Cranes, Cars, and Celebrities: Another Update

It seems 2018 was the year of user agreement updates and privacy issues. I can assure you that your privacy is safe here following current GDPR standards. You can click here to unsubscribe from this newsletter. My only update is about the work I have been doing over the past few months.

The construction has not slowed down in my home city of Toronto and has continued to uncover some hidden gems from the past. After 68 years in business, the city landmark Honest Ed’s discount store closed for business and was torn down to make way for what else, more condominiums.IMG_9291

The former site of Honest Ed’s discount store at the corner of Bloor and Bathurst Streets


I photographed some current and finished construction projects for a client who’s company installs windows and exteriors for these new structures. The work is pretty amazing to watch and capture.IMG_6462IMG_6541IMG_6486

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In April, I installed this one of a kind enlargement print from my Cranes in the City exhibit. Much thanks to my friend Arica Bryan from Centum Regal Financial Corp. for giving it a home in her new office reception area.IMG_8510

Arica Bryan of Centum Regal Financial Corp.


In July, I was shooting some sports cars for a private track day at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga Ontario. It was perfect weather for these machines to perform at their best.img_2356img_3227img_2584-1

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I returned to the track again in September to photograph the Porsche Track Experience at the Canadian Tire Motorosport Park at Mosport.img_0064-editimg_0278img_0265

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My crane coverage continued as I followed up with my friend George Petrantonakis the crane operator, who allows me to capture these great images of our city as it transforms before our eyes.IMG_8083IMG_8033IMG_8096IMG_8092


In July I photographed this business portrait for the Smith School of Business at Queens University.IMG_1941


I had the pleasure to photograph actress Monica Bellucci who was in town for the TIFF premiere of her new film Nekrotronic, at the Toronto restaurant Bacchanal.Monica Bellucci and Chef Luke Donato of Bacchanal

Monica Bellucci and Chef Luke Donato of Bacchanal


There was a surprise visitor at this year’s Roncesvalles Polish Festival, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau.Prime Minister of Canada Justin TrudeauPrime Minister of Canada Justin TrudeauIMG_8750

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau at the Roncessvales Polish Festival


I managed to get some more friends in front of my lens to capture some portraits.IMG_8466-EditIMG_8314IMG_7907-Edit-2IMG_9303-Edit


October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, in order to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause. I donate my time every year photographing the Booby Ball put on by Rethink Breast Cancer. Every year is a new fun-filled theme and this year’s was the Wild West.IMG_1351


Keeping on the topic of updates, I had a chance to try out the latest technology update in digital photography, mirroless cameras. The new Canon EOS-R camera is the first mirrorless camera released by Canon. It shoots silently since there is no mirror on the shutter, which makes me miss that ever familiar click sound so familiar in photography. Needless to say the image quality has improved.5F2A0683

 

Still Shooting

 

It has been a while since my last post; I have been busy with some new projects and some returning ones.  I am also working on the main site to include some new galleries.  This past March I returned to the Worldwide Festival in Leysin, Switzerland for some extraordinary skiing and music.  Some of the acts included legendary BBC Radio DJ David Rodigan, Julio Bashmore, Zepherin Saint, Simbad, DJ Jo Sinclair, Josey Rebelle, Bradley Zero, DJ Lexis, Le Mellotron and of course the host Gilles Peterson.  Here are a few images from the event:

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Zepherin Saint – Worldwide Festival Leysin 2015 Leysin

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Simbad Worldwide – Festival Leysin 2015 Leysin

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Bradley Zero Worldwide – Festival Leysin 2015 Leysin

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DJ Jo Sinclair – Worldwide Festival Leysin 2015 Leysin

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Anders Sicre of Le Mellotron – Worldwide Festival Leysin 2015

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David Rodigan – Worldwide Festival Leysin 2015

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Julio Bashmore – Worldwide Festival Leysin 2015

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 Gilles Peterson – Worldwide Festival Leysin 2015

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Lake Geneva

Also, three of my landscapes have been purchased by William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute for their computer lab and library.  I had them enlarged to three feet high by four feet wide on a rigid wood board frameless mount.  As I was installing them, I noticed that the horizons and clouds lined up almost symmetrically, and the three shades of blue worked well with the room.  Hopefully, my images will inspire the students for years to come.

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Arizona Landscape

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Toronto Skyline

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National Route 40 – Patagonia, Argentina

This is the final installation:

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Returning for the third year is the Nella Cucina Discovered Culinary Competition.  The colours of the ingredients and the imaginations of the chefs, really bring out the art of cooking.

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Liquid Nitrogen

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Anti-Griddle

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Judges (L-R) Jordan Barnett – The Ritz Carlton, Christine Cushing – Celebrity Chef, Christopher Sanderson – Rose & Sons