Press Button To Blog - Innocence of Centre Island

As someone who has visited Toronto's Centre Island numerous times over my life without a camera around my thick neck, it's a pleasure for me get to share the experience of my excursion now that I have some actual equipment.

For those readers who might not be familiar with Toronto's tourist attractions: the island is a well-known go-to for the city dwellers located in the middle of Lake Ontario, just a short ferry ride away from downtown. The island was originally inhabited by some of the and was later used for army barracks during the war of 1812 to ward off invaders from the south (the war of Great Britain vs America, where we Canucks burned down part of the White House). In the late 1800s, the island became a popular recreational spot and was eventually bought by the City of Toronto in 1953.From the main dock, you can easily see the iconic CN Tower and the city skyline.

One of the main attractions on Centre Island (other than the nudist beach) is Centreville Amusement Park. This park has a long history, dating back to 1967 when it was first opened. Over the years, it has become one of the top family-friendly destinations in the city (not the nudist part probably). With dozens of child oriented rides and attractions, there is something for everyone in the family to enjoy. From the Ferris wheel, to the bumper boats, as a kid it was the easier option vs the more adult-oriented Canadian National Exhibition that only runs for a few weeks at the end of summer. Of course as an adult now my preferences have changed, but the Centreville Amusement Park will always hold a special place in my heart. I will never forget the countless times I have visited and the memories that were created.

There is something special about capturing the excitement of families as they make their way around the amusement park. I've written before about my fascination with street photography, so the candid nature of capturing a more natural and genuine representation of the island's visitors is one of my primary reasons for visiting. The problem is, more so than general street photography, a lot of the subjects of my photos in Centreville are going to be children with their families. Taking pics of random kids is obviously a social landmine that I've not had to navigate much anywhere else, and although it is completely legal to take photos of adolescents without parental consent, you never want to create problems for anyone for the sake of "art".

My approach is to only take pictures that parent's would want a copy of, if they knew the photos were being taken. And while that's a very subjective point of view, so far I've been comfortable with what I've done so far. I'm frequently with my wife while strolling around taking photos and asking her whether it's appropriate to take certain pics, in particular during our outings at tourist attractions such as Centre Island, and I've had many occasions during which in my apprehension about not being a creeper I fail to take a shot that I think perfectly encapsulates the sense of childhood wonder that I strive to capture. All I can do is my best to navigate those treacherous waters so they don't rock my boat, and I'm not talking about the ferry ride to the island.

Press Button To Blog - Fort York

I am always on the lookout for new locations to shoot pictures. And so is every other sweaty attention seeking bumhole on Tik-Tok. The question is, are we taking the same types of photographs in the same places? Given none of my pictures having girls twerking in front of the battlements, probably not. I always aim to approach things from a fresh perspective if I can. But I guess...how much OnlyFans content has been filmed on top of a genuine antique canon? Not many I'd imagine. So who am I to talk about uniqueness.

For the first time I had the opportunity to visit the Fort York National Historic Site in Toronto. Prior to my photography excursion I had never had reason to check it out. I'm not exactly a history buff, so it wasn't ever on the top of my to-do list. For those that aren't familiar with it, Fort York is a historic site that dates back to the 18th century, and it served as a military fortification for the British Army during multiple wars.

Like Toronto's islands, the Fort played a significant role in the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain. During the war, Americans sauntered north and captured the Canadian capital of York (which is now known as Toronto), which resulted in the British retaliating by burning down part of the White House in Washington. Though no one would ever call me a history buff, it is fascinating to think about the historical significance of this site and how it was instrumental in shaping the relationship between North America's strongest countries.

Upon arrival to the fort, I was first impressed by the imposing ramparts that surrounded the spacious area, and I immediately felt like I had travelled back in time. It's strange to juxtapose buildings that are centuries old against the ugly green glassed condos that surround it that had been erected within the past decade. As I walked around the site, I began to try and imagine what life was like for the soldiers who once called this place home. Looking south at the hundreds of condos that had since destroyed the sightline of what was once underdeveloped waterfront where 1700 US soldiers arrived via a flotilla of 16 ships, it's hard to put yourself in the boots of the 700 or so soldiers that were tasked with defending it. It's easy to understand why the British retreated faced with such insurmountable odds.

I found Fort York to be an interesting location to take pictures. The natural beauty of the site combined with the historic architecture made for a few stunning shots, even if I didn't get as many as I would have liked. For some reason that day I just seemed to lack inspiration, despite a plethora of options. Due to the lowlight conditions (which my camera isn't suitable for), quite a few of my photos came out blurry because I was handholding my camera. Even though I didn't capture the results I wanted, I enjoyed looking at the intricate carvings on the stone walls, and the rusted cannons that were once used for defense.

Other than the lack of modern lighting, there were also some challenges to photographing at a historic site like Fort York. One of the main obstacles as with any tourist sites was dealing with crowds of tourists who were also visiting. While some people were respectful of my space as a photographer, others didn't seem to care and would walk right into a shot or block the view, which was impressive because I was taking some out of the way shots. I also had to be careful not to damage any of the fragile structures or artifacts while moving around the site like the proverbial bull in the China shop, even when it was tempting to step over some stanchions get some truly unique angles

Overall, my visit to Fort York National Historic Site was a short, fun experience even if I never have a reason to visit again. Even if it doesn't always appeal to me, I always appreciate the opportunity to capture images that tell a story, and Fort York provided plenty of fascinating tales to be told. From the War of 1812 to the intricate architectural details, this site is a must-see for anyone who appreciates history and photography alike.

Press Button To Blog - Legend Of Zelda

Why did Link have to travel to Hyrule to buy a new camera? Because his old one was Triforcing him to take bad pictures.

Ever since I was a child I've always loved videogames, ever since my grandmother purchased me my first console, a used Nintendo Entertainment System. Playing Duckhunt and Mario instilled a lifelong passion for gaming that hasn't yet waned, even if my amount of free time has . How that relates to this post, is that one of my favourite games growing up was the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64.

In fact, my love for Ocarina of Time runs so deep that I even have a tattoo of Link to memorialize the memories it holds for me. The hours spent losing myself in Hyrule helped me during some tough times in my life. So it only made sense that I would choose that as the theme for my first at home photoshoot with my new camera.

As I began planning the photoshoot, I spent at least an hour playing around with set design on my balcony. It was important for me to feel like I was getting it all right, as I know it would hurt my confidence if my very first pictures turned out poorly. My goal was to create the perfect backdrop that would suit the plastic toy of Link that I had laying around. I had already made a trip to a local Greek bakery to purchase a few additional items that could bring the pics to the next level. I had already amassed a small collection of props to use when the occasion fits, so it was only a matter of staging what I had in a formation that was somewhat interesting. It took me a while to find the right balance between too busy and not enough.

At the time, I had only received my first camera in the mail a few days prior. I had already gone out to do some candid pics in the city, but I hadn't truly explored how it fully worked yet. I also didn't have anything else to help me with the scene, like lightning, a tripod and the like. Other than if I were using my cell phone or a point-and-shoot, you couldn't get more amateur. It was slightly frustrating to see the vision in my head that just wasn't possible for me to fully realize, but we work with what we've got.

One of the biggest challenges was dealing with the sunlight. As a new photographer, I didn't realize how much of an impact natural light (my only light at the time) could have on a photoshoot. While I knew there's more to photography than just pointing and shooting, I wasn't quite ready for the amount of irritation it would cause. I was using a long, low to the ground table as a staging point for my props, and every time the sun shifted I then had to move the entire table so that my deliberately placed setup was still close to what I originally wanted to capture. But in doing so of course, everything would tumble around and I'd need to restage the entire scene.

Nonetheless, this photoshoot was an incredible experience for me. It allowed me to merge several of my passions in food, video games and photography, and that was an incredible feeling for a first shoot. Could it have been better? Of course. But all things considering for an absolute novice, I loved quite a few of my results. And it's that sense of accomplishment after hours of planning and shooting that keeps me excited for my upcoming photography journey.