Black and White Archives - Page 6 of 8

Published June 1, 2017 by avardw

Give yourself a photo assignment

assignment, arcade, pinball arcade, Yonge Street, Toronto, 1981, — Arcade Scene, Toronto, 1981 © Avard Woolaver

Give yourself a photo assignment. A bit of structure can be helpful when taking photos; it gives you a set purpose.

There is something to be said for wandering around aimlessly with a camera looking for whatever grabs your eye. This is the mode I’m frequently in; to me it represents the ultimate freedom. Some of my more memorable photos, however, have come about as the result of a specific assignment.

When attending Ryerson in Toronto I did a project on popular culture. My assignment was to go out on Yonge Street and record as many instances of popular culture as I could find. It was a fun task. I photographed record shops, posters, cars, televisions, fashions, and fast food stores. It led to some interesting photos; shots I normally would not have taken—like this photo in a pinball arcade, for instance. I almost never went to arcades (one of my classmates was addicted to Pac Man) but the assignment gave me reason to go there.

So, if you find yourself in a creative rut, or simply want to try something new, give yourself a photo assignment. It could be stop signs, people wearing hats, triangular shapes, or environmental degradation; the list is endless. You may be pleasantly surprised at the results.

Arcade Scene, Toronto, 1981, is from the Facebook series: Toronto Days

Black and White Blogging Documentary Film Photography Observation Photography Social Landscape

1981 arcade assignment Avard Woolaver black and white film photography pinball arcade Toronto Toronto Days

Published May 26, 2017 by avardw

Friday roundup, May 26, 2017

Friday roundup, #fbf, news, news stories, social media, Toronto, Yonge Street, 1981, motor cycles, — Yonge Street, Toronto, 1981 © Avard Woolaver

Friday roundup, May 26, 2017. Here are some news stories that caught my eye, and ear, on social media this week: #fbf

Toronto’s vibrant music scene,

Photographer Susan Meiselas on documenting women’s refuges,

This Harvard grad submitted a rap album for his thesis — and totally aced it,

Hey Rosetta! – Soft Offering (For The Oft Suffering),

To reduce work stress, Japan firms turn to office cats, dogs and goats,

Tulip Garden Destroyed by Hungry Moose,

The death of a daughter,

Canada’s “Come From Away” lands 7 Tony nods,

Teenage documentarians show the power of photography

Black and White Blogging Documentary Friday Roundup Photography Social Landscape

1981 Avard Woolaver blog friday roundup news stories social media The Image Journey Toronto Toronto Days

Published May 23, 2017 by avardw

Nostalgia is the drug of choice for baby boomers

nostalgia, baby boomers, Toronto, 1981, film photography, black and white, — Gerrard East and Ontario Street, Toronto, 1981 © Avard Woolaver

Nostalgia can be described as a sentimental longing for the past. It comes from the Greek nostos (homecoming) and algos (pain) and is thought to have been derived from Homer’s The Odyssey.

With baby boomers reaching their senior years, nostalgia seems to be their drug of choice. Advertisers target boomers with Beatles music, retro fashions, and even long dead actors such as Marilyn Munroe selling perfume. While boomers seem to be lapping it up, not everyone is crazy about the nostalgia bug. Heather Havrilesky writes in The Washington Post, “While griping about boomer nostalgia has become a somewhat common art, the cultural impact of that nostalgia transcends mere annoyance. Through sheer repetition and force of will, boomers have so thoroughly indoctrinated us into their worldview that we all now reflexively frame most current affairs through the lens of another generation’s formative experiences.” Abbey Hoffman might say not to trust anyone under 50!

I myself am a baby boomer. Born in 1958, I was six years old when the Beatles came to North America. I sang “A Hard Day’s Night” in my Grade One classroom, watched the moon landing on a fuzzy black and white TV, and took my Diana camera to Expo ’67 in Montreal. While I have nostalgia for those early years, the time I miss most was when I was in my early twenties, studying photography at Ryerson in Toronto.

The photo at the head of this blog captures the time that I am nostalgic for. It was taken in my neighborhood in downtown Toronto in my first year of study. Everything was new and fresh, conversations were stimulating, photography was invigorating. Several of my classmates from that year became lifelong friends. Since returning to those days is impossible, I can make the journey with my retro photographs. It’s the next best thing.

Gerrard East and Ontario Street, Toronto, 1981, is from the series: Toronto Days

Black and White Blogging Documentary Film Photography Photography

1981 analog baby boomers black and white film photography nostalgia Toronto Toronto Days

Published May 19, 2017 by avardw