Bill Smith's Photography

This was my only black and white roll of film all through my road trip to the Algonquin Highlands this year. As promised last year, I made the trip up Highway 35 again. My only wish is the long weekend road trip north was longer. Camera: Rolleicord Vb, Schneider Xenar 75 f3.5 lens Film: Ilford FP4 125, Xtol 1+1

Summer, you didn't hang around long enough this year. Maybe next year you will show up on time for a change? Camera: Rolleiflex Series E 3.5 Zeiss Planar TLR, Film: Fuji Neopan Acros 100, HC110 B. Shot in Port Bruce and Port Burwell

There is another side of Stratford, the former railway town, furniture manufacturing centre and currently making auto parts. There is almost a second downtown around city hall and it's quieter than Ontario street near the Avon River where the tourist action is. Camera: Canon F-1N, 28 f2 and 50 f1.4 SSC lenses, Film: ORWO UN 54, Xtol 1+1,

Stratford Ontario is a pretty town northwest of Kitchener-Waterloo and home to the Shakespearian Festival. Before being the base to the long running showcase of the Bard's comedies and tragedies as well as more recently some great Broadway classics, Stratford was a regional railway and industrial centre that prior to World War Two was facing an uncertain future with furniture factories closing which was the main industry back then along with the shutting down of a steam engine repair facility by CN. Rebranding the town as theatre destination specializing in Shakespeare was a gutsy move. Camera: Canon F-1N, FD 50 f1.4 and FD 28 f2 SSC lenses. Film: ORWO UN 54, Xtol 1+1

Been a while since I last shot Fuji Reala 100, unfortunately it's no longer being made so it's time to use up the film stock I got left. The real challenge is how C-41 films scan differently, so if I switch between Ektar 100 and Portra 400 (both easy to scan) to Reala and Pro 400 H, I find I have to be very mindful while in Vuescan. Camera: E Series 75 3.5 Planar  Rolleiflex TLR, Film: Fuji Reala 100.

More goodness from Port Stanley. Camera: F-1N, FD 50 f1.4 SSC lens and FD 28 f2 SSC Lens. Film: ORWO UN 54, Xtol 1+1,

Long time ago, my parents used to take my brother and I down to Kennabunkport Maine for an annual Summer road trip. It has been 25 years since I last went. This past Summer during my Southwest Ontario road trips, I stopped through Port Stanley and I immediately got the same vibe from the trips to Southern Maine. This is still a working port with fishing boats, they usually leave port around 4 AM and return around 12:30 to 1 PM. The ice houses have either been turned into inns or torn down, refrigerated trucks now greet the fishing boats. The other attraction is two beaches, both get used a lot. For those toying with a Summer hide away, Lake Erie is dirt cheap compared to cottage country from what I've seen with local listings. Camera: Canon F-1N, Film: ORWO UN54, xtol 1+1.

St. Mary's is a lot like other small towns in Southwest Ontario in some regards while doing ok as a regional centre, the really good times were last around over 35 years ago. What I found really unique to this town was the generous use of limestone as a building material, no surprise when your main industry is Limestone and concrete (St. Mary's Cement). What surprised me was VIA Rail stopped in St. Mary's, they have maybe four trains roll through per day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon evening that go between London and Toronto by way of Stratford. The train stopped to drop off one passenger, I really got a vibe from the movie the "Last Picture Show"there were only two cars on the train (no diner car) and it looks to be local run. If you want to see another perspective of Southwest Ontario, check out my friend Jean Pierre's blog. Camera, Medium Format: E Series 3.5 Planar Rolleiflex TLR. Film: Fuji Neopan Acros 100, HC110 B. Camera 35m...