PORTUGAL BIKE TRIP
The beautiful people of Lisbon made this trip very special. What can you say about a city where you're met with smiles at every turn. In spite of the onslaught of tourists, Lisboetas are gracious and kind. This place could feel like home real fast.
SHOT WITH X100F
While the project title is "Lisbon Bike Trip, there are no images of bicycles, sweaty cyclists and thankfully you are spared the site of spandex. I have lots of snaps taken with my iPhone during the 400 or so km we rode along Portugals coastline but non of them made the cut.
Our daily rides spanned distances from 35km to 100km. We visited Setubal, Sesimbra, Sines, Sagres and finally Lagos before driving back to Lisbon. Portugal is a fantastic country to cycle. The motorists are generally very patient and polite. I think I had one car honk me the entire five days on the road.
It's almost two weeks since we've been back in Toronto, yet these pictures pull me back as if by a Star Trek transporter.
PETER + ZOE'S WEDDING
June 3, 2017: In spite of the wettest spring I can remember, the clouds parted and the sun came out for Peter & Zoe's wedding. It was a perfect day for a wedding.
For context, Peter is the content marketing specialist at the company I own. In truth, he wears about a half dozen hats on any given day. His bride Zoe is also in marketing and I hadn't met her before yesterday but after a brief introduction and listening to her deliver her speech, clearly she's a formidable companion for Peter.
Alice and I as well as a bunch of our associates from Reliable were also invited. The ceremony took place at the Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Mississauga. The reception was at the RattleSnake Point Golf Club in Milton which looked glorious as the sun set and golden hour set in.
I brought my Fuji X100F which admittedly has been somewhat ignored as I've devoted most of my time to the X-Pro2 with interchangeable lenses. Even though these are just casual shots, as I was sifting through Lightroom, it was a reminder how incredibly difficult, technical and frustrating shooting weddings is. I have the utmost respect for wedding photographers who routinely make this look easy. Trust me, it's not.
SHOT WITH X100F
While the project title is "Lisbon Bike Trip, there are no images of bicycles, sweaty cyclists and thankfully you are spared the site of spandex. I have lots of snaps taken with my iPhone during the 400 or so km we rode along Portugals coastline but non of them made the cut.
Our daily rides spanned distances from 35km to 100km. We visited Setubal, Sesimbra, Sines, Sagres and finally Lagos before driving back to Lisbon. Portugal is a fantastic country to cycle. The motorists are generally very patient and polite. I think I had one car honk me the entire five days on the road.
While friends and family of the guests were throwing back shots of Ouzo and snacking on a variety of tasty hors d'oeuvres, I managed to stay sober and took advantage of the beautiful light.
The sun was finally setting, our bellies were full. It was time for the old folks to head back to town and let the youngins have their party. Tomorrow Peter & Zoe are off for two weeks of spanakopita, retsina, fresh fish, sunshine and the crystal blue Mediterranean. Not a bad way to start your marriage.
NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
What a difference a year makes. When I walked into Bang Fitness two Sunday's ago, it felt like a professional powerlifting meet was going on. How the heck did they get all of those weights up the stairs? Of course it's a silly question because it's a powerlifting meet after all. There's some seriously strong men and women in this building. Kudos to the good people at Bang Fitness and Elite Powerlifting for putting on a first class event. I'm sure glad I wasn't involved in "clean-up".
I tried to be a little better prepared for this years powerlifting event. I took an extra few minutes to make sure the lenses that I put in my camera bag were the ones I intended to put in the bag (don't remind about last year). But due to other commitments I was only there for a little over an hour. I admit it, Alice and I had a “date” on a spin bike at 1:00 pm. My time was brief but I tried to make the best of it.
There were lots of proud faces, lots of grunting and grimaces and at least one spectacular f-bomb (you know who you are ;)
SHOT WITH FUJI X-E2
This is a strictly amateur event, but you wouldn't know it from the intensity in the faces of the participants. Members of Bang and other clubs showed up early on this Sunday morning after months of preparation, they gave it their all and put on a heck of a show for the few dozen spectators.
