I liked the colour and the slight distortion of the street scene reflected in the glass.
Tag Archives: Street
ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU
I saw this Labrador Retriever one day on a walk. He wasn’t bothered by me or my camera, never so much as barked as I took a few shots. Too busy watching his owner at the foot of the driveway.
THIS OLD HOUSE
This building was a neighourhood grocery a long time ago. It’s divided into apartments now. Its brick facade is a favourite stage of mine to showcase its wildflower garden. I stop by regularly, all year round.
CURIOUS
I liked this little dog. It watched me closely but never barked. Not guard dog material, I guess.
SECOND LOOK
As we turned the corner I saw these two and thought they looked pretty lifelike for lawn ornaments. When one duck moved its head I almost jumped. I’ve never seen a Pekin Duck before and never downtown. We stopped by to visit a few times over several days, more photos to come…
CITY OASIS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Sometimes you just have to get away 😊.
CITYSCAPE
The old house that once stood on this lot was torn down many years ago. The land hasn’t been developed and is enclosed by a mesh fence which I shot through. I was struck by the sunflowers standing tall. They continue to flower and give pleasure to anyone that passes by.
DOWNTOWN BIRDS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
House sparrows are not native to North America but have adapted very well and are common in urban areas. I’m featuring a male and female I saw on a recent walk.
SIDEWALK VIEW-2 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I thought the little statue added some charm to this small yard. It looked as nicely weathered as the house beside it.
GRAND ENTRANCE
Coneflowers in summer, a welcoming sight.
SECOND LOOK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I like scenes like these, just a bit quirky.
NEIGHBOURHOOD MIX (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There are many old homes with pretty gardens in this downtown neighbourhood. Turning the corner I noticed these little green visitors that added a bit of whimsy to the mix.
DON’T FENCE ME IN
I saw this bull dog in a small fenced in lawn. He turned away as I approached but I did get his handsome profile.
SIDEWALK VIEW
I noticed the blue graffiti on the door frame earlier in spring. When I passed by recently and saw the day lilies I knew I had my picture.
CAT
A cat enjoying the sun on a warm afternoon.
ANTICIPATION (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I imagine the basketball was left there as I took the photo around lunchtime. The same holds true for the bike.
RAMBLING ROSE
From this angle it looks like this cottage is being overrun by rose bushes. A friendly takeover.
PIGEONS ROCK
The rock dove or common pigeon is not a bird I usually pay attention to but this one was kind of special. I had been aiming for a goldfinch that flew off as I approached but I didn’t walk away disappointed.
NEIGHBOURHOOD FAVOURITE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This was taken in a garden of an old house in the neighbourhood. The garden is left to itself and it’s thriving. It begins the season with a few tulips, then on to lilacs, lilies of the valley and later in the summer, tiger lilies. There are plenty of wild flowers too including these Dame’s-Rockets. A neighbourhood favourite for bees as well.
DOWNTOWN SCENES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I liked the sign on the old apartment house. The blue design on the red brick caught my eye as well.
SHAVE AND A HAIRCUT
I’ve driven by this barbershop often. This time I was on foot and noticed the nifty signage. It’s nice to slow down sometimes.
LAWN ART (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I had to admire how a gardener turned an old tree stump into a thing of beauty.
I almost passed by the little statue in the second photo as it was quite hidden by all the vegetation. Its surroundings made it rather appealing.
CURIOSITY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
You have to wonder what happened here. A pair of canvas shoes placed neatly at the curb, almost as though their owner was going to slip them back on.
NEIGHBOURHOOD FINDS (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
Walls and fences make for interesting subjects. I find the colours and textures appealing. Add some greenery to complete the picture.
LOOK, UP IN THE SKY… (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Walking down a neighbourhood street I happened to look up and saw this construction worker suspended in midair. I can’t begin to imagine what that must feel like.
PATIENT PAL
We walked past this Basset Hound on our way to the store and he hadn’t budged on our return. A study in patience.
FAST FRIES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This casse-croûte (snack bar in English) promises you your fries quick! We discovered this place on a walk through a small Quebec town.
THREE IN A ROW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I liked the look of this Halloween decoration, someone got very creative with their pumpkins this year.
THE ELPHIN (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The Elphin is an iconic 1960s apartment building in Ottawa. The building had all the amenities of the day, including a darkroom for camera enthusiasts. The Elphin with its namesake elf and look retains a charm lost by the modern glass towers nearby.
OVER THE FENCE (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
A lot of old homes in my neighbourhood have wrought iron fences with flowers peaking through the gaps. The grass is always greener…
SMALL TOWN (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
On a road trip last summer, we stopped in a small town to take a break and look around. We saw this abandoned factory just before we drove into the town centre. These forlorn looking buildings just ask to be photographed. The building in the second photo might have had an occupant, as a lace curtain hung in the bottom window.
TIMELY TOYS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
With most of us homebound, it struck me how much kids used to enjoy playing with toys like these. They just needed a bit of space and imagination. Nothing fancy, no screens in sight. I took the photo at a fair last year. I didn’t adjust the colour, the toys are a bit garish but that was part of their attraction.
SO FAR AWAY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I used to walk past this yard quite frequently. Although not exactly in my neighbourhood, certainly close enough in normal times. I like the wall art on the old brick wall that borders the garden. A bit of the old and new. I hope to return sometime this summer.
LANEWAYS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
It’s fun to wander down some of the laneways in town. They often run several city blocks. I sometimes catch a glimpse of a garden, back stoop or garage and there’s always plenty of sun and greenery. The dogs in the backyards are friendly too, they rarely bark as I pass by.
OFF COURSE
Far from any green space, we stopped to photograph this downy woodpecker on a busy street. The management of the office tower had just planted trees outside and the bird decided to investigate. Office workers rushed by and no one else seemed to notice the downy at work.
MONTREAL VIEW
Looking out the window, in an older section of Montreal, you can see a mix of low rise and taller buildings surrounded by a lot of greenery. Towards the back and centre of the frame, a nine story mural of Leonard Cohen, caught my attention. The mural is one of two in Montreal commemorating the life of Leonard Cohen; Montreal born, singer-songwriter, poet and author who died in 2016.
CITY WALK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This building once housed a tavern built in 1909, it’s now a fine restaurant. Over a side door, it has retained a sign from a time when women required an escort to enter a bar. Another find on a walk through the city.
WHIMSY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
A toy shop in Montreal. Walking along a street with not a chain store in sight, I stopped to admire the window and smiled as I took the photograph.
REFLECTIONS OF THE PAST (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The Chateau Laurier, an iconic hotel in Ottawa’s Parliament district was built in the Gothic Revival style between 1909 and 1912. It was commissioned by the Grand Trunk Railway and designated a national historic site in 1980. In the first photo you see it reflected in the window of the Senate of Canada (the former Union Station). The second photo provides a view of the hotel taken from a park just behind it.
TOP TO BOTTOM (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Tall buildings and architectural features aren’t my usual photo subjects. But it’s nice to try new things with my photography which are as much a part of my environment as the woods I love to walk. The sky peering through the towers is still a nod to nature.
The powerful base of The Old Union Station, (now the Senate of Canada), a building I walk by often is impressive for its form and detail.
