53Weeks 032 of 371: The Accordion

`Music gives a soul to the Universe, 

Wings to the mind, 

Flight to the imagination, 

 and life to everything.` 

― Plato

The Accordion
Eglington Station,Toronto,Ontario
Silver Efex Pro
102 mm f/4 1/200 ISO 800
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 031 of 371: Digging Deep

It is not the beauty of a building you should look at; 

its the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time. 

David Allan Coe

Digging Deep
1 York Street,Toronto,Ontario
Silver Efex Pro
58 mm f/4 1/200 ISO 800
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 030 of 371: The Dream

Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things 

which escape those who dream only by night. 

Edgar Allen Poe 

The Dream
A stationary TTC Street Car, camera moving. 
King and Univeristy,Toronto,Ontario
105 mm f/11 1/4 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 029 of 371: Focus

It's Monday (for a few more minutes) and that means a new theme for the weeks images. This week I have picked something that I think will be a significant challenge; quotes. I have a collection of quotes and each day I will make an image to 'go with' the quote. 

"You cannot depend on your eyes, when your imagination is out of focus."

-Mark Twain 

Focus
Go Station,Richmond Hill,Ontario
105 mm f/4.5 1/30 ISO 3200
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 028 of 371: To WIlt

“People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.” 

- Plato 

To WIlt

5 image stack with Helicon
110 mm f/4 1/20 ISO 800
Canon EOS 40D EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

53Weeks 027 of 371: To Study

Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby. 

Ruth E. Renke

To Study
Starbucks,Richmond Hill,Ontario
Merge to HDR plus Color Efex Pro Midnight
45 mm f/7.1
Canon EOS 40D

53Weeks 026 of 371: To Reflect

We cannot see our reflection in running water, it is only in still water that we can see. 

 Taoist Proverb 

To Reflect
79 Wellington St West,Toronto,Ontario
40 mm f/4 1/100 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 025 of 371: To Shiver

It was really really cold today.


To Shiver
Bay and Wellington,Toronto,Ontario
105 mm f/4 1/400 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 024 of 371: To Rise

I tried a few different ideas to day, but settled on a slow shutter on the escalator. The slow shutter was to give a sense of motion.


To Rise
First Canadian Place,Toronto,Ontario

28 mm f/18 4 ISO 100
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 023 of 371: To Storm

First real winter storm of the year. This shot overlooks a snow covered Roy Thomson Hall.


To Storm
150 King Street West,Toronto,Ontario
24 mm f/5.6 1/200 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 022 of 371: To Work

I recently watched a TED talk by Julie Burstein. In her talk, Julie told us about the transition Richard Serra made from painter to sculptor. One of the exercises he put him self through was a study of verbs and how he represented those in his art. I thought I'd give that a try for this week's theme.


To Work
Union Station,Toronto,Ontario
105 mm f/5.6 1/250 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 021 of 371: Pink and Purple

Pink and Purple - better than Black and Blue. I should have brought my skates too! Although technically not a street, this is inline with my intent of people pics outdoors.


Pink and Purple
Richmond Green,Richmond Hill,Ontario
200 mm f/7.1 1/400 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

53Weeks 020 of 371: On The Phone

and crossing the road.


On The Phone
Richmond Hill,Ontario
Silver Efex Pro
190 mm f/2.8 1/500 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

53Weeks 019 of 371: Whoops

A cold day for skating, but still lots of fun to be had.



Whoops
Nathan Philleps Square,Toronto,Ontario
85 mm f/4 1/2000 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 018 of 371: Out In the Cold

Ya gotta be tough to be a smoker in the winter.


Out In the Cold
Front and Simcoe,Toronto,Ontario
28 mm f/4 1/125 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 017 of 371: Red Runner

Today I wanted to make images for commuters heading toward the Go Train. I played for a while with big groups of people crossing the street together. And then I noticed that there were often people running through the crowd. Perfect - people in a hurray to catch the train.

I worked a bit on my panning technique, and although I did get some that were sharper than this, I really liked the way the red coat popped.


Red Runner
Bay and Wellington,Toronto,Ontario
28 mm f/16 1/3 ISO 3200
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 016 of 371: Anything Helps

What more can I say.


Anything Helps
Wellington and Bay,Toronto,Ontario
105 mm f/4 1/125 ISO 800
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 015 of 371: Smoke Free

Yesterday I starting my new theme for the next week --- OnTheStreet. I like the contradiction in this image.


Smoke Free
Adelaide Street West and Sheppard St,Toronto,Ontario
58 mm f/5.6 1/80 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 014 of 371: Rubber

Even if you looked at the title (go ahead and look now), can you guess what this is?