Perhaps there will be a few of those spectators that will be inspired to hit the weights for next years event. Me, I think I'm happy as a clam behind the camera.
BARCELONA + MADRID
Oh, Spain, I think we hardly know you. After 11 days in Barcelona and Madrid, I think it's fair to say we barely scratched the surface. While I've been to both cities over 30 years ago, they both appeared like a fresh slate to me. My memory doesn't work the way it used to. Other then the Sagrada Familia this was all new.
It was very comfortable visiting these cities. The language barrier was likely more of an issue then in Berlin or Hamburg, but there was always someone who spoke some English. And Alice did a stellar job of learning enough Spanish to somehow guide us through the rough spots.
This was a vacation done at a reduced speed than normal. Other than tickets for the Sagrada Familia, there were no tours planned, no schedules to adhere to. Sleeping in till 11:00 or noon was allowed. We were all doing some serious chilling.
In the end, in spite of a missed flight home, Spain was charming. Both cities are very easy to navigate. We were provided with terrific weather and lots of sunshine. The food (yes, I'm looking at you Pata Negra) and the spirits (hello Mr. Cava) were definitely to our liking. The pace and lifestyle of the Spanish definitely take some getting used to. As I said, we only scratched the surface, but there is something special about the way the Spanish live their lives. It forces you to slow down and take a deep breath. That's exactly what the doctor ordered.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100F
ABELARD FUNDRAISER
It seems like yesterday we were saying goodbye to The Waldorf Academy and middle school. By the end of June, we'll no longer have kids in high school either. It's a bit of a coming of age thing.
The Abelard is a tiny smidgeon of a school located in downtown Toronto. About 60 kids in total. Our oldest, Maximilian went there for two years and our youngest, Solomon will soon be completing his fourth and final year.
The pictures in this story were taken last week during the fundraising event at The Faculty Club at the University of Toronto. For the last four years we've attended this event, bid on stuff and trips that we didn't really need, all for the cause of raising money. The lifeblood of any small, independent school is it's fundraising. So while we may not have really needed some of the things we bid on and occasionally won in the silent auction (a weekend skiing at Blue Mountain... really?), The Abelard was the beneficiary. And a very worthwhile cause.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100T
But a highlight of the yearly fundraiser is to watch these talented kids perform and entertain. What an amazing group of young people. We listened to Broadway show hits being belted out, piano waltzes and violin solos. An eclectic range of acts, all done with enthusiasm and confidence.
And with this, one of our final school events as the end of high school nears, I cant' help but feel sentimental. There's something that will be missing with the passage of these years. We may look back with a tearful eye. Simple times. Happy days. Next year, I might need to crash a fundraiser just to bid on some things I don't really need.
SOLOMON @ 18
But a highlight of the yearly fundraiser is to watch these talented kids perform and entertain. What an amazing group of young people. We listened to Broadway show hits being belted out, piano waltzes and violin solos. An eclectic range of acts, all done with enthusiasm and confidence.
And with this, one of our final school events as the end of high school nears, I cant' help but feel sentimental. There's something that will be missing with the passage of these years. We may look back with a tearful eye. Simple times. Happy days. Next year, I might need to crash a fundraiser just to bid on some things I don't really need.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100T
FAREWELL MANDARIN
Last Saturday we enjoyed what would be our final family celebration at the Mandarin Golf & Country Club. After a more then 20 year run, the Mandarin officially closed its doors.
For as long as I can remember, the Mandarin has played host to our family gatherings. From weddings, to funerals, baby celebrations to casual Sunday dim-sum, the Mandarin has been the one constant in our gastronomical life. The food was always very good, in fact many times it was brilliant. The crab done 3-ways was the stuff of legend; spring onion, garlic and curry. The trifecta of crustacean bliss.
It was my father-in-law's club, actually his former club. After many years as a member, the annual fees no longer made sense in this post Tiger Woods era where there are more golf clubs then golfers. The for members only restriction never seemed to apply to the Zee family. Thank God.
