PhotoDiction

In the Middle of It All

2012-01-29T12:52:00.001-05:00

I love to come across street art. There is so much possibility for a perfect interaction between art, artist, and both suspecting and unsupecting audiences. I hope you like the photo and the poem that accompanies it.

[ f/9, 1/160, 45mm, ISO 400 ]

some days
your love
rises up in front of me
making me feel small
as i pass in front
of your searing eyes

and i worry
that somewhere behind
there are others
offering gifts to you
and eager
to run me down

until your gaze
shades itself from all others
then falls upon my face

and i lie
reassured once more
in your embrace

All poetry and photos are copyright and the property of Mario Cerroni. Please do not copy or use without permission.

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]
I try to update this blog about once a week. I'm not always successful :) You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

anime girl

2012-01-17T10:40:00.002-05:00

Sometimes you are just at the right place at the right time. Written for the redhaired woman on markham street unaware of what your presence means to me...

[ f/11 1/60 70mm ISO 400 ]

when suddenly
you are there

larger than life
like you just stepped out
of a story
or a comic book

leaving me to wonder

why now
why at this moment

with my camera trained
on the sign on the door

you suddenly appear

and affirm that
a photograph can

just as easily capture
a fantasy
as it records
a concrete scene

All poetry and photos are copyright and the property of Mario Cerroni. Please do not copy or use without permission.

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]
I try to update this blog about once a week. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Sun and Rain

2011-12-23T14:37:00.000-05:00

Every now and then I like to take out my macro lens and do some floral closeups. This was one of my more recent florals. The shape of the flower so obviously reminds me of the sun. Which of course, leads to thoughts of....

[ f/32, 3sec, 105mm, ISo 200 ]

you are sun
and i am rain

together
we soar as mist
far above
the earth we share

until we separate
and fall again
then rest upon
each other's breath

until together
we rise again

All poetry and photos are copyright and the property of Mario Cerroni. Please do not copy or use without permission.

She doesn't live here anymore...

2011-12-04T14:16:00.000-05:00

I'm always intrigued by doors, especially old ones like this one. What went on behind them? What do they say about the people that lived or worked there? What memories or emotions do they stir up?

[ f/10, 52mm, 1/40, ISO 800 ]

she doesn't live here anymore
perhaps she never did

admit it
you were a heal

and your memory of her
is as faded
as the memory
of where she lived

All poetry and photos are copyright and the property of Mario Cerroni. Please do not copy or use without permission.

Forbidden Passage

2011-11-22T13:02:00.002-05:00

Poetry has been resonating. Just haven't been writing it down. Finally needed to heed the call. Hope you like the photo and the poem :) By the way, the higher ISO was chosen to add to the 'noise' or 'grittiness' of the rust.

[ f/8, 1/125, 80mm, ISO 1250 ]

sometimes
i remain hidden
behind the closed door

until my pride
gives way to loneliness

forcing me
to sneak a look
through the rusty keyhole

and into your heart

where i am forced
to admit

your touch upon my soul
will slowly wear away
the grit
i've placed
between us

All poetry and photos are copyright and the property of Mario Cerroni. Please do not copy or use without permission.

Some days

2011-09-26T20:10:00.001-04:00

Almonte is a wonderful town just oustide of Ottawa. And it has some glorious waterfalls where the river drops mutliple levels as it passes through the town. I spent the better part of an afternoon/evening there recently and came away with a number of photographs that I was quite happy with. The one displayed here shows just a portion of the waterfalls that make up this section. I hope you like both the photo and the poem that accompanies it.

[f/22, 1.3 sec, 62mm, ISO 200 ]

some days
i need your love to wash over me
removing the grievances
that are tattooed deep within my soul

then smooth the craggy edges
that remain from my failures
and disappointments

some days
i need your song to wash over me
keeping me contained
in its unrelenting gentleness

in harmony
with a symphony of cleansing
that only exists
in the silence of rushing water

until the polished essence that remains
is all that is me

wrap me then
in the sound and energy
that brings me life
and renewed love

some days
i need your love to wash over me

All poetry and photos are copyright and the property of Mario Cerroni. Please do not copy or use without permission.

A Place for Contemplation

2011-09-18T14:24:00.000-04:00

Once again I found myself wondering around Andrew Hayden Park on a crisp fall-like day. Being close to the water and feeling unhurried or far from your every day cares can lend itself to moments of quite contemplation. I hope you like both the photo I took and the poem that accompanies it.

[ f/13, 1/30, 24mm, ISO 200 ]

in the midst of early autumn days
do the best moments for dreams
and contemplations exist

here when seasons merge
one to another
we lay
the stages of our lives
side by side

and then we pause

for we notice
that every now and then
one of our seasons
is more colorful than others

but it is often
too brief

then overshadowed
by cloud and rain
or snowy days

except for those that spend
the rest of the year
applying the lessons
that autumn brings

for them
vibrant color is the theme
for every day

All poetry and photos are copyright and the property of Mario Cerroni. Please do not copy or use without permission.

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

I try to update this blog about once a week. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

The Secret Garden

2011-09-11T09:59:00.002-04:00

A recent trip to Boston, and a new appreciation of how some cities do a remarkable job of melding old and new, with each complementing the other's beauty. Walking around Trinity Church, I came across this beautiful little garden. The peaceful setting was a wonderful oasis in the city. I hope you enjoy the photo and the poem.

[ f/16, 1/25, 19mm, ISO 800 ]

some gardens lie in secret
while others are openly admired

where visitors
will pause and often linger

and some
will play the role of gardener
if even for just awhile

for eventually their eyes
are drawn towards another

with blossoms bright
and flowered calling cards

announcing their presence
inviting like no other

yet
it is the secret gardens
that once one scales beyond their walls
that yield their blooms
in wondrous pleasure

for one that cares to look
beyond the seemingly
forbidding wall

and so it is

the few hearts that i have shared
and the many more
that have been missed
by walking on

and so regretful now
do i ponder the failed efforts
and the missed glances
beyond those walls

All poetry and photos are copyright and the property of Mario Cerroni. Please do not copy or use without permission.

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Clouds

2011-08-31T20:00:00.002-04:00

When you think of beautiful summer days you often think of clear blue skies. Yet, there can be real beauty in a "cloud-dressed sky" that arrests your gaze and forces you to just marvel at the shapes and beauty that it contains. This photo was taken in Plymouth, Massachusetts during a trip through the New England states in July. Hope you enjoy the photo and the poem.

[ f/10, 1/400, 62mm, ISO 200 ]

when alone
i watch the sea

and
clouds arise
to lure me

you will find me
happily

beckoned from my
reality

relishing in a
fantasy

where wind and sail
so well conspire

to force awake
this day's desire

with dreams of places
unforeseen

where minds dissolve

and enjoyment
reigns supreme

oh yes -

these mystic beings
dress the sky

and whether
you be adult
or child-sized

they will not
let you
pass on by

they'll hypnotize
and hold your eye

imploring you
to complete and capture

this inspired view
of cloud filled rapture

All poetry and photos are copyright and the property of Mario Cerroni. Please do not copy or use without permission.

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Passages

2011-08-21T11:51:00.002-04:00

I was fortunate to come across a glorious sunflower field not far from where I live. I took many photos there over a period of a week or so. Though this one was taken nearing the end of the sunflower's peak season, it remains one of my favorites. ( For you photo enthusiasts, you'll notice the high ISO. It was a windy day, and quite a bit overcast and I needed to try to freeze the sunflowers in order to capture them as sharp as possible since they were blowing around so much. Hence the bumped up ISO value in order to get a faster shutter speed.) I was struck by the young age of the girl, contrasting the aging of the sunflowers as they approached their season's end. I hope you enjoy the photo and the poem that accompanies it.

[ f/22, 1/160, 70mm, ISO 1250 ]

they speak
though sparingly
to one so innocent

showing beauty first
and then
their glory spent

it is
what she must learn
of passages

where symmetry
drops its petals
one by one

and vibrant yellow
turns to brown

then suddenly
an envy
from my soul is teased

for her view of aging
and how it is appeased

when told
the flower's seeds
will go to ground

to sprout once more
its homage to the sun

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Art and Marriage

2011-08-14T20:51:00.005-04:00

Toronto's Distillery District is a photographer's paradise. In addition to the old buildings, the atmosphere, and the wonderful shops, there are two vintage trucks parked there. I've taken lots of photos of each. And each time I return there, I am always compelled to take at least one more. Following is one from my last trip there earlier this year. I hope you enjoy it... and the whimsy that follows it.

[ f/10, 1/80, 52mm, ISO 200 ]

i do confess
my love of abstract art

for once the artist's done

it's for the viewer
to do their part

it is a marriage
like most other

where each one's vision
bonds them together

and if getting meaning
is too much bother?

why - divorce it then!

for upon some wall
there hangs another

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Aging Gracious

2011-08-08T14:02:00.001-04:00

While on a recent (and too short) visit to Boston, I was struck by the architecture and especially the way that so many old historical buildings were mixed in with newer modern buildings. Following is one of the photos that I took. I like this one because it shows a diversity of styles and historical eras. I hope you enjoy it... and the poem that accompanies it.

[ f/16, 1/125, 58mm, ISO 200 ]

there's harmony
in city streets
where buildings old
see no retreat

and new facades
do show respect
to companions
some would reject

they reap
a mutual benefit
their different age
a complement

embrace the beauty
they still possess
each full of stories
we should address

for much they've seen
where they still stand
both happy times
and wars at hand

and now i ponder
as you and i
hand in hand
on life's path wander

when I too
am marked with age
and storied lines
cross my visage

will you look
upon my face
and hold me dear
within your space

where i might sing
my soul's refrain
that by your side
i will remain

for i long to be
like these old places
ignoring time
while we age gracious

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Beaches are for dreaming

2011-07-31T20:29:00.001-04:00

I took a lot of photos during a recent trip to Cape Cod and its gorgeous beaches and scenery. This one was taken at a beach in Provincetown. On a glorious summer day, beaches are most suitable for sitting and dreaming.

