The Image Journey

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.

Lake Devo, Toronto, 1981, Toronto streets, — Lake Devo, Toronto, 1981 – © Avard Woolaver

Eastern Avenue, Toronto, 1983, Toronto streets, — Eastern Avenue, Toronto, 1983 – © Avard Woolaver

Dundas and Keele, Toronto, 1983, Toronto streets, — Dundas West and Keele, Toronto, 1983 – © Avard Woolaver

Yonge Street, Toronto, 1981 – © Avard Woolaver, Toronto streets, — Yonge Street, Toronto, 1985 – © Avard Woolaver

Queen and Bathurst, Toronto, 1983, Toronto streets, — Queen and Bathurst, Toronto, 1983 – © Avard Woolaver

Blogging Photography Toronto

1980s photography street photography Toronto Toronto streets

Published March 5, 2019 by avardw

Changing colour into black and white

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, 2019, black and white, — Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Although I’m not a big fan of digital manipulation and do almost none to my images, I make an exception when I convert colour images to black and white. To my eye, some scenes just look better in monochrome.

I have always thought of black and white photography as an abstract medium and colour photography as a psychological medium. American photographer Elliott Erwitt said, “With colour you describe; with black and white you interpret.” So, there is more left to the imagination and perhaps more attention paid to graphic details.

When I first heard the version of Kodachrome on Simon and Garfunkel’s The Concert in Central Park, I realized that the lyrics had been changed from the original. According to Songfacts Simon sometimes sings the line “Everything looks worse in black and white” as “Everything looks better in black and white.” He changes it a lot, and claims he can’t remember which way he wrote it.” Neither is better, just a different view of the world.

I used to shoot my digital monochrome images using the b&w mode on my camera until I saw a documentary on Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama. He was going over images on the computer with his assistant and telling him which ones he wanted to be converted to black and white. I started shooting everything in colour and doing the conversions later–it leaves more options. If it’s good enough for Daido Moriyama, it’s good enough for me!

Here are some recent photos that I have converted.

Wentworth Creek, Nova Scotia, 2019, black and white, — Wentworth Creek, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Windsor, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019, black and white, — Newport, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Black and White Photography

black and white conversion monochrome photography

Published March 5, 2019 by avardw

Today I took some storm photos

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

Unusual weather conditions often create interesting photos. Today I had to make an 80 km drive to Halifax, and took the opportunity to get some storm photos. I didn’t spend much time out in the elements–most of the photos were taken in the car–but got a chance to walk on the streets in the snow and freezing rain. It’s a challenge keeping the camera protected then quickly pulling it out and getting the shot.

I’ll keep taking storm photos in the blowing rain and snow. It keeps me in touch with the seasons and the passage of time.

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

Bedford, Nova Scotia, 2019, storm photos, — Bedford, Nova Scotia, 2019 – © Avard Woolaver

Blogging Documentary Photography

Halifax storm photos winter

Published March 3, 2019 by avardw

Street Scenes in New York City, 1983

5th Avenue and East 36th Street, New York, 1983, New York City, — 5th Avenue and East 36th Street, New York, 1983 – © Avard Woolaver

I have only been to New York City three times in my life, but each visit there holds vivid memories. It’s an interesting experience to walk around Manhattan with a camera–so much human activity and so many interesting buildings and sights. But I must admit that I never felt very comfortable there. From my Canadian perspective, large American cities seem dangerous and in 1983, New York City was a bit run down and dodgy in certain areas.

These photos were taken on a Ryerson school trip in early November, 1983. I used a Rollei 35S with Tri-X film and shot about six rolls of film over two days. I was looking for interesting scenes and bits of human interaction. Decades later when I scanned the negatives, I found information about the photos that I didn’t know at the time. For instance, the busker playing saxophone was an 18 year old Vincent Herring–a noted jazz saxophonist. Also the invasion of Grenada had just taken place–something I wasn’t really aware of at the time.

Looking at these photos makes me want to go back again, to capture new images and form new memories.