Bill Smith's Photography

Toronto is cold this winter, but slow to get a real dump of snow. My mid week photo walk meet up group from Toronto Photowalks did a walk of the Garment District and Grafitti Alley. To beat the dreary light I switched to colour film for this shoot and wow, I loved what I got. The Nikkormat FT2 worked well in the -15c weather. Vertical copal shutters work well in the deep freeze, something to keep in mind with winter photography. I have so many photos from this walk, the Alleyway is being broken up over a few posts. There will be more on Friday. Camera: Nikkormat FT2, Nikkor Pre Ai 50 f1.4 and H 28 f3.5 lens. Film: Kodak Max 400, freezer stored and expired back in 2009

Wow,  a month ago, I was in Toronto to do some shopping and I did a solo photo walk along College St. in Little Italy into the north end of Kensington Market. The game plan was to connect with a few other members of the Classic Camera Revival and Toronto Film Shooters in the Distillery District Christmas Market. Well, best-laid plans, I met up with James Lee at Downtown Camera we drove down to the Distillery District. Tip one, don't do this during rush hour if you value your sanity, just don't. There's a reason why I take public transit when in Toronto. Thankfully it was James doing the driving. Tip 1.5, parking around the Distillery District will be at a premium during special events and during the Soulpepper Theatre Season. This is when you start to see the worst in humanity when it comes to the last parking spot. Believe me, it gets feral.  I was riding shotgun with James and he was driving a BMW X5, not a small vehicle we wound up parking on Front St. behind the new ...

I really have to explore the west end much more. I generally make it to Roncesvalles about once very year or two. It's a fun neighbourhood to explore and not too hard to get to via multiple street car routes. Camera: Minolta XE-7, MC Rokkor X lenses. Film: Kodak Portra 400

I totally forgot to upload this set from late August. I was in Toronto's west end visiting a camera repair tech to get my black SRT 101 fixed. The guy didn't do a great job so the camera will be sent to Service Camera Pro later this year. That aside I love what I get out of Rokkor lenses with colour film. Camera: Minolta XE-7, MC Rokkor X lenses. Film: Kodak Portra 400

If Toronto has Queen St., I would consider James St. in Hamilton its relative equivelent. I never walked up James St. northward, I do want to do it again, preferably on a less a grey day, and with colour film. Nikon F4, Nikkor Ais 50 f1.4 lens. Film: Kodak Tri-X 400 pushed to 1600, HC110 B.