Bill Smith's Photography

I'm off the beaten path somewhere in Northern Muskokas for a few days taking pictures with friends. Camera: Nikon F3HP, Nikkor Ais 50 f1.8 lens. Film: Fujifilm Pro 400H

I got my Nikkormat FT2 back from my new repair tech and I wanted to try it out. After a run to Burlington Camera, I went over to Brant Street and shoot my last roll of Bergger BRF 400. The camera works fine, the meter overexposes by a stop but no big deal. What got my attention with Burlington's downtown was downright hopping compared to Lakeshore Road in Downtown Oakville which is currently suffering from at least 24 vacant storefronts. Burlington and Oakville population-wise are roughly the same size, both are on Lake Ontario between Toronto and Hamilton, both communities could not be more different. Burlington allowed condo, office and apartment development in its downtown to co-exist with low-rise retail and heritage buildings. Another observation, Burlington's Town Hall is downtown and is front and center. As a result, downtown Burlington has a much lower commercial vacancy rate and a more diverse retail cross-section than downtown Oakville. As a long time Oakville ...

I love wandering North of Queen St. Camera: Olympus OM-1md, Zuiko lenses. Film: Lomography F Squared 400

Summer is almost over..... Olympus OM-1md, Zuiko lenses Film: Cinestill 50D

Cinestill50D, this film loves bright sunshine, not cheap but I get a really retro look from a filmstock used by JJ Abrams and Quentin Tarantino for their outdoor shots. This is a great combo with Zuiko glass, and with the super wide latitude that you don't have to hyper exact with your metering. Now shooting with the OM-1md, is much more old school body than the OM-4 with match needle metering. This particular one was given to me by a now-retired store manager of for a certain camera store chain that shall remain nameless. It came with a Zuiko MC 50 f1.8 lens and the whole kit was mint,  the bag it came in looked like it was stored in a garden shed for 30 years. The camera bag was tossed but I resealed the camera, got an MR-9 battery adapter and I was off to the races. I shot with the OM-4 more in the Beaches this past August but, still, the OM-1md made things simpler. I'm done acquiring bodies but I'm looking for more Zuiko lenses, like the 35 f2 which is on top of my...

So I still had a half roll of Ektar left after the Bluffs, I went out Tuesday morning. The skies were overcast, I made my way along the boardwalk and the Beaches have a totally different vibe during the week if the weather is less than stellar. In fact by the time I got to the local Beach Institution The Goof, a nasty thunderstorm was like five minutes from starting. I got what I needed and took shelter inside Remarkable Bean across the street for a cup of dark roast. Camera: Olympus OM-4, Zuiko lenses. Film: Kodak Ektar 100

I don't get to Scarborough often. I visited the Bluffs last Summer and this year of course had to come back for more. I showed up Monday morning the day of the solar eclipse, I wanted to get the shots I wanted and be back at my brother's place before it commenced. Lake Ontario was dead calm, then all of a sudden the waters started to ripple on their own, there was no breeze to speak of. The time to go is a Monday morning because from what I understand from a friend who lives up on the Bluffs, weekends are zoo in the park. Camera: Olympus OM-4, Zuiko lenses. Film: Kodak Ektar 100