Foma:52 – Fifty-Two Weeks, Fifty-Two Images

Well, we've come to the end of another fifty-two roll project, and in proper form, I'm going to present my favourites from each week. Unlike previous projects, I started to build a final photo book of all my favourite images. And that I why I started working on this post at the beginning of February 2021, and each month I collected my favourites and posted them here and wrote out their pieces for the month. So that even with such a vast catalogue of images, I could quickly get the book to print. So without further delay, I give you my choices for the best of the year.

Week 01 - Royal City - The inclusion of the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate is three fold. First, it is the recognisable building in downtown Guelph, second, its towers that drew me towards the downtown during my stay. And thirdly a small tribute to my Opa who was a Roman Catholic in life, but from a different parish.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Rollei Low Speed (1+4) 10:45 @ 24CWeek 02 - Ghosts - While Streetsville offered up a lot of excellent historical buildings, the Barber House has of all of them the best story. Which is more on the history of the property and the death of Elizabeth Comfort at the hands of Tory Thugs during the 1837 Rebellion and the ghosts that still haunt the site today.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Adox Atomol 49 (Stock) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 03 - Daily Gind - My choice for this image became clear because the idea I had was to convey the loneliness of a campus that should have been bustling with activity for start-of-term.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Acufine (Stock) 6:00 @ 20CWeek 04 - Hometown Blues - Again the choice of the image comes down to story and with Milton, there are a lot of buildings that I have connections with, but the old Court House has the best story as it secured Milton as the seat of Halton and helped catalyse the preservation of other historic buildings in town.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fompan 400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20CWeek 05 - The Falls - There's something about a hike in the Winter with snow and trees and your wife to add to the same shot you get while hiking through the woods in the winter.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-76 (1+1) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 06 - Erchless - The title of week six ended up being the deciding factor of which image would be chosen. In this case the Erchless manor, showing all three sections of growth between 1835-1858 and remains the ancestral home of the Oakville Chisholms.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - FPP D96 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20CWeek 07 - The Neighborhood - Picking an image for week 7 was hard, I'd walked this route many times over the past couple of years. But the pedestrian bridge over the railroad made sense as it closed the loop on the walking route.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-320 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 12:00 @ 20CWeek 08 - Still As The Grave - Despite being knee-deep in snow, I managed to visit a pair of historic cemeteries. But this photo, while far from perfect stood out, with the bare branches serving as light beams coming from the head of the statue of Jesus.
Nikon FM - Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 2.9/64mm - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - FA-1027 (1+14) 8:00 @ 20CWeek 09 - By the Bay - Not often do you have a reminder of the original founding of the community, but in Burlington they have that reminder. The Joseph Brant House today is a 1937 replica of the original 18th Century home of noted Mohawk leader, Thayendanegea.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Perceptol (Stock) 6:00 @ 20CWeek 10 - Sixteen - Knox Sixteen, originally founded in 1844 as a wooden meeting house for Presbyterians in the region, it was clad in brick in 1899 and is the only surviving building from the settlement of Sixteen Hollow and remains an active congregation today.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fompan 200 @ ASA-200 - FA-1027 (1+19) 10:30 @ 20CWeek 11 - Galt - The Russian Gun, captured by the British at Sevastapol in 1855, granted to Galt in 1863. It was fired in May 1866, after three successful rounds, the fourth round went off early killing two and injuring three. It's not safe and deactivated in Queen's Square.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 12 - Distant Voices - Two of the three reconstucted Wendat Longhouses at Crawford Lake, built with the aid of indigenous people to showcase life in the area in the 15th Century.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-76 (1+1) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 13 - By George - The Former Barber Mill that operated from 1854-1991 and was the first industrial uses of hydro electricity in 1880.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20C

For this 52-Roll project, I decided to play a little bit with the available data that I have access to, thanks to tracking the entire project in an Excel spreadsheet and tailoring the spreadsheet to make it easy to analyse and turn the data into information. Some of my job tasks often involve analysing data for future decision-making, and I think this project might help determine future project targets, locations, and even film development. With everything that took place throughout 2021, I'm not surprised that most of the week's of the projects were located in my hometown of Milton. A total of eleven weeks were spent in Milton, the second-highest location count being Oakville and Toronto, also no surprise at those two numbers. Three weeks were spent in Hamilton, and an additional three weeks were shot at multiple locations. With the remaining places being 1-2 weeks. With an entire range of Nikkor manual focus lenses available, there were two top lenses from the project; at the number one spot with fourteen weeks being used is the Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 and in second place with twelve weeks the Nikkor 28mm f/3.5. This year, I allowed myself to have weeks where I brought multiple lenses; this accounted for ten weeks of the project. I used my Lomography Achromat 64mm f/2.9 lens twice this year. The lenses with the lowest counts were the 50mm f/1.8 and 200mm f/4; no surprise on the 200mm as it came into my kit late in the year and is highly specialised. Some films are easier to nail down a developer than others when it comes to Foma films. Over the year, I used seventeen different developers. The one that I used the most shouldn't come as a surprise, Ilford Ilfotec HC, at a total of eleven times. Tied in second place are Adox Rodinal (a surprise) and Adox Atomal 49, another fantastic developer who did a fine job with Fomapan 400 and Fomapan 200. Then if you break it down by film stock and developer used. The most used Developer with Fomapan 100 was a tie between Ilfotec HC and Adox Rodinal, both at five times each. Fomapan 200, a tough stock to nail down a good developer, was Ilfotec HC four times, followed by Kodak D-23. This older developer is one of the best developers for the stock. Then with Fomapan 400, the number one developer is Adox Atomal 49 at four times, and provided the best results at both the box speed of ASA-400 and at one-stop over (ASA-200) and pulled in development.

Week 14 - Upon Avon - Originally built in 1910 as the Imperial Ratten Co and one of the big five furniture factories in Stratford. Imperial became a major player in modern design through the 1950s. It closed in 2006 as Krug Furniture.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20CWeek 15 - In Memorial - It's always fun to explore a new park that you pass every day. But also to find it has a far richer history than you first expected.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-160- Adox Rodinal (1+50) 8:00 @ 20CWeek 16 - The Summit - It's never fun to have movements restricted, but it does help to take on a new hiking trail at the Summit entrance for Kelso Conservation Area!
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - FPP D96 (Stock) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 17 - Boston - Boston Presbyterian Church is the area's oldest congregation having been founded in 1820.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-100 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 10:00 @ 20CWeek 18 - End of Line - A rather unassuming house operated as a vaccine farm from 1885-1916.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Rollei Supergrain (1+15) 7:30 @ 20CWeek 20 - Sharpe's Tragedy - A Memorial to Colonel S. Sharpe - committed suicide on 25 May 1918 brought on by Post-Traumatic Stress. Least We Forget.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 7:00 @ 20CWeek 21 - Yorklands - The Main Administration building of the former Guelph Reformatory.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - FA-1027 (1+14) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 22 - Bought the Farm - The overgrown rear yard for the Historic Cattle barn at Scotsdale Farm, the barn probably dates to the 1870s.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 10:00 @ 20CWeek 23 - Parkway - Looking out over Navy Island which was a shipyard, the Republic of Canada, Resort Island, and potential site for the United Nations Headquarters.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 24 - Westfield - The 1814 Log Church that once served the Six Nations Reserve.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Rollei Supergrain (1+15) 7:30 @ 20CWeek 25 - Embrace the Grain - Big B is a very special stuffed panda that has helped both Heather and I.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+79) 12:00 @ 20CWeek 26 - The Gorge - The Elora Inn & Spa is built from the original 1832 Saw, Grist, and Distillery and Elora's oldest building.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+79) 12:00 @ 20CWeek 27 - Steel City Blues - The Lister Block, my personal choice to symbolise the height, the fall, and rebirth of Hamilton's downtown core.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 60:00 @ 20C

There is a certain joy to completing this project during the ongoing global pandemic. I realised several months in that I could not always rely on the subject matter that drove previous projects. With events being cancelled and travel restricted, not to mention plenty of ongoing changes in public health guidelines, I knew that I would have to get creative in some cases. But that is what these projects are about, being creative. That meant that the entirety of this project got created right here in Ontario. And mostly local also, the furthest spot, being Petrolia, Ontario only two and a half hours away. As for reenactments and photo walks, these were mostly cancelled. And while I didn't get out to any War of 1812 related events, I did experience some World War 1 events thanks to the fine folk in the 11th Swiss Rifles. And both these events expanded my understanding of the conflict, not just in Canada's role but also the role of the Swiss, which is often missed in Canadian history textbooks. Equipment-wise, I suffered no catastrophic failures, sure a couple of glitches, but these were easily fixed at home. I also added two new lenses to my kit, the 24mm f/2.8 and 200mm f/2.8; as for lenses, I did manage to use almost every manual focus Nikon lens in my kit, save for one, the PC Nikkor 35mm f/2.8. I did consider the PC-Nikkor for one of the weeks but decided against it because lugging a tripod does make life harder. For film stocks, I'm happy with my choice of going with the three main Fomapan films and learning a bit more about their nature. The biggest is that Fomapan 400, while it still works best when shot at ASA-200, can be shot at the box speed of ASA-400, providing you develop it in the proper chemistry. I still had a hard time with Fomapan 200 but am a little closer to cracking the code on that stock; it does perform the best in classic developers like Pyro based and D-76/D-23. And, of course, Fomapan 100 remains a solid favourite. And it felt good to revitalise the project idea in my mind and certainly provided plenty of inspiration. I even think that I may return to a sheet based project in a couple of years.

Week 28 - Stone Town - St. Marys 1907 GTR station, today operated by VIA is the third and final train station completed for the town. The first station still stands a kilometer outside the community at St. Marys Junction.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-32 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 8:30 @ 20CWeek 29 - Muddy York - The Gooderham Building, an icon of Old Toronto, despite dating to 1892, it has survived against much of the urban renewal of the 1970s.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 30 - The Last Bastion - A visit to Lindsay, Ontario and finding the Victoria Park Armoury that looks totally different from all the other armouries from the era across Ontario.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Ilford Microphen (1+1) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 31 - The Swiss Connection - Members of the 11th Swiss Rifles, a Reenactment Unit portraying a Swiss rifle unit during World War 1 and their replica Maschinengewehr Modell 1900.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Ilford Microphen (1+1) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 32 - Syndenham - The Boyhood home of World War 1 Flying Ace Billy Bishop (bet you thought I was going to say Snoopy).
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 33 - Connect - Saying goodbye to a wonderful social group, group founder Susan taking in a thank you video the participants put together.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 10:00 @ 20CWeek 34 - Brant's Ford - A sad memorial to the thousands of children who never left the Residential School Systems on the steps of the oldest such places in Canada.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 7:00 @ 20CWeek 35 - Smokey Hollow - The beautiful Grindstone Creek valley while it was not the shot I planned but I'm far more happy with this one.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 36 - The Quarry - Getting back to the unstated goal of trying to fit in all the Conservation Halton Parks into the project!
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 10:00 @ 20CWeek 37 - Break On Through (To the Other Side) - While a rather commercial looking door for a week about doors, Sunshine Donuts is an amazing local store that delivers amazing treats. It's been a constant for Heather and I through this year and the one before.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 38 - Cobblestones - The Paris Wincy Mills, a former industrial mill from 1889 that survived well into the 20th Century now is a local hub for food and vendors. Also an excellent craft brewery.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 39 - Entrenched - Lance Corporal Julius is the unit Mascot for the No. 3 Casulty Clearing Station - Canadian Army Medical Corps.
Nikon FM - Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 1:2.9/64mm - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-50 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 5:45 @ 20CWeek 40 - Stone City - Shoal Tower, one of four Martello towers that form the defence of Kingston. And one of only a handful of surviving towers in Canada.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

This year has only been the second time I put together a final book on the project. The book wasn't entirely required by my original criteria, but it gives the project that last project. The saying "it's not complete until it's printed", which I don't always agree with, but makes sense in this case. While the blog posts allowed for that 'big-picture' view for each week with either an overarching theme or local history, I rarely translated that directly to the book copy. The book gave me a chance to target a specific image, picking the shot that I liked the most from the week or had an interesting story attached. Some weeks, I had to seriously trim down the entry to fit and still have the text big enough for people to read. I could explore many different parts of history that I enjoy studying, including military, railway, architecture, natural, and local histories. I covered a lot of early colonial history in Ontario and some of the darker aspects of that story. I touched on a lot of World War One history through local men who served and learned a great deal about the Swiss during the Great War. Surprisingly, despite visiting a few locations related to the War of 1812, none of those made it into the book this time around. But the biggest help to get the book moving from the start, allowing things to clip along at a good pace, so I only had a handful of things to take care of to complete the project.

Week 41 - If I Left the Zoo - Tiger Cub Milia is the most recent arrival to the Zoo and the Amur Tiger species.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 42 - All In the Details - The Steeple of Knox Presbyterian Church in Downtown Milton, Ontario. Depsite appearances, it never had bells.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20CWeek 43 - Black Gold - While a shot of the original oil fields would have been more appropriate, Sunnyside Mansion, built for John Henry Fairbanks, Ontario's biggest oil baron's 1891 Victorian Mansion is a rather creepy but photogenic building in downtown Petrolia, Ontario.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-100 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 7:30 @ 20CWeek 44 - Highlands - The Wellington County Poorhouse, the oldest surviving such structures in Canada used to house men and women poor and destitute to 'fix' their moral failing through hard work. Today it is the local history museum and archives.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox XT-3 (Stock) 6:00 @ 20CWeek 45 - For the Fallen - A beautiful memorial to Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrea, the author of one of Canada's most notable poems of Rememberance "In Flander's Fields" installed near the Guelph Civic Museum.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - New Classics EZ400 @ ASA-250 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20CWeek 49 - Houses of Holy - St. Jude's Anglican church, a congregation that traces itself back to 1839, their current home from 1889 is one of the more difficult churches to photograph especially around the noon hour.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20CWeek 47 - Worth The Drive - Acton's history has always been tied to the leather industry, and today that is only continued through the Old Hide House.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-200 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 9:00 @ 20CWeek 48 - Danforth to Downtown - A long walk from Greektown to the downtown put me past the site of Toronto's earliest 'lost' buildings, the Simcoe's cottage grandly named "Castle Frank" now only a small historical marker.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-200 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 12:30 @ 20CWeek 49 - First Capital - A memorial to the Simcoes, while most memorials feature only John Graves (Upper Canada's first Lieutenant-Governors), this one also features Elizabeth, who's watercolours and diaries are key to our understanding of early life in Upper Canada.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20CWeek 50 - Little Saxony - The stunning Puddicombe House in the New Hamburg Heritage District, originally built 1868 this Italinate Mansion is a boutique hotel, resteraunt, spa and event space since 2006.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 40 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 11:45 @ 20CWeek 51 - Rattler - A beautiful afternoon hike after a snowfall at Rattlesnake Point. And while we didn't make it too far, I'm happy with the results I did get.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 11:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20C

And so dear readers, we've reached the end of another project. It was fun to dust off this project form again, and it made me glad I still had the chops to complete the task at hand. And despite everything that happened this year, I still managed to complete the project with no significant failures. If you like what you see and want a copy, you will be able to pick up this project in book form, and all the images featured here on this post are the ones that I chose for the book itself. It will be available at the end of February 2022 through Blurb. Maybe next year, I was revisiting a sheet-based project, but we'll see how the whole parenting thing goes first.