[ f/14, 1/250, 66mm, ISO 200 ]

what better way
to spend the summer day

than watching clouds
across a gentle bay

and feel the wind
its gentle sway

on the boats that
strain to sail away

here upon
this golden sand

do all my dreams
seem close at hand

the life that in
my youth i planned

and all the tests
i would withstand

and though not all
did come to be

it pales against
your love for me

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Summer Breeze

2011-07-24T22:21:00.001-04:00

I took this photo at one of my favorite places in Ottawa, the Dick Bell park and marina along the Ottawa River. A little bit of summer whimsy. I hope you enjoy both the poem and the photo.

[ f/14, 1/125, 24mm, ISO 200, GND filter ]

summer breeze
with ease
i contemplate

warm days
fog and haze
dissipate

boats sail
laughter hails
carefree days

sun sings
sea bird wings
flap away

if tomorrow
there is sorrow
i'll be fine

for here I'll be
this scene I'll see
in my mind

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Memory Market

2011-07-17T14:26:00.003-04:00

This photo was taken at the St. Lawrence Market in downtown Toronto. If you ever get a chance to visit there, the local color, the merchants, the artisans, among the historical architecture all provide a wonderful ambience to stroll within. I hope you enjoy the photo and the poem it inspired.

[ f/10, 1/320, 38mm, ISO 800 ]

for you

the market place is selling memories
on tables lined with faded lace

and on each table the remnants lay
of dreams you might have chased

oh you relics that are cast aside
your purpose long fulfilled

displayed among the tables there
you're hoping for new love to build

yet most will pass so unaware
of your treasures lying dormant

moving by with too short stares
adding to your cruel torment

as you strain to demonstrate
you've lots to give to someone new

in a world you could create
in a life you could renew

like lovers that you've had before
in your youth that's never more

with its never ending serenade
you strain to halt the memories fade

and while the song is getting old
there are stories to still unfold

and though the melody
is lost to all

you still hear the music

and you would gladly
heed its call

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

The Assertion

2011-07-08T18:50:00.002-04:00

I haven't been updating as often as I would like and I apologize for that. Like the old cliche says, life does get in the way sometimes. Anyway - hopefully, I will resume a regular semblance of "sort-of-weekly" postings. I took this photo on a little getaway that my wife and I took to Lake placid about a month ago. I was struck by the grandeur of the landscape as seen from the heights of Whiteface Mountain. And like many poets before me, I felt compelled to write about love :)

[ f/14, 1/80 sec, 16mm, ISO 200, GND filter ]

what love
created the majesty and beauty
i see before me?

what hand painted
the richness of blue
that so closely matches
the eyes you turn towards me?

what kindness sends the gentle sun
to burn away the morning mist
reveals the mountains
and lakes below
like tomorrow's promise
of happiness in tow?

what hope
against the world's creation
have i
to fill your heart
with longing for the beauty
that a life together
would to us bring?

yet -
is it not enough to say
that the view you see below
cannot contain
the breadth of love
that i would have you know?

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Solitude

2011-06-07T19:50:00.002-04:00

I took this photo at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The prison is no longer in operation but remains open as a 'prison museum' and as a place of historical interest. I was struck by the fact that many of the cells had a 'skylight' as this photo shows. And I began to wonder about the person sitting there day after day in the cell.

[ f/22, 14mm, 1.3 sec, ISO 200 ]

alone
is to be without a dream
to give me hope

alone
is to be where the light shines
only what light there is
shines not on what i have
but illuminates what i have lost

alone
is to know that tomorrow
and every day
will be as empty as today

alone
is to forget
the faces of loved ones
no longer able
to remember
how their smiles looked

alone
is to be haunted
by an ever fading memory
that slowly leaves
my clenched fist
as i try in vain
to hold it still

alone
is to hear my heart beating
in an endless solo
never to feel the harmony
of another keeping pace

alone
i am
a - l - one

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Infinite Yearnings

2011-05-31T13:28:00.001-04:00

I have been away, followed by a sickness which has kept me from writing and posting over the past month. I'm hoping now that I am over the worst of it and can continue with my weekly postings. This photo was taken in Graffiti Alley in Philadelphia. I was struck by the variety of expressions that lived in the color and the words of the graffiti. The arches almost gave a sense of going on forever, as did the voices of those that painted their message for others to see.

[ f/8, 1/125, 40 mm, ISO 1000 ]

i see the repetitions
where far off they disappear
along with cries for freedom
that someone shouts from here

some looking to belong
others expressing love for all to see
some looking for a voice
others yelling out the future they want to be

and like the rainbow
that shines so brilliant in too brief a moment's pass
it makes us pause in awe and wonder
for we know its beauty will not forever last

and so we strain to hear the voices
that they may rise above the stifling din
and touch our hearts with those that painted here
and left their spirits trapped within

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Sunny - With Cloudy Periods

2011-04-24T09:33:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter everyone. I went for a walkabout this past Friday and took this photo of one of the windows outside the Old Mill, just past the War Museum in Ottawa. It reminded me of Easter. Perhaps it was the colours. Or the view being reflected back through the window.

[ f/14, 19mm, 1/80 sec, ISO 200 ]

both sun
and cloud
within my window view

do not
the clouds
make a richer blue?

and so it is -
the life
i share with you

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

The Simple Iris

2011-04-17T09:17:00.000-04:00

One of the things I like about macro (close-up) photography is that it often reveals the wonder and the beauty which exists in many of the common things we share our world with. I took this closeup of a simple iris that was part of a bouquet of flowers my wife brought into the house on an otherwise cloudy day.

[ f/22, 5 sec, 105mm, ISO 200 ]

2 meditations on the simple iris

1.

so distinct two colors do emerge
first yellow out of blue does surge
until at once it does dissolve
to white then blue it then evolves
flashing brilliant in its turn
from where it comes it does return

like two lovers sharing hearts
while each retains defining parts
accepting what sets each apart

knowing that it gives them strength
this bold embrace of difference

2.

it isn't just the clouds
on days that keep
the sun from shining

instead

the sun cannot always shine
when it has exhausted
for just awhile

it's reserve of yellow
to paint each simple iris

how can i
so selfish mourn
its temporary absence

in the presence
of such brilliant
sacrifice

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

A Never Ending Love Song

2011-04-10T08:34:00.002-04:00

Sometimes graffiti is really wonderful to come across. This was shot in Ottawa, on the corner of Sunnyside and Bank.

[ f/8, 1/40, 18mm, ISO 800 ]

the ballad
you wish to hear

is in the heart
that's always near

it will release you
from any pain
that you might feel

and set aside your doubts
wipe away your tears

for my lyrics
will tell you
there is
no lasting wrong

that can't be erased
by this

the never ending
love song

i sing to you
each day

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Memories of Marilyn

2011-04-03T12:02:00.011-04:00

You would expect a tribute to Marilyn Monroe to be in Hollywood or New York City perhaps, and not in Mississauga Ontario. For those of you not in Canada, Mississauga is in the Greater Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario Canada area. It was on some visits there that I have been watching the 'Marilyn Monroe' buildings in various states of progression. Apparently the architect has designed the buildings to evoke memories of Marilyn. I guess he was a fan. Anyway, this got me thinking about her life and her movies, which resulted in the poem that follows the photo. I have incorporated a large part of her filmography and you can identify the films by the fact that they start with capitals and are italicized and bold. The photo was taken on my most recent visit to Mississauga.

[f/10, 1/1250, 32mm, ISO 1000]

you were more than
the bumps and grinds
performed in men's minds

stepping in and out of roles
you had to know that there were
Dangerous Years ahead

but Scudda-hoo? Scudda-hay? you sang
for what else could you possibly do or say
to the one-liners hinting
at whatever lustful dreams are had
while men watch The Ladies of the Chorus
perform in the bars each night

where The Fireball of their hopeless passion
took them to imaginary beach strolls
hand in hand with you
but eventually always waking to
the cold return that waited for them
in the darkness of The Asphalt Jungle
that was their everyday jobs and lives

all the time feeling helpless to escape
like a boxer caught in a Right Cross
which punched their Ticket
to Tomahawk any chances they might have had
before catching themselves getting old too quickly
while wondering All About Eve
and the fruits she might offer
feeling Love Happy
in spite of their advancing age
telling themselves that you really are
As Young As You Feel
or at least as young as you made them feel

planning their Love Nest
they send every blonde a rose with a note saying
"be mine forever"
and
"Let's Make It Legal"
all the while writing the screenplay in their mind
to lead to the best Home Town Story ever

so they pack up their desire
waiting for turns in the tavern
which is just another of
O. Henrys Full House
where every room is occupied
by other men with similar wants
threatening their quest in
the desperate Clash By Night
that drops a dose of reality on them
like a possessed sweetheart reminding
of boundaries while proclaiming
"not here honey
and not for money
and it's not that I don't love you
it's just that
We're Not Married"

and their hearts feel crushed
by a torrent of rejection
with the power of Niagara
cascading through any illusion
they had of any Monkey Business
and their fantasy conclusion

now the night just marches on
almost midnight on their clock
so they don't bother to knock
any color of hair
as long as she's willing
they don't really care that
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

alone with their drinks
falsely taking comfort
in the cruel sense of knowledge
that some girls get schooled on
How To Marry A Millionaire

watching enviously as the studio executives
continue prowling the bars
luring aspiring starlets
with the cinematic promise that
There's No Business Like Show Business
though some will be forsaken
the glamour will only take them
along a heartless journey down their
personal River Of No Return

and they desperately can't see that
the wind just stirs a fantasy and
The Seven Year Itch
is just a Bus Stop along the route
in a string of broken relationships

instead they just keep on playing
The Prince And The Showgirl
to every marilyn in every bar

hoping to discover
if Some Like It Hot
all the while rejecting
those that do not

until finally

in a never ending night

"let's just stop", she says
"and Let's Make Love", she says
"and pretend that we're ok
because you know
there must be a pill
to get over this stage fright
and cure us from being
damaged and lost as
The Misfits
we really are."

