With some sunsets, you blink and you miss the whole thing. With others, they keep going on and on, their colours changing every few moments. Both are beautiful in their own right but with summer approaching, I really can’t wait for those vivid sunsets that make you thankful for being able to exist in that moment. This spring sunset feels almost like a sneak peak!
These are all old photographs that I went back and reworked into infrared inspired images. I think at this point, I’ve exhausted all older photos that would work well with this edit and where I ended up liking the final result. With the greenery of summer, I’m hoping for some new images 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.
Lately, many places in Toronto have frozen due to the crazy cold weather. The pond at Brickworks is one of those places. The ice was visible in some parts but due to the snowfall the day before, the pond was mostly covered in snow. It was such a beautiful scene and one that’s strikingly different, even in winter.
Not the first sunset of 2021, but the first one I’ve taken! The sky began to glow after I left my spot thinking nothing would happen. Luckily, I was still able to find a place to get some photos of the red and pink sky.
A few days after Toronto got its fair share of snow, I decided to venture out to the Scarborough Bluffs in the hopes of finding some stunning scenes. It was great timing on my part as the weather warmed up in the next few days after that and most of the beautiful snow had melted.
Up top, it was frigidly cold. My fingers nearly froze taking just by taking a few photos. Honestly though, it was 100% worth it. A little while later, we made our way down to Bluffers Park below. I didn’t want to waste too much time up top as we would be losing light soon and I knew the trek to the beach was a longer one, even with the car. The pathway there was covered in snow (obviously) but there was a bunch of ice from a ton of foot travel. It’s best to give yourself a lot of time and to take it slow because wiping out there does not sound ideal.
But when we finally emerged on to the beach, man oh man was the view worth it. The sun was starting to set and its orange light was glittering on the water’s waves. During the summer, the sun is hidden behind the landscape so it was quite a treat to see it this time. I wanted to stay for the complete sunset but unfortunately, that would require us staying for another hour or so. The cold wasn’t an issue down by the beach but it was too long of a wait for us. Hopefully on my next visit, I’ll be able to catch one of those stunning sunsets that everyone talks about for days later!
I recently fell back in love with infrared photography. While these are edits made in Photoshop and don’t quite look like the real thing, I had a blast going through old photos and picking out which ones I thought would look best with this particular edit. I’m in the market for a new camera but now, I definitely want to venture out and do some research on infrared modified cameras!
Just my luck that when I am able to venture out in hopes of a sunset, I’m greeted with a scene like this. It couldn’t be more of a rejection from Mother Nature. The Toronto skyline really does look so very different without the CN Tower and with so many skyscrapers being covered by fog. To a Torontonian, scenes like this always look like something from out of a dream.
I can officially call these the last photos of autumn 2020! I shot these during golden hour and despite there being many bare branches, the trees were aglow with orange light. Fall is always a beautiful season, and if you ask me, it is the most beautiful, so I am a little sad to see it go. One thing I’m thankful for this year is that I had the time and opportunity to be able to go and take many, many photos of the foliage. I wasn’t so lucky last year. Looking into my Autumn 2019 folder was a little disappointing, seeing as I only had photos from one day and they weren’t what I’d call quintessential “autumn photography.” Compared to almost 200 photos from this year, I feel very blessed being able to look back and recall memories from those days and to have the visuals to go along with them. I feel proud of myself for being able to take photos that are some of my favourites ever and what I feel is some of my best work.
Feelings like these are what drive and motivate me to keep going and they give me something to look forward to. It’s been a very miserable year, and a tough few weeks for me personally. It may sound cheesy but sometimes it’s the little things that ground us and bring us some spark of joy.
I can’t wait to see what the second most beautiful season of the year, and by that I mean winter, has up its sleeve for us photographers.
Some autumn foliage as seen from around Riverdale Park. I’ve always wanted to take photos like this and I’m glad I was able to this year before the season is over.
Gina Staios Photography 