#foma52 #52roll #52rollproject #accufine #adoxatomal49 #adoxfx39ii #adoxrodinal #fomapan100 #fomapan200 #fomapan400 #fppd96 #ilfordilfotechc #ilfordperceptol #kodakd76 #nikkor #nikonfm #rolleirls

Foma:52 – Week 52 – Christmastime

There's something special about arriving before the crowds do. When it comes to Toronto Distillery District Christmas Market, that is key to capturing both the space and the decorations. So for the final week, I ducked into Toronto in the early morning and wandered around the area before heading home and to the family times of the Christmas Season, and it seemed to be the appropriate way to end the project.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20C

If you've spent any time in Toronto or are in some way involved with the arts scene, there is a good chance the Distillery District is a familiar sight. In 1831, James Wort, a miller, emigrated from Diss, England, to York in Upper Canada (Toronto, Ontario). His brother-in-law, William Gooderham, joined him there a year later. The two men established a mill at the mouth of the Don River. Their windmill became a landmark of the city's skyline of the era; taking advantage of its access waterfront and the vast agricultural industry, the two men met with great success. Grain would come in from the surrounding farms, milled and then sent out steamships into the Great Lakes. In 1834, two week's after his wife's death during childbirth, James threw himself down the mill's well, committing suicide by drowning. William would continue to operate the mill as a sole operator, but faced with a grain surplus, William began to produce spirits in 1837. In the same year, both wind and water power were replaced by steam to drive the milling and distilling processes. Gooderham's whiskey became the mill's primary source of income and tapped into a lucrative market. By 1845, William invited James' eldest son, James Gooderham-Worts, to be a co-manager and, in 1856, his son, George Gooderham, into the business. The three men saw the future in distilling and hired noted Toronto architect David Roberts Jr to design a massive distillery complex. Construction of the complex began in 1859 and was completed in 1861; the old windmill came down during the construction. After one full year of production, the Gooderham & Worts Distillery produced seven million imperial gallons of spirits, approximately 3.2 million litres. It represented 25% of all the spirits produced in the Province of Canada. To help bring in more raw materials and ship out the finished product, the company invested in three railroads in the 1860s and 1870s, Toronto, Grey & Bruce, Credit Valley Railway, and Toronto & Nippissing. Using that influence, the distillery was well served by rail and ship, despite the slow movement of the Toronto shoreline. When George Gooderham took over from his father, production increased to almost 2 million imperial gallons of spirits per year or 50% of all spirits produced in Canada. By 1890 the complex had again increased in size to allow various spirits, including Rum and Industrial alcohols, to be made. During World War One, the distillery operating under the parent company British Acetones began producing chemical components to produce smokeless powder to support the war effort. After the war's end, the rise of temperance movements and the growing popularity of beer forced the distillery's sale to Harry C. Hatch, who in turn sold the company to Hiram Walker Distillery in 1927. Under Walker's management, two additional buildings were added as Prohibition began to lift across Ontario, but they banked on the American market as Prohibition continued south of the border until 1933. After 1930 the distillery lost all access to the lake and could only rely on the railroad (now all former railways they invested in were part of Canadian National) and the growing automotive transport. The distillery again ramped up industrial production during World War Two, focusing on antifreeze. Whiskey production ceased in 1957, with rum and industrial alcohols continuing production until 1990. During the 1970s and the increased urban renewal and deindustrialization sweeping across Toronto, the Ontario Heritage Foundation designated the distillery to prevent any demolition; it received Federal Heritage designation in 1988. The distillery again changed hands in 1987 to the British firm, Allied Lyons. After closure, the site fell into disrepair, becoming a popular spot for the growing Urban Exploration Community and the film and television production industry. Some 800 productions were filmed at the Distillery District. Seeing the potential for a tourist spot, Cityscape purchased the shuttered distillery in 2001. Restoration began in 2002 and took a year, with a grand reopening in 2003. Today, the Distillery District is a pedestrian-friendly space and art enclave. Space is dedicated to local artists who run studios, galleries and independent shops; there is also two theatres and several coffee spots. And the brewing industry is also not lost, with Mill Street Brewery, Spirit of York Distillery and IZUMI Brewery (Ontario Spring Water Sake Company). They have also hosted a Christmas Market since 2010 and remain a popular tourist attraction in the city.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20C

The trouble with spaces that I like is that it's hard to pick your favourites, and I did walk away with several excellent images. However, the feature image came clear to my mind from the start. I had to try several different angles to balance the rising sun and composition. Still, I'm happy with showing off the Christmas Tree, the countdown clock and the iconic Gooderham & Worts signage that survives from the original purpose of the location. In the end, I went with my gut when choosing the rest of the images and focusing on the architecture of the space. That meant that I went with wide shots that the Distillery District indeed allows. And even in the narrow sections, there's plenty to see.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20C

Right from the start, I knew I wanted a wide-angle lens to capture the architecture at the distillery, but with the sun starting to shine and still getting some nice low angle light, I didn't want anything too wide. That left the 24mm sitting at home, and while being slightly slower, the 28mm f/3.5 seemed the perfect fit. Although I would have liked to have a lens hood to help with any off-axis light as the sun crept up over the expressway. The lovely morning light helped and let me shoot the roll one last time at ASA-200. I also wanted to see how Flic Film Black/White & Green handled pulling the film in development. And it did an okay job, still plenty of contrast, sharpness and a bit of grain in the negative spaces. I had planned to bring a yellow filter along, but I'm glad I didn't, as, in several areas, I was shooting wide open to get decent shutter speeds.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 12:00 @ 20C

Well, folks, we're here at the end of the project, so the next time you'll see the project will be in the new year as I run down my favourite fifty-two images of the year.

#foma52 #52roll #52rollproject #canada #flicfilmblackwhitegreen #fomapan400 #gooderhamworts #nikonfm #ontario #thedistillerydistrict #toronto

Foma:52 – Week 51 – Rattler

While I did it, I managed to include almost all the parks in my region and operated by Conservation Halton. At least the parks are more aimed towards hiking, and today we're at what is considered the most beautiful of all the parks. Rattlesnake Point may not have any incredible history connected to the property it does have some of the oldest surviving trees in the region. The park is an untouched space that if you're there on a quiet day, you can get a real sense of place and how things used to be long before we arrived.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 11:00 @ 20C

Unlike many other parks in the Halton Parks system, there is no natural history connected to Rattlesnake Point. The area never held farms, old mills, or quarries. But that doesn't mean it is not enjoyable by any means. While I often look for human history, it is all about natural history. The one thing that everyone in my part of Ontario knows about the Niagara Escarpment, if you've turned around and looking for something to navigate towards, the bluff will always lead you where you want to go—created during the last great ice age during a glacial retreat. The same retreat also formed the earliest forms of the Great Lakes. The result of unequal erosion and made up of dolomitic limestone. Starting at Rochester, New York, it goes along to the Niagara River, forming the mighty Niagara Falls and the bloody battlefield of Queenston Heights. It runs up to the Bruce Penisula and then through the Upper Penisula of Michigan and into Wisconsin! Rich forests followed, forming some of the world's oldest standing woods; animals found a home as did humans, including the Neutral peoples. And Halton Conservation sought to protect that beauty when Rattlesnake Point was established in 1961. Although the chosen name remains a mystery to the source, it could come from when the Mississauga Rattler thrived in the region or the snake-like cuts running through the cliffs. While Rattlesnake Point lacks any human history, it makes up for it in natural beauty as you can wander ancient paths and see trees that have stood for over a thousand years. From several lookouts, you can see out as far as the eye can see and even wander down into a local canyon.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 11:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 11:00 @ 20C

While the snow and blue sky certainly made for a fantastic day to make images, it also turned the trails into a bit of a mess. The original plan for Heather and me was to walk to the lower path, which is both wide and flat. Which makes it easy to navigate; there are some side trails out to lookout points. The trouble is that the access road down and up were blocked off, probably because it's difficult to clear in the winter. And probably would have given me a run for my money to get back up to the main road in the Kia, so we stuck to the upper trail, which isn't as easy, especially in the winter. So we didn't make it too far along; rather than only shoot a small part of the roll and say 'enough' at 25, I started to bracket my shots and still shot the whole roll, not in the true sense of the word, but after a fashion. I would shoot one frame slightly over-exposed and another somewhat under-exposed with the brilliant conditions. Or one in landscape and one in portrait orientation. Because of that, I only ended up with about fifteen keepers, which made it easier to pick the images I included.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 11:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 11:00 @ 20C

It was a day for landscapes, so the only lens I could think of to capture the true grandeur of the park was my trusty 24mm f/2.8, and thanks to the recent snowfall and the brilliant blue skies, I put on the pale-yellow filter to help cut down on those blues. I also decided to over-expose the film by a stop and shoot at ASA-200 as I find that produces the best overall image quality out of Fomapan 400. This week I did something crazy and developed with Adox Rodinal and not even stand-developing the film. Instead, I went with a 1+50 dilution and a long time for development. And from what I've seen throughout the year, the longer the development time, the better Fomapan 400 performs with standard developers. And right from the tank, the negatives looked terrific, but the real proof would come from the scans. Is there grain? Yes, but the images are also sharp and have a lot of detail pulled out, although I think the new scanner software helped out a bit? It turns out, Epson Scan doesn't like Windows 11, so I switched up to Silverfast.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 11:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-200 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 11:00 @ 20C

I cannot believe it, we're onto the last week, and you won't have to wait until next week to see it; Christmastime is here again! I'm in Toronto for an early morning visit to the Distillery District.

#foma52 #52roll #52rollproject #adoxrodinal #brucetrail #canada #fomapan400 #milton #nikonfm #ontario #rattlesnakepoint

Foma:52 – Week 50 – Little Saxony

There's a good chance that if I'm heading along Highway 7/8, a sign for New Hamburg is something that I will generally ignore. If I'm in that part of Ontario, I'm on my way to points further west, good chance, Stratford. But I'm also a sucker for a new town, so I made the point to head into New Hamburg during a day out shooting for reviews last year. Like other communities in Southern Ontario, the town has been expanded outwards in urban sprawl with several new subdivisions. Still, it has also maintained a cosy historic downtown, which is where we're exploring today.

Built in 1990, this 65 foot water wheel commemorates the early waterpowered industry that formed the core of New Hamburg's foundations.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 40 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 11:45 @ 20C

There is fertile soil and running water you will find a human settlement. While the original name for the land and the river remains lost in time. The area where New Hamburg stands today has passed through several different hands; the first was the Neutrals, the Attiwonderonk. They were pushed out and destroyed by the Haudenosaunee, and over time, they were pushed out by the Anishinabewaki or Mississaugas. After the formation of Upper Canada, British Colonial Authorities secured title to the land under Treaty 3 of 1792, designating the rich area as Crown Reserve. Essentially land in the ownership of the Monarchy is to be given as a reward for services rendered. Although some former slaves escaped and settled here, it remained uninhabited primarily and unsettled, carving a life out of the dense bush. The Post-War period brought a great deal of colonial expansion, including the sale of Crown Land to development companies, the largest being the Canada Company. Surveys in 1824 divided the land into townships, with Wilmot being accessed through the newly created Huron Road in 1828. The area's rich soil and agriculture attracted many German immigrants, primarily those who followed the Amish and Mennonite beliefs. The first signs of a town came in 1832 when Josiah Cushman established a sawmill on Smith Creek, soon others joined, and additional mills took advantage of the water power afforded by the creek, the name Cassel became attached to the settlement and then Hamburg. The small settlement nearly vanished after a Cholera epidemic ripped through the area in 1834; despite everything, the colony survived. Although among the dead was Cushman, in 1838, the Cushman interests were purchased by a Scottish Lord, William Scott or Lord Campfield, who continued to expand the small community. Scott immediately put his mark, renaming Scott Creek the Nith River, building a new dam and establishing several new mills. The name of New Hamburg came in 1840 with the opening of the first post office; soon, more businesses arrived in the growing settlement. Although it was the arrival of the Grand Trunk Railway in 1856, things started to expand, and incorporation as a village came a year later. The industrial base only increased through the 1860s. More mills and factories opened along the Nith River, supported by other hotels, foundries, carriage works, taverns, three churches, and even a school. Agriculture remained the primary industry outside of New Hamburg, and the village continued to support that base in the rural sections. Scott's sawmill continued to operate until 1902 when a fire destroyed the original structure, and it was replaced by flour and later feed mill in 1905 and still stands today. The New Hamburg Felt Boot Co also dates to 1898 and still operates, although the building is far older. While the village thrived through the early 20th century and even achieved incorporation as a town in 1966. The boom would not last long; de-industrialisation and the closure of many family farms proved too much. In changes, government structure resulted in dis-incorporation in 1973 and absorbed into Wilmot Township with several other rural villages. Thankfully the strong heritage movement in the community resulted in the designation of the central core as a Heritage District in 1992. Today New Hamburg is a small sleepy rural community with the historic centre maintained with an increasing urban sprawl on the periphery.

Built in 1905 to replace Scott's lumber mill, the Stuart Flour Mill a brick Ontario Vernacular building today serves as a B-W Feed Store.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 40 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 11:45 @ 20CThe Hartman Bridge, a steel Pratt Truss bridge completed in 1936, this is the fourth bridge to cross the river, the first being built 1845.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 40 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 11:45 @ 20C

This week proved challenging to choose which images to include in the post as there are so many buildings in New Hamburg with excellent stories attached to them. So I went with a bit of help and found an only walking tour of the New Hamburg Heritage district and began to look at items that followed my own written history of the community and then found matching photos. The William Scott House and Puddicombe house. Some of the more interesting buildings, like the Standard Reliance & Mortgage Co building, are easy to miss because it's tiny yet has a grand architecture usually reserved for large installations. The Imperial Hotel, while not the most imposing commercial block is where I got lunch the day I was visiting New Hamburg; they do an excellent Mac & Cheese. And while I would have liked to include more, the town's short history meant that adding in a couple of bonus images may have thrown off the flow of the text block.