With its best before date long past due, the Mandarin was still charming. I was quite sure over the last couple of years that the leaky urinals in the men's bathroom would one day explode and sink the entire club house. They survived intact. The high tech, sensor controlled automatic paper towel dispenser however worked perfectly right to the very last day. Each time dispensing the perfect amount of paper into your wet hands. It almost felt like it was done out of a sense of pride for the glory days when everything was shiny and perfect and new.
The images below were taken a couple of weeks back. Our last dim-sum at the Mandarin. It was a lovely autumn day. The food was delicious. We knew the clock was ticking for our final dinner, a 50th wedding anniversary celebration for my in-laws, but the menu needed to be settled, the amount agreed to. Three tables of twelve. Somehow we would squeeze everyone in. They would make it work, as they always did.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100T
11 DAYS IN CHINA
If you're a frequent business traveller to Asia it's likely you know someone who thinks it must be the most exotic and exciting thing there is. But let's be honest here. Business travel is exhausting. Period. Yes there can be nice bits. If you're lucky enough to spend time in a good hotel or eat a fine meal it can definitely have its perks. As a photography enthusiast, finding time to take pictures can help swing a bad day into a good one. But airports, train terminals, traffic and endless delays are not the stuff travel dreams are made of.
This trip was going to be challenging from the onset as we didn't want to be away from work or family any longer then what was absolutely necessary. Four cities in eleven days; two trade shows, three factory visits and a typhoon waiting for us when we finally had a day and a half to rest before the flight home.
After the long flight to Hong Kong we were able to rest up for the day before attending the Hong Kong Electronics Show. By "rest up", that means a whirl wind tour of Alice's favourite wonton noodle joint, Mak's Noodle in Central. It was a beautiful, hot and sunny day in Hong Kong. Quite the opposite of what we would get when we ventured north for the rest of our trip. The noodles and wonton's were delicious. Mak's even renovated since we were last there a year ago. They've really jazzed up the old place.
The trip from Hong Kong was eventful simply for the fact that we almost didn't make it. This being the Canton Fair season, all trains were fully booked going to Guangzhou. By the time we arrived at the train station our only option was the bus. By some miracle, we purchased two seats on the last bus leaving Hong Kong that day. And the bus was leaving right now. 3 hours later, we arrived in Guangzhou. By the way, there are two places the bus stops in Guangzhou. We had no idea where either stop was in relation to our hotel. The first taxi driver who approached us wanted 200 renminbi to take us to our destination. We finally found a driver who accepted 120 renminbi after he explained it would take at least 30 minutes in traffic. 10 minutes later we arrived at our hotel. A 60 renminbi ride at the most.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100T
THREE FRIENDS
Once three friends
Sweet in sadness
Now part of their past
In the end
Full of gladness
This is a picture story of three friends, Solomon, Sebastian and Jake. They met in kindergarten at the Alan Howard Waldorf School, now known simply as the Waldorf Academy.
Friends. There's got to be something special going on when you're hanging out at seventeen with the same guys you were when you were six. This requires some kind of magic. Boys to men, no blinking allowed.
And suddenly (or not) these boys are going to university. I know it's a cliché, but it feels like yesterday we were planning play dates and birthday parties, school plays and camping trips in mosquito infested fields.
They grew up, started shaving, studied like we asked them to. Is high school really almost over? Already? And now here we are, one final lap before we send them off.
University. The word sounds all grown up. They are grown up, well almost. Almost.
RECENT IMAGES SHOT WITH FUJI X100T
The University of Waterloo is a short 1-1/4 hour drive from Toronto. The familiar threesome gather in two cars along with myself and a couple of moms. It's time to go for a drive and get a tour. It's time to see what a real school looks like.
Calm and collected. They're playing it cool. But honestly, where is everyone? It feels like a ghost town today. It must be the football game down the road with the Golden Hawks of Wilfred Laurier vs. Waterloo's Warrior's. Or maybe everyone's studying ;)
We talk with our guide about co-op and work load, school food and sports. Even safe spaces and trigger warnings find their way into the conversation. This is 2016 after all.