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

The Natural

2011-03-27T07:33:00.007-04:00

While hiking in the Gatineaus I came across this design etched into the ice that remained atop a frozen pond, whose surface was quickly melting. I was fascinated by the patterns and all the images my imagination could draw out of it. Later it was kind of humbling to think about how any artistic talent I might have was dwarfed by such a creative force as nature.

[ f/4.8, 1/500, 40mm, ISO 200 ]

with such apparent ease
you sent a willful breeze

cleared the snow

then shone the sun
to polish the glassy crust

before you etched
some curves and lines
into a mystic shape

it seems

you carefully
laid out a story
or mythology

for me to seek
some individual truth

hidden in whatever
beast or scene
i might perceive

it is
with a cunning worthy
of any fabled wolf
that you blow away
my feeble creations

and as your symbols
and full productions
flow into one other
within a quiet melt

i cannot keep from wondering

how can i compete
against such perfect artistry

with a mere brush
and pigments

and imagination
less grand
than yours

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

I try to update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Creation

2011-03-19T10:09:00.003-04:00

A fun project to play around with is an oil and water mixture photographed over various colours and patterns. The resulting shapes, along with the paths they take, remind me of planets and stars in an ever changing universe.

[ f/2.8, 105mm, 1/250, ISO 200 ]

time is
as spheres collide
and leave a mark upon each other

where some absorb
collapsed within a lovers' union
while others bounce and spin away

and some do spawn
the birth of others tiny

while some divide
to go a separate way

there is a path
that each must find
until the motion stops
and this moment's universe lies still

i pause -
camera ready
to freeze each random pattern
that i would deem does satisfy my pleasure

then gently
blow my breath
across the oil and water mixture
until there's beauty beyond measure

is this
i wonder
how god felt
when he reached down his finger

and stirred this soup
in which we swim
and where
such mysteries do linger

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Forever

2011-03-12T12:03:00.001-05:00

I almost went the whole winter without getting out for a skate on the Rideau Canal. But I did get out on the last day that it was open. This was one of the photos that I took that day.

[ f/9, 1/320/ 16mm, ISO 400 ]

forever

i want to live forever
in the world that lives
in the day that love awakes
between two soulmates
and the promise each will make

i want to live forever
in the world that lives
in the day a robin sings
and a child first recognizes
that it means spring

i want to live forever
in the world that lives
in the day you first saw
the starry night
and wrote in your soul's journal
how you felt part
of something eternal

i want to live forever
in the world that lives
in the peaceful moment
that a summer sunset can reach
touching a shared blanket
on a quiet beach

i want to live forever
in the world that lives
in the forest of an autumn day
adorned in festive dress
embracing destiny
in its colorful caress

i want to live forever
in the world that lives
in all the days like these
but i will settle
for this day
today with you
until tomorrow
starts my yearning anew

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

In The Winter Stillness

2011-03-05T19:51:00.006-05:00

Before completing this week's entry, I'd like to mention how honoured I am to have 4 of my photos and one of my poems included in an anthology produced by Poets United. The anthology is entitled "The Poetry Pantry: Thoughts That Breathe" and is edited by Robert Lloyd, the man behind the Poets United website.

You can download an electronic copy for free or purchase a paperback copy by visiting this link.

I would urge you, if you are interested in poetry to visit the Poets United website where you will find links to many poets and their websites. There are also many inspiring and motivational "starters" and links to websites designed to spark writing ideas if you are a writer and you are looking for inspiration or needing to kickstart that next poem.

And now, for this weeks photo and poem. Once again, another photo taken in Andrew Hayden Park along the Ottawa River.

[ f/11, 1/320, 70mm, ISO 200 ]

in the winter stillness
where signposts
and empty benches sit

a vast
and wondrous barreness
where hope and beauty fit

i cannot
see the future
or know
what each day brings

but then
not far beyond my ear
an excited robin sings

there will be spring
there will be spring

but
just before
the warming sun
melts away this view

take the time
to see its beauty
and all that it renews

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Courage

2011-02-26T13:58:00.000-05:00

Photo taken on a winter day. Sometimes the simplest scene will still to be able to teach me something or inspire a grand idea.

[ f/16, 1/125, 32 mm, ISO 200 ]

where do you
summon courage from
to reach so far
into the sky

though roots
would hold you
firmly down
away from this
you turn your eye

i sense there is
a lesson here
that you'd so boldly
have me learn

of loosening
what holds me back
and grasp what goals
i yet might earn

and though
there's tanglements
that would
our journey slow

there's always
hope and dreams
from which
my courage grows

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Peel Away the Layers

2011-02-18T08:33:00.001-05:00

Photo taken during a winter walk - strips of birch bark peeling from the trunk. Each strip seems so fragile and yet I also find myself wondering about how the stripping away must somehow relate to the growth of the tree.

[ f/8, 1/800, 55mm, ISO 400 ]

it is
the task
of lovers
to strip away
what layers
surround
our soul

each encounter
bringing closer
the truth
we must
together know

do not fear
my misconceptions

rather
you must
be ruthless

as you tear away
the bark

that hides
my yearning heart

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Winter's Calligraphy

2011-02-11T16:35:00.000-05:00

I took this photo while snowshoeing in the Carp Ridge. The freshly fallen snow provided a wonderful background for all kinds of delicate plants and shrubbery to stand out. I was struck by how much many of them reminded me of calligraphy and other delicately written symbols.

[ f/4.5, 1/2500, 32mm, ISO 400 ]

coming across what signs you leave
i have to confess that i failed to see
what it was you meant to say
when you had me stop that winter day

unsure of what you hoped to preach
and whether it was my mind or heart
that you wished to reach...

perhaps you wanted them to part

i know that seasons come and go
like love and hate there's ebb and flow
and yet sometimes one stays too long
it's hold upon you far too strong

and though i see with just my mind
that indeed the end will surely come

it is within my heart that shivers hold
unable to withstand the withering cold

and it is done

knowing that this time
spring for us
will fail to come

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

After the Snowfall

2011-02-02T19:48:00.001-05:00

Photo taken while I was wondering in Andrew Hayden Park, Ottawa, after a snowfall.

[f/11, 1/320, 70mm, ISO 200 ]

let me
for a moment stop

arrested by your resolve
and what appears
a miracle

or something i
can't seem to solve

this season
should have buried you

and yet you still
with hope survive

with fragile skin
and narrow joints

defying cold
you stay alive

i wish i could
be more like you

stand strong against
what storms might come

rise above
the winds and clouds

and turn my face
towards the sun

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Tiny in a Large Space

2011-01-27T23:44:00.006-05:00

This photo was taken at the Museum of Natural History, Ottawa. I was on the 3rd level, looking down into the lobby when the young girl in the photo happened to look up.

[ f/2.8, 1/20, 38mm, ISO 200 ]

within so large
and tall a space
i catch by chance
your tiny face
and wonder what
it is you see
when you look up
to stare at me

does this lobby
large and wide
make you want
to run and hide
for do you see
how large a place
is the life
you'll soon embrace

how will you keep
such innocence
within a world
that's so immense
and keep your nights
for dreams so sweet
with none yet drowned
by life's defeat

many will line
your future path
some with love
and some with wrath
yet you'll decide
how much you'll ache
with every road
you choose to take

i long sometimes
to be like you
where every day
there's something new
to take you high
above that floor
where i look down
and your gaze soars

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Daisies and Rocket Ships

2011-01-20T17:23:00.001-05:00

This photo was taken at one of my favorite places in Ottawa - Andrew Hayden Park, where every season presents its own form of delight.

[ f/11, 1/250, 70mm, ISO 200 ]

above
the winter landscape
in Andrew Hayden Park

i saw
two things
of wonder loom
while on a winter walk

evergreens
in aeronautic shapes

where winds
would raise boughs soon

launchpads readied
for their escape

rockets
aiming for the moon

beside them
in this wondrous land

windmills
perched on leaves of metal

and high above
the snow does stand

a graceful daisy
spreading petals

so interlaced
is beauty laid

whether man
or nature made

these masterpieces
side by side

each one's beauty
multiplied

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Impersonating the Moon

2011-01-13T20:16:00.003-05:00

Photo taken on a cold winter night, in Ottawa, walking among the Christmas lights. Sometimes it's fun to personify the objects you see - and watch them take on a personality.

[ f/8, 2 sec, 34mm, ISO 200 ]

impersonating the moon

so -
you want to be the moon
in my night sky

rise up high
claim your place
amidst contented sigh

leave behind
the shining starlets
in their own sky

like chorus girls
in a dancing line

each one next
to each other shines

and in that blend
they all wonder then
just how
can anyone stand out

and all the while
there you'll shine
luring
alluring
with brighter promise

trying hard not to notice

your concrete anchor
your disdain and your rancor

from your failed expectation
repeated every night
your lunar desperation

so -
as much as you'd ascend
if you could

you must see
that it isn't me
holding you back

though I might be tempted
to momentarily sit beside you

perhaps be warmed for just a while
within your glow

but alas
we both know

that you and your wants
are far too bright

and that you scare away
much more than just the night

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Christopher Lynch

2011-01-06T10:42:00.002-05:00

Writing and photo for Christopher Lynch. Suddenly, on Tuesday January 4, 2011 at the age of 48. RIP

[ f/16, 1/160, 36mm, ISO 200 ]

1.
Winter Haiku

cold - but colder still
eyelids closed by icicles
formed from your goodbye

2.
Because I miss your laugh

it's too bad
that death
really doesn't

come knocking
at the door

and you could look
through the peephole

crouch quickly
to the floor

and throw the deadbolt

that would be ironic

if it kept death
steaming on your stoop

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Let Me Be Your Sun

2010-12-30T12:38:00.001-05:00

My last entry for 2010. Hope you like it. Photo taken on a late afternoon in December, along the shore of the Ottawa River.