The Puddicombe House, originally completed in 1868 by Samuel Merner, but sold to the Puddicombe family in 1888 and stayed in that family until 1969. It's been a boutique hotel, spa, and event space since 2006.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 40 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 11:45 @ 20CThe 1846 William Scott House, it has also been the home of Samuel Merner when he was appointed a Senator and today is the Waterlot Restaurant.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 40 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 11:45 @ 20C

Through this project, I have learned that knowledge of a place is key to selecting the kit for photographing the location. In this case, knowing that the downtown is compact and has narrow streets, I went with the Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 and added a pale yellow filter to the lens. I could have gotten away with the 28mm lens, but the 24mm suited the space better. The addition of the 105mm probably wouldn't have gone amiss, but I was also working with limited bag space on the trip. And working with bright light, I went with a one-stop over-exposure, shooting the film at ASA-200 and then pulling in development. For development, I went back to an old favourite, Ilford Ilfotec HC, running with a 1+63 dilution to help with compensating the over-exposure.

Originally opening as the Domnion Hotel in 1872, it is better known as the Imperial Hotel. It also served as the first Library (Mechanic's Institute 1881) and a third storey added in 1902.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 40 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 11:45 @ 20CThe 1914 Standard Reliance & Mortgage Co is a tiny Beaux Arts/Classical Revival that if you blink you will miss it, it also was a jewellery business in 1919, today it's a small pizza place.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 40 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 11:45 @ 20C

Next week I'm finally going to visit all the major parks under Conservation Halton with a visit to Rattlesnake Point!

#foma52 #52roll #52rollproject #architecture #canada #canadianhistory #downtown #fomapan400 #heritagedistrict #ilfordilfotechc #newhamburg #nikonfm #ontario #town #urban #wilmottownship

Foma:52 – Week 49 – First Capital

Across Ontario, there are many surviving enclaves of the 19th century. In the middle of that century, much of the Province saw a massive upswing in population growth. But none can compare to one of the oldest urban centres in Ontario, that of Niagara-On-The-Lake. And Heather and I took a short getaway here last week after discovering the lovely Pillar & Post Inn the previous year.

Looking along the Main Street, the Memorial Clocktower is a unique cenotaph in Ontario for those who died during World War One. The Tower is designed by noted Toronto Architect Charles M. Wilmott.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20C

The small peninsula that sits at the mouth of the Niagara River first saw human settlement back in 100 CE by an off-shoot of a people known as the Mound Builders. Little is known of these people in Canada; the first noted Indigenous peoples were those of the Neutral Nation who settled off Mississauga Point in 1400 CE. These made contact with French fur traders in 1615 when the French established their presence across the Niagara River at what is today Fort Niagara. The Neutrals were decimated by sickness and war when the Seneca and Iroquois swept north during the Beaver Wars, while the Seneca stayed to the south of the River, the Iroquois settled to the north. These were forced off the land, and in the 1700s, the Mississaugas arrived. The area became the first major land purchase by the British Crown from the Mississaugas in 1781. Known as Treaty 381 or the Niagara Purchase, the goal was to secure land for an overflow of United Empire Loyalists fleeing to Loyalist strongholds during the American Revolutionary War. Fort Niagara became one of these enclaves, and needing more space, Colonel John Butler led a group north of the Fort and surveyed a small military settlement.

The 1765 Navy Barracks, known today as Navy Hall is attached to Fort George and is now a rentable venue and fully restored.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20C

The Royal Navy's Barracks had been located here since 1765 and remained separate from the small settlement known as Butlersburg. Although that name quickly fell out of favour for West Niagara. Being one of the only built-up centres, in 1792, Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe renamed the town Newark and established the capital of Upper Canada, holding the first Parliament under an oak tree according to local legend. The community quickly grew, and grand manor homes were constructed by the members of Parliament. It also became a port of entry for many American slaves who sought out Upper Canada after the Bill to Reduce Slavery passed through the Provincial Parliament.

A memorial to John and Elizabeth Simcoe, two important people in the early days of Upper Canada.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20C

In 1796, Simcoe moved the seat of Government to York, as the Jay Treaty saw the threat of renewed violence between England and the United States. The British garrison was also forced to relocate from Fort Niagara to Fort George. Despite the loss of status, the town became a bustling port of commerce, and in 1804 the first lighthouse on the Great Lakes sent out a beacon from Mississauga Point. But when the Anglo-American War of 1812 opened, it turned into a battlefield. American troops landed at the end of May 1813 and after an intense battle, the British garrison at Fort George abandoned the region, leaving it under American occupation for the balance of the year. In December, Joseph Wilcocks, who led a group of turncoat Canadians known as the Canadian Volunteers, presented the idea to the garrison commander to destroy the community in the face of a British army marching on the tiny enclave. The American commander reluctantly allowed the action, and the Canadian Volunteers and a handful of American militia troops set fire to most of the town's buildings. Undaunted the community rebuilt after the war, many buildings took shape from the rubble of the destroyed ones.

Fort Mississauga as seen from across the Golf Course it sits on, I couldn't get closer because of a coyote wandering the grounds.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20C

By the 1820s, the community had almost completely rebuilt, returning as a commercial hub. Focused mainly around agriculture (mostly fruit), shipping, and shipbuilding. Sadly much of the shipping industry would leave after the opening of the Welland Canal. Thankfully the agriculture business continued to boom through the region thanks to the mild climate and excellent soil. The opening of the Welland Canal and its proximity allowed the product to move quickly to a broader market. The railroad's arrival in the 1850s helped bring more people to the region; access to the lake, those mild temperatures, beautiful farms, and public golf courses helped drive people out from the city to take vacation time. It also helped people make their home in the region; the first public school opened in 1859 and a high school in 1875. To help differentiate themselves from Niagara Falls, Niagara-On-The-Lake was adopted in 1880. At the same time, the community rode high through the remainder of the 19th and into the 20th centuries, after the First World War. The Great Depression hit the community hard in both the Agriculture and Tourism sectors, further harm when passenger rail service was cut to the community. Some assistance came in 1930 when the reconstruction of Fort George and Fort Mississauga and further recognition of the battlefields of the Anglo-American War of 1812 along the Niagara River. But the fortunes were even more devastated after the Second World War, and the military pulled out of the community. However, the poor economic fortunes allowed the community to maintain some of its historic buildings and homes as they could not afford the urban renewal sweeping across Ontario in the mid-century. While we can look back now and see this as a good thing, at the time, I'm sure many were not too happy with the state of things. This all changed in 1962 with the opening of the Shaw Festival, celebrating the works of George Bernard Shaw. The old 1847 courthouse became the first playhouse, and soon money and income returned. Gentrification swept the community by finding an enclave of nearly new post-1812 architecture and a new form of renewal as wealth poured in, a return to agriculture with the opening of the Niagara Wine Region with the Inniskillin Winery which opened in 1970. Today, Niagara-On-The-Lake is a bustling tourist town with high-end shops, bed-and-breakfasts, and many boutique hotels. Making it a great spot for a day trip or a weekend away.

The 1859 School House, Niagara-On-The-Lake's first public school and was used until 1948 when Parliament Oak opened. Today it's a bed-and-breakfast.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20CMemorial Hall, originally part of the 1875 High School as an expansion in 1907. Today it forms a section of the Niagara Historical Museum.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20C

Okay, so I love to cheat when it comes to image selection, especially when you have so many unique subjects to choose from. Instead of my usual seven, I included ten photos this week. Like any post about an urban location, the featured image is of the main street but looking from a different direction than what I usually photograph, featuring the unique World War One memorial, which I've only found in Niagara-On-The-Lake and equally iconic. From there, I went with buildings and items that had interesting stories and were unique to the community. While it would be easy to include everything from the War of 1812, that was not the week's theme. Through the history section, I had some of the bonus images, including Navy Hall, a memorial to the Simcoes and Fort Mississauga. I went with a few new locations, at least for me, including the 1859 School House and the 1875 High School Memorial Hall. From there, we went into the downtown and the iconic Niagara Apothecary and the 1847 Court House; the overcast morning light and lack of people landed me a good shot of the building finally. Another problematic shot was St. Mark's Anglican; I finally got a shot I liked of the Province's oldest Anglican parish. And for the final shot, that of George Bernard Shaw (at least a statue of him) as recognition of Shaw's festival role in the revival of Niagara-On-The-Lake.

The Niagara Apothecary is a far older building, originally serving as an office for a County Court Judge in 1830. By 1866 it had been turned into an Apothecary and was last known as Field's Drug Store until 1965, today it is fully restored and has many original items on display inside.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20CThe 1847 County Courthouse and served in that capacity until 1863 when the county seat moved to St. Catharines. It has since served as a townhall, jail, and orphanage until 1962 when it became the first play house for the Shaw Festival.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20C

This week I went back to an old favourite lens, the Nikkor 35mm f/2.8. Niagara-On-The-Lake has plenty of space and wide streets that any short of wide-angle lens would prove problematic if I'm trying to focus on a specific building. The 35mm offered a happy medium that a 28mm or a 50mm on either side would be too wide or narrow. I also added a yellow filter to the lens; although I probably could have gone without, I wanted to get a touch more contrast. I shot the Fomapan 400 at the box speed of ASA-400 this week, the reason I tried out a new developer. And I mean, new developer, Flic Film's Black/White & Green, is a new developer on the market from Canada. Designed as a liquid version of Kodak Xtol, with a viscosity of old school Kodak HC-110 and the same keeping power, the developer did an excellent job with Fomapan 400. While it certainly did an okay job at keeping the less ideal aspects of the film at bay while making the stuff look good.

St. Mark's Anglican Church is one of the oldest Anglican parishes in Ontario. Originally founded in 1792, the current structure dates to 1828.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20CA rather festive memorial to George Bernard Shaw, the Shaw Festival is what helped Niagara-On-The-Lake pull itself out of a deep slide and return the community to its former glory.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 400 @ ASA-400 - Flic Film Black/White & Green (1+49) 13:30 @ 20C

Next week I'm heading back to the Waterloo region to visit another small town that I had a chance to explore last year, the community of New Hamburg!

#foma52 #52rollproject #canada #canadianhistory #flickfilmblackwhitegreen #fomapan400 #niagaraonthelake #nikonfm #ontario #shawfestival #simcoe #unitedempireloyalists #uppercanada #warof1812

Foma:52 – Week 48 – Danforth To Downtown

It's funny that for this year's 52-roll project, the city of Toronto that has in the past featured prominently has taken more of a minor role this time around. With all the restrictions placed on us this year, I have found myself purposefully avoiding the city. But when my friend John Meadows asked me to be a part of his project, I jumped on a visit to Toronto. After spending time at The Only, I decided to take the hour and a half walk from Greektown on the Danforth to downtown Toronto to stock up on supplies at Downtown Camera.

My starting point, The Danforth or Greektown, a part of the city I often don't visit or explore.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-200 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 12:30 @ 20C

Having already told the grand history of the City of Toronto, I will be avoiding that subject this time around. Instead, I'll be speaking to the story of my walk and the smaller stories of the areas of Toronto I passed through. My walk started up on the Danforth, a rather famous stretch of road and The Only Cafe. At The Only, I visited with my good friend John Meadows and participated in the portrait project he's been working on, and I can see why he speaks highly of the place. Sadly I did not get a photo of the joint before walking west through Greektown. Officially located along The Danforth between Chester and Dewhurst, the area first formed through the second decade of the 20th century, although the city's ethnic Greek population lived in a different part of the city at this point, an anti-greek riot in 1918 dispersed the population. It wasn't until the military coup in Greece that led to Junta rule from 1967-74 that the area became a focal point of many Greek Immigrants, many of whom fled from the Military government. The area quickly became North America's largest Greektown through the 1970s and 1980s and officially took Greektown on The Danforth in 1993. It's appeared in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding and the novel The History of John. It also became a focal point in a deadly shooting in July 2018 that left two dead and thirteen injured. I crossed the Don Valley by the Prince Edward Viaduct, a massive truss arch bridge that carries Bloor Street over the river valley. The Edmund Burke designed bridge carries both vehicles, pedestrian and subway traffic and opened in 1918. And given the name for Prince Edward, then Prince of Wales and the future King Edward VIII (who later abdicated the throne in December 1936). While heavily reinforced for streetcar traffic on the top deck, the controversial lower deck for rail traffic proved to future proof the bridge when the TTC ran their subway line across in 1966. The high bridge proved deadly and became a spot where many took their own life on purpose or by accident, giving it the deadly title of the fatal standing structure in Canada by 2003, second in all of North America. The Luminous Veil, installed in 2003, helped reduce the number of falls from the bridge, although signs with support lines still stand at either end. After crossing the bridge, I turned south, passing by St. James Cemetery, Toronto's oldest cemetery that remains in use today. First opened in 1844, it became the final resting place of the city's Anglican population and is known for The Chapel of James-The-Less, a beautiful Victorian Gothic structure. Over time, the cemetery became non-denomination and holds Canada's first casualties of War, the Ridgeway 13, a group of soldiers from The Queen's Own Rifles who died at the Battle of Ridgeway. After passing through St. Jamestown, I found myself in Cabbagetown, once home to several Irish immigrants; the area is known for its beautiful Victorian and Second Empire homes. Cabbagetown came in the late 19th century when many poor immigrants dug up the front lawns to plant cabbage for food. Despite the grand architecture, many of the houses were rented by the working class, and through the 20th century, the income bracket continued to decline. The area became one of Toronto's largest slums. Although much of the original housing was lost during redevelopment in the 1940s. Thankfully the 1970s saw new bylaws prevent the loss of many historic buildings, although today, many people who call the area home are being priced out due to gentrification. After travelling south on Parliament, I turned west again on Carlton, where many historic homes reside, then crossed southwest through Allan Gardens. The gardens are the brainchild of George William Allan, who donated the land to the Toronto Horticultural Society in 1858, who established gardens in 1860. The area came under the control of the city's government, which allowed the society to continue their garden but allowed the public access to the space. The central structure known as the Palm House is the third such structure, completed in 1910 and replaced an earlier structure burned down. Then back across Gerrard and down Church skirting the edges of the Ryerson University/University X, established in 1948 and named for Egerton Ryerson, and recently faced a great deal of backlash due to the ongoing struggles with Colonial and Indigenous relations. Then down Bond Street, because I wanted to walk past the last home of Toronto's first mayor, the infamous William Lyon MacKenzie and more importantly took a look at the older sections of St. Michael's Hospital. The hospital had its beginnings in 1892, opened by the Sisters of St. Joseph to care for the poorer population in Toronto's southern areas. It also became one of Toronto's first teaching hospitals with a formal agreement with the University of Toronto. And then my final stop, Downtown Camera, my favourite camera shop, which carries a wide range of film and chemistry and is always a stop.