It's unlikely all three friends will be going to the same university. Does it matter? New friendships will be made and lost. I'd like to think that these three will be hanging out together a very, very long time. What they have runs deep. My favourite writer when I was their age, Robertson Davies comes to mind... what they have is "bred in the bone". These three friendships will endure.
The bell rings
And all things
Are calling
The days past
The play's cast
Remember
September
When we were
Together
Together
Together
Gentle Gian - Schooldays - 1972
A WEEKEND AT THE FARM
You can almost feel your anxiety level lowering as you drive into the long and winding road leading to the "farm house". Really, how can you call this a farm house. It's modern, spacious and there's absolutely no animals in site.
The stress of the city peels off like a layer of skin. So many elements are different here in Mulmur, Ontario. The sound in your ears (it must be the gentle whispering of the wind), the pure clean air and of course that view. The whole experience creeps up on you without you realizing it. In a few hours it it will feel like you've been here for days.
Our hosts Sandi & Norm have made a 2nd home for themselves, a place they can be transported from the frantic vibration of the city. A place to find yourself, whether it's strumming a new melody on the guitar or giving life to the potatoes, zucchinis and tomatoes in the garden
And this is a place where friends and family gather. Meals prepared from scratch; local, fresh, and meaningful. Food from the heart.
And a good country walk. New land, new possibilities. Why not build a Taj Mahal? This is our life, this is our legacy. A fresh slate to build the next dream.
SHOT WITH FUJI X-E2 XF14MM F2.8, XF35MM F2 WR, XF90MM F2
Our hosts Sandi & Norm have made a 2nd home for themselves, a place they can be transported from the frantic vibration of the city. A place to find yourself, whether it's strumming a new melody on the guitar or giving life to the potatoes, zucchinis and tomatoes in the garden.
And this is a place where friends and family gather. Meals prepared from scratch; local, fresh, and meaningful. Food from the heart.
And a good country walk. New land, new possibilities. Why not build a Taj Mahal? This is our life, this is our legacy. A fresh slate to build the next dream.
MONTREAL IN MAY
Back in March I had thought it would be a good idea to take another workshop with Patrick Laroque whom I've been studying on and off with over the last year. May seemed like a long way off in March. But here it was, May 5th. There was so much going on at work, at one point I was going through my head how could I possibly cancel this thing.
This time though, Alice and I were going with Maximilian and Solomon. Max was just back from his first year at Quest University and while I was going to be tied up in the workshop during the day, it would still allow all of us to be together as a whole family again. Regardless of my uncertainty, this trip was going to happen. So we piled into the Tesla and off we went.
This was also our first road ride in Alice's new Tesla S. It would be fun to experience the Toronto-Montreal journey driving in an electric car. I have to admit some nervousness as we went out. What would happen if we didn't calculate the battery life properly? I didn't want to get stuck in Timbuktu with the Tesla charging for 12 hours using some strangers 110V home outlet. Thankfully that didn't happen. We "filled up" in Kingston, then an extra stop in Cornwall which seemed prudent when the car's display informed us that we needed to drive under 110km/hour to make it to Montreal. Better safe then sorry (our trip back to Toronto we drove the whole way at 110km/hour and only had to stop once in Kingston).
The next morning Patrick arrived at our hotel, Hotel Alt in Griffintown, with his trusty Fuji X100T hanging around his neck and an X Pro2 in his camera bag just in case I could be tempted to give it a try (oh yeah).
First order of the day was an espresso so off we went to find a café and yes, it was already my second one of the day. It was probably 10:30 before we finally hit the road but it felt good to be outside, have my camera in hand and talking life and photography with Patrick.
I explained my recent disinterest in picture taking to Patrick and of course he understood fully. The need to make pictures just seems to come and go in me. I think it's my fear of not having anything unique to say in photography. There's just so many images today, does the world really need another amateur posting their images?
Perhaps I'll always feel that way, only time will tell. After a couple of days though I did feel re-energized. Being able to see is such a gift and like most gifts it needs to be nurtured. There's nothing automatic about it for me, it's just like working out, the more you do it the better your results. That's my take-a-way. I just need to remember it.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100T, X-PR02
