Thursday, March 31, 2011

So long March, don't come back

I didn't pick a very nice day to test out some manual flash settings that I learnt about yesterday on Strobist and scattershot genius.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The case of the curious dog and the Yonge Street piper

I'm pleased I decided to take a little detour on the way home tonight. Just one block out of my way and I stumbled on this piper nestled between these beautiful old columns. I took a number of shots and then caught this gem. He was busking in celebration of Tartan Day, April 6th.

The case of the curious dog and the Yonge Street piper

I'm pleased I decided to take a little detour on the way home tonight. Just one block out of my way and I stumbled on this piper nestled between these beautiful old columns. I took a number of shots and then caught this gem. He was busking in celebration of Tartan Day, April 6th.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Subway emergency closure mob and the chief supervisor

Far from an artistic shot, but a snapshot of a far from pleasant day.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Friday, March 25, 2011

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Corner roller derby moves


Corner roller derby moves, originally uploaded by PJMixer.
The Toronto Roller Derby league is located at Downview Park. On my way to my weekly ultimate games at The Hangar, I pass by the rink, so I left home early and stopped into to grab a few photos of one of Toronto's newest sports. The Chicks Ahoy team were practicing and were kind enough to allow me a take a few shots of them.  Click here for more photos.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Rather alert considering...

My son arrived home from a very long trip back from Toulouse, France. He flew via Munich and had a few delays caused by a nasty Toronto snowstorm. I think he'd been up for almost 24 hours. He was in France on a 2 week student exchange and from all accounts he had a great time and is already talking about a return visit next summer.

Since I've been taking photos of my children continuously since they were babies, they are very comfortable in front of the camera and are great sports. My son, oftentimes strikes a comic pose like this one which I love.

Rather alert considering...

My son arrived home from a very long trip back from Toulouse, France. He flew via Munich and had a few delays caused by a nasty Toronto snowstorm. I think he'd been up for almost 24 hours. He was in France on a 2 week student exchange and from all accounts he had a great time and is already talking about a return visit next summer.

Since I've been taking photos of my children continuously since they were babies, they are very comfortable in front of the camera and are great sports. My son, oftentimes strikes a comic pose like this one which I love.

Swiss knife silhouette


Swiss knife silhouette - #80/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.

Monday, March 21, 2011

The Hilton's inviting glow

As I was setting up this shot I noticed an official looking gentleman approach, so I quickly asked if it ok to take a shot before he had a chance to say something. He was a security guard and we struck up a nice conversation as I was waiting for my boss and head out for dinner. We talked about photography, the hotel and his job. He didn't have a big problem with me taking a few shots as long as no guests were in the shot. But I didn't push my luck and only took two shots using my new Pod beanbag to support the camera on a flat ledge. I asked him if I could take his photo to add to my stranger project, but as expected he was on duty so he wasn't comfortable with it - but said he'd easily say yes if we met on the street.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Dunvegan Road


Dunvegan Road - #78/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.
Photoshop watercolor filter.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Found: one big branch in the middle of Eglinton Park

Pi and Einstein

I'm a mathy and I almost missed the geeky numerical date alignment of March 14th with Pi (3.14...).  Thank you to an old math friend from The University of Waterloo who posted this fun fact on Facebook.  On the 14th, my wife told me that Albert Einstein's birthday was March 14th which I hadn't heard before.  In the evening, my daughter and I watched a family movie called Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.  In a later scene, Jason Bateman's dry accountant character begins to feel the magic of the emporium and picks up an Einstein doll who appears to be talking to him.  Nice geek coincidence.

Andorra

My son is currently in France on a two week student exchange.  As expected, news from my son is rather brief, however my wife and the mother of the French host student have been exchanging quite a few emails.  We've learnt that she is originally from a small nation called Andorra.  I'd think I'd heard of Andora previously, but not this small nation in the Pyrenees. 


The day I heard about this, I was working on a crossword puzzle and the clue for 4 down was Pyrenees nation.

The scarcity of water

I took my daughter to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) during March Break and spent some time at the Water exhibit.  We both learnt a lot about the scarcity and value of fresh water to our lives and planet.  The timing of this exhibit seemed tragically coincidental with the recent tsunami disaster in Japan.


After the ROM, we had a nice lunch then went to see the new animated movie, Rango.  I didn't know much about this movie, except its Western theme and Johnny Depp lead voice.  It turned out the primary plot of the movie was to do with the depleting water supply for a desert town.  There was even underground shot of an aquifer, which I knew much more about after visiting the ROM's Water exhibit.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Giving him a piece of her mind - The Washer Woman Brawl dance

Part of a medieval presentation during March break at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).

