There were several barbershops in West Toronto Junction when I lived there in the 1980s. I liked Ralph’s Barbershop because of the nice light and ambiance. It was the classic community gathering place where men sat and talked as they waited their turn. I asked Ralph if I could take some photos, and went there a few times with my camera.
Winter sun shining directly overhead, illuminating wet pavement. This is my favourite light, and I try to capture it whenever I can. The silver road beckons.
Abandoned cars used to be a common sight in Toronto in the 1980s. It’s something we no longer see. The graffiti, however, is still prevalent.
These tire burnouts are becoming more common on Nova Scotia roads. My father called them “fool’s signatures”; I call them redneck art. I’ve never been a fan of graffiti, and have similar feelings about tire burnouts. I understand the need for people to express themselves, but don’t understand the waste of money and resources. Also, I’ve never seen the need to deface buildings and roads. What’s the point?
On the other hand, they sometimes have charming designs, and to quote Crocodile Dundee: “Ah, it’s just kids out havin’ fun.” There seems to be no putting the genie back in the bottle–graffiti and tire burnouts are here to stay.
I photograph things like this because they are cultural phenomena and I have an interest in the human-altered landscape. Tire burnouts tell us a lot about the times we are living in.
This photo was taken in Toronto on a cold February day in 1985. The billboard reads, “Spain: Set your spirit free. Say Si.” In the winter months Canadians are attracted by the lure of warmer weather. It seems that most folks head to Florida, or the Caribbean, but Spain sounds good, also! How does that song go? Catalonia dreaming, on such a winter’s day.
One of my favourite photographers here on social media is from Catalonia, Spain. His name is Llorenç Rosanes Mulet and he lives in the town of Alcarràs. Check out his amazing work on Instagram. His social landscape photos often have beautiful warm light and the tones he achieves in his black and white photos is sublime. There is so much humanity in his work. I hope to meet him someday. Big shout out to my buddy Llorenç!