Tag: <span>film photography</span>

Published February 21, 2019 by

Passing through Nathan Phillips Square

Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1981,
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1981 – © Avard Woolaver

Nathan Phillips Square is a large city square in downtown Toronto (12 acres) that is the home of Toronto City Hall. It is a place of numerous activities–skating rink, farmers’market, concerts, demonstrations. There is often lots going on here, but at other times it is eerily empty.

It is a place that I rarely went to for an event; I was usually just passing through. So my photos are usually just little glimpses of what was happening there. Looking back at my contact sheets from the 1980s it seems that I passed through Nathan Phillips Square a few times a year. It was a good place for photos–lots of open space, interesting architectural details, plenty of concrete, and human activity.

These photos were just random moments at the time, but mean a lot more to me now as I rediscover the past life of my 20s. It reminds me that life is short and we must Carpe diem— “sieze the day.” For me, having a camera in my hand at all times helped me remember, You only get to do this once. We have to take time and see it, as clearly as we can.

Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1982,
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1982 – © Avard Woolaver

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Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1983,
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1983 – © Avard Woolaver

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Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1984,
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1984 – © Avard Woolaver

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Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1985,
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1985 – © Avard Woolaver

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Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, 1984 – © Avard Woolaver

Blogging Photography Toronto

black and white film photography Nathan Phillips Square street photography Toronto Toronto in the 1980s

Published December 14, 2018 by

Sometimes Photos Resemble Paintings

Avard Woolaver, Toronto, photos resemble paintings,
Elm Street at Yonge (looking west), Toronto, 1982  © Avard Woolaver

Sometimes photos resemble paintings–whether it’s the lighting, the subject matter, or the mood. Some photographers recreate paintings as photographs like Laura Hofstadter with her self-portrait series. Also many painters use photographs as a reference when they paint.

I had always thought that this 1982 photograph of Elm Street in Toronto looked like a painting, but no painter came to mind. Then my social media friend Amy Dix suggested that it looked like something by English artist L.S. Lowry. I could immediately see the similarity. 

The above photo was taken from the rooftop of Sam the Record Man–the iconic record store. These days it’s the location of The Ryerson Student Centre, an amazing creation of function and design. In 2018, I managed to get a photo of Elm street  through a window, maybe on the 4th floor. It’s great to compare the old with the new, and see the changes over the past 36 years.

Avard Woolaver, Toronto, photos resemble paintings,

Elm Street at Yonge (looking west), Toronto, 1982, appears in the book Toronto Flashback (1980-1986) and is available through Blurb Books.

Blogging Photography

analog photography Avard Woolaver film photography photo book Toronto Toronto Flashback (1980-1986)

Published December 11, 2018 by

Montreal, Quebec, 1983

Avard Woolaver, Montreal, 1983, Kodachrome,
Montreal, Quebec, 1983 © Avard Woolaver

When taking photos I look for good light, and try to get an interesting moment, if possible. But there is also a matter of composition–how to divide the space. There are no hard and fast rules, but I often attempt to divide the frame into three or more sections. I first saw this in the photographs of Tony Ray-Jones and Lee Friedlander. There was a lot going on in the frame–a kind of unified complexity.

This  photo was taken in Montreal in 1983. My friend Stephane is on the right and we were off to celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. I’m glad I got this Kodachrome moment.

Blogging Photography

analog photography Avard Woolaver composition film photography Kodachrome Montreal street photography

Published December 6, 2018 by

Toronto, 1994 – when Kodachrome roamed the earth

Avard Woolaver, Toronto, Kodachrome, Lakeshore Boulevard, Gardiner Expressway, traffic,

© Avard Woolaver

A moment captured on Kodachrome. It was taken on a pedestrian walkover that crosses Lakeshore Boulevard and Gardiner Expressway. The warm light in the late afternoon was a perfect match for this reversal film that was known for its red/magenta cast.

I knew Paul Simon’s song Kodachrome before I got into photography, but didn’t know anything about the film itself. I would discover its magical qualities a few years later. Here is what Songfacts says about the song: “Paul Simon was working on a song with the title “Coming Home” when the word “Kodachrome” came to him. He had no idea what it meant, but knew it would make for a much more interesting song than “Coming Home.” The song became an appreciation of the things in life that color our world, and a look at how our memories are framed to fit our worldviews. 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.”

Kodachrome started in 1935 and effectively ended in 2010, when it was no longer possible to have it processed. Competition from Fujichrome and Ektachrome (which are easier to process) brought a decrease in sales, and the emergence of digital in 2000 signaled the end of the film. But once upon a time, Kodachrome roamed the earth–in cameras, camera bags, and pockets. It was with me when I traveled around Germany in 1978, Asia in 1989, and Europe in 1993. My faithful companion.

Photography Toronto

1994 analog photography Avard Woolaver film photography Kodachrome Toronto vintage

Published December 5, 2018 by

Fifth Avenue, New York, 1983

New York, Avard Woolaver, Fifth Avenue, B.Altman and Company, 1983, street photography,

© Avard Woolaver

This photo was taken on Fifth Avenue in New York City in 1983. Walking around New York City with a camera is something I’ve only done twice in my life. Both times were unique and memorable. There is so much happening on the streets, and so many interesting locations.

The mannequin is in the store window of B. Altman and Company, a luxury department store chain founded in 1865. By 1990, the business was closed. In 1985 this Fifth Avenue building became a New York City landmark. It is now occupied by City University of New York, New York Public Library, and Oxford University Press. The Altman Foundation carries on as one of the largest private philanthropies in New York.

From the series: New York City – Flickr album

Photography

1983 analog photography Avard Woolaver B. Altman Company film photography New York New York City street photography