Here we are, a long time coming but, this is the end, and it has been a long and fascinating journey to reach this point. It’s always a bittersweet feeling when such a long and involved project comes to an end. But all things must end, and so must my journey into the War of 1812. At least I can say that I’ve done more than just scratching the surface of the conflict that would go on to define the relations between Canada, England, and the United States still today. When I first started the project way back in March 2012, I had no ideaRead More →

One of the more controversial actions of the War of 1812 is the destruction of Washington DC. It is something that Canadians hold over the heads of our American neighbours, something we have no right to do. The fact was that the Americans in the area were used to British raids and destruction of property. The commander-in-chief of the North American Station had in 1813 proclaimed his subordinates that any American property was forfeit. But now amassed British army had a clear path to the capital, and in the aftermath of the Battle of Bladensburg the American government was hurriedly packing up shop and headingRead More →

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. I’m not a big fan of poetry, I’mRead More →

I haven’t been able to write a wedding blog in a while so it’s actually really nice to be able to celebrate the marriage of these two awesome folks! But despite all the stress that surrounds weddings Mike & Vesna were really easy to work with and were all prepared well before I was! They had a location, permit, and even a timeline all laid out, all I had to do was turn up and push the shutter release. And they were open to shooting some stuff on film, so they’re now one of a few modern couples who actually have a darkroom print fromRead More →

Sadly, my usual trip over the August Long Weekend to Cleveland this year did not happen because the gentleman running the event has felt a bit discouraged over the lack of interest in it. (I really should make a point to go out and shoot the area this fall). So instead, I headed down to a different area of Ohio, Hocking Hills State Park. I had been seeing a tonne of really great photographs from the park from a good friend and fantastic photographer Mat Marrash of late so I decided to take him up on the offer to show me around the park andRead More →

One of the more interesting aspects of working with old Polaroid stock is that sometimes you get duds. While this past Saturday I wanted to get some cameras shot for the next three camera review blogs so that I can have them up before heading to Europe in three weeks, I also decided to take the rest of my 1997 expired Polaroid Type 55 4×5 stock along to shoot while on the road. Despite having a lot left, the stock being nearly twenty years out of date, there were a lot of duds, not enough chemistry spread, or none at all. But when all wasRead More →

Ending off the year on a quiet note. I always make a point after the business of the holiday season to take a breather, go out for a drive and practice photography. I had been passing by this particular house going to my Opa’s place and always wanted to capture it. So I took the chance and headed out on Boxing Day. Thankfully the roads were quiet that I could easily slip onto and off the property without anyone paying too close attention. I’m glad I did, as a few days later, the entire place was gone, burned in a fire. Pacemaker Crown Graphic –Read More →

The malls have been playing Christmas carols since the end of November. Today I heard a Boxing day commercial on the radio. Yep, it’s that time of year again, Christmas! I had initially planned to get an exterior shot of my home church, but after checking what the exposure should be (metered for 4 minutes), then compensated for reciprocity failure (the more a film is exposed to light, the less sensitive to light it becomes, and tri-x has terrible reciprocity) and the app spat out 52 minutes. I love photography and tri-x, but standing outside at 8:45 pm on the main street in the snowRead More →

It wouldn’t be a 52-project from me without something from Findlay! Anyone who has attended a Film Photography Project meetup in lovely downtown Findlay, Ohio, will immediately recognize this beautiful building. The Hancock County Courthouse was constructed between 1886 and 1888 to replace an older brick structure that once sat on the same site. This came about when Findlay was decided to be the seat of Hancock county. Constructed in three styles, Palladium, Victorian, and a favourite of mine, Richardson Romanesque, the building certainly strikes anyone who visits the downtown. If you get a chance or are driving past, stop by. The Irish pub isRead More →

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 →