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Published March 20, 2019 by avardw

Photos to welcome spring

Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019, spring, — Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Today is the first day of spring. Here in Nova Scotia the vernal equinox will occur a few hours from now at 6:58 pm. Although it hasn’t been a particularly rough winter in this part of the world, there is still an unusually thick layer of frost in the earth (about a meter’s worth). This was caused by a lot of cold weather, and little snow (that usually provides a layer of insulation). In a recent rainstorm my basement flooded with 4 inches ( 10 cm) of water–the drains were frozen and there was nowhere for the water to go. I’m sure this happened to many people in Nova Scotia. I haven’t had the courage to plug in my guitar amp to see if it still works.

Still, spring fills me with optimism. I like to put on Hello Mr. Blue Sky by New Brunswick’s John Campbelljohn and turn up the volume. I can forget all about flooded basements and cold weather, and look forward to fat robins hopping around in my backyard.

And the spring light is great for photography. With Daylight Saving Time starting on March 10, the sun sets at 7:30 pm these days. The golden hour is back and this is a good reason to celebrate. Here are a few recent photos of this wonderful time of year. Happy spring, everyone!

Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019, — Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Bayers Lake, Nova Scotia, 2019, spring, — Bayers Lake, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

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Published March 18, 2019 by avardw

Rediscovering the Nifty Fifty

Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019, 50 mm lens, nifty fifty, — Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Recently I have been using only my 50 mm lens and it has brought about a significant change in how I take photos. Yes, I’m loving my nifty fifty! Two weeks ago when my trusty zoom lens bit the dust, I put on my seldom used 50 mm lens. It’s the only other lens I own, so the decision was out of necessity. See the blog post: Getting back to the 50 mm lens.

I was expecting it to be a compromise–I would use the lens for a few days, then buy another zoom lens. But the more I used the nifty fifty, the more I grew to love it. At first everything seemed too tight (I’m more used to the range of vision of a 35mm lens). I was presented with a narrower view and had to make the best with how to frame it. Then it became a challenge. I got used to how far I had to be away from a subject or scene to get optimal framing. It started to feel natural. Also, the lens is sharper than the zoom.

As there is no zoom to contend with, I can take photos more quickly and efficiently. In short, it’s a liberating experience. I notice different things and see the world in a new way. It takes me back to my days in Toronto doing street photography with a Rollei 35–a tiny camera with a fixed 40 mm lens. One camera, one lens. There’s something to be said for simplicity.

If you have a 50 mm lens that you never use, I urge you to give it a try. You may be surprised at the results. Here are some recent photos taken with the nifty fifty.

Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2019, 50 mm lens, nifty fifty, — Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Bedford, Nova Scotia, 2019, winter, snow, — Bedford, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2019, — Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2019, nifty fifty — Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019, winter, snow, — Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Blogging Photography Techniques

50 mm lens nifty fifty photography

Published March 14, 2019 by avardw

Nagoya, Japan in 1987

Kanayama Station, Nagoya, Japan, 1987 – © Avard Woolaver

I arrived in Nagoya, Japan in January 1987–met at the station by Mike and Richard, my friends from Ryerson. Mike had said in a voice tape sent to me in Toronto, that living in Japan was like “putting your brain in a tin can and launching it into space.” And he was right. I had studied some Japanese at U of T, but nothing could have prepared me for life in Japan. Everything was so different.

The culture shock wore off as the months passed. I learned the language, got accustomed to teaching English and learned how to get around. Perhaps the most rewarding thing was a chance encounter with some locals that lead to a life-long friendship. From them I learned that people are basically the same everywhere.

And I continued to take photos with my Rollei 35. These photos were taken in the first few months when everything seemed fresh and new. I wish I had taken more, but living and working in Nagoya was so all-consuming that there wasn’t much room left for creative endeavors.

I look back on my six years in Nagoya, Japan with great fondness. The experience had such a great impact on my life. I plan to go back there next year with my family. I can hardly wait.

Blogging Japan Photography Travel

1987 film photography Japan Nagoya

Published March 10, 2019 by avardw

Toronto’s High Park in the 1980s

Grenadier Pond, High Park, Toronto, 1983, — Grenadier Pond, High Park, Toronto, 1983 – © Avard Woolaver

During my twenty years living in Toronto, I twice had an apartment near High Park. For a guy like me who grew up on a farm in Nova Scotia, the park was like an oasis–a refuge from the traffic and concrete of the city.

The area of the park is 400 acres, about a third of which is oak savannah – lightly forested grassland where oaks are the dominant trees. The photo below shows the savannah area in the fall.

I enjoyed High Park year round–jogging, cycling, skating, cross country skiing, baseball practice. And often I would carry a camera and take some photos. It was always fun to check out the animals at the little zoo, of have a meal at the Grenadier Restaurant. Some of my best memories were of watching plays in the summer. A highlight was John Gray’s Rock and Roll featuring the incomparable Frank MacKay. (MacKay died this past week–a much loved singer and actor in Nova Scotia.)

Here are a few photos of my wanderings in High Park in the 1980s.

High Park, Toronto, 1983, — High Park, Toronto, 1983 – © Avard Woolaver

High Park, Toronto, 1984, — High Park, Toronto, 1984 – © Avard Woolaver

High Park, Toronto, 1985, — High Park, Toronto, 1985 – © Avard Woolaver

High Park, Toronto, 1981 – © Avard Woolaver

High Park, Toronto, 1982, — High Park, Toronto, 1982 – © Avard Woolaver

Blogging Photography Toronto

film photography High Park photography Toronto

Published March 7, 2019 by avardw

Toronto streets in the 1980s

Dundas and Victoria, Toronto, 1982, Toronto streets, — Dundas and Victoria, Toronto, 1982 – © Avard Woolaver

I enjoyed capturing the Toronto streets in the 1980s. It was liberating to walk around with a camera and find that special moment when time and place come together. The time when the yellow van is stopped near the yellow hydrant, or when the boy is crossing Lake Devo on his BMX bike. The rhythm of the city was something I could feel, it was like listening to an urban symphony.

I was in my twenties then with few commitments or responsibilities. Life is much different now at 60, with a family, and living in rural Nova Scotia. I may never again have the opportunity to roam the Toronto streets with a camera like I did in the 1980s. It reminds me that life is short, and helps me remember, You only get to do this once. We have to take time and see it, as clearly as we can.

Photos in this post are from the book Toronto Days – available through Blurb Books and Amazon.