Bill Smith's Photography

 I'm big on mid week escapes during this pandemic, for the main reason so I have the place to myself and avoid the weekend crowds.  I found out on Saturday and Sunday during fall colours season there's about a half hour wait to get the down the stairs to the lower platform, yeah, no. I'll stick to my Wednesdays and Thursdays. I like my solitude.  Mono Cliffs has been a regular hiking spot for the past decade or more and I've shot there a lot. I still haven't explored quite everything, there is a loop north of the part I haven't quite made it too, so that will have to be on the agenda at some point before all the leaves are gone. I shot black and white here because the colours were still pretty much green.  Camera: Nikon FE, Nikkor Ai lenses.  Film: Fomapan 400, ID 1+1. 

I'm thankful that Ontario Provincial Parks are open for day hikers, my game plan is to do week day hikes through the Summer and get my dose of nature while I can.  This trip was with my friends Alex and James from the Classic Camera Revival, we all arrived in separate cars, and kept at least six feet/two metres apart as per public health guidelines. It was good to get out even though I wasn't entirely in control of the itinerary. The game plan is to come back and shoot with black and white film, most likely my new favourite for hiking Bergger Pancro 400, failing that maybe some Ilford HP5.  Mono Cliffs the hamlet was quiet, but it was early in the week and the Mono Cliffs Inn is still closed for renovations due to kitchen fire  pre pandemic. I hope they pull through because I love the Inn's menu and I've taken a lot of friends up there for lunch, and, you can work lunch off by hiking back to the car.  The other thing I plan to do this Summer is use up my Portra 400 s...

I needed time away from the computer screen so a drive and hike in the country was in order, I needed that. This Summer has been super hot and hiking isn't fun in 40+c temperatures with the humidex factored in. Camera: Canon New F-1, FDn lenses. Film: Kodak Tri-X 400, Xtol 1+1.

I haven't been up to Mono Township in ages. I needed a hike up in Mono Cliffs Provincial Park and half the fun is the drive up early in the morning. The Canon F-1N hasn't been picked up in a while so it was time to give it a spin. I was smart to only pack FDn lenses, older breach lock FD glass is a lot heavier and you'll feel it when hiking. I love my F-1's, they were a solid competitor to the Nikon F2 and F3 and Canon glass went to toe to toe with Nikkor lenses. Please note, the white MGA isn't mine. Camera: Canon F-1N, FDn 50 f1.4 lens. Film: Kodak Max 400