Monday, March 14, 2011

Dark light. Bright afternoon. Pigeon in flight

Pot hole and dent


Pot hole and dent - #71/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.
On of the many pot holes on my street and across Toronto; my old '93 Mazda is in the background. I managed to move it from it's diminishing snow cocoon and take it around the block to give it a little love. I got the dent a few years ago from a anonymous admirer in Scarborough parking lot; the cost of fixing it is actually more than the value of the car.

The Streatles @ Tranzac


The Streatles @ Tranzac - #70/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.


Friends invited us to join them to see their children's guitar teacher Edward, perform with his Beatles cover band The Streatles.  Our daughter joined us for a great evening of Beatles songs and good times.  Click here for the full set of photos.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Pot hole and dent


Pot hole and dent - #71/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.
On of the many pot holes on my street and across Toronto; my old '93 Mazda is in the background. I managed to move it from it's diminishing snow cocoon and take it around the block to give it a little love. I got the dent a few years ago from a anonymous admirer in Scarborough parking lot; the cost of fixing it is actually more than the value of the car.

The Streatles @ Tranzac

The Streatles @ Tranzac - #70/365 by PJMixer
The Streatles @ Tranzac - #70/365 a photo by PJMixer on Flickr.


Friends invited us to join them to see their children's guitar teacher Edward, perform with his Beatles cover band The Streatles.  Our daughter joined us for a great evening of Beatles songs and good times.  Click here for the full set of photos.

The Streatles @ Tranzac


The Streatles @ Tranzac - #70/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.


Friends invited us to join them to see their children's guitar teacher Edward, perform with his Beatles cover band The Streatles.  Our daughter joined us for a great evening of Beatles songs and good times.  Click here for the full set of photos.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Trip of a lifetime excitement

I'm really exciting for my son (pictured on the right) as he begins his two week student exchange in Toulouse, France.

Trip of a lifetime excitement

I'm really excited for my son (pictured on the right) as he begins his two week student exchange in Toulouse, France.

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Underneath the table with Kooper

Idea taken from http://www.digital-photography-school.com/53-weekly-themes-for-your-2011-project-365

Sunday, March 06, 2011

A snowy happy birthday to Toronto

Happy 177th Birthday Toronto (founded in 1834).

Saturday, March 05, 2011

Frost/Nixon and the sin of television

I finally got around to watching the 2008 movie Frost/Nixon, an adaption of the post-Watergate television interviews between David Frost and former president Richard Nixon.  I'd had it stored on the PVR for months and after watching it over the last couple of days, I'm happy I kept it.  Like I said in my recent review of The King's SpeechWho needs boring history books when we have fabulous historical films like this

In fact, the closing of the movie contains a wonderful quote about television from historian and journalist, James Reston Jr. (unsure he actually said it, but I like it still the same).
The first and greatest sin or deception of television is that it simplifies, it diminishes great complex ideas, trenches of time, whole careers become reduced to a single snap shot.
And so goes my thoughts about the film.  An immensely complex story that comes down to a few minutes of heart felt reflection and a close up.  I've watched a few of the original interview segments, and I think the movie has done a decent job in representing the original. I didn't know a lot about Nixon, but the movie shows that Nixon was a very intelligent man and even charming at times.  Frost was perhaps out of his depth, but recognized a massive TV exclusive, a monumental opportunity for his career and he pulled it off.  Wonderful acting and storytelling, Rebecca Hall was a lovely distraction and the production was wonderful.  4/5.

Rainy day laughs


Rainy day laughs - #63/365, originally uploaded by PJMixer.
Actually, as my wife was was being a good sport and posing for a rainy day shot for me in the middle of the road, a car approaches fast and it turns of to be an old friend of ours passing by !

Friday, March 04, 2011

Harry Connick, Jr.

Harry Connick, Jr. intro from Rudy Blair by PJMixer

Harry Connick, Jr. did a brief interview with Rudy Blair from AM680, then signed autographs to promote his new CD/DVD at First Canadian Place on March 4th, 2011. I've seen Harry perform a couple of times, incl. his Toronto debut at Roy Thompson Hall in 1989. Click here for other shots.

Harry Connick, Jr.

Harry Connick, Jr. did a brief interview with Rudy Blair from AM680, then signed autographs to promote his new CD/DVD at First Canadian Place on March 4th, 2011. I've seen Harry perform a couple of times, incl. his Toronto debut at Roy Thompson Hall in 1989. Click here for other shots.

Harry Connick, Jr. intro from Rudy Blair

Harry Connick, Jr. did a brief interview with Rudy Blair from AM680, then signed autographs to promote his new CD/DVD at First Canadian Place on March 4th, 2011. I've seen Harry perform a couple of times, incl. his Toronto debut at Roy Thompson Hall in 1989. Click here for other shots.

Thursday, March 03, 2011