[ f/16, 1/250, 55mm, ISO 200 ]

let me be the sun

and i will hold you
at day's end

shield you
from stretching shadows

as you gently walk
through the caress

of their desperate grasp
upon your winter dress

let me be the sun

and I will lay down
parts of me
to form a path

melt what ice appears
until at last

with footing sound
persuade your heart
to hold steadfast

let me be your sun

happy i'll descend
to be your lover then

burn such yearning
into your breast

and with
contented sigh

clothe you
within my warming breath

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

Just Another Christmas Wish

2010-12-24T09:29:00.003-05:00

I always think that holidays like Christmas need children around for me to truly appreciate the wonder and joy that could - perhaps should - exist in everyone's lives. Now that my children are older, I am happy to be blessed with grandchildren. May they too, live in constant wonder and delight.

[ f/8, 1/160, 68mm, ISO 200, diffused flash ]

is not the wonder
in a child's eyes
more beautiful
than the glimmering stars
in cloudless skies

and though
i'm far removed
from such a state
i hope
i never hesitate

to stay and linger
by your side
where every day
worry does subside

and in every moment
delight resides

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

There's Always Time

2010-12-18T11:20:00.002-05:00

I was going through some photos that I had taken earlier this year when I came across this shot. I walked by this colourful patio in September and wondered why no one was sitting there. It seemed attractive enough, festively decked out, and yet there was something very lonely about it. It made me think about invitations - and invitations declined.

[ f/8, 1/125, 19mm, ISO 250 ]

I saw you again
the other day
so colourful
and full of promise

you saw
through my seduction
caught me spreading
small hints of laughter
amidst the lure
of pleasant company

do you remember
how i told you
there's always time
to build a life together

to enjoy
great meals
of daily pleasure

taste
the refreshment
of experience treasured

for all of this
i offered up
a multitude of chairs

placed attractively
among the tables where

i invited
a host of feelings

and yes
i know how much
you've tried
to visit often

but the patio
was always empty

and the doors
too often closed

and so
i do propose

shall we try once more?

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

So Delicious

2010-12-12T09:06:00.003-05:00

I came across a series of boots on display in the Ottawa Market area, and couldn't resist their charms. These looked particulalry delicious, with their intricate patterns and the visions they held inside.

[ f/10, 1/8, 19mm, ISO 1250 ]

when she chooses her boots
for a dream on which to dine
she'll escape the shameful roots
that play out within her mind

so she'll cover up the socks
with the callouses they hide
those new boots of leather
and her hopes tucked up inside

yes she's looking so delicious
so delicious
to those merchants of fulfillment

they'll accomodate her wishes
her wishes
with their judgment non-existent

they will want to take her eagerly
to the realms she's never been
they will want to show her greedily
all the sights she's never seen

for she's looking so delicious
so delicious
to those merchants of fulfillment

who'll accomodate her wishes
her wishes
with a guilt that's non-existent

she'll greet the morn without remorse
determined she will stay on course
and look ahead to journeys new
her life before she'll bid adieu

who will accomodate her wishes?
her wishes?
be more than a merchant of fulfillment?

why does she look so delicious?
so delicious?

yearning
for a life
that's non-existent

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

The Watering Hole

2010-12-05T10:48:00.002-05:00

I took this photo on a glorious summer day. There's a certain serenity in such a pastoral scene, which in some ways might lead one to envy the cows their simple lives. Until you think about their ultimate fate.

[ f/16, 1/40, 10mm, ISO 200 ]

Reflections on what it means to be a cow...

oh now
to be a cow

and never have to wonder why
clouds appear in clear blue skies

or where your meal is coming from
indeed, just this, could make me glum

why now
i’d be a cow

and share your lack of discontent
no worries about paying rent

no job to bring you daily stress
nor relationships to cause duress

why did I stumble on this scene
to watch you living so serene

hey now
i see you cow

ignoring me within your rapture
as you graze throughout the pasture

curious you look up and pause
wonder why I clutch at straws

to strive and be as free as you
living life without a clue

but now
poor cow

in a paradise of endless fodder
accompanied by sons and daughters

you wait in blissful unawareness
for events you’d find so heinous

and if you knew your destiny
no doubt you’d be my enemy

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. Or what struck you in my writing.]

The Mentor

2010-11-28T18:52:00.003-05:00

Coming across this scene, I had the impression of an elder mentoring an acolyte or follower.

[f/8, 1/400, 125mm, ISO 100 ]

Lessons Learned

1.

she...

waiting in terror
for changing weather to arrive
dreading a future season
where her beauty
might not survive

2.

he...

searching his soul
hoping to convince her
fighting the demon
of doubts inside
hoping to leave
the places
where fears reside

would she
his lover be?

would she
forever
his love abide?

3.

you are...

and even when clouds arise
your naked beauty
always leading me
to constant surprise
of loving you
for who you always are

for me
you will always be
the beauty I see
before me now

4.

my child-

whatever you clothe yourself in
be sure it doesn't melt

before you learn
the nature of your truth

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

Your Pixels Disintegrate

2010-11-21T20:38:00.002-05:00

Photo taken at the Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, Ontario. But then, she really could be anywhere...

[ f/5.6, 1/25, 85mm, ISO 200 ]

i waited
in anticipation
of your warm embrace

the moment
like the silence
before the symphony
begins to play

i listened
for the strings
to start the tune

but you cued
the percussion instead

and then
you walked away

dropping the camera
through my broken heart

as your pixels
began
to
disintegrate

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

Glorious Unto the End

2010-11-15T15:52:00.002-05:00

This photo reminded me of a fallen soldier. And the repeating seasons brought to mind the repeating and endless wars we seem to inflict upon ourselves. I originally thought of this as a tribute to the fallen Canadian soldier. Of course, it could easily represent any nationality.

[ f/14, 1/15, 62mm, ISO 800 ]

i fear
none of us
will ever hear

whether
you knew
the end was near

and
if you could speak
what might you say
of dreams
or promises
now gone away

we stand
in awe
thankful
of your sacrifice
yet
knowing
how much
it won't suffice
to say as much

for autumn
does return each year

so too
the tears
the mothers' fears
that each new year
another warring season brings

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

emerge

2010-11-08T17:31:00.002-05:00

This photo was taken on a warmer early winter day, before the heat of the sun breaking through the clouds could burn the fog away.

[ f/9, 1/400, 175mm, ISO 800 ]

feeling
almost like an intruder
I stop and watch you
come into the warming light

and in that stillness
does the fog slowly dissipate

and you softly emerge
a hint of colour on your clothes

breathing your fragile gentleness
into the warming breeze

almost timid
seeming shy
in the warming morning

and before I turned my eye

you did innocently lay
your head
upon
the wakening day

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

Resurrection

2010-11-02T21:13:00.005-04:00

Photo taken in Gatineau Park, Quebec; a walkway going underneath the road, and leading from the parking lot into a hiking rail. I see this as a strong image of a journey; of emerging from darkness into light. Perhaps a symbol of enlightenment. Or perhaps a plaintive longing.

[ f/9, 1/15, 24mm, ISO 640 ]

You wanted
to be reborn

to experience
something new

it is lonely here
watching you go

when you find
what you are looking for

please

bring back the light
and take me with you

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

Autumn Reflection

2010-10-27T12:25:00.002-04:00

Along the Mississippi River, at Almonte, Ontario

[ f/9, 1.3 sec, 24mm, ISO 200 ]

well before our winter comes,
she tells me
we should get our portrait taken

our children
will want to show their children
what it was that kept us together

and the picture, she tells me
should trail colours across the center
because
we were mostly happy

and perhaps there'd be a mirror, she tells me
with you on one side
and my reflection on the other
because
we mostly loved

and then above and below us, she tells me
there should be clouds
because
no life escapes
without some drama

...well before our winter comes,
i tell her
our love is true
it has endured
hence we're merged as one

and i present this to you,
i tell her
a scene i've come upon

this portrait of us
that i have done

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

BoardWalk Stalkers

2010-10-21T19:30:00.002-04:00

Attracted by the colours and by the invitation presented by the boardwalk, I couldn't help but continue into the woods.

[ f/13, 1/125, 55mm, ISO 400 ]

i am autumn

as the trees drop their leaves
so too
i leave my memories for you to examine

in the blaze of colour
you will find the joys we have encountered

in the blemish of each stem
you will feel the anguish we have conquered

i am autumn
winding through your path
like a boardwalk in a wetland

where we firmly stand
among the reeds and gentle stalks

where wind so gently bathes us
spreads the view before us

joined us firmly to each other
like the wood we rest upon

i am autumn
looking back on where we've been

warming in the sunshine
of you often by my side

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

The Bridal Veil

2010-10-17T18:43:00.004-04:00

Photographed in Gatineau Park, on a Saturday morning in October.