 It is the wheel of a Single Drum Vibratory Roller. How many guessed that?!


Rubber
Rodick and 14th,Markham,Ontario
15 mm f/13 1/50 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

53Weeks 013 of 371: Jacks

Highway 7 has been under construction for a long time. As I explored the area of one of the bus shelter construction areas, I found these very orange jacks.


Jacks
Leslie and 7 ,Richmond Hill,Ontario
55 mm f/4 1/500 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

53Weeks 012 of 371: Copper

This is looking eastward along one of the tracks at union station. The bands of copper that start in the upper left are part of the reconstructed train shed roof. Eventually they will turn green. I think the revitalization will look really great when the project is complete.


Copper
Union Station,Toronto,Ontario
18 mm f/4.5 1/100 ISO 3200
Canon EOS 40D EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

53Weeks 011 of 371: The Restoration

Meetings, meetings, meetings - that was my work day today. Which means I couldn't squeeze in a lunch time walk to make an image today. I'll do it right after work, I thought. But then one more meeting tacked on to the end of the day set my mind to thinking how am I going to make that work - construction in the dark?

In the end, I am quite please with the way this turned out. I like the contrast between the yellows and the blues. Thematically, the TD Centre has been undergoing rennovation for a long time now so this hoper with the buildings in the background fits well.


The Restoration
TD Centre,Toronto,Ontario
10 mm f/4 1/15 ISO 1600
Canon EOS 40D EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

53Weeks 010 of 371: Union Station from Skywalk

This is a repeat of a shot I did in 2011. I thought it would be interesting to show the progress that has been made on the new roof at Union Station. Also visible in the background is the L tower I featured yesterday.


Union Station from Skywalk
Union Station,Toronto,Ontario
Multi-image stich using MS ICE.

53Weeks 009 of 371: The L Tower

I have watched The L Tower creep skywards everyday from my Go Train window which shows my the south side of the building. This west side perspective was taken from front street between the Royal York and Royal Bank Tower.

I took one series of images in early morning and another in late evening. The morning pictures were more back light but had a nicer sky colour. This is from the evening set, the western sky was somewhat overcast but the face of the building was better lit.


The L Tower
22 The Esplanade,Toronto,Ontario
Four image vertical stritch created with Microsoft ICE.

53Weeks 008 of 371: Tearing up the Street

 For those who are new to my schedule, on Mondays I start my new weekly theme. This week - Construction.

Front street has been torn up so the can construct the new platform for the subway. The image is full of lines and textures and chaos. Fitting.


Tearing up the Street
Union Station on Front Street,Toronto,Ontario
24 mm f/5.6 1/10 ISO 800
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM



I think I will try this as a black and white as well.

53Weeks 007 of 371: The Cober Store

I have entitled this the Cober store, even though I have only ever known it as the Johnson store. (which in itself is a little odd since it stopped being a store about 10 years before I was born!)

To cite the "Gormley Heritage Conservation District Study", "A new general store was built by the Reverend Peter Cober near the railway station in 1912, replacing a temporary location at which he had enjoyed good business. History has not recorded its location. Perhaps it was another building that once stood on or near the same site. In addition to his mercantile business, Cober was a minister at the Gormley Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church. W. Birch and then J. T. and Mable (Snider) Johnson were successive owners of the store, which was passed on the ir son Whitney and his wife, Eva (Wideman) Johnson. ... In 1947, the building was damaged by a fire but was repaired and reopened until 1955, when it closed its doors after 43 years of business. The old storefront, with its gracefully arched windows, still remains and makes the building readily identifiable as a former commercial establishment."

Compare these two sets of photographs, one from today at the second for circa 1930. 


The Cober Store
217 Gormley Road West, Gormley, Ontario
28 mm f/5.6 1/400 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM


In this next photo you can clearly see "Daniel  H. Doner House" which I featured a few days ago.












This next image is really poor quality, but you can see the general idea (no pun intended). Note that the chimney has moved.

53Weeks 006 of 371: Samuel Baker Jr House

The Baker house was built circa 1858. Although Samuel was a distant relative (first cousin, four times removed), that is not why I picked this house, but for two other reasons. One my parents lived in this house of a while in the 1940s and also because I have some pictures of this house being moved to make room for the 404 bypass.

 I thought I had pictures from the 1940s, but cant find them :-(.

The Town of Richmond Hill says:

"Frame; aluminum siding; 1 ½ stories; c1858(V); Mennonite double house; gable roof with return eaves; shed-roofed dormers; transomed entry; bellcast verandah on turned posts; Samuel Baker Jr., farmer. Originally had doddy house, with 2nd front door; side addition; relocated, same property, 1978 for road bypass."

