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The penultimate battle of the War of 1812, at least in the eyes of the Americans, and the final big battle in the entire war. By the middle of November 1814, the war in Upper Canada had all but finished for the campaign season, in Ghent the negotiations for peace continued, and if they went well, the war would not return. But for the United States, the war was far from over and far closer to home. Everything that the government feared would happen with Napoleon’s abdication happened. In June of 1814, a force under General John Sherbrooke captured 100 miles of coastline in whatRead More →

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Oddly enough one of my other hobbies has managed to avoid this project, that of exploring abandoned buildings. Week 49, I was down in Cincinnati for the fourth annual Very Cincinnati Christmas event. The opening location was the former First German Reformed Church. Completed in 1850 in the mainly German-American west end of the city, the church thrived until changes swept across the nation in the 1960s, and the congregation sold their beautiful limestone and brick building. A new church worshipped there; the Freeman Avenue United Church lasted from 1970 to 1975 before closing its doors. The building, like many abandoned for decades, changed handsRead More →

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So the rather odd title comes from a story a friend tells of a D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) match where one of the players doesn’t know what a Gazebo is and proceeds to think it is a mystical creature, the DM (Dungeon Master) fed up by the player informs him that the Gazebo comes awake and kills him. Don’t worry; this gazebo is asleep and hasn’t been pushed into action. Yet. But after several weeks of wanderings, I’ve come back home here for week 48 and the gazebo that sits out over the Mill Pond. Also, this is where the town of Milton originally sprungRead More →

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While most of the actions of the War of 1812 took place along the border between the Canadas and the United States, there was a series of native raids in the southern reaches of the Northwest and Indiana Territories. The native allied, stirred into action by the successes of their British Allies in the north proceeded to lay siege to several American forts such as Forts Harrison and Wayne throughout the fall of 1812. But when General William Henry Harrison took command of the Army of the Northwest following Hull’s removal after his loss at Detroit. The old hand at dealing with the native threatRead More →

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Dull skies, snow dancing in the air, yep, winter has finally come to southern Ontario. In week 47, I found myself driving home from Ottawa. Having discovered this lovely scene back in September in Merreckville, Ontario. One of several communities that dot the length of the Rideau Canal. Completed in 1832 under the watchful eye of Colonel John By. The Canal, constructed to link the Ottawa River and Lake Ontario, was meant to transport military supplies and personnel away from the American guns on the US side of the St. Lawrence River. Thankfully the canal never had to be used to move troops around butRead More →

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Control of the lakes were key during the War of 1812 as the fastest way to move troops, equipment, and supplies was by water. Most the roads in the Canadas and the US weren’t the super highways we know today, they were nothing more than dirt roads that would easily become mud pits in the snow and rain. To maintain control of the lakes both sides maintained squadrons of ships that could keep the enemy pinned in their own bases. Unlike Lake Erie which was controlled first by the British because the US Naval Squadron had been captured in 1812 after Brock captured Detroit, andRead More →

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Note, this article was originally written in 2014, I have since updated it seeing as the Toronto Film Shooters has expanded well beyond my expectations. So you want to run a photo walk? Excellent! Running and even just attending such events are really good for you as a photographer. Because often we spend so much time sitting in front of a computer or locked in a dark room, so some social interaction is a good thing! Plus you never know you might learn something. I’ve attended plenty of photo walks and have been for the past year and a bit running my own Toronto FilmRead More →

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They went with songs to the battle, they were young. Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England’s foam –Read More →

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The St. Lawrence River had remained relatively quiet during the first year of the war, in fact it was for the most part downright peaceful. Both sides were enjoying a rather healthy trade relationship. The simple fact was that most of the St. Lawrence valley was occupied by Loyalists, those who went to or were forced to move to the colony of Upper Canada following the American Revolution, and many still had family on the American side of the river. This was not going to fly in 1813, as the war escalated, raids became common. On the 6th of February, a raid lead by MajorRead More →

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I was always iffy about shooting 620 cameras, since when I first got into film photography finding 620 film was difficult, but the cameras were everywhere and many found their way into my collection. And to make matters worse the take up spool was missing. But let’s back up a bit and discuss, exactly what is 620 film? It was a film that was first introduced by Kodak in 1932 and continued being produced until 1995. But here’s a secret, it’s the exact same film stock as 120, same size and same backing paper, but it was the spool that was different. So if youRead More →