Tag: <span>Toronto Days</span>

Published May 23, 2017 by

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

Friday roundup, May 19, 2017

Toronto, social media, Friday roundup, blog, 1997,
Toronto Skyline from Queens Quay East, 1997                  © Avard Woolaver

Friday roundup, May 19, 2017. Here are some things that caught my eye, and ear, on social media this week: #fbf

The keen eye of Vancouver’s Brad McMurray,

Brilliant illustration from Dominic Bugatto,

Ottawa designer crowdfunds reprint of 1974 CBC ‘Graphic Standards Manual’,

Jill Freedman’s best photograph,

Sit down, rise up: how meditation supports activists,

‘Brandy’ songwriter on how ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 2’ finally gave his hit a deeper meaning,

Japan’s luxurious Shiki-shima sleeper train – in pictures,

Ria Mae – Thoughts on Fire ft. Classified

 

Black and White Blogging Film Photography Friday Roundup Photography Social Media

#FBF 1997 Avard Woolaver film photography Flashback Friday friday roundup social media Toronto Toronto Days urban landscape

Published April 17, 2017 by

Editing photographs takes time and patience

editing, film photography, Toronto, 1983, colour, street photography,
St. Clair West, Toronto, 1983                          © Avard Woolaver    

Editing photographs takes time and patience. You’ll probably follow different strategies, depending on whether you’re working on an assignment, an exhibition, or a scrapbook. I’ve found it helpful to let some time pass before making choices. That could be a few days, months, or years. It’s important to try to lessen the emotional attachment to an image and see it as objectively as possible.

On his blog, American photographer Eric Kim tells a story of photographer O.C. Garza, who said, about a class he took with master street photographer Gary Winogrand, “He never developed film right after shooting it. He deliberately waited a year or two, so he would have virtually no memory of the act of taking an individual photograph. This, he claimed, made it easier for him to approach his contact sheets more critically. Winogrand said, ‘If I was in a good mood when I was shooting one day, then developed the film right away,’ he told us, ‘I might choose a picture because I remember how good I felt when I took it, not necessarily because it was a great shot.’” (To be clear on how meta this is: I’m quoting Kim quoting Garza, who’s quoting Winogrand. Four layers of photographers finding this a useful insight!)

The photo at the top of this blog post is perhaps a solid example of letting time pass in editing: It was taken in Little Italy in Toronto in 1983, and scanned some 33 years later. I didn’t think it was a worthy photo when I took it, but I do now. Time has given me a different perspective on the photo. Part of the reason is that I’m a better photo editor now than I was in my twenties.

In these days of social media, it seems to be a lot about instant gratification–how many likes a photo received that was taken just five minutes ago. Resisting the urge to post things immediately is sometimes difficult but rewarding.

—

St. Clair West, Toronto, 1983 is from the series: Toronto Days

Colour Documentary Film Photography Photography Social Landscape

Avard Woolaver colour editing film photography St. Clair West street photography Toronto Toronto Days

Published April 13, 2017 by

Throwback Thursday and nostalgia

#tbt, Throwback Thursday, nostalgia, Yonge Street, Toronto, movie theatre, 1985,
Yonge Street, Toronto, 1985                  © Avard Woolaver

I have always enjoyed looking at old photos—newspaper clippings or photo albums from my past or other peoples’ past. There is a kind of comfort in it—a chance to connect with the old days, to see and experience history without going there.

Throwback Thursday, with hashtag #tbt, has been a phenomenon since 2011 with people posting or reposting older photographs on social media. It turns out that Throwback Thursday has a positive psychological impact. Colleen Leahey writes in Fortune, “Sharing old photos is a fun way to remember the good ol’ days, but it may also help people counteract feeling alone. A 2008 study published in Psychological Science found that nostalgia alleviates feelings of social exclusion.” The study’s authors wrote, “The past, when appropriately harnessed, can strengthen psychological resistance to the vicissitudes of life.”

So that’s a good reason to post and view those old photos of bell bottoms, and peace signs; or Pokemon, and flash mobs.

Black and White Documentary Film Photography Photography Social Media

#tbt 1985 Avard Woolaver movie theatre nostalgia Throwback Thursday Toronto Toronto Days Yonge Street

Published March 16, 2017 by

Candid versus posed photos

candid, posed, portrait, street, Toronto, Allan Gardens,
Allan Gardens, Toronto; 1982                           © Avard Woolaver

You have probably been in a street environment where there’s an opportunity to take a candid portrait and you know that calling attention to the camera will spoil the moment. What to do? Many factors come into it; the country you’re in, the purpose of your photograph, whether you think the person objects to having their photo taken. It depends very much on the circumstances–but the bottom line is to have respect for the subject.

Magnum photographer Carolyn Drake relates, “It depends on the circumstances. There is a pleasure in disappearing behind the camera on a crowded city street, and sometimes making the picture before the conversation makes for a more surprising picture. But if there’s someone I want to pose or spend time with, or who for some other reason it seems to make sense to ask, then I will. It’s a judgement call.”

In my experience, I have had success in engaging with the person, and asking, “May I take your photo?” Then I may look for more candid moments as I take some photos. Spending a little time with people and engaging with them may lead to more authentic portraits.

—

Photo tip: Try making the subject’s environment part of the portrait. These details can help form a narrative about the person.

Black and White Documentary Photography Portrait Social Landscape

1982 Allan Gardens Avard Woolaver black and white candid documentary portrait posed Toronto Toronto Days