Samuel Baker Jr House
32 Gormley Court,Gormley, Ontario
24 mm f/5.6 1/1600 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM



Ready to go.
It is on the house moving rig, but not far from its original position. 
circa 1979.





Getting ready to slide onto the new foundation
circa 1979. 

53Weeks 005 of 371: S. N. Doner Store

Unlike the buildings so far this week, this one is not a designated heritage building. However, I happen to have in my archives images of the location that are quite old. It is interesting to see the changes that have occurred over the years.

The original building was built in the 1800s and burnt down about 1935. I remember it when it still operated as a general store and Post Office, Evelyn Milsted was the postmaster.

 I had a nice chat with the current owner. He showed my around inside, and let me take some pictures of the old post office safe.


S. N. Doner Store 2013
2243 Stouffville Road,Gormley,Ontario
24 mm f/8 1/160 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM



Old Fashioned Security
2243 Stouffville Road,Gormley,Ontario
28 mm f/4 1/8 ISO 1600
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM



Inside the Safe
2243 Stouffville Road,Gormley,Ontario
24 mm f/4 1/10 ISO 1600
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM



Before the fire
2243 Stouffville Road,Gormley,Ontario





Circa 1940, Sam Doner on the right.
2243 Stouffville Road,Gormley,Ontario



Before the fire.
2243 Stouffville Road,Gormley,Ontario

53Weeks 004 of 371: Daniel H Doner House

Old man winter didn't let any light through his heavy winter blanket for today's subject. But there were big flakes of snow in the air which adds a nice touch, I think. Daniel H. Doner was my great-grandfather, I never really knew this house existed until I started this weeks project. I really like this house; the Christmas decorations added some appeal to me, so I have included a few of them as well.

The Town of Richmond Hill has this to say about the house:

"Frame clapboard; 2 stories; c1906(v); Foursquare; hip roof with pedimented gable-roofed front dormer with Palladian window; 3-bay front on both Gormley road west and Station road; transomed window; amber glass; pedimented gable-roofed porch on Tuscan columns on concrete pedestals; hip-roofed side verandah; Daniel H. Doner, farmer. Rear addition. Stucco."

Daniel H Doner House - looking south
195 Gormley Road West,Gormley,Ontario
10 mm f/7.1 1/500 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM 



Daniel H Doner House - looking south-west
195 Gormley Road West,Gormley,Ontario
21 mm f/7.1 1/400 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM 



Mail - the old fashioned way
195 Gormley Road West,Gormley,Ontario
22 mm f/7.1 1/250 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM 



Lady in the Snow
195 Gormley Road West,Gormley,Ontario
185 mm f/7.1 1/200 ISO 640
Canon EOS 40D EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM 



Bells
195 Gormley Road West,Gormley,Ontario
195 mm f/7.1 1/320 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM 



Poinsettia
195 Gormley Road West,Gormley,Ontario
200 mm f/7.1 1/200 ISO 800
Canon EOS 40D EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM 



Friendly snow family
195 Gormley Road West,Gormley,Ontario
110 mm f/7.1 1/160 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM 



Purple
195 Gormley Road West,Gormley,Ontario
70 mm f/7.1 1/200 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

53Weeks 003 of 371: William Wonch House

I kept an eye to the sky all day hoping the old man winter would give me a break and give me some decent light. As the light began to fade altogether I made the trip out in the dull overcast sky with snow flying. As I started to walk around my subject for the day, the clouds opened a crack and light through some warm evening light. Thank you.

The Wonch house is still undergoing renovation. I know the owners, and as they have told me their stories of their efforts, I gives me great appreciation for the investment hertiage home owners make.

This is what the Town of Markham has to say about this house.

The William Wonch House is a substantially proportioned 1 ½ storey brick residence with a three bay façade, built in Gothic Revival style, c. 1850-1880 by one of Markham's longest established families. The property at Lot 21 Concession 4 was originally settled by John George Wunsch (Wonch) and his wife Mary, who came to Markham in 1794 with William Berczy. The house sits on a stone foundation, and at one time likely had chimneys on the gable ends, and a wood roof. The William Wonch House is of contextual significance as an excellent example of a 19th century farmstead, with historical connections to the community of Victoria Square. 

William Wonch House
43 Castleview Cres,Markham,Ontario
24 mm f/7.1 1/320 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM


William Wonch House
43 Castleview Cres,Markham,Ontario
47 mm f/7.1 1/250 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM


William Wonch House
43 Castleview Cres,Markham,Ontario
105 mm f/7.1 1/250 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM


William Wonch House
43 Castleview Cres,Markham,Ontario
105 mm f/7.1 1/400 ISO 400
Canon EOS 40D EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM