© Avard Woolaver
This photo was taken as I exited Wellesley Station, a subway station in downtown Toronto, just east of Yonge Street. Like many photos I took in Toronto in the 1980s, I had trouble identifying the exact location. In those days, for me, it was the shot that mattered; I cared little where it was taken. But with all of the changes in Toronto over the past thirty years, I’m much more interested in the location of the photos taken in those days.
With this photo I went on Google maps. I originally thought it must be St. Clair, but there was a very different view from that station. At Wellesley Station I could see by the parking lot, and buildings that I had found it.
I didn’t shoot a lot of colour in those days–maybe only 10 percent of my output. So I’m interested in what I chose to photograph in colour, and also the color palette I was drawn to. This one has some warm afternoon light contrasted with the cool blue of the newspaper stands. A moment in time.
I can imagine this one in BW very well. Feels different in colours. Anyway, what do you prefer, color or bw (today)?
I shot film for many years and 90% of it was black and white. These days with digital, I shoot 90% colour. I think my eyes and senses are much more attuned to colour these days. You shoot mostly b&w don’t you, Pavel?
Yes, mostly bw.