[ f/22, 1/4, 14mm, ISO 200 ]

yes
i said
yes
i did
see the love
flow out from you

yes
i saw
as you passed them by
how they all
cast down their colourful jewels
along your path

yes
you're right
it was
just to get close to you
and hope for

yes
pine for
a glance from your heart
so they would stay
remain transfixed
and secretly await
as you flow by

yes
they know
that parts of you
are left behind

yes
i said
yes
i did
see your soul
soak in the ground
watch them patiently wait
your nourishing touch

you are not just mine

yes
i said
yes
i will

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

String Theory

2010-10-09T17:09:00.004-04:00

Photographed at the Byward Market. The high ISO was due to the cloudy/shady location and wanting to get a really fast speed to counter the wind movement. Actually I was inside shooting before coming back outside and neglected to dial it back. But I think the added grittiness really works for the textures. :)

[ f/8, 1/1250, 42mm, ISO 1250 ]

i finally understand string theory:

when autumn sings of playground sliders
swings to contact the clouds
pumpkins on darkened porches
costumes at Halloween
leaves piled for soldier's forts

then

winter sledding down snowy hills
skating the frozen rivers
shinny on outdoor rinks
snowball ambushes
warm hearths
the smell of burning wood

then

spring birdsongs in the morning
the red of maple buds
yellow splashes of daffodils
fresh syrup on breakfast pancakes
the promise of short sleeves
after school bicycle bells
skateboards grinding sidewalk spaces
hide and seek at night

then

summer stargazing from the beach
marshmallows melting on campfires
the magic of fireflies lighting the night
loons echo across the lake
leisurely walks
outdoor cafes
time slowed down
aware of seasons

and all things
to connect us

and now -
string theory
is part of you too

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

Sassy

2010-10-01T15:39:00.002-04:00

This photo was taken in downtown Ottawa. I've always liked this shop and have photographed it a number of times. The last time I photographed it, I started to imagine the figures inside as people. And I couldn't decide what emotion they would display if they came to life. The writing just kind of took over.

[ f/9, 1/320, 38mm ]

the polka dots
weren't flashy enough

and the multi-flavored
tables and chairs
weren't bringing enough
admirers to view your wares

so you sat
naked in the window
wearing your colored beads

and people stopped

and complimented
your courage

though I suspect
that wasn't
what you had in mind

why else
would you leave the light on
well into the night...

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

Frozen Dialogue

2010-09-24T09:06:00.001-04:00

Believe it or not, some moulded chairs in a restaurant in the Toronto Distillery District.

[ f/11, 1/50, 66mm, ISO 200 ]

then
and even now
i whispered in your ear
the thoughts
we held inside
i felt
your hollow answer
could see it
within your eyes

when
and even now
your lips remained unmoved
no words
to tell me why
no smile
to say goodbye

then
and even now
i want to shout
but know not how
to bring you back
where once we were

when
and even now
where only silence
cloaks my heart

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Wishing for a Tapestry

2010-09-07T13:51:00.001-04:00

Photo taken at the Internation Market on the Toronto Harbourfront.

[ f/8, 1/20, 48mm, ISO 200 ]

i wish that i could weave a tapestry
or otherwise create a quilt

so i could tell your story
to the world

it has been very rich you know

unfortunately
since i have no talent for needle and threads

they'll just have to take my word
that your life was full of colour

and that every now and then
I saw you as you really were

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Time Cliches On

2010-08-29T21:55:00.003-04:00

Photo taken at the Toronto Distillery District. What's old is new; what was passed over is restored.

[ f/9, 1/50, 86mm, ISO 200 ]

call it a day
to come in under the wire
tick tock
before you were the gleam in your father's eye
time might already have passed you by
do you feel the clock ticking?
tick tock
in the nick of time
better late than never
to chew the fat
since Rome wasn't built in a day
and time is running out
tick tock
no more spinning your wheels
because in the split second
time heals
all wounds time and again
time after time
tick tock
because the times
they are a changing
as old as you feel
time passes you by
tick tock
you can't stop the clock
the march of time
time waits for no man
the ravishes of time
the clock is ticking
tick tock
and it ain't a laugh a minute
and it aint just a minute
and definitely not
just a second
tick tock
don't live in the past
the future is now
as time goes by
your time is now
forever and a day
tick tock

[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. Tell me what you see in the photo. ]

I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Any Path in Any Town

2010-08-19T08:47:00.009-04:00

Photo taken in Almonte, along the River Walk pathway.

[ f/22, 1/13, 42mm, ISO 200 ]

When you take a walk
down whatever memory lane
you suddenly happen on

the present
with its vivid colors
and sharp detail

slowly gives way
to the emerging past

though faint
or
shrouded in cloud

we know it's there

remembrances

of pain
of joy
of wonder
of disappointment
of discovery
of schock
of celebration

shapes
what we are yet
to see

what we are yet
to feel

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Wizard Brooms

2010-08-12T14:09:00.005-04:00

For some reason, these brooms make me think of Europe, and farm lands, and village streets. And even stranger, they evoke memories of my mother. I imagine that she once possessed a broom like one of these.

[f/8, 50mm, 1/250, ISO 200 ]

and
when you suddenly arrive
in my mind's eye
embracing your toils
sweeping away
what dreams you had

and
you are no longer there
to comfort
or hold me
with stories
of who you were
when you were young

and
i am left
apart from you
to imagine
who you could become

and
i awake
again to the reality
that you have been swept away
and i lack
the wizard magic
to bring you back

and
i miss -
almost as much
as i miss you -
the answer
to the next question
that i might have had

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

The Canal at Merrickville

2010-08-04T08:04:00.001-04:00

Went on an excursion to Merrickville, one of the nice little country towns along the Rideau Canal system, and came across this peaceful scene.

[ f/16, 1/125, 14mm, ISO 200 ]

I love how much of a scene a wide angle lens can capture! On a calm and clear day, shooting reflections is one of my favorite subjects.

I am drawn by how the sky envelopes the image on both sides. And the stillness of the water elicits my own reflections, speaking of a calm and a peace that washes over me.

be still -

and like the trees
give yourself to what shapes you
and let it reveal the beauty you are destined to be

be firm -
and like the building
stand strong in your foundation
and weather the storms that assail you
and you will emerge unscathed and standing strong

like the water
flow smoothly

be at peace

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

The Simplest Beauty

2010-07-28T21:49:00.001-04:00

Taken in a perennial garden outside of Almonte, while waiting for my wife to pick out some lillies for her garden.

[ f/2.8, 1/1000, 70mm, ISO 200 ]

Sometimes
the
simplest
beauty

just
sits

and
waits

for
me
to
finally
see
it

When
you
see
it
before
i
do

be
sure
to
let
me
know
that
i
missed
it
once
again

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

A Paradox in Feeling Small

2010-07-21T12:40:00.001-04:00

The entrance lobby of the Museum of Natural History, Ottawa. Shot from the upper floor, hanging over the railing as far as I dared.

[ f/8, 1/13, 14mm, ISO 200 ]

One of those instances when it strikes me about how small and insignificant we can be. Yet, there is some comfort and pride that I take from knowing that creative human endeavours conceived and built this place. Somehow it is appropriate to put things in their scale.

Where do we fit in the scheme of natural history?

In deed there are times when Nature reminds us of how small we really are.
And there are artistic moments when we see how our creativity can also shape the world.
Such is the paradox of feeling small.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

A Child Picks Flowers

2010-07-14T20:23:00.001-04:00

A photo of my grand-daughter Ava, just being herself, lost in the beauty of the world around her.

[ f/2.8, 1/200, 135mm, ISO 200 ]

No poetry.
No lyrics.

No symphony
or play -

nothing
can compare
to the wonder
in a child's world.

It is ok
to envy her.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Blue Solitudes

2010-07-07T17:31:00.007-04:00

Photo taken at the newly renovated Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa - well worth a visit, for both the amazing architecture as well as the wonderful nature displays.

[ f/8, 1/500, 14mm, ISO 200 ]

the architect
has been and gone
leaving behind
a sense of awe

here where i remain

lost
in the space around us

lost
in the space between us

where else to gaze
but upwards

to reach
into the heavens

and
step
beyond

the much
too frequent

solitude

in

which

i

live

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Putting On a New Skin

2010-06-30T09:24:00.001-04:00

Ottawa, near the Bytown Market area. Colorful costumes to suit every personality.

[ f/8, 1/160, 24mm, ISO 200 ]

fantasy
or feeling good

doesn't matter
if you're happy
or you're madder

doesn't matter
which it is
the mood you're in
that leads you
to putting on a new skin

feel good

wrapped up in your new skin
let the fun begin

carefree

you're fantasy
will always win

cause when
you're wrapped up in a new skin

ain't nothing
you can call a sin

just feeling good
wrapped up in your new skin

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Black and White

2010-06-23T17:27:00.002-04:00

Taken on a country road in Mississippi Mills, Ontario.

[ f/7.1, 1/640, 122mm, ISO 200 ]

ever feel like you're between identities
ever feel like there's something about you that just doesn't quite fit
ever feel like you can't make up your mind
that nothing is just black
or just white

that everything is complicated
composed of opposite natures

and you can't decide if the music should be fast or slow

and you can't can't resolve old aging and the desire still to grow

a country drive
should bring peaceful thoughts

not philosophy
or yearning

the anguish that's brought
by dreams still sought

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Country Charm

2010-06-16T09:29:00.001-04:00

Spotted this wonderful old log home during a drive in the country.

[ f/18, 1/40, 38mm, ISO 200 ]

country charisma lives here

in the charm of the old logs
and the cheerfulness of plants in bloom
the rusted roof
contrasted
by delicate curtain lace

simple times
meets modern times

though the heavy wires
signalling modern power
seems to just pass on by

the windows - one blind up
the other down
seems to wink at us
like those that reside inside
know something that we are missing

perhaps they're right

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

SideWalk Rainbows

2010-06-08T16:56:00.002-04:00

Took this cheery photo in the Market area, downtown Ottawa. Some of you might know which storefront this sits in front of.

[ f/8, 1/160, 42mm, ISO 200 ]

rainbows don't just happen in the sky
life saver colors we pass by

sidewalk rainbows
make you smile
on colored chairs
you sit awhile

watching people
pass on by
they look at you
they check the sky

you smile

children giggle at the sight
pointing at you with delight

sidewalk rainbows
to make you smile
the colored chairs
say sit awhile

watching people
asking why

why did these rainbows
fall from the sky

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Soaring Ambition

2010-05-31T18:52:00.001-04:00

I took this photo of my daughter and her horse Bentley (Ben) at a recent competition. I admire how hard she works to be able to enjoy moments like this one. And like many dads, I never tell her enough how much she makes me proud.

