right near the Go train station. Nowadays it feels like a ghost town and full of urban explorer abandon, which mean excitement for me. What I really enjoy is the fact that I relax when I'm there, my body just chills right out. Especially when I do take that moment to sit in front of the Falls and just watch it fall. To focus on the shapes of the water and different colours racing in teams down to the bottom river gives me calmness.
Who needs to go somewhere expensive when you have this wonder city right near by, ok so it's a bit of a distance and that doesn't matter to me. I really do wish we could leave tomorrow and enjoy some falls. The abandoned building are everywhere, from Motels and Hotels, to houses that people just left behind. There is an old Jail House in the downtown core that fascinates me every time. There are so many picture opportunities everywhere. Especially if you are the artsy type, express your bliss and go snap crazy. This will be one of many posts on Niagara Falls.

Eaton Centre of My Life

The Toronto Eaton Centre is a place I love from the bottom of my heart. In fact, we are the same age. I could never stop taking pictures of it.

This photo right above was taken by someone (thank you whoever you are) in the 1980's. This is what I knew Eaton Centre to be and nothing more. There was Eaton's of course and trees, when I tell people that the mall had trees on the third floor they don't believe me. Well here's the proof.
Somewhere back in the 1980's my Grandmother used to take me to the mall, I was a young child. These memories will always stick with me, no matter what. Now I work here twice a week but yet these old memories always stay within my mind. That ceiling, the fountain, the white railing, oh wait the railing is clear now. Bad move Eaton Centre, bad move. Still my favourite mall

Depressed Beaches

Hello people, the picture that you see above may look calming. Just a random chillin' day at the beach. No so much. I did intend for this shot to be in colour, however that did not happen. Some time before summer had started, in the middle of spring, I decided to go over to the Beaches and wander around. I took my Samsung Galaxy camera with me and there it was...The Shot. That day was not a great day for me, I felt very depressed and needed so alone time. As I came across this I immediately saw the calm. The clouds were perfect, the lighting was perfect, everything in this shot was explaining how I felt at that moment. I was at peace for the most part, but I needed to make a piece of art. 

Looking out over Lake Ontario had always gave me great pleasure, a childhood past time. My parents used to take me out for a drive as a young child, we would go to Port Credit in Mississauga, park the car and take a walk near the water. So later on in my life it just seems fitting that when I need thinking time I head for the water. There I was in the Beaches, freezing my butt off, taking pictures of things I needed my camera to see.

All I could feel that day was pain in my heart, not sure why, just did. I looked into the lake for quite a long time. Listening to depressing music is a given upon my trails. I know this is weird, however, sad music makes me happy and happy music makes me miserable. Don't ask. At that moment I could feel everything, fully. I didn't want to leave even though I'm not a big fan of the east side of Toronto. I needed to stay. 

I captured many other pictures that day, but this is the one that stood out most for me. It was also the most healing of all the pictures taken.

Photography=Words

Welcome to Photography=Words. This is a place to come and see wonderful pictures taken by myself for your enjoyment. First you will see the art form at the top of the post, followed by some words on how I may have been feeling when the photograph was taken or what comes to mind. There may be some story on the adventure that was taken upon shooting. Above is the very first photo that I took while starting my hobby as a photographer. Walking around Toronto, my hometown, looking for things that intrigued me I came upon this. Dupont subway station, I loved the way the bus stop took over the whole scene. It just dominated everything, so therefore became my first piece of art. The 26 Dupont bus is my favourite route on the TTC system and there I was standing at the station with all this in front of me. The door slightly open from the wind of the subway trains. The shine and light from the sun. The mirror reflection on the windows showing what was standing across the street. All this defined a perfect photo for me. I also took the photo with a point and shoot camera, a Polaroid digital camera (which I still have) and after all that home editing, ta-da we have a picture. Maybe not my best, I can admit that now, be a start no less. So give it a chance, because this is what started it all.
I still remember that day. I bought the camera the day before. Took it out for a test run, snapped shots of everything that I thought was interesting and kept walking. I really didn't care about lighting and setting the camera up for the best shot. All I cared about was getting images to work with. Posting them on Facebook and moving on. Later I discovered how important editing a picture really is, and for that matter cropping the shot. Many photos later I still value this one picture, because it started it all.
2006 was the beginning of a new therapy for me. I suffer from depression and anxiety, I needed a way to release all this emotion and this was the way. It worked for the most part, as you will see as time goes by, the pictures get darker and darker. Don't worry, it helps to release all that darkness which helps with the happy. So here we go.