Looking down over the Don Valley from the Prince Edward Viaduct.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-200 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 12:30 @ 20CThe simple beauty of a Victorian Gothic chapel in St. James Cemetery.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-200 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 12:30 @ 20C

I will admit, it was a tough week for choosing which images to include in the post. And I am glad that I wrote the narrative of my journey from The Only to Downtown Camera as it certainly helped shape which images to include. Instead of stressing over which photos to form, I went chronologically based on my journey. Starting with the Welcome to Greektown sign, while not my favourite, I should have overexposed it a bit to pull out the shadow detail, and this was the third such sign and the best composition of the three. It also took a bit of patience walking over the viaduct to shoot through the veil. I passed into St. James Cemetery; again, I should have opened up the aperture to fill in the shadows, I was hoping to get a bit more compensation out of the Pyrocat-HD, but sadly, I did not. Another hard choice was which image to include from Cabbagetown, there is so much to shoot, so I went with some of the fine residential architecture on Carlton Street. I had to, of course, include a shot of the Palm House circa 1910 in Allan Gardens. I did avoid capturing the camps for those living rough in the park; it seemed a touch tasteless, in my opinion. Being a history buff, I did have to include the MacKenzie house, which, if you're in Toronto and can, is well worth a visit to enjoy a bit of Toronto history. MacKenzie is certainly tied directly into both Canadian and Toronto History. And of course, I included the last shot from the roll and my journey, Downtown Camera.

Carleton offers up excellent examples of High Victorian and Second Empire houses. Many are in excellent conditions today.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-200 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 12:30 @ 20CThe Palm House at Allan Gardens is the current conservatory structure and the centre piece of a large horticultural complex.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-200 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 12:30 @ 20C

While my initial place was to bring a standard three lens kit along for the walk, carrying some extra items into Toronto using a backpack rather than my usual messenger bag kept me using a single lens this time around, I went with my trusty Nikkor 24mm f/2.8, given I would be walking through spaces that a wide-angle lens would work with narrow streets and a bit of urban landscape work. Although I probably could have gotten away with either the 28mm f/3.5 or the 35mm f/2.8. Despite being overcast, the day remained bright, allowing me to over-expose the film by a stop and shoot at ASA-200, but I did not use a yellow filter as I did not get any blue skies. For the developer, I went with an old favourite and magic bullet, Pyrocat-HD, as I had enough left for one more roll. The only published time was for Fomapan 400 shot at full box speed, but by reducing the time by 10%, I landed on a better time, and the results are right in line with what I would expect from Fomapan 400. And that did surprise me for the first time, as Pyrocat-HD did a superb job with Fomapan 200. Yet with Fomapan 400, even with the one-stop over-exposure, it's nothing too special.

The MacKenzie House, reportedly haunted by its most famous occupant, rebel, mayor and rabblerouser William Lyon MacKenzie.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-200 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 12:30 @ 20CMy final destination, Downtown Camera, always a welcome spot with some awesome employees who love photography!
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-200 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 12:30 @ 20C

Next week, Heather and I take a well-deserved break from work and head out to Niagara-On-The-Lake for a two-day vacation in Upper Canada's first capital.

#foma52 #52roll #52rollproject #canada #city #neighborhood #newclassicez400 #nikonfm #ontario #photowalk #pyrocathd #toronto #urban

Foma:52 – Week 46 – Houses of Holy

This week is a bit of a throwback, not to this project, but my first photography project! In my last year in High School, I took a Media English course that included a photography element. We learned how to process and print black & white film during the period, and the final project from that section had a photo project. I chose to work with documenting the churches in Milton. So this week, we're visiting churches in both Oakville and Milton, not only the ones in the community centres but also a couple of rural churches.

My home church of Knox Presbyterian Church in downtown Milton - The Congregation dates back to 1855, the current building to 1891.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20C

Human spirituality has been around for as long as humans have been around. There's evidence of worship reaching far back into the dark days of pre-history. Here in North America, the first civilizations to take root and build a life carried a deep sense of spirituality. Weaving tales of the Earth Diver or a massive Turtle to speak of the creation of the Earth. The Spirit and Natural worlds intertwined, told through story and dance around a sacred fire passed these tales and traditions down through generations. They found the divine in nature, places, and animals. The arrival of European Explorers brought Christianity across from Europe, John Cabot planting an English flag along with the banners of the Pope and Vatican claiming what is today Newfoundland in the name of King Henry VI and the Roman Church. And where Europeans went, the Roman Catholic Church followed, settlers and missionaries alike spread Catholicism among the Indigenous People. One of the most prolific Roman Catholic missionaries was those of the Society of Jesus or Jesuits. While much can be said for their actions, and I certainly condemn the forced conversion and violence taken against the Indigenous Peoples, some came and preached the gospel who genuinely wanted to see them receive the Salvation offered by Christ. The one who stands out the most here in North America is Jean de Brébeuf. Brébeuf is mainly noted for his work with the Wendat people, establishing a mission in Wendake, Sainte-Marie-au-pays-des-Hurons. Out of this mission, Brébeuf began intertwining Christian spirituality with those of the Wendat, penning one of my favourite Christmas Carols, the Huron Carol. These early churches met in the homes of those who formed the church. Eventually, log and frame buildings began to spring up. By the time Europeans began settling in Halton County, the denomination of church was determined by the makeup of those settlers. Anglican churches and Presbyterian Churches became the most common where English and Scottish settlements formed, Roman Catholic parishes also followed. Saddlebag preachers from the Methodist churches often rode through rural settlements teaching and leading worship in homes or out in nature. As settlements grew and populations expanded, these frame buildings were replaced by those of brick. The 1880 and 1890s brought grand brick or stone buildings, often following the popular Gothic Revival style. Milton and Oakville were still rural backwaters, so the churches here are mainly in that style with no Cathedrals or grand churches. Even today, these congregations can trace their histories back to the 1830s and are fiercely protective of their buildings. But even today, church buildings are changing with the time, using modern architectural styles and multi-use rooms to continue to serve within their communities.

Grace Anglican Church - One of Milton's first congregations, the beautiful Norman styled building is their second home, their first frame Church now serves as the parish hall.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20CSouthside is a church my family attended several years ago and I've remained connected to the church still today.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20C

I'll get this right out in the open first; yes, all these images are of Christian Churches; I wish I could have included a far more diverse selection of sacred spaces for the project. But despite all the expansion and changes in the makeup of the populations of Milton and Oakville, Christian churches of various denominations make up these Houses of Holy. That's not to say there aren't spaces for other beliefs in my area; my travels were not near those spaces this week. While this week presents a narrow view, I recognize more than a Judeo-Christian within Canada, Ontario, and Halton Region today. The featured image should come as no surprise as I have the most connection to Knox Church in Milton, having been born and raised in the congregation and continuing to worship here and help serve the congregation. From there, I went with two more downtown Churches in Milton, Grace Anglican, because the current sanctuary is excellent, and Southside Community Church, a congregation that, thanks to their Bible Studies and other programs, I met Heather through. I included two formerly rural churches, Munn's United and Omagh Presbyterian, that today face being surrounded by the slowly spreading urban sprawl but continue to serve. Then into downtown Oakville, with the beautiful but challenging to photograph St. Jude's Anglican church and Knox Presbyterian, a church that I've worshipped with on a few occasions now.

Munn's United Church, formed in 1832 as a Methodist Congregation, their current building dates to 1898 and once served the small village that occupied this part of Oakville.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20COmagh Presbyterian Church is a small rural congregation now facing the rapid expansion of Milton, but they continue to thrive.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20C

For this week, we're continuing to work with New Classic EZ400, and unlike past times with this film, I'm shooting it at the full box speed of ASA-400. Not a common way I shoot this film stock, but I needed a bit of an extra boost in speed shooting over three days. For the developer, I had initially wanted to go with Ilford Microphen, great for compensating any over/under exposure and then push/pull processing. I thought I had a box sitting waiting to be mixed up, but instead of Microphen, I had Perceptol. But I did have a pouch of Adox Atomal 49 waiting, so I went with that instead. Result Comments Here. As I was shooting mainly architectural work, I went with the old favourite, Nikkor 28mm f/3.5 lens. While the 24mm may have been slightly better, I didn't want the results to be too wide, although that 24mm might have worked in a couple of cases. But overall, the 28mm gave me enough room to play.

Knox Presbyterian in downtown Oakville is an 1833 congregation the building dates to 1888, I have good memories of this church having helped run an awesome PYPS weekend here!
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20CSet back from the downtown, St. Jude Anglican is a difficult church to photograph especially around the noon hour, the congregation traces to 1839 and the building to 1889.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - New Classic EZ400 @ ASA-400 - Adox Atomal 49 (Stock) 10:00 @ 20C

Next week we're visiting Milton's biggest rival, at least it was when I was in school! We're heading back into Halton Hills to answer the age-old question. Is it worth the drive to Acton?

#foma52 #52rollproject #adoxatomal49 #anglican #architecture #canada #church #milton #missionaryalliance #munn #newclassicez400 #nikonfm #oakville #omagh #ontario #presbyterian #united #worship

Foma:52 – Week 45 – For the Fallen

Throughout most of my 52-Roll projects, I made a point that at Week 45 or thereabout, to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country, here in Canada that is called Remembrance Day and falls on the 11th of November to mark the armistice that ended the fighting on the western front. While I had initially planned to photograph the Milton Remembrance Day Parade the Sunday before the 11th, I quickly shifted to feature cenotaphs and war graves in Oakville, Milton, and Guelph due to other plans.

A memorial to Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrea, author of the poem "In Flanders Fields" where many Canadians get the image of the poppy from as a sign of Remembrance Day.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - New Classics EZ400 @ ASA-250 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C

This week there are a few items to unpack historically, but let's start with the first one, Remembrance Day. If you're tapped into history, you'll realise that Remembrance Day is the second day in Canada that would serve as a solemn day to remember Canada's War Dead. On the 2nd of June 1866, a force of Canadian Militia consisting of the XIIIth Batallion Volunteer Militia of Canada, 2nd Battalion Queen's Rifles, and various other small militia formations arrived at the Grand Trunk Station in Ridgeway and marched north. What they did not expect to encounter was a force of Fenians, Irish-Americans bent on holding the Province of Canada Hostage to force the British Parliament to grant independence to Ireland. The engagement, known as the Battle of Limestone Ridge or Ridgeway saw the Canadians soundly defeated through mismanagement, miscommunications, and faced with a larger, better armed and trained fighting force. The Fenians would eventually retreat from Canadian shores but many saw this as the first engagement of the Canadian Army (at least in prototypical form). Canadian Militia troops would fight in a series of other conflicts, our wars of colonisation, but in many cases, especially Ridgeway, these were quietly swept under the rug. In 1890 the veterans from those conflicts visited the small memorials and graves of those fallen, decorating them in remembrance. This was a form of protest, and the following year nearly 30,000 showed up on the 2nd of June 1891 decorating the Lime Ridge Monument in Toronto and lobbying the Provincial and Federal Government for some form of recognition. Decoration Day became Canada's first day of remembrance for our war dead. Eventually, a Canadian General Service Medal was authorised in 1899 and veterans from the 2nd Boer War, and the Great War were added to Decoration Day. The day is usually marked with Canadians cleaning up the graves of the fallen, decorating them with flowers and any war memorials. While Decoration Day continued to be celebrated in Canada, in England on the 11th of November 1919, the first anniversary of the Armistice, King George V marked the day with a solemn ceremony of remembrance of the dead from the Great War. One of the biggest symbols of this day of remembrance was the Poppy. A blood-red flower that occupied the battlefields of Europe as far back as the Napoleonic Wars. The heavy artillery bombardment of modern war churned up the chalk rich soil turning it into lime, a nutrient that the popaver rhoeas flourished quickly as soon as the fighting died down. This flower was noticed by a Canadian Medical Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrea, who, in his grief of having lost his close friend Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, the day prior in 1915, wrote the poem "In Flanders Feilds", a poem that stuck into the Canadian mythos of the war. The poppies were also noticed by a French woman, Madame Anna Guérin. They made fabric poppies and sold them with the money used towards reconstruction efforts in France during the post-war period. The symbol was adopted by the Royal Canadian Legion in July 1921. The Canadian Government also adopted Armistice Day that same year, with the day being marked on the Monday of the same week of the 11th of November. For about a decade, both Armistice Day and Decoration Day were marked by many Canadians. It wasn't until 1931 that the name of Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day and set directly on the 11th of November. After 1931 Decoration Day fell out of the public eye, and those who fought in the conflicts remembered by Decoration Day are not publicly recognised by Remembrance Day (Boer War, Fenian Raids, Red River Rebellion, and North-West Rebellion). Recently, however, those who died during the Anglo-American War of 1812 have received some recognition. Remembrance Day has also expanded to Canadian War Dead from World War Two, Korea, Peacekeeping Missions, Gulf War and the War on Terror. Decoration Day is still celebrated but is a regional event and is focused mainly on. HisNiagara Region.

Guelph's main Cenotaph located in Trafalgar Square, it features many figures including this one holding two wreathed swords.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - New Classics EZ400 @ ASA-250 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20CA second cenotaph near Guelph's armoury, with the phrase "Our Glorious Dead" a common phrase found, along with the Latin phrase "Te Deum Laudamus" meaning God, We Praise You.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - New Classics EZ400 @ ASA-250 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C

My travels took me through Guelph, Milton, and Oakville to explore the memorials to the fallen, so I made a point to include a little something from each of those places. For the featured image. The monument to Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrea, the author of the poem "In Flanders Fields," has become synonymous with Remembrance Day within the Commonwealth sphere, especially here in Canada. Also, from Guelph, the main cenotaph is set outside the downtown and a smaller one standing near the Central Train Station near the city's Armoury. This second cenotaph features "Our Glorious Dead" and "God, We Praise You" in Latin, a common phrase found on many memorials. From Milton, there are two memorials; the first is our main cenotaph. Located in Victoria Park near Town Hall standing atop, that is a typical image that many monuments across Canada and the US feature a soldier standing next to a cross. The second is located in Evergreen Cemetery, the memorial for our local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and the Remembrance Day ceremony. The final two are from Oakville, the Cenotaph in George Square, a simple affair surrounded by the names and locations of the veterans of Oakville. And a second memorial to the service of the local reserve regiment, the Lorne Scots that traces itself back to 1866 and continues the tradition of earlier Militia units.