[ f/4.5, 1/800, 70mm, ISO 200 ]

soar ben
and jump ever so high
as you carry my girl
so deep into the sky
and into her dream
you both fly

can you feel her smile

you being blessed
with her joy

ever so grateful
both she and i
me for her joy
and her for your power

soar ben
and jump ever so high
explode past obstacles
limitations defy

and like lizzie's ambition
be neither harnessed
nor denied

soar ben
soar high

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Sailboat Reflections

2010-05-25T14:54:00.004-04:00

Photo taken at Dick Bell Park, Nepean Sailing Club marina in Ottawa.

[ f/8, 1/500, 38mm, ISO 200 ]

reflections

and

no wind chasin' away the cloud
rainbows don't just happen in the sky

nothing to hurry and pass me by

sit beside
reflections of
still water and warming sky

a summer day to slow me down
left all my troubles
back in town

i wait for sails
to catch the wind

cast away all thoughts
of the toil tomorrow brings

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Calabogie Homestead

2010-05-19T08:23:00.002-04:00

I took this photo while on a mini golf vacation with my wife. We were at Calabogie, a wonderful little resort in the Ottawa Valley.

[ f/8, 1/25, 20mm, ISO 200 ]

I have always been attracted to old buildings. These in particular, exhibit wonderful character and history. The old homestead appears to have been a particularly grand building. Given it's size, I imagine a large family - typical of some of the rural beginnings of the area.

it's easy to imagine the place in its original glory
see the family hustling about their chores
listen to their laughter as they enjoy each other's company

hear the cries of the new born
that first drew breath here

hold back our own tears
as elders sighed a last breath here

hear the breaking heart of a mother
an ailing child held gently in her arms

join the clatter
of converstaion and laughter
when friends drop by

fortune
both good and bad
visited herself upon the settlers here

housed within this grand old dwelling
their dreams
their hopes
their fears
were not unlike my own

perhaps that's why
I love old buildings so

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

ShadowLicious

2010-05-10T09:26:00.001-04:00

Downtown Ottawa, strong sunlight, delicious shadows on a long staircase. And the illusions that our minds call up to imagine what it is we are seeing.

[ f/32 1/15, 38mm, ISO 200 ]

illusion and mystery

a woman
inexplicably climbing
on the outside
of a shuttered blind

or

a woman
departing from the shadows
stepping
climbing
ever so steadily
into the light

what realities await
to meet her

what dreams await
to greet her

shadowLicious
our life
does oft become

as we emerge
submerge
from shadows
into the light

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

I Got the Bicycle Blues

2010-05-02T20:56:00.004-04:00

Walking along Wellington St. just past where the locks connect the Ottawa River to the Canal, I came across this vintage looking bike chained to a lamp post. As other cyclists whizzed by, I couldn't help but feel sorry for this classical beauty stuck in the role of bystander.

[ f/25, 1/60, 19mm, ISO 200 ]

i got the bicycle blues
all chained up

what'll i do

no rider nearby
i let out a sigh
'n shout 'n broadcast

i'm locked in the past

i'm locked in the past
'n my heart
is sinking a-way too fast

my classic lines
don't do me no good

i'd dance along this road
if only i could

but i'm just locked in the past

yes
i'm locked in the past
'n my heart
is sinking a-way too fast

i see a bike go by
makes me wanna cry

i look up
'n see the sun
people walkin'
'n havin' fun

yea
i got the bicycle blues

all chained up

what'll I do

no rider nearby
i let out a sigh
'n shout 'n broadcast

i'm locked in the past

i'm locked in the past
'n my heart
is sinking a-way too fast

Note: I hope you played all the background guitar riffs while you sang this in your head :)

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

The Stories Left Untold

2010-04-26T08:14:00.001-04:00

Another photo from the ghost town, Baclava, in the Ottawa Valley. Inside the old mill, shot through a portal in the door (a broken plank let me peek inside with my camera). The low light forced me to shoot this with a very high ISO in order to get the detail inside. The 'grittiness' or grain caused by the high ISO adds to the flavor of the shot.

[ f/10, 1/20, 18mm, ISO 2000 ]

In addition to the light that played so well through the interior, and the abandonned character of this scene, I was really drawn to the picnic table. Of all the elements here, this one gave substance to the workers that labored here.

a picnic table is an opportunity

to share a meal
to rest a weary back
to be a friend
to brag about the children
to console a grieving husband
to laugh about the weekend socials
to solve a family crisis

to form community

peer quietly into the space
and
hear the sound of tools
hear the laughter
hear the fatigue

hope thrived here
pride lived here
boys became men here

amidst these ruins
their spirit
still lives here

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Broken Windows, Broken Dreams

2010-04-18T15:32:00.005-04:00

I spent an afternoon exploring an old mill town that is now abandonned. A few buildings remain standing, providing some testament to those that lived and worked there.

[ f/10, 1/100, 155mm, ISO 200 ]

shades of red and blue

oh walls
once solid
now bleeding through

how appropriate
these colours seem to me

i see the hue
of clear blue skies;
an invitation
for dreams to rise

i see red

blood soaked sweat instead

from they

whose hands
that built

these shelters
that now do wilt

and they

whose spirit permeates
and ever so cruelly

dominates

in every shattered beam
the broken remnants

of their broken dream

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Spring Crocus

2010-04-11T13:33:00.005-04:00

Spring... finally! Viewed from just across Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

[ f/16, 1/125, 16mm, ISO 200 ]

i lie on my belly
and look through the crocus beds
emerge
from the cold winter
into a fresh perspective

it is finally spring
renewal
freshness
colour instead of greys and browns

i breathe in
the scent of grass
and
the faint perfume of simple dreams

that only exist
indeed persist
in the spring
of the changing seasons
in winter climates

where hope endures

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Sigh - lo

2010-04-04T10:58:00.003-04:00

There is an almost spiritual attraction to old rural buildings, even when they are in their last days...

[ f/11, 1/200, 116mm, ISO 200 ]

as age starts to crumble my bones
and my sagging spirit laments with quiet moans

i cannot but wonder if
someone passing by will see
and wish to record
the beauty still left in me

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

The Colour Red

2010-03-29T15:46:00.008-04:00

What is it about the colour red, that traps our gaze and dominates the surrounding colours?
And resides so magestic above all others?

[ f/5.6, 1/40, 16mm, ISO 200 ]

Red is the apple; the sweetness of temptation.
Red is sensual
when used to emphasize lips.
Red is danger.
And red is candy hearts and valentines.

Red is blood - perhaps of life itself
pulsating through our veins.
Red is the stop sign.
The wisdom to look in all directions.

Red is fire trucks
breaking the silence of the night.
Red is balloons
riding the breeze of Sunday afternoons in July.

Red is the clown's nose.
Red is a child's smile.

Red is anger;
your dad's disapproving look;
but red is also grad gowns and tassels
symbolic of maturity learned.

Red is the teacher marking my work.
Red is misplaced lessons;
Red is the re-alignment of hope.

Red is the ruby.
And red is the rust on a prized first car.

Red is fire.
And red is the sleigh
careening down a hillside of ice.

Red is warmth.

Red is the colour
of at least one door.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Urban Night

2010-03-22T18:02:00.002-04:00

This photo was taken in Mississauga on a cold March evening. For whatever reason, the scene reminded me of a comic book page or drawing, and I was expecting to see a superhero or arch-villain cruise through the skies :)

[ f/9, 1.6, 26mm, ISO 3200 ]

Shooting upwards certainly plays a lot with perspective, as you can see by the variant angles of all the vertical lines. I think that's partly what adds to the comic-book feel of this for me. Combined with the 'noise' that's added from shooting with ISO set at 3200, the grainy texture looks drawn and colored in.

I can imagine the feel of the crayon against the paper. I especially like the contrast between the bright yellow and blue lights, set against the muted browns and greys of the buildings.

Distortion sometimes
rules the night
why else do we associate
the dark with fright?

But there is no nightmare to be had here.
Offices still lit for people working late;
apartments coming awake.

A common sight
on a common night
in an ordinary
urban place.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Lights and Shadow

2010-03-16T09:28:00.003-04:00

These lights are on a retaining wall, where the Rideau River spills out into the Ottawa River. The result is a wonderful picturesque waterfall, and these lights (along with others) provide for a colorful night time display.

[ f/14, 1/125, 170mm, ISO 200 ]

A bit of an abstract/still life.
I like how the shadows give a 3d dimension to the shape of the lights.
I also like the obvious juxtaposition of light and shadow to complete the subject.
The complementing textures of stone and iron.
The yellow and blue is also nice.
No poetry this time. No deep thoughts. Just an image that drew me in.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

I Dreamed an Urban Fantasy

2010-03-09T19:29:00.003-05:00

Captured in downtown Ottawa while out taking photographs with a friend.

[ f/8. 1/640, 22mm, ISO 200 ]

I dreamed an urban fantasy...
and this is what I saw

no light
where there was light
no profit
where dreams were advertised

I dreamed
of fortune and of success

I dreamed
of life in shadows dressed

From fruitless goals we would depart
if we could but find our way

but even yet
with signs all dark
and light all grey

we must persist
beyond the shadow
must life exist

and call
to all
that pass this by
to come
into the warming light

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Almost Spring

2010-03-06T12:10:00.004-05:00

This photo was taken on Merivale Road, in Ottawa south. The starkness of the winter landscape make the trees along the road really stand out. This is one of a series of photos that I took along this route.

