Bill Smith's Photography

Dorset is one of my favourite villages in cottage country on the eastern edge of the Muskoka Region. I love visiting it on a Thursday in fall becasue there are so few people about if the weather is kinda gloomy. The big attraction aside from the Bigwin (I never get tired shooting that boat) is Robinson's General Store. The only challenge is it's a tough building to photograph so in the end I document parts of it. Both my aunts worked at the Bigwin resort in their teens as a Summer job in the late 1940s and I have a cousin who has a cottage somewhere in the neighbourhood so there's a family connection to the area of sorts. If you do wind up passing through, the weekends in the Summer are busy. Camera: Nikon FE2, Nikkor Ai 50 f2 lens. Film: Kodak Portra 400.

One of my favourite parts of Ontario. Camera: Olympus OM-2n,  Zuiko lenses. Film, colour: Kodak Portra 160. Black and White: Fuji Neopan Acros 100, Xtol 1+1.

I have a weak spot for this cottage community and the SS Bigwin, a restored water taxi for the Bigwin Resort. When I drive up to Billie Bear on a Thursday, Dorset is super quiet. I don't have to worry about tourists getting into the shot. The lighting was interesting with the sun/cloud mix, which meant I had to meter, and meter often to get the exposure right. I didn't shoot a lot of black and white on this trip, just the roll of Tri-X in Uxbridge and Cannington, the roll of Rollei Superpan 200 in Huntsville (coming up) and this. Camera: Series E 3.5 Planar Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex Camera. Film: Fuji Neopan Acros 100, Tmax 1+4 developer.

I look forward to this trip every year as a respite from reality. The further north I drive on 35 towards Dwight, and ultimately Billie Bear Resort, I feel lighter when I hit Dorset. Camera: Olympus OM-2n, Zuiko MC 50 f1.8 lens. Film: Kodak Ektar 100

I always been through Dorset in the early fall, the weather is still warm but the crowds are different. Going up Canada Day weekend during peak cottage season I saw my favourite Muskoka village come to life with the Summer crowd. If you're rolling through, the spot for lunch is the Trading Bay Dining Company , and go for the brisket sandwich, messy as all get out, but delicious. I was sad we only had a few hours in cottage country. Just a quick note, my apologies for not posting last Thursday, it was an unusually busy week. Camera: Canon F-1N, FDn  50 f1.4 lens. Film: Ilford Delta 100, HC110 B.

I love this village. Camera: Series E 3.5 planar Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex Camera Film: Ilford HP5, HC110 B.