The Cenotaph for the Milton branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, enscribed with Milton's war dead, located at Evergreen Cemetary.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - New Classics EZ400 @ ASA-250 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20CMilton's Victoria Park Cenotaph, surmounted with a typical statue and the phrase "In Flanders Fields" on a cross similar to the ones haistly made to mark the graves of the fallen.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - New Classics EZ400 @ ASA-250 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C

And we're back into the final nine rolls of film for the year, so we're back working with Fomapan 400. But this week, instead of using the branded Fomapan 400, we're working with a rebrand film, New Classic EZ400. A rebrand brought to market by a YouTube film photographer, Ribsy. Having a bottle of Kodak D-23 around and liking the results from that film/developer combination, I went with that as my developer and shot the film at ASA-250 to get the best results. I also used the AuRA Rotary Assist Film Developing Machine to run the processing, as I'm working on a review on the accessory for next year. It made sense to capture these memorials using a combination that produced classic results and looks in the final images. The easy choice in capturing these memorials would be a normal or wide-angle lens. And I did consider my 28mm, 35mm, or 50mm; in the end, I settled on my classic 105mm f/2.5. The reason was that I wanted to capture details, names, services and dates. Also, the spectacular cenotaphs in the towns I visited were varied.

Poppies decorate the Oakville Cenotaph in Georges Square.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - New Classics EZ400 @ ASA-250 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20CA memorial in Georges Square to the Lorne Scots, the local regiment of the Canadian Army (Reserves) marking their battle honours from The Anglo-American War of 1812 to modern conflicts.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - New Classics EZ400 @ ASA-250 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C

Next week we're exploring the churches in and around Milton & Oakville.

#foma52 #52roll #52rollproject #actofremembrance #canada #canadianhistory #fomapan400 #guelph #kodakd23 #milton #newclassicsez400 #nikonfm #oakville #ontario #remembranceday

Foma:52 – Week 44 – Highlands

I have seen Fergus in the past, but it's only been for a short visit. Whenever I'm in this area, I tend to gravitate more towards Elora, Ontario, because it is a community that I enjoy exploring and can always find something new. But having already visited Elora this year and in this project, I needed someplace new. With the exact concentration of stone buildings from the 19th century and a walking route in mind, it was time to head into a bit of a pocket of the highlands in Ontario.

Looking along the Grand River, the heavy rains that day made the river a rough waterway. And shows why Fergus became a centre for industry.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox XT-3 (Stock) 6:00 @ 20C

For thousands of years before the arrival of the earliest European settlers, the Grand River has been home to a vast and diverse group of Indigenous people. Archaeological research shows the presence of human settlement by the Petun, Attiwonderonk, Anishinabewaki, Haudenosaunee and the Mississauga's of the Credit. The area ceded under Treaty 4 would be marked for settlement by veterans of the War of 1812 in the 1820s as the Garafraxa Township. Richard Pierpoint of Senegal arrived in the United States as a slave and chose to fight for the British during the American Revolution to gain a release from slavery and later volunteered as part of the Coloured Corps during the Anglo-American War of 1812. After the war, Pierpoint began to petition for his promised land grant and, specifically, passage back to Senegal. However, the British authorities denied his requests instead of granting him and many other former soldiers of colour land in the Garafraxa Township. Pierpoint, having little choice, settled on Lot 6, Concession 1, near where Scotland Street is today. About a half-dozen former soldiers also settled in the region in 1822. These land grants carried several rules; the settlers were required to clear five acres of land, build a house and a road. If they did so within two years, the full title would be granted. The small group of farms became known as the Pierpoint Settlement. The Scottish would not arrive until a decade later, Adam Fergusson, a Scottish Lawyer and James Webster purchased a plot of 28 square kilometres. Fergusson, taken by the area and the available water power, began to survey a village site. Fergusson and Webster controlled those who could purchase the lots, with only those from Scotland or of Scottish descent being allowed. By 1835 a small settlement known as Little Falls had grown, with a sawmill, grist mill, several houses, a school and a church. Also, present a curling club (which still operates today). The establishment of a post office gave the name Fergus to the settlement after Adam Fergusson. By the middle of the century, the small settlement housed 184 with 21 businesses, and much of the black settlers were becoming the minority in the region as Fergus became mainly Scottish. The arrival of James Webster in 1855 brought a massive industrial base with an oatmeal mill, flour mill, and woollens mill, allowing incorporation as a village by 1858 and a population of 1000. The railroad, the Wellington, Grey & Bruce passed through in the 1870s bringing even more industry, notably the Beatty Brothers opening their foundry to build agricultural equipment. The Wellington County Poorhouse opened outside of the village in 1877, providing a place where those who were destitute, disabled or old could overcome their moral failing (pauperism was viewed in this manner) through hard work at the industrial farm to help support themselves and the staff. Credit Valley also ran through the village in the 1880s as part of their Elora branch. Fergus grew as a major manufacturing centre in the region. Still, it also became known for advanced medical technology, Dr Abraham Groves, noted for sterilisation of his surgical gear, performed the first appendectomy in 1883 and pushed for the installation of an electric generator in 1890. Dr Groves would help build a hospital in Fergus in 1902, today known as the Groves Memorial Hospital. The county poorhouse transformed itself into a nursing home in 1947 after many poor laws in Canada were abolished. While the community enjoyed a great deal of success and affluence through the mid-20th century, the industrial base would be unable to keep up with the times, and by the 1960s, many factories and mills were closing. In 1999 the community lost its autonomy and was absorbed into Centre Wellington along with the village of Elora. Today the historic town enjoys a lot of historical buildings from the 1800s, with even the old mills being adapted to modern uses.

The Wellington County Poorhouse, the oldest surviving such structures in Canada used to house men and women poor and destitute to 'fix' their moral failing through hard work. Today it is the local history museum and archives.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox XT-3 (Stock) 6:00 @ 20CThe former Beatty Foundry that grew into a major manufacturer of agricultural equipment. Today it is a local market.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox XT-3 (Stock) 6:00 @ 20C

Despite being surrounded by many impressive buildings, I found it easy to select the images for this week as I went for ideas that had some interesting stories behind them. As the Grand River remained the core of Fergus' history, that shot turned into the featured image. From there, I went for buildings that showed some unique and historical aspects or stories. And the best part is that many still are in use, with only the Carnegie Library being in its original use. The old Beatty Foundry is now a marketplace, the original hydroelectric plant a pub & brewhouse. The Brew House on the Grand is where Heather and I had lunch while waiting for the rain to slacken. And finally, I had to include the beautiful Templin Gardens with Heather overlooking the raging river below. I wish I could have captured something related to the original settlers in the area, but nothing of the Pierpoint settlement remains memorialised.

The Former Fergus Swimming Pool with a unique gambral & hip roof operated from 1930-60 and is today a commercial property.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox XT-3 (Stock) 6:00 @ 20COriginally a Tannery in 1851 and a failed Flour Mill, Dr Abraham Groves installed a pair of electrical generators in 1890 to provide electricity to the town.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox XT-3 (Stock) 6:00 @ 20C

Having a second camera (the Maxxum 9) with me, I wanted to keep things simple. Knowing I was dealing with a narrow street, I went with my old favourite, Nikkor 28mm f/3.5; we had some decent light, so I was getting apertures between f/4 and f/11 and shutter speeds of 1/125″. However, I shot the roll of film at the box speed of ASA-200 to give that extra boost of speed. For the developer, I went with something new: that new developer, Adox XT-3, which is based on the 2019 formula of Kodak Xtol. In contrast, I have used Xtol with Fomapan 200 in the past and was not too happy with the results. However, I think that had to do with an old and nearly expired batch of Xtol. This time around, the results impressed me! Excellent control of the grain, good sharpness and a bit of a bump in contrast, despite being in a foggy and low-contrast day.

The 1911 Carnagie Libary which still operates as a library today although greatly expanded to serve the modern needs of the community.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox XT-3 (Stock) 6:00 @ 20CHeather enjoying the Templin Gardens, the gardens were constructed by John C. Templin in stages from 1920 to 1934 and gardened by John Johnson Senior from 1930 to 1941.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox XT-3 (Stock) 6:00 @ 20C

Next week in Canada, we noted Remembrance Day, a solemn day to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. I'll be sharing some of the area's cenotaphs and war graves for the fallen.

#foma52 #52roll #52rollproject #adoxxt3 #architecture #canada #centrewellington #fergus #nikonfm #ontario

Foma:52 – Week 43 – Black Gold

If you haven't heard of the small community of Petrolia, that makes perfect sense, it seems a bit out of place here in Ontario. But this is the area credited with kicking off an early oil boom in Ontario and within the British Empire. While a shadow of its former glory, the name and legacy live on as part of Canada's role as a major exporter of raw resources.

Petrolia's former Grand Trunk Railway station, operated from 1903 to 1927, today it is the town library and beautifully restored.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-100 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 7:30 @ 20C

Back thousands of years, the Attiwonderonk, Anishiabewaki, and Mississaugas made use of the sticky tar-like substance through the region to help with waterproofing their canoes. The area remained the territory of the Mississaugas until the Canada Company came calling in 1827, acquiring the land under Treaty 29 in 1827. The area became part of Lambton County and the Enniskillen Township. Settlers to the region worked the land as farmers until industrialist Charles Nelson Tripp began purchasing large areas of the township to exploit the bitumen in creating asphalt. Tripp petitioned successfully for the creation of the International Mining Manufacturing Company in 1854. And Tripp's products earned world renown when they went on display at the 1855 University Exhibition in Paris. Tripp promptly made the contract to produce enough asphalt to pave the city of Paris. Sadly, while Tripp rode high on the initial success by 1857, he had been forced to sell off a majority of his holdings to pay off creditors. Among those creditors, James Miller Wilson, who sought the same bitumen but to create lamp oil, but when Wilson began digging a water well, it wasn't water he found but oil. Oil Springs formed quickly and attracted many prospectors and surveyors to the region, one being John Henry Fairbanks. Fairbanks struck it rich with his Jerker Line system, steam-driven oil pumps and formed Fairbanks Oil in 1861. Further north, more oil patches were discovered, resulting in a second boom by the middle of the decade. The settlement of Petrolia grew overnight and was incorporated as a town in 1866. Fairbanks even led the charge to build a privately funded railway branch line to the Great Western line in Wyoming, which Great Western took over that same year. Soon thousands of barrels of oil were pouring out of the ground, but these early methods created large amounts of wasted resources. A second boom came in 1898 and a third in 1938, only lasting a few weeks. Hard Oilers, those who were born, raised and worked the oil fields, became world-renowned, and some eighty countries owe their oil industries to the workers of Petrolia. During the second world war, with the oil boom over, the town switched to industrial manufacturing; the presence of two rail lines certainly helped move products and materials out into broader markets. While today the community rests on the laurels of the past, oil and manufacturing remain a primary economic driver along with the history and the beginning of the oil industry in Canada. And thankfully, the community has done a great deal to ensure the preservation of the past.

The Sunnyside Mansion, former house of Oil Baron John H. Fairbanks.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-100 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 7:30 @ 20CThe historic post office.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-100 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 7:30 @ 20C

I'll admit, this week was another hard one to figure out which images to include because I ended up with a large number of keepers. There were so many notable buildings downtown and even more that I realized that I missed because they were off on side streets. I should have done some more preparation as the local historical society does have a walking tour. But even sticking to the main road netted several impressive buildings from the stunning 1903 train station and the spooky Fairbank's house or Sunnyside Mansion. An old hardware store and commercial blocks in various states of repair all show that the town once sat on a pile of wealth. Sadly I did not see the original oil fields (the gate was closed) or any of the original businesses, so I could not include anything like that. Like any of these trips, I certainly have Petrolia on my list of places to revisit in the future.

Boges Bros. Hardware store, one of the former businesses along the downtown, while the store is closed the old sign has been wonderfully maintained.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-100 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 7:30 @ 20CThe McKay Block housed several commercial ventures including a sign and carriage painting business, pharmacy and a furniture store.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-100 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 7:30 @ 20C

I had to keep it simple as I was working with a large camera loadout when visiting Petrolia. This week, I decided to stick to an old favourite, the Nikkor 35mm f/28 with a yellow filter. While the lens worked, I probably could have gotten away better with either the 28mm or 24mm in some cases. Although these couldn't work for all the images, the compositions would have been too broad in some cases. I probably could have gotten away with having that second lens in the bag, but I honestly didn't want to be swapping around lenses when I tried to keep walking through town. And I was then giving the film a one-stop over-exposure shooting it at ASA-100 rather than ASA-200. This allowed me to shoot with good shutter speed and aperture to keep the lens in that sweet spot of f/8. For development, I had enough Pyrocat-HD left over from the railroad project to run the film through that a developer. I also went for the first time with a two bath fix, the first being TD-4 designed for use with Pyro developers and won't affect the stain. Then I ran the film through my regular Kodafix, thanks to Mat Marrash for helping me out with how long to do both fixing stages And the results they speak for themselves, this is precisely how I wanted the images to turn out, and the light and weather that morning were perfect for what I wanted. The images were sharp, gritty with a tonal separation to die for, an ideal match for an old oil town.

A small commercial block that is looking for fresh tenants.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-100 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 7:30 @ 20CA far better preserved commercial block.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-100 - Pyrocat-HD (1+1+100) 7:30 @ 20C

Next week Heather and I took a trip back out to Centre Wellington and the historic village of Fergus, so coming along with us!

#foma52 #52roll #52rollproject #blackgold #canada #canadianhistory #fomapan200 #nikonfm #oil #ontario #petrolia #pyrocathd

Foma:52 – Week 42 – All In the Details

As a photographer who loves working mainly in the urban environment, sometimes it can be challenging to go back to a location you've visited before and capture new images. But if you change your focus, there's a chance you can find something new, and today we're back in the historic downtown of Milton to look at the architectural details throughout the downtown.

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

While I never went to school for architectural training, I did a single drafting class in high school. However, I am also a life-long Lego builder and am drawn towards exciting architecture. And Milton's downtown offers up a lot of interesting architecture and architectural detailing. Many of the buildings in downtown date to the middle and later decades of the 19th Century, with most following Gothic Revival and Victorian styles. But there are some additional styles with some Italianate and Edwardian era buildings. I noticed throughout that many buildings, both residential and commercial, carry some similar detailing. The one detail I did notice is flower patterns, almost a Tudor or Lancaster Rose in the brickwork. I'm not particularly sure about why this is, but more of an observation.