[ f/9, 1/1600, 16mm, ISO 200 ]

I was attracted to the apparent stubborness of the trees along this road. The fences, the wires, even the road, all seem to be trying to keep the tree separate and alone, adding somehow to the sense of gloom and cold that can be so much a part of dark winter days. Yet, something in its posture speaks of defiance and resolve. It's branches rise above the fences. Its stance leaning towards the light. Spring will triumph.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

D-lightful

2010-02-26T10:51:00.003-05:00

I took this photo at the Museum of Civilization. I was drawn by the patterns, the repetitions, and the 'play' of the letter "D".

[ f/10, 1/8, 85mm, ISO 200 ]

the ceiling like an eye
sight from light

to gaze upon
the columns of might

in pattern
and in rhythym
take delight

for here i c
no -
make that i D

multiple personality...

but then,
we're all made up of different people,
aren't we?

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

The Sanctuary

2010-02-19T13:31:00.005-05:00

I came across this inspiring tree on the grounds of the National Art Gallery in Ottawa. It was photographed on a warmish winter day in February.

[ f/10, 1/320, 16mm, ISO 200 ]

I think of a sanctuary as a holy place;
a consecrated place where I can feel the presence of all creation;
where sacred objects and sacred thoughts are kept.

Beneath this tree I feel my being held
my breath complemented by all that breathe
my soul engulfed by loving hands
my mind fulfilled by thoughts of eternity

I stand
sheltered from danger or hardship
a canopy of strength to annoint my head
and banish from me
any fears
or wants
or foolish dreams

I stand nurtured
among these asylum boughs
strengthened in their resolve
to extend their refuge
far beyond the horizon

Is it any wonder
that as we wander
wherever trees such as these exist

we stop
and feel their comfort
compelled to share the knowledge they extend
beyond the reach of their branches
and into each of our being
breath
by branch
by breath

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

The Old Red Truck

2010-02-08T08:48:00.003-05:00

The Distillery District in Toronto is one of my favorite places to shoot. This old truck has been a subject a number of times, especially as it gets moved around from time to time to a different location within the district.

[ f/8, 1/100, 35mm, ISO 200 ]

Even in this state, you can feel the pride this grand old truck retains. It's classic beauty complementing the glory that once adorned the building it's parked in front of.

You can close your eyes for a moment and see the joy with which the young driver pulls up to the brewery doors, takes on a load of fresh ale, and then makes its rounds to the pubs and restaurants filled with eager patrons.

While the men load barrels on the back, you can see the driver pull out a handkerchief and polish a spot off the front fender. He smiles as he sees himself reflected in the polished steel. With a honk of the horn, he turns to the road, carefree and happy with a job he loves and the countless dreams that accompany him along his route.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Skaters [On the Rideau Canal]

2010-01-28T10:17:00.004-05:00

A winter picture, given the season we are in: skaters on the Rideau Canal on a January morning.

[ f/25, 1/6 sec, 85mm, ISO 200, ND filters ]

This is part of a series that I am currently doing with respect to motion. I'm intrigued by the poetic way that slower shutter speeds can represent motion and bring extra vitality into a scene.

I like the sense it produces of skaters moving at varying speeds:

the parents sharing a relaxed skate with wide-eyed children;
the couples dancing their way down the skateway together;
the speedsters weaving in and out of the crowd;
the tourists strapping on a pair of blades for the first time;
here and there an elderly couple, smiles and memories steadying their movements;
smiles are contagious here;
and even the cold weather gets welcomed and praised, at least for today, its sting forgotten and lost
amidst the pleasure that a winter skate on a frozen canal can bring.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

multiplicity

2010-01-21T06:15:00.004-05:00

Photo taken in the Center Block, Canada's Parliament building. A view of the arches.

[ f/5.6 1/13 sec, 85mm, ISO 2000 ]

what heights
to aspire to?

what limits
to be endured?

as grand as arches are
do they
then
grand ideas signify?

it should be so

cry both

they
whose needs they satisfy

they
whose needs that mystify

it should be so

among these chambers
of government

to where a nation
her welfare sent

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Algebraic

2010-01-14T22:21:00.006-05:00

Boat/parts + algebraic_Symbols = abstract!
[ f/5.3, 1/30 sec, 62mm, ISO 1600 ]

I love how the Nikon D300 handles high ISO! I had to push it up because of the poor lighting [for photography that is!] where this old boat was displayed.

As for this shot - I was attracted by the contrasting texture of the wood vs the steel. I saw the math immediately and thought about how any object really is more than the sum of all its parts. The 'equals' and 'less than' sign seemed to emphasize that concept in this composition.

The neat thing about abstracts of course is that they have beauty beyond the specific object they represent. The true meaning of an abstract lies in the eye of the viewer - they provide a meaning based on an emotion, an experience, or a theme that is somehow linked to their own experience and forms an idea out of their own imagination.

An abstract evokes images and meaning from the viewer.

I think therefore, that an abstract is one of the truer examples of collaborative art.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Winter Forest

2010-01-08T13:03:00.004-05:00

I was out snow shoeing in the forest that crosses the Ridge not far from where I live. The starkness of the bare trunks, the spaces between filled in by spruce and evergreens - a most wonderful pattern of textures to provide a background for winter daydreaming.
[ f/8, 1/40, 40mm, ISO 200 ]

In a snowy winter
few human voices break the silence;
the only voice that speaks comes from the trees
as they creek and sway in the winter wind.

There's always shelter in the woods.

I imagine how tight a blanket the forest weaves;
close my eyes and see the rows of trees close ranks.
Evergreens dance to their places between the trunks
choreagraphed by the cartoons of my youth.
Are Disney characters lurking just off stage?

And then so clear
I begin to see the tree bark which will morph
into the wisdom folds
that adorn the faces of gentle elders
who braved these elements and found repose
in the comfort of a balanced world
celebrating the connection
between me
... and season
............. and natural world.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Where Infinity Begins

2010-01-04T20:45:00.003-05:00

Another photo taken at the National Art Gallery in Ottawa. Sometimes I like to take a scene from a variety of angles. I took about 5 shots of this one. My favorite is presented here:
[ f/8, 1/125, 22mm, ISO 200 ]

I felt that this particular angle really helped to emphasize all the parallel lines and structures. Even though the tilt is a little disorienting at first, it helps the eye to focus in the distance as this particular composition uses all the lines to draw you in to the point where the stairs end, near the bottom center.

It would be interesting to hear if you get a sense that the lines emanate inward, toward the focal point at the top of the stairs... or whether they emanate outwards... and on into infinity. Which is the view that I have of this. In a way, this is a rather cold scene. Yet the light shining through gives a promise of eternal hope. Is this what a mathematicion's dreams are like?

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Shadows in the Grand Hall

2010-01-01T11:14:00.004-05:00

A recent visit to the National Art Gallery reminded me of how much I like the architecture in this wonderful building. This shot was taken in the grand hallway leading to the galleries.

[ f/8, 1/60, 16mm, ISO 200 ]

The wonderful light streaming in and casting long shadows seemed to complement and accentuate the height of the hallway. The stone walkway and walls, the wide pillars, the immense space, all gave a sense of permanence. The lovers holding hands and strolling in the distance provides a gauge of how big a space this is. This felt like a place for the ages... and I felt my mortality here. I am but a shadow traversing through this place. It will be here long after I am gone. Inviting many more souls to walk this path.

At the end of the long ascent are the galleries that celebrate the creative glimpses that artists have recorded of man, woman, child... and their places among this world. Perhaps the architect wanted to prepare us for the immensity of human emotion that the Gallery exhibits will reveal to us. Or perhaps he wanted to capture the immensity of our ability to dream. Such grandeur, after all, must lead to something even more wonderful, more enduring, more inspiring, more human... more spiritual.

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I update this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

PhotographyCorner "Photo of the Year" contest

2009-12-30T10:45:00.003-05:00

Some of you photographers out there might be interested in the $10000 worth of prizes offered in the Photo of the Year contest held by PhotographyCorner.com - a fairly extensive prize package for the winners. View the Contest Info page for details about entering.

The Nature of Being Neighbours

2009-12-27T21:19:00.006-05:00

Neighbours share a landscape - tied to the location by proximity if by no other factors. I came across this scene in Toronto's Distillery District.

[ f/5.6, 1/80 sec, 32mm, ISO 200 ]

The wonderful brick textures, the symmetry provided by the windows, the offsetting green drain pipe complementing the color of the bicycles, which fit in so nicely with the nostalgic feel of a simpler time that this scene evokes; the feel of the cobblestone - all factors enough to make me want to take this shot. And it reminded me of two neighbours living together, sharing a neighbourhood.

Both are bound together, but both are also separated by an enforced distance. The one at the right, slightly turned away, not sure if it wants to interact or talk to his neighbour. The one on the left is a little more protective of her property, but the covering is in a bit of disrepair, the protection against the elements perhaps not as up to date as one would like.

But neighbours share a common lifestyle and are as much bound together by that which separates them. A good fence, for example, acts to separate and mark boundaries... but it also provides a leaning post over which to converse. Neighbours are always tied to each other - the bonds between them forming a sense of protection and security that comes from getting to know each other better.

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I will be updating this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Rise Above the Crowd

2009-12-21T22:38:00.008-05:00

Driving along a country road outside of Carp, I came across this view. The winter corn was still standing, forming a wall along the side of the road. Over the top were a set of trees towering over the corn stalks, regal overlords peering over their kingdom.

[ f/9, 1/400, 45mm, ISO 200 ]

So many themes came to mind as I approached this scene:

Rise Above the Crowd
Assert Yourself
Live Your Dreams
Breaking Away

Any of which would have made a good theme or title for the story being played out by the simple rows of corn, and even simpler tree that stands watch over them. What theme or story plays out for you?

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I will be updating this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Snowy Avenue

2009-12-17T10:08:00.004-05:00

Winter is a season that is often surprisingly full of color. Oak leaves stubbornly hanging on, colorful architectural detail, or a splash of red - worn perhaps as a statement against the white snowy backgrounds and the colder air.

