It’s true what they say that the air by the water feels different. This secluded area by Lake Ontario is one of my favourite discoveries this summer. I love sitting here and listening to the water lapping by the rocks and watching the waves meet the shore. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot some ducks with their ducklings nearby. If you’re even luckier, you’ll see a lovely sunset reflected off the water.
A calm scene by Lake Ontario. This place is so serene and so calming, I love being here. There’s always a good photograph or video to come out of any visit here. Check out my Instagram Reels for stunning videos from this day!
An almost summer sunset at Polson Pier in Toronto. This is one of my favourite spots for taking photos of the Toronto skyline, especially during sunset.
A moody spring day in Toronto, Canada. We headed down to the beach for a little bit for some fresh air. Soon after, we headed to Polson Pier so I could take some skyline shots with the storm clouds in the background. As we were driving there, the clouds looked particularly angry with lots of movement. By the time I got there and was ready to shoot, they had mellowed down a bit, which was a little disappointing. Since summer is just starting, I’m hoping to catch some angry storm clouds soon!
The Scarborough Bluffs is one of my favourite places ever. With Lake Ontario being partly frozen, we decided to venture out to the Bluffs for some sights and fresh air. The day was definitely on the colder side so I’m glad I bundled up. The water wasn’t as frozen here as it was down by the pier. It’s possible that it was and eventually thawed with slightly warmer temperatures. Only the water right by the beach had turned into ice. I was hoping for a fully frozen lake here but it’s still February, so who knows what will happen in the future.
As the sun started to set, we ventured up top and I was able to capture some gorgeous scenes of the sky over the lake.
Born and raised in Toronto and somehow, I’ve never seen the lake frozen over. Granted it’s only frozen near the harbour and the ice is nowhere near thick enough to skate on (despite what some people are doing on Instagram…), but it’s still such a beautiful sight. I don’t even know what I was expecting to see when I went to visit Polson Pier in person but I was still blown away. When we visited, it was only my mom and I. It was such a nice day, and we were able to enjoy some sunlight and nature while enjoying the views of the city. She also enjoyed throwing some chunks of ice overboard. I almost wish I could visit every day just to soak in the sights before it inevitably all melts.
We visited Cherry Beach after and the whole beach was frozen over! Instead of sand, we were met with very slippery ice and huge chunks of it. Honestly, us Torontonians are so lucky to have places like these in our own backyard.
The Scarborough Bluffs are one of my favourite places to be. It’s sometimes hard to believe that a place like this exists in Toronto. It’s like a little pocket of paradise within a busy, bustling city.
I have never been to the bluffs during sunset so I was really excited to capture some photos during this time.
This was my second time visiting Rouge River. It’s hard to believe that the first was back in 2014 for my university thesis. To me, this is one of those places that I feel like I have visited multiple times. I had always wanted to come back but never found the time. For many of us, all we have right now is time so we made an afternoon of it.
Rouge River in autumn is stunning. If you’re lucky to be here during golden hour, you’re in for a treat! For the majority of our stay, the sky was cloudy and it even started to rain at one point. This didn’t bother me as I love shooting under overcast lighting and the rain made for some lovely gloomy shots of the lake. Cue everyone running for shelter and me with the biggest smile, camera aimed at the lake.
Not too long after, the sun came out and bathed everything in a warm, orange glow. You can see which photos were taken during this short lived golden hour and which were not. The foliage glows yellow and orange and the whole scene transforms into something more ethereal.
When we visited again a week later, the leaves didn’t look much different. I’d like to visit one more time to get the leaves at their peak but as I write this, it is late October, and it just might be a tad too late. I would love to go back during winter or right after a snow storm to capture winter shots for the first time. Fingers crossed!
Gina Staios Photography 