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

My initial plans for the week was to take the camera out for several days and explore the architectural details throughout Milton and Oakville. However, there is also the matter of timing. I knew I had a heavy weekend of photography coming up, so rather than wait and have to rush this roll out a little too close to publishing, I went with a single morning in Milton. One of the first things I had to realise is that most of the images would have a touch of camera shake as I could not shoot every frame at 1/250″ I was already pushing things but shooting almost all thirty-six frames at f/4. Ignoring that, I went with my gut and started pulling out the images that caught my eye. The top photo is one shot from a little further off of the Knox steeple; the exciting thing is that the steeple, despite appearances, never contained bells. From there, it only got easier. The 1916 date imprint on the old Princess Theater replaced the first downtown cinema that burned down that same year. The Waldie Blacksmith Sign, the face and date on the original town hall and the super-sketchy fire escape ladder on the Thompson House. And two decorative stained glass transoms that, if you aren't looking, you'll miss. Oddly enough, despite seeing many of these brick roses, I decided not to include one throughout this post.

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

As someone who loves working with wide-angle lenses, especially when it comes to architectural work, narrowing down my focus can be a tricky thing. Sure I have my 105mm and 135mm lenses, but these still open up the possibility of more comprehensive images. I needed to drill right into the nitty-gritty of these buildings. That only left two possible lenses in my Nikon tool kit, the first being a Tamron 100-300mm zoom lens; while it does have an aperture ring and thus will work on my FM, it is autofocus and isn't particularly good at manual focus. This only left the newest addition, the 200mm f/4. Having only recently added the lens, it takes a bit to get used to the reach and keep that shutter speed up, while it wasn't the best possible day for shooting, early in the morning. For development, I went back to my favourite, Kodak D-23, as it gave one of the best classic results out of Fomapan 200 and helped out in the lighting condition in the day with the film shot at the box speed ASA-200.

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

We're headed back out on the road next week and looking for gold, not the yellow stuff, black gold, oil!

#foma52 #52rollproject #architecture #canada #fomapan200 #kodakd23 #milton #nikonfm #ontario

Foma:52 – Week 40 – Stone City

Known as Stone City, Kingston is one of Ontario's oldest cities. The city traces itself back to the early days of colonial settlements in New France. While today the city remains a military stronghold. It has also gone through an identity crisis due to its connection to Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A MacDonald, and his government's continued role in destroying Canada's Indigenous peoples.

The City in three stages, at the front, the former Market Battery from the War of 1812, the Grand City Hall in the background built for service at the Parliament Building for the Province of Canada, and in the middle, the new Tourist driven city with Confederation Park.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

The first known human settlement where the modern city of Kingston stands today dates back to around 9,000-3,000 years ago, although the first permanent human settlement would not come until around 500CE. The Hurons would occupy the land until the Beaver Wars, and the Haudenosaunee established their village, naming Cataraqui. The word carried multiple meanings, but the most widely accepted one is "the place where one hides." European contact came in 1615 when French explorer Samual de Champlain sailed past during his exploration of the Great Lakes. Seeing the site's potential, the French established a fur trading fort, Fort Cataraqui, later Fort Frontenac in 1673. Tensions between the Haudenosaunee and French traders resulted in the fort's destruction in 1688, but the French rebuilt shortly after, not wanting to give up a strategic location. By the 1700s, the Haudenosaunee had moved on, and the Mississaugas arrived, as did the British who destroyed the fort during the Conquest of New France during the French-Indian War. The St. Lawerence River Valley became a refuge for United Empire Loyalists in the late 18th century. To help settle these loyal subjects, the Colonial Authorities signed the Crawford Purchase in 1783. They allowed the establishment of a military post and a settlement known as King's Town on the natural harbour formed where the Cataraqui River flows into Lake Ontario. By 1788 the settlement's name had been shortened to Kingston. The small village grew, the natural harbour and twin points formed a highly secure location. It quickly outstripped Newark (Niagara-On-the-Lake) and York (Toronto) as Upper Canada's leading urban centre. The first Grammar School (High School) opened in 1792 and was a hub of military and commercial activity by the century. During the War of 1812, the settlement came under fire from American warships. Still, thanks to the heavy defences along the shore, Point Henry and Point Fredrick saw the American squadron's driven back. The King's Navy Yards constructed some of the largest warships in the Royal Navy, including the H.M. Ship St. Lawrence armed with 112 guns, although it never saw action during the conflict. The British constructed a new fort at Point Henry and used the King's Navy Yard following the war. Even after signing the Rush-Baggot Agreement, the yards became more of holding space for the riggings and arms for the squadron. The village grew into a town by 1838, a bastion of British conservatism that made it the perfect choice for the capital of the Province of Canada. The move was designed to show the French-Canadians their irrelevance and punishment for the preserved blame for the Rebellions of 1837-8. An explosion on the docks in 1840 destroyed the downtown allowing for reconstruction using limestone and earning the moniker the Stone City. Despite being the primary urban centre, Kingston in 1841 had little in services, let alone a sanitary system. Despite the grand designs for a new Parliament building, by 1844, the capital moved to Montreal. The completed building served as the new city hall when Kingston was incorporated as a city in 1846. Through the second half of the 19th century, the city grew, becoming a hotbed for industrial growth and economic trade; one of the first large scale locomotive factories opened, eventually becoming the Canadian Locomotive Company. During the Oregon Crisis, additional defences resulted in a much larger Fort Henry and four Martello Towers. The significant military presence turned the old Navy Yard into the Royal Military College of Canada to educate new generations of officers for the Canadian Militia. During the war, heavy involvement from Kingston saw the old fort used twice as an internment camp and generations of cadets moved out from the college. The post-war saw a gradual decline from industry into an educational and, more recently, tourism realm, with more universities and colleges added to the city. Many downtown buildings once home to industry and supporting ventures are home to restaurants and small shops. The once vast industrial waterfront is home to hotels, condos, and parks. Today, the military remains a significant part of Kingston's identity and a deep connection with history. The city is home to 1,211 historical sites, 21 of them Federally recognized and one World Heritage Site.

Shoal Tower, one of four Martello towers that form the defence of Kingston.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20CThe Island Queen is a Mississippi Paddlewheeler that provides tourist cruises through the 1000 Islands.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

The one thing I did my best to do was to avoid anything directly connected to Canada's first Prime Minister, as the city is still working on putting a more nuanced spin on Sir John A. MacDonald. The trouble is that in Kingston, it is nearly impossible. Thankfully there is plenty to shoot in Kingston that isn't completely connected to Sir John A; the trouble is that there's too much to shoot. And when it comes to Kingston, I've always faced two limits, time and weather, and this week is no different; despite having a bit more time, the weather wasn't exactly the best. For the first time, I did not feature the image used in the banner in the blog post; instead, the top photo is the three stages of the city. Starting with the Market Battery from the War of 1812 and through the mid 19th century, the grand City Hwas all built for the Colonial Parliament of the Province of Canada to the modern confederation park. From there, I had to include a rather odd sight, a Mississippi paddle wheeler, another element of the city's tourism. And, of course, the awesome Shoal Tower, another reminder of the city's military heritage. From there, it was a matter of showing off the old stone buildings that are now home to hotels and restaurants that directly drive downtown business. And sadly, yes, there is one building that has a connection to Sir John A.

Something rare to see in a historic downtown, a modern building constructed into a historic block.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20CThe Prince George Hotel is made up from the Springer Market Square dating back to 1809 that were combined into a single building in 1892.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

This week I decided to run with a two-lens kit, my primary lens being the stunning Nikkor 24/2.8, but I also packed a recent arrival to my stable, the Nikkor 200/4. The only reason I took it with me was to capture some of the Martello towers visible from the downtown, but for the most part, I wanted to get that wide-angle view of the stunning stone architecture. With the light and on-and-off rain sprinkles, I shot the Fomapan 200 at the box speed of ASA-200, and despite the poor lighting conditions, I could get some good shots ensuring that I hit against a flat focal plane. Combined with the ultrawide lens, I was able to get a good depth of field for the architectural work. For the 200mm, I ensured my subjects were a fair distance off as I was often shooting at f/4 to get that 1/250″ shutter speed to avoid any camera shake. I went with Kodak D-23 again; it seems to do one of the best jobs with Fomapan 200, which isn't bad for a t-grain modern emulsion and a classic one-developing agent developer.

The historic fire station, now a resteraunt.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20CA former commercial block, the Smith Robison Building circa 1841, still home to multiple commercial ventures.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

We're back in Toronto and revisiting one of the first dates Heather and I went on; we're going to the Zoo.

#foma52 #52rollproject #architecture #canada #canadianhistory #city #fomapan200 #fortification #kingston #kodakd23 #nikkor #nikonfm #ontario #project #urban

Foma:52 – Week 41 – If I Left the Zoo

I kept typing the title "If I left the Zoom", which is also appropriate these days, but there's nothing to do with Zoom this week. Instead, the title comes from the third studio album from one of my favourite bands, Jars of Clay. But like zoom, this week also has nothing to do with Jars of Clay. Instead, we're heading to the Toronto Zoo. The Toronto Zoo is a spot I haven't been to since my last 52-Roll project on an early date with my (then future) wife, Heather.

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

The first Zoo in the city of Toronto was the Riverdale Zoo that opened in 1873. The Riverdale Zoo, located where the Riverdale Farm is today, was your typical Zoo for the Victorian era. Animals were held in cages and were an attraction to the public, with little attention paid towards preserving the world's biodiversity in the age of Empire. What surprised me the most was that the Riverdale Zoo remained open for an entire century. In 1966, concerned locals formed the Metro Toronto Zoological Society to build a modern Zoo for the city. Several sites around the town were surveyed by architect Raymond Moriyama who in 1967 selected the Glen Rouge site in Scarborough. The construction of a new zoo proved a massive undertaking with several different firms and contractors that needed coordination. The master plan in 1969 laid out a world-class zoo, and a budget of 22 million was granted, with an additional 6 million raised through fundraising activities in local schools. Construction started in 1970, and by 1973 enough had been done that the animals at Riverside were relocated to the new Toronto Zoo. The grand opening took place in August 1974 with great fanfare. The Zoo has changed a lot since its initial opening. It has become a world-renowned facility that participates in global efforts to promote biodiversity and keep endangered species viable and around. Today the Toronto Zoo occupies an area of 710 acres, houses close to six thousand animals with 495 species represented and has a staff of approximately 1,000.

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

There is a lot to see at the Toronto Zoo, so narrowing my options down to seven images was a difficult one; I did make a point to include only photos of animals for the bulk of the post. Only the featured image is of the sign above the main entrance to establish the location. From there, it was a matter of choosing which animals to include; thankfully, with the 105mm lens and having many animals relatively close to their windows under shelter, I managed to get some excellent shots. The real show-stealer is Milia, an Amur Tiger Cub that was born at the Zoo back in May and is the only survivor of a litter of three cubs. I mean, there's a reason I included Milia twice. They're so cute! Then the usual grouping of other animals caught my attention. Thankfully in many cases, they were pretty stationery making it easier to focus on them manually.

[Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

My original plan for the day was to bring the Nikkor 200mm f/4 lens, giving me a long reach for animals in significant habitats. But also giving note to the poor weather forecasted, I needed to compensate for the f/4 maximum aperture. I planned to under-expose the film by one-stop to ASA-400 then pushing in development. The developer I planned to use was Ilford Ilfotec HC at a 1+31 dilution. Of course, I went back and rethought my choice as the weather conditions improved and easy to focus on my subjects quickly. I ended up switching to the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 sure far shorter but allowed for faster focusing and then shooting the film at box speed at ASA-200. I stuck with Ilfotec HC as my developer with the 1+63 dilution as it remains a favourite of mine for developing Fomapan 200. And I think I made the right choice, even though I was starting to lose most of my light by the early afternoon as the clouds gathered again.

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

After planning to use my Nikkor 200mm f/4 this week, I decided that for the next roll, I would give it a go and explore some local architectural details that I can reach with such a long lens.

#foma52 #52rollproject #animals #canada #fomapan200 #ilfordilfotechc #nature #nikonfm #ontario #toronto #torontozoo #zoo

Foma:52 – Week 41 – If I Left the Zoo

I kept typing the title "If I left the Zoom", which is also appropriate these days, but there's nothing to do with Zoom this week. Instead, the title comes from the third studio album from one of my favourite bands, Jars of Clay. But like zoom, this week also has nothing to do with Jars of Clay. Instead, we're heading to the Toronto Zoo. The Toronto Zoo is a spot I haven't been to since my last 52-Roll project on an early date with my (then future) wife, Heather.

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

The first Zoo in the city of Toronto was the Riverdale Zoo that opened in 1873. The Riverdale Zoo, located where the Riverdale Farm is today, was your typical Zoo for the Victorian era. Animals were held in cages and were an attraction to the public, with little attention paid towards preserving the world's biodiversity in the age of Empire. What surprised me the most was that the Riverdale Zoo remained open for an entire century. In 1966, concerned locals formed the Metro Toronto Zoological Society to build a modern Zoo for the city. Several sites around the town were surveyed by architect Raymond Moriyama who in 1967 selected the Glen Rouge site in Scarborough. The construction of a new zoo proved a massive undertaking with several different firms and contractors that needed coordination. The master plan in 1969 laid out a world-class zoo, and a budget of 22 million was granted, with an additional 6 million raised through fundraising activities in local schools. Construction started in 1970, and by 1973 enough had been done that the animals at Riverside were relocated to the new Toronto Zoo. The grand opening took place in August 1974 with great fanfare. The Zoo has changed a lot since its initial opening. It has become a world-renowned facility that participates in global efforts to promote biodiversity and keep endangered species viable and around. Today the Toronto Zoo occupies an area of 710 acres, houses close to six thousand animals with 495 species represented and has a staff of approximately 1,000.

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

There is a lot to see at the Toronto Zoo, so narrowing my options down to seven images was a difficult one; I did make a point to include only photos of animals for the bulk of the post. Only the featured image is of the sign above the main entrance to establish the location. From there, it was a matter of choosing which animals to include; thankfully, with the 105mm lens and having many animals relatively close to their windows under shelter, I managed to get some excellent shots. The real show-stealer is Milia, an Amur Tiger Cub that was born at the Zoo back in May and is the only survivor of a litter of three cubs. I mean, there's a reason I included Milia twice. They're so cute! Then the usual grouping of other animals caught my attention. Thankfully in many cases, they were pretty stationery making it easier to focus on them manually.

[Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

My original plan for the day was to bring the Nikkor 200mm f/4 lens, giving me a long reach for animals in significant habitats. But also giving note to the poor weather forecasted, I needed to compensate for the f/4 maximum aperture. I planned to under-expose the film by one-stop to ASA-400 then pushing in development. The developer I planned to use was Ilford Ilfotec HC at a 1+31 dilution. Of course, I went back and rethought my choice as the weather conditions improved and easy to focus on my subjects quickly. I ended up switching to the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 sure far shorter but allowed for faster focusing and then shooting the film at box speed at ASA-200. I stuck with Ilfotec HC as my developer with the 1+63 dilution as it remains a favourite of mine for developing Fomapan 200. And I think I made the right choice, even though I was starting to lose most of my light by the early afternoon as the clouds gathered again.

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 105mm 1:2.5 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

After planning to use my Nikkor 200mm f/4 this week, I decided that for the next roll, I would give it a go and explore some local architectural details that I can reach with such a long lens.

#foma52 #52rollproject #animals #canada #fomapan200 #ilfordilfotechc #nature #nikonfm #ontario #toronto #torontozoo #zoo

Foma:52 – Week 40 – Stone City

Known as Stone City, Kingston is one of Ontario's oldest cities. The city traces itself back to the early days of colonial settlements in New France. While today the city remains a military stronghold. It has also gone through an identity crisis due to its connection to Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A MacDonald, and his government's continued role in destroying Canada's Indigenous peoples.

The City in three stages, at the front, the former Market Battery from the War of 1812, the Grand City Hall in the background built for service at the Parliament Building for the Province of Canada, and in the middle, the new Tourist driven city with Confederation Park.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

The first known human settlement where the modern city of Kingston stands today dates back to around 9,000-3,000 years ago, although the first permanent human settlement would not come until around 500CE. The Hurons would occupy the land until the Beaver Wars, and the Haudenosaunee established their village, naming Cataraqui. The word carried multiple meanings, but the most widely accepted one is "the place where one hides." European contact came in 1615 when French explorer Samual de Champlain sailed past during his exploration of the Great Lakes. Seeing the site's potential, the French established a fur trading fort, Fort Cataraqui, later Fort Frontenac in 1673. Tensions between the Haudenosaunee and French traders resulted in the fort's destruction in 1688, but the French rebuilt shortly after, not wanting to give up a strategic location. By the 1700s, the Haudenosaunee had moved on, and the Mississaugas arrived, as did the British who destroyed the fort during the Conquest of New France during the French-Indian War. The St. Lawerence River Valley became a refuge for United Empire Loyalists in the late 18th century. To help settle these loyal subjects, the Colonial Authorities signed the Crawford Purchase in 1783. They allowed the establishment of a military post and a settlement known as King's Town on the natural harbour formed where the Cataraqui River flows into Lake Ontario. By 1788 the settlement's name had been shortened to Kingston. The small village grew, the natural harbour and twin points formed a highly secure location. It quickly outstripped Newark (Niagara-On-the-Lake) and York (Toronto) as Upper Canada's leading urban centre. The first Grammar School (High School) opened in 1792 and was a hub of military and commercial activity by the century. During the War of 1812, the settlement came under fire from American warships. Still, thanks to the heavy defences along the shore, Point Henry and Point Fredrick saw the American squadron's driven back. The King's Navy Yards constructed some of the largest warships in the Royal Navy, including the H.M. Ship St. Lawrence armed with 112 guns, although it never saw action during the conflict. The British constructed a new fort at Point Henry and used the King's Navy Yard following the war. Even after signing the Rush-Baggot Agreement, the yards became more of holding space for the riggings and arms for the squadron. The village grew into a town by 1838, a bastion of British conservatism that made it the perfect choice for the capital of the Province of Canada. The move was designed to show the French-Canadians their irrelevance and punishment for the preserved blame for the Rebellions of 1837-8. An explosion on the docks in 1840 destroyed the downtown allowing for reconstruction using limestone and earning the moniker the Stone City. Despite being the primary urban centre, Kingston in 1841 had little in services, let alone a sanitary system. Despite the grand designs for a new Parliament building, by 1844, the capital moved to Montreal. The completed building served as the new city hall when Kingston was incorporated as a city in 1846. Through the second half of the 19th century, the city grew, becoming a hotbed for industrial growth and economic trade; one of the first large scale locomotive factories opened, eventually becoming the Canadian Locomotive Company. During the Oregon Crisis, additional defences resulted in a much larger Fort Henry and four Martello Towers. The significant military presence turned the old Navy Yard into the Royal Military College of Canada to educate new generations of officers for the Canadian Militia. During the war, heavy involvement from Kingston saw the old fort used twice as an internment camp and generations of cadets moved out from the college. The post-war saw a gradual decline from industry into an educational and, more recently, tourism realm, with more universities and colleges added to the city. Many downtown buildings once home to industry and supporting ventures are home to restaurants and small shops. The once vast industrial waterfront is home to hotels, condos, and parks. Today, the military remains a significant part of Kingston's identity and a deep connection with history. The city is home to 1,211 historical sites, 21 of them Federally recognized and one World Heritage Site.

Shoal Tower, one of four Martello towers that form the defence of Kingston.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20CThe Island Queen is a Mississippi Paddlewheeler that provides tourist cruises through the 1000 Islands.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 200mm 1:4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

The one thing I did my best to do was to avoid anything directly connected to Canada's first Prime Minister, as the city is still working on putting a more nuanced spin on Sir John A. MacDonald. The trouble is that in Kingston, it is nearly impossible. Thankfully there is plenty to shoot in Kingston that isn't completely connected to Sir John A; the trouble is that there's too much to shoot. And when it comes to Kingston, I've always faced two limits, time and weather, and this week is no different; despite having a bit more time, the weather wasn't exactly the best. For the first time, I did not feature the image used in the banner in the blog post; instead, the top photo is the three stages of the city. Starting with the Market Battery from the War of 1812 and through the mid 19th century, the grand City Hwas all built for the Colonial Parliament of the Province of Canada to the modern confederation park. From there, I had to include a rather odd sight, a Mississippi paddle wheeler, another element of the city's tourism. And, of course, the awesome Shoal Tower, another reminder of the city's military heritage. From there, it was a matter of showing off the old stone buildings that are now home to hotels and restaurants that directly drive downtown business. And sadly, yes, there is one building that has a connection to Sir John A.

Something rare to see in a historic downtown, a modern building constructed into a historic block.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20CThe Prince George Hotel is made up from the Springer Market Square dating back to 1809 that were combined into a single building in 1892.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

This week I decided to run with a two-lens kit, my primary lens being the stunning Nikkor 24/2.8, but I also packed a recent arrival to my stable, the Nikkor 200/4. The only reason I took it with me was to capture some of the Martello towers visible from the downtown, but for the most part, I wanted to get that wide-angle view of the stunning stone architecture. With the light and on-and-off rain sprinkles, I shot the Fomapan 200 at the box speed of ASA-200, and despite the poor lighting conditions, I could get some good shots ensuring that I hit against a flat focal plane. Combined with the ultrawide lens, I was able to get a good depth of field for the architectural work. For the 200mm, I ensured my subjects were a fair distance off as I was often shooting at f/4 to get that 1/250″ shutter speed to avoid any camera shake. I went with Kodak D-23 again; it seems to do one of the best jobs with Fomapan 200, which isn't bad for a t-grain modern emulsion and a classic one-developing agent developer.

The historic fire station, now a resteraunt.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20CA former commercial block, the Smith Robison Building circa 1841, still home to multiple commercial ventures.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:00 @ 20C

We're back in Toronto and revisiting one of the first dates Heather and I went on; we're going to the Zoo.

#foma52 #52rollproject #architecture #canada #canadianhistory #city #fomapan200 #fortification #kingston #kodakd23 #nikkor #nikonfm #ontario #project #urban

Foma:52 – Week 39 – Entrenched

When it comes to Historic Fort York in Toronto, most people will associate with the Anglo-American War of 1812, which isn't wrong. The fort is home to the most extensive collection of original buildings from the era and is among the oldest buildings in the city. But this week, we're moving ahead by a century into the fort's role during Canada's involvement in the First World War.

One of the best parts about Fort York is the juxtaposition of the 1815 buildings with modern condo towers in background.
Nikon FM - Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 1:2.9/64mm - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-50 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 5:45 @ 20C

When Canada found itself at war in 1914, it had only served once overseas during the Second Boer War. Canada's involvement in that colonial conflict resulted in a great deal of reform within the Militia. The Militia had three branches, the Permanent Active Militia or Permanent Force, the Active Militia, and a Sedentary Militia (which played no fundamental role). The Permanent Force offered up a series of troops used to man the defensive works across Canada and the Active Militia could be called up to service if needed. In 1914 the Canadian Government formed the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) to organize troops to send to the Western Front. The first troops arrived in England in the Fall of 1914 and were deployed to the front in 1915. By Fall 1915, the second division of Canadian troops came, joining the 1st and the Canadian Corps, which eventually grew to four divisions by August 1916. In addition to the Canadian Corps, including the Canadian Army Medical Corps, Service Corps, Machine Gun Corps, Cavalary, drivers, guides, and more. In combat, Canadians fought in seventeen major engagements and faced one of the Germans' first uses of poison gas against allied troops. And fought until the very end of the war earning a fearsome reputation in combat. By the end of the war, most of the CEF was disbanded, but a 1918 study allowed many current regiments in the Canadian Army to perpetuate the battle honours earned during the war.

While the soldiers get all the glory, the men and women of the Canadian Army Medical Corps deserve a great deal of the credit for their efforts close to the front in clearing stations.
Nikon FM - Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 1:2.9/64mm - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-50 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 5:45 @ 20CLance Corporal Julius is the unit Mascot for the No. 3 Casulty Clearing Station - Canadian Army Medical Corps.
Nikon FM - Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 1:2.9/64mm - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-50 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 5:45 @ 20C

Since I had already dedicated an entire week to the 11th Swiss Rifles, I made a point to include mainly reenactors who represented Canadian units, save for one shot of a Swiss Rifleman due to the awesome pipe. These included folks portraying the 3rd Battalion CEF elements, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, and Royal Canadian Regiment. But also made a point to include the famous Lance Corporal Julius, the mascot of the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station and members of the nurses that portray those who served in the Canadian Army Medical Corps. It also proved difficult because I could not always get full resolution on the detailed elements of the uniforms of the Canadian reenactors. The trouble is that by this point, the colourful and unique elements of the uniforms of the Napoleonic era had been lost in the dry, dusty battlefields of South Africa. But I think I caught almost everyone. If you want to see all the photos I captured during the event; you can check out the full album over on Flickr.

There's always a great deal of training that goes into new recruits including rifle drill or how to move your weapon around in a safe and sharp manner.
Nikon FM - Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 1:2.9/64mm - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-50 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 5:45 @ 20CA reenactor representing a member of the Royal Canadian Regiment, members of the RCR served in the 3rd Canadian Division CEF.
Nikon FM - Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 1:2.9/64mm - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-50 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 5:45 @ 20C

Given the era of the reenactors, I had to tone down the perfection delivered by 'modern' Nikkor glass. I returned to a lens I have only used once before in the project, the Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 64mm/2.9. An 1839 lens formula offered up that old-school look that many cameras of the age carried. The biggest problem is that 35mm film during the First World War was limited to motion picture films, with most still cameras using medium format. Because I planned to use the optical qualities of the lens when shot at f/2.9 and given the sunny conditions during the day, I ended up giving the film a two-stop overexposure, shooting the Fomapan 200 at ASA-50, at least for a majority of the roll, the first handful of frames I shot at box speed (ASA-200). I went with Kodak D-23 for the developer, a classic slower and older version of Kodak D-76 for the developer, and pulled the film in development to compensate for that much overexposure. I could have also used Rodinal for the developer as I know it was around during the First World War. It surprised me that even the shots I rated the film at ASA-200 turned out to be a bit denser but still viable,e I chose not to scan them to keep things consistent.

A Rifleman from the 11th Swiss Rifles, I had to include this image because of the awesome Germanic pipe James had with him.
Nikon FM - Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 1:2.9/64mm - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-50 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 5:45 @ 20CHurry up and wait is always the name of the game, catching a bit of a nap before falling in for drill.
Nikon FM - Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 1:2.9/64mm - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-50 - Kodak D-23 (Stock) 5:45 @ 20C

We're sticking to the historical theme but moving further back in time to the original capital city of the United Provinces of Canada, the city of Kingston.

#foma52 #52rollproject #canada #canadianhistory #fomapan200 #fortyork #historicfortyork #kodakd23 #lomography #nikonfm #ontario #reenactment #toronto #worldwar1

Foma:52 – Week 37 – Break on Through (To the Other Side)

If you've been following my photography for some time now, you'll know I have a strange enjoyment of photographing doors. I think it traces itself back to my first trip to Montreal. Either way, with it being the start of term at Sheridan, I needed a theme that I could do casually across the full seven days of the week. Usually, I do my best to get the entire roll shot in a day, but I decided to give myself seven days shooting five frames each day. So let's break on through (to the other side). (See what I did there).

Sunshine Donuts in Burlington, Ontario has been a constant for Heather and I during this past year and a half.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

I honestly don't know where I got this obsession with photographing doors, but I'm going to peg in on my first trip to Montreal and being surrounded by the architectural wealth of the old city. Since then, I've photographed a lot of doors through various towns, cities and abandoned buildings. I even had a friend tag me in a post of an overgrown door they photographed and thought of me. Doors are clean, easy to photograph, and you have a great deal of variety in many places. This is especially true when you get into historical areas of communities. With doors you have lines, texture and colour. Some people have boring doors, while others have decorative doors. There are different shapes, materials, and styles. Some doors are better kept than others. And it also offers up a chance to revisit some places I've already explored.

The Third Manse for Knox Milton and a building that is difficult to photograph. But I rather like these odd doors.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CPlenty of texture on this old garage door in Old Milton.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

I made a point to bring the camera with me for six days during the week, why six, mainly because I wanted to give myself a margin for bad weather. Each day I would shoot five frames (except for one day where I hit ten). I started on Saturday bringing the camera along to Burlington for a mission to get doughnuts that didn't work out, then into downtown Milton on Sunday, shooting five frames on Main Street, then another five along a side street (all five on one lane). Next into Oakville for the work with, with doors on campus, the northern part of Old Oakville then the southern region. And the final five being in my neighbourhood of Milton. Then I picked my favourite from each set of five to include here in the post, which made my life a little easier when you have clear criteria. My final choices came down to either a personal connection to said door, in the cases of Sunshine Donuts, the entry into my office at Sheridan, and the door into the condo I call home. Or out of enjoyment or the exciting nature of the door covering the Knox Manse, Toll Keepers home and Erchless.