[ f/5, 1/640 sec, ISO 200, 24mm ]

"Snowy Avenue" evokes a moment of winter wonder, a clear day inviting you to take a stroll down a snowy avenue. I like the sense of 'journey' that the line of oaks suggest. Winter is an appropriate time for evaluating where you want to be. Venturing outside takes a more conscious decision than warmer days demand. Though I might hesitate on a decision to leave the warmth, a trip outside on a day such as this brings a breath of be-ing that only exists when braced by the freshness of a cold wind.

Cold at the start - yet a winter outing is rewarded with the warmth that results from the constant peek of color from behind the snow, the re-assuring crunch beneath the feet, red cheeks on fellow travellers...

and a sense of gladness or joy that comes from accepting Nature's invitation to experience a landscape so completely renewed when covered with a fresh layer of white...

After all, why else such stillness and virgin snow, devoid of footprints until you heed the call?

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I will be updating this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Window Dressing

2009-12-13T08:57:00.010-05:00

Walking in the Distillery District of Toronto is an eye-catching experience. The richness provided by a romanticized view of old world beauty combines harmoniously with contemporary fashion and art. And that describes a major aspect of the motivation behind taking this photo.

[ f/5.3, 1/160 sec, 165mm, ISO 100 ]

In "Window Dressing" there exists a most wonderful harmony between old and new. The immediate contrast between the items for sale viewed against the weathered window frame. A metaphor for inner renewal? For dressing up our imagination so one can escape the aging body? Or how about a contradiction to the old 'truism' of not being able to teach an old dog new tricks?

"Window Dressing" - what theme plays out for you?
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I will be updating this blog about once a week; sometimes more. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Resolute

2009-12-08T18:34:00.005-05:00

"A wise man who stands firm is a statesman, a foolish man who stands firm is a catastrophe.” [attributed to Adlai Stevenson]
Looking at this photo, I wonder which of the two is represented.

[ISO 200, f/22, 6 sec, 16mm, ND filter]

Certainly there is a sense of struggle between opposing forces here. Many of us can well remember the times that we've been asked to stand firm against a rushing tide of opposing thought or opinion. In some ways the test of our resolve became an important step in our growth towards maturity. Holding fast to our principles may sometimes feel like we are pushing against the tide. When the tide is a threat to justice, it is important that we act as the statesman standing firm.

The tree against the rushing current. Water eroding the soil base. A courageous act of defience? Or a stubborn person hanging on to an idea in contradiction to the flow of enlightened opinion? Two enemies embraced by their conflicting character?

A river, by its very nature needs to move. Otherwise, it risks becoming a stagnant pond, running shallow and drying up. A tree needs to stand firm. It's roots solidly embracing the soil on which it's nourished. Otherwise, it risks being uprooted by even the merest wind.

Sticking to a decision that goes against the public opinion?
The foolish man trying to hold back the tides of change?

Perhaps its just another struggle, another story of life and death, of predator and prey.

Let me know what YOU see. Comments are always welcome!
[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. ]

As a brief aside, I expect that I'll be updating this blog about every 3 days or so. At least once a week anyway! You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

What's Love Got To Do With It?

2009-12-02T11:36:00.006-05:00

I was wandering the Distillery District in Toronto when I came upon this shot. I was stopped by the heart. Someone decided to reach through the bars to make a statement. And I couldn't help but wonder about this. Why here? Why behind the bars? Why in a setting like this? I started to wonder what love had to do with this scene - hence the title of the photo.

[ISO 800, f/13, 1/8 sec, 55 mm]

I wonder if the love has weathered better than the dusty window, rusting bars, and rotting wood. Or is it worn and battered, shed long ago from the lovers like the flecks of paint expelled from the shutter?

Is this a love that has endured? That remains, protected behind the bars of re-assuring embraces, keeping out the elements that might assail the commitments made?

Is this a new love, still fragile, seeking protection to keep it from being hurt? Yet bold enough to proclaim itself to all that might be passing by?

The hinges, the shutter, the hook... at the ready to seal out the world.

Yet worn, from being left open.

What's love got to do with it?

***

Let me know what YOU see. Comments are always welcome!
[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. ]

As a brief aside, I expect that I'll be updating this blog about every 3 days or so. At least once a week anyway! You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

The Pine Forest

2009-11-29T00:06:00.011-05:00

I like to tell myself that there is always a picture to be had. My job is to find it.

I have driven by this stand of trees almost every day for the past year. There have been a few times that I thought about stopping. Finally, this one particular day, I did stop. But I didn't have my camera with me. Seeing such wonderful light, I decide that I should hurry home and return to take this photograph.

It's title is simply "The Pine Forest"

[Nikon D300, Sigma 10 - 20mm @ 20mm, ISO 200, 1/13 sec, tripod mounted, ND filter]

Pine needles beneath my feet. A warm late afternoon sun on my face. Summer fading away.
Few green plants remain, reaching for light and warmth, desperately wanting to hang on beyond the changing season.

The sweet smell of pine filling the air. Bird songs echo, carried in the windy breeze.
They mask the nearly silent crunch of needles underfoot.

I feel peace here.
Alone, I embrace the solitude.

And I am warmed by the quiet comfort one can only get when surrounded by beings such as these.
My big brothers watching over me.

***

Let me know what YOU see. Comments are always welcome!
[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. ]

As a brief aside, I expect that I'll be updating this blog about every 3 days or so. At least once a week anyway! You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Red Trillium Studio Tour

2009-11-28T07:22:00.000-05:00

I am participating in the Red Trillium Studio Tour this weekend, so another photo entry will have to wait a day or two, unless I can find some time to add another entry this weekend.

Late Autumn Forest On A WaterColour Canvas

2009-11-25T16:41:00.017-05:00

I came upon this scene, while out photographing with a friend. A flock of geese had just been swimming through the calm water, leaving this rippling reflection in it's wake.

The title of this photo is "Late Autumn Forest On A WaterColour Canvas"

[Nikon D300, Nikon 16-85mm @ 45mm, ISO 400, f/4.8, 1/200]

If this were a poem,

instead of a photograph,

each tree would lie within its own stanza,

each rippled ending would be a rhyme.

Whether the scene is created with light, or words, or water, or paint,

there is no mistaking the almost primal call

with which trees and water can draw us beyond our fragile selves.

The enduring forest, the ever present sea, dwarfs our briefest of existence

when set against the possibility

of the same view that generations of our ancestors enjoyed.

Perhaps it is that enduring sense
of grandeur and timelessness

that lures us often
from our urban dwellings

to be renewed within a forest walk,

a wondrous mountain view,

or the feel of sand against our toes

as we stroll the beach along a summer shoreline.

And recognizing
if even for just a moment
our connection,

our fellowship
with the nature around us,

we pause and breathe it in:

that sense of peace,

that sense of renewal,

that sense of life itself.

***

Let me know what YOU see. Comments are always welcome!
[ Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post. ]

As a brief aside, I expect that I'll be updating this blog about every 3 days or so. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

Uncertain Future

2009-11-21T14:51:00.013-05:00

I have always found myself attracted to photographing doors - and windows - like this one, titled "Uncertain Future".

[Nikon D300, Nikon 16-85mm@18mm, ISO 2000, f/3.8, 1/100]

The first attraction lies in the variety of stories that can be attached to a scene such as this. Who lived here? Worked here? Who stepped out of this door carrying with them the hopes of a new day, a promise of a brighter future? Or who stepped out and felt immediately weighed down with the gloom of another day without hope? A day of carrying the constant burden of unrealized dreams.

Perhaps this was a door to an entrepreneur's dream? A shop to lift oneself out of one's lot and into a better future that spoke a promise of better times for the sons and daughters that were loved so much and for whom the sacrifice of hard work was lessened by the very nature of the love one had for them.
Perhaps a young man carried his dreams of fortune with him as he confidently walked through this door to another day of honest work, with it's promise of advancement up the ranks - perhaps to one day owning his own business.
Perhaps this was the door through which a lonely person greatfully entered to the comfort of no more rejecting glances, at least for this day.
Refuge or relief? Which one accompanied the opening of the door?

There might be a notion that somehow this door speaks of the past... but to me, it speaks instead of what might have been.

Rust, worn bricks, crumbling foundation...once again, don't be shy. Let me know what YOU see. Comments always welcome!

[Click on "Comments" below to view/add comments to this post.]

As a brief aside, I expect that I'll be updating this blog about every 3 days or so. You can check the 'Blog Archive' links on the right side to see previous photos and posts. You are always welcome to go back through the archives to view and comment on previous postings.

First Photo Posting

2009-11-19T13:36:00.015-05:00

I have finally decided to launch this blog to complement my PhotoDiction web site. My expectation is that I will periodically publish a photo here, with the intent of discussing what drew me to the scene. My hope is that you enjoy the photos and that you get a glimpse into my rationale for taking the photo. I also hope that you will feel free to comment - on either the photo itself, or my comments about the photo.

The title of this photo is: "Friendship Endures".

[Nikon D300, Nikon 16-85mm @ 40mm, ISO 800, f/8.0, 1/320]

So... why did I shoot this?

The first attraction to this scene was the architecture (late 1800 - early 1900) juxtaposed with the colorful art panels painted on two of the windows. There are many elements showing wear and weathering - just as there exists in many relationships. The solid foundation is able to withstand or endure the elements that strive to wear it down. The bright and almost festive color of the art panels nicely contradicts and nicely complements the 'barriers' between the two women figures. The boarded window hides some element that was between them, long past broken down. But then... we all have secrets, don't we!

The top row sits upon a row of windows that show obvious signs of renewal. Though the foundation may be getting old, the refurbished row provides a good reminder that all relationships can be supported by renewing that which they stand upon. Be it love, friendship... or just a wondrous old building getting a new lease on life.

Don't be shy. Let me know what YOU see. Comments always welcome!

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