Bill Smith's Photography

I went up to the Caledon Ski Club for its Annual General Meeting two weeks ago, and it had to be one of the gloomiest days of the year with the threat of monsoons and gale force winds. Well, that didn't hit and I gave my SRT 101 a workout. It was tough light but JCH 400 helped out in that department. The Very Least I got some cloud detail, sort of. Minolta SRT 101, MC Rokkor lenses. Film: Japan Camera Hunter Street Pan 400, HC110 B.

I want to go back, I need to go back, but she's closed for the season, until next year..... Camera: Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko lenses. Film: Kodak Portra 400

I love this place. Camera: Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko lenses. Film: Kodak Ektar 100

Alas all good things come to an end. Driving down 35 back to reality, I see the Miner's Bay Resort, as  almost a halfway point for me between Oakville and Billie Bear. I would love to stay here someday, it reminds me a lot of the Sundial Inn in Kennebunkport Maine 40 years ago where my family stayed for our annual beach vacation. One day I'm going to stop and stay at Miner's Bay. Camera: Olympus OM2n, Zuiko Lenses. Film: Kodak Ektar 100

We didn't go into Algonquin Park for the second year in a row, instead we found a place a lot closer to Billie Bear Resort and it was much less busy. The Limberlost Nature Preserve is a privately owned conservation area for lack of a better word, that rents out cottages on their property, in turn day visitors can hike the trails for free. I've been curious about this nature preserve for a few years and finally managed to convinced the NLP gang to hike closer to Billie Bear. It wasn't a hard sell, the park is a good half hour car drive at least (traffic permitting) and even then, Highway 60 is clogged with tour buses which kills the getting back to nature vibe. Crowds aren't a problem in the Limberlost Forest, and I hope it stays that way. Camera: Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko lenses Film: Kodak Ektar 100

There's a bit of conflict over time when I'm up at Billie Bear, our group loves staying up late, and just let off steam from our very busy lives. However, sometimes, the best time is early in the morning when the mist is still on the lake, that's where the magic is, with the chilly air and silence. I could get drunk on that early morning magic. This year I was up at sunrise and before the sun crested the treetops and that gave me the different light I usually shoot in, everything was still in the shade. That gave me a cooler colour palette to work with. I will always bring a twin lens reflex camera with me up to Muskoka. This year it was my pride and joy, my Rolleiflex , nothing can beat Zeiss glass. One thing I will do is invest in replica Bay II lens hood and lens cap as the originals are hard to find and increasingly expensive to replace. Camera: Rolleiflex Series E 3.5 Planar TLR Film: Kodak Portra 400

My happy place, even if it is only for a couple of days per year. Camera: Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko MC lenses. Film: Kodak Ektar 100 and Rollei Superpan 200, HC110 B.