A rather well decorated front door on a historic home.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CEmployees Only, the main entrance into my office.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

To help with my tendency to shoot wide, I made a point to stick with a single lens; I did consider using three different lenses but decided the temptation to shoot a 28mm or 35mm consistently would be too strong. Next, I thought about only using the 105mm lens but realised that I didn't always have the space to use a long lens, and if I'm photographing a residential door, a longer lens might seem a bit suspicious. A happy medium it was, and I went with the trusty 50mm f/1.4; while the f/1.8 would have been refined and offered up a compact setup, the 50/1.4 gave me that extra bump in the aperture so that if I needed to shoot in the light or heavy shadow I could. And with shooting a flat focal plane depth of field was only a secondary concern.

One of the main doors that dot the outside of Erchless.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20CAnd the final door is the one into my home.
Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Ilford Ilfotec HC (1+63) 9:00 @ 20C

Next week I'm heading out to Paris, not the French Capital but rather a small town in Ontario which has been on my mind for the past several months.

#foma52 #52roll #52rollproject #architecture #burlington #canada #doors #fomapan200 #ilfordilfotechc #milton #nikonfm #oakville #ontario #portals #project #sheridancollege

Foma:52 – Week 36 – The Quarry

And we're back to Halton Conservation Areas! It's been a bit of a silent goal this year to try and include every conservation area in the Halton park system. And now that fall is starting to set in; it is time to get back to that goal! This week we're over at Mount Nemo, another park located on the Niagara Escarpment, but rather than in Milton, this one is located in Burlington, on the other side of the protective shoe that the Niagara Escarpment forms around Milton. Located here is a wonderful surprise; an old limestone quarry and some supporting buildings still stand in ruins.

One of the many views from along the second loop at Mount Nemo. You get much cleaner shots as there are no safety barriers.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 10:00 @ 20C

The small hamlet of Mount Nemo is located on an outlying plateau of the Niagara Escarpment, the rich limestone cliff that traverses the Province of Ontario from Queenston Heights to the Bruce Penisula. The area's first inhabitants were of the Neutral Nation, those who did not align themselves with either the Huron-Wendat or Haudenosaunee and were driven off by the Haudenosaunee during the Beaver Wars of the 1650s. The first European settlement came during the survey in 1818, and a small hamlet grew up in the area thanks to the limestone and fertile soil. By the 1830s, log and stone houses dotted the landscape. These early families included Kenney, Aukland, Cousin, Thomas, Colling, Miller and Foster. John Colling is noted for establishing a stagecoach to Milton to collect the mail, bring it back to the hamlet and delivered it by Ed Thomas. Other businesses included a grocery, blacksmith and a small machine shop to produce agricultural tools. While unofficially known as Mount Nemo, establishing a post office in 1906 made the name official. However, it was never incorporated as anything other than a hamlet. The area's limestone became a major source of aggregate during the construction and expansion of many limited-access freeways through the region; the nearby Nelson Quarry set up a second pit on the other side of Guelph Line in 1958. However, operations would run for only a year before Conservation, Halton recognized the region's importance to local biodiversity. The quarry shut down after digging a small pit and establishing some roads. Operations ceased in 1959 when Conservation Halton took over the site. Many of these quarry roads formed the core of new hiking trails, and a branch of the Bruce Trail was established through the site. The new Mount Nemo Conservation Area opened to the public in 1971. Many in the former hamlet, now a part of Burlington, are still fighting against further quarry expansion in the region.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 10:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 10:00 @ 20C

The trouble I often find with hiking and having a prime lens and 36-exposures is that all the photos start to look the same after a while. So I made sure that I tried to keep a variety of images in this set. And I also avoided the cliche of putting up a tonne of skyline shots from the main lookout. Instead, I went with one from a little further along that second loop, where I could get a clearer view of the lake and the Toronto skyline. While it was clearly visible, having that 24mm focal length prevents it from being clear in the resulting images. Next, a couple from the main trail, including a new feature of a rest shelter. Then a few from under the canopy had me shooting at wide open and 1/30″, but I'm happy with the results. The final two are from the actual quarry itself, which are from down in the quarry pit itself, which has become a favourite feature of the site. I did want to get a shot of the ruins, but they had too many people crawling over them.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 10:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 10:00 @ 20C

Well, it was bound to happen, but now that we're in September, it is time to start creeping up in speed again, and we're back on my least favourite film from the Fomapan line, Fomapan 200. Rather than let this get me down, I'm going to be doing my best to try and find a sweet spot for this film over the course of the next nine weeks and find a better way to get the most out of the film. Since I was working under mixed-light, I shot the film at box speed, ASA-200. I went with Adox FX-39 II for the developer at the 1+9 dilution; now, I had used this before but shot the film at ASA-100 and overcooked it, so now shooting at native box speed, I got decent results, a bit grainy in the negative spaces I think a slight over-exposure say ASA-160 might help keep that grain under control. Also, this week I got to use a new piece of gear! I had picked up back in Week 35 a 24mm lens; while only slightly wider than my 28mm, it is rated at f/2.8, so I was glad to be able to get that bit wider, which when working in spaces where you have to watch yourself, it's nice to have that extra option.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 10:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 24mm 1:2.8 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 200 @ ASA-200 - Adox FX-39 II (1+9) 10:00 @ 20C

Next week I'm trying something different; rather than focus on a single area, I'm focusing on a single subject. We're breaking through to the other side.

#foma52 #52rollproject #adoxfx39ii #brucetrail #burlington #canada #conservationhalton #fomapan200 #mountnemo #niagaraescarpment #nikonfm #ontario

Foma:52 – Week 35 – Smokey Hollow

I never considered the village of Waterdown a good spot for photography, sure I knew about the trail and the waterfall at Grindstone Creek, better known as Smokey Hollow. But a chance morning to get out and do some photography landed me in this historic village, and I immediately knew that I had to include it for this project as more than the waterfall makes for good photographs.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20C

The area where Waterdown eventually grew has been occupied by humans as far back as 7,500 BCE. Still, the first known peoples were the Chonnonton Nation, one of the many civilizations known collectively as the Neutral Nations. They were driven from the region by the deadly Beaver Wars through the 1650s as the Iroquois from the south were driven to battle by Colonial Powers. Additionally, French missionaries introduced new and unknown illnesses that ripped through the people. The Haudenosaunee would establish their own village, Tinawatawa, one of the few permanent settlements in conquered territories. In 1669, the first European arrived in the area, French explorer Robert de la Salle. But they also moved on, and the Mississagas established their own presence in the region. The Mississaugas ceded the territory under the 1784 Treaty with the Crown and further confirmed under Treaty No. 3 in 1792. Initial surveys laid out the township of Flamborough as a single township but would be split into East and West. The area's earliest European settlers were loyalists fleeing from the Thirteen Colonies, Lieutenant Alexander McDonell of Butler's Rangers, who purchased a lot but never took possession instead of selling eight hundred acres to Alexander Brown of the North West Fur Company 1802. Brown constructed a cabin and sawmill atop the great falls on what is today Grindstone Creek in 1805. The presence of a mill quickly gained a following, and soon other lots were purchased and settled; Brown constructed a school in 1815, hiring one Mary Hopkins, the school sat where the pub "The American House" sits today. In 1823, Ebenezer Griffin purchased some 400 acres from Brown and began surveying a proper townsite that took form in 1830 and 1840, a post office arrived. Local myth points to Griffin as the community's founder and for the name Waterdown. A prohibitionist, Griffin disapproved of the consumption of alcohol, which in the Victorian age was consumed in vast quantities. During the christening of a new mill, usually done with whiskey, someone asked Griffin to 'thrown that water down' the owner of the sawmill promptly named his mill Waterdown and it stuck. The Great Falls and Grindstone creek offered a rich power source, and soon mills filled the valley; and as steam power supplanted water, the coal-burning mills and factories filled the air with smoke earning the nickname Smokey Hollow. Waterdown was incorporated as a village in 1879. Industry only grew through the 20th Century, but many mills and factories were closed by the second decade of the 20th Century. The natural features came back, and the smokey hollow quickly cleared and now offers up a beautiful (if not technically difficult) trail. Despite its industry, Waterdown never broke into the town status and instead was re-absorbed into Flamborough Township in 1974 and 2001; the township was absorbed into the City of Hamilton.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20C

While I wanted to include more images from around the falls, there was far more foliage cover than expected. Having already shot most of the roll earlier at ASA-100, I could not bump up the speed without drastically changing how I developed the film. The problems with film photography, eh? Either way, I ended up getting one decent shot of the gorge that you can see the waterfalls or at least the creek at the base of the falls. From there, I filled in with a selection of historic buildings throughout the village, the original West Flamborough Township Hall, which looks more like something you'd find in New England than Ontario (save the original Woodstock Town Hall), the American House a historic hotel and tavern, and some houses and businesses.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20C

I was shooting primarily in an urban environment, so I went with my trusty 28mm f/3.5 lens. But given the small area where I was shooting, I also included my 135mm f/2.8 lens to get some details and a natural feature (the waterfall) which was harder to get in closer. Sadly it was far too dark to get a good shot with the 135mm, and the only images included here were shot on the 28mm. I was presented with an excellent day but still decided because of shooting down in the valley and with a longer lens, I shot the film at box speed of ASA-100. Developing, I went back to an old favourite, Adox Rodinal, at the 1+50 dilution, might as well end the Fomapan 100 run with a trusted and favourite developer. However, I did use Ilfotec HC more with Fomapan 100. Even without the Yellow filter, I got some decent results, mainly because there was some cloud cover while I was out.

Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20CNikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20C

Next week, we're heading back to the Halton parks system and taking a trip up the Niagara Escarpment to one of the easiest trails, Mount Nemo and the old quarry it's based around.

#foma52 #52rollproject #adoxrodinal #brucetrail #canada #fomapan100 #hamilton #nikonfm #ontario #smokeyhollow #village #waterdown #waterfall

Foma:52 – Week 32 – Sydenham

When it comes to the community of Owen Sound, it is one of those places that, unless you live up in that area, you have to make a point actually to go and visit the city. And having to head up there as part of the capture plan for my Railroad Project gave me a perfect chance to revisit the beautiful downtown. Sadly I could not spend as much time as I wanted because the drive up took far longer than I expected, mainly due to traffic, but well worth the trip all the same!

Looking out at the downtown with one of the several ghost signs in the city.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20C

The earliest human settlement of the region was of the Ojibwe people, having migrated north well before the arrival of European colonists. William Fitzwilliam Owen surveyed the area in 1815, giving the name to a small inlet Owen Sound; it wouldn't be until 1836 when the Saugeen Treaty ceded the area. Two settlements were established in parallel in the 1840s. First, the village of Newash, established by Chief Newash on the western shore of Owen Sound for the Indigenous residents of the area, fourteen log houses, a barn and a school. A Methodist missionary established a Wesleyan Chapel in 1845. On the eastern shore, Charles Rankin would form the settlement of Sydenham, named for Charles Poulett Thomson (1st Baron Sydenham), the then-current Governor-General of the newly established Province of Canada. The settlement was divided into lots and with a river running through, and the natural harbour made the location a popular spot. By 1846 the community was home to 150 and operated a sawmill and grist mill. In 1851 the settlement was incorporated as the village of Owen Sound and named the county seat a year later. The Government annexed the village of Newash in 1857, and the Indigenous population was forced to the Cape Croker Reserve north of the growing community. By the mid-century, the community earned an ill reputation. Being a port for sailors on the upper great lakes, it was filled with taverns and brothels. One such brothel featured a tower with a clear view of the harbour; the madam would wait and let her girls know when ships arrived. Often being nicknamed Chicago of the North, Corkscrew City, and Little Liverpool. The town proved most rowdy. One intersection had four taverns on each corner, one named "Bucket of Blood", which named the area Damnation Corner; contrasting this, further along, an intersection named Salvation Corner had a church on each corner. By 1857 Owen Sound was incorporated as a town with a population of nearly 2000. The community is also home to many notable Canadian figures, World War 1 Flying Ace Billy Bishop, artist Tom Thomson from the Group of Seven, Thoracic Surgeon Norman Bethune, who advocated for socialized medicine, and NHL Hall Famer Herry Lumley. The reputation of villainy and vice saw a great deal of crime that by the start of the 20th Century, many in the town were no longer pleased, and by the end of the Second World War, all drink was banned. Owen Sound remained dry until 1972.

The boyhood home of Canadian aviation Ace Billy Bishop. Today it's a museum.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20COne thing I didn't expect was several beautiful homes.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20C

Having visited Owen Sound previously, I had a general idea of what I had to work with and decided to stick mainly to the downtown to capture the architecture. While I would have liked to include some of the seedier areas in the Mudtown area, my car was on the other side of the inlet, so that wouldn't have worked too well with a time limit. The featured image is one of a couple of wide streetscapes I captured, but I felt this is far better as it shows off a large collection of 19th Century architecture and one of many ghost signs found throughout downtown. I did make a point to visit Billy Bishop's boyhood home, only fair as I did originally plan for last week's entry to include the Warplane Museum, but went in a different direction. Next is one of several amazing houses downtown. There are many Victoria, Italian Villa and Italianate homes in Owen Sound, a happy surprise. The rest of the images are focused on downtown buildings with plenty of Gothic Revival styled buildings.

Love the Gothic Revival windows in this commercial block.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20CWhile a bit jarring, the Roxy Theatre is an interesting addition to the downtown.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20C

I was also lugging along my 4×5 Railroad project kit, so I wanted to keep things simple. I stuck with a single lens, initially thinking my trusty 35mm f/2.8 but remembering how narrow and decently tall the buildings in the downtown were, I instead went with the 28mm f/3.5, and I was glad I did. With the narrow streets downtown, I was able to get full captures of the buildings and even got some excellent angles on the residential sections. There were some cases where I would have liked a longer lens, either the 105mm or 135mm, to get some of the stunning details in the architecture and ghost signs, but I can live. I also had a pale yellow filter with me, despite knowing that there was a storm inbound; thankfully, while I was there, I was treated to blue skies and wispy clouds, so that yellow filter helped out. I stuck with shooting the film at ASA-100, or box speed and developed in one of my favourite combinations, Adox Rodinal, at 1+50 to give a nice sharp image and excellent grain rendering.

A rather fun flatiron addition, but not as narrow as say Toronto or New York.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20CLast time I was here this alley was lit up and full of people, I get why it's not right now.
Nikon FM - AI Nikkor 28mm 1:3.5 (Yellow-12) - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100 - Adox Rodinal (1+50) 9:00 @ 20C

Next week we're sticking close to home with the close of a social group and a bit into how I met Heather.

#foma52 #52rollproject #adoxrodinal #canada #canadianhistory #fomapan100 #nikkor #nikonfm #ontario #owensound