Bill Smith's Photography

I needed to stretch my legs, check in wasn't until 4PM up at Billie Bear so I decided to do a short hike near the Leslie Frost Forest Centre property. A fence has gone  up, most likely last year to discourage trespassers and the Urbex community. The facility closed in the early 00s due to cut backs with the provincial government, the primary use was to train forest rangers and act as a support for university level forestry programs.  Now the trails are scalable from like 3km up to 12km depending on your ambition, endurance and timing. In my case, it was timing. I did my beer run at Boshkung Brewing back down in Minden I just wanted a short break and then head up to Dorset for another short break(next blog post). The big was, it looked like it wanted to rain but the skies didn't open up. It was sunny back down in Beaverton/Lake Simcoe, but by the time I got over to 35 it was solid overcast skies (peachy), not the end of the world. It just dictated which colour film I was using....

 I was going to shoot with a pair of Canon New F-1's this trip but at the last minute I switched my gear out for the Nikon FM2n, and the F4. It was the negatives I got back from the test roll I did walking around Oakville with the F4 that sold me. I pretty much went with Aperture Priority and Matrix metering and got perfection.  The weather forcast was all over the map so I was pretty flexible with what film I took with me, and this time out, I shot mostly colour.  Camera: Nikon F4, Nikkor Ais lenses  Film: Kodak Color Plus 200. 

  Minden Ontario is a former lumber town turned regional centre in Haliburton Region and is very busy during the peak cottage season. I pass through during the fall when its much quieter. I made note to photograph the Rockliffe Tavern as it as been boarded up. I recently found it it has changed hands, the business will live on, but the building will replaced because it's pretty much condemned due to neglect over the past 20 years. Freaktography did a documentary recently   on the history behind the building as a long running tavern and live music venue in the Haliburtons.  Camera: Nikon FM2n, Nikkor Ais 50 f1.8 lens.  Film: Eastman Double X, ID-11 1+1. 

 Thursday morning I got in my car and started driving, heading north to Billie Bear Resort along my usual route along 35. Instead of going through Cannington, I went through Beaverton sadly the roll from that stop didn't turn out, that's ok because I'll be back there at some point.  Highway 35 is going to be a zine topic, I jusst have to set up at template and get started like all projects.  I ran with two camera bodies this year, the Nikon FM2, as my black and white body, and the Nikon F4 as my colour body, I think I hit the sweet spot, I love the results i got with this combination over the course of hte long weekend.   Of course I had to stop and photograph Miner's Bay Resort, I love places with character and history that have been around for generations. Next stop Minden.  Camera: Nikon FM2n, Nikkor Ais 50 f1.8 lens.  Film: Eastman Double X 1D-11 1+1.