Another brilliant Toronto sunset. Sunsets like these near the end of winter feel like a light at the end of the tunnel. I personally don’t mind winter and I love the photographic opportunities, but by the end, it really starts to eat away at me. I look forward to the longer days and the sunsets at 8 or 9pm. We still have a little while longer to go but with vivid skies like these, the wait feels a little easier.
A few shots of the vibrant pink sky we had on the 2nd. These were taken in the backyard where I’m lucky to have a great view of the brilliant sky. This is one of those sunsets that Torontonians will be talking about for a while.
Some magical moments at Cherry Beach. The ice that could be seen before was completely covered by snow. It was snowing while we were there and the sun was also starting to set. I’ve never seen anything like it, where the landscape was filled with a golden glow from the hazy sunset while the snowflakes were prettily falling to the ground. It was a peaceful moment that I want to remember always.
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 combination of blue skies at twilight and the tops of bare trees have always fascinated me. Summer, winter, any season, it always feels so dreamy going for a walk and looking up seeing the branches against the clear sky. This attachment also stems from the fact that this is a common occurrence in my actual dreams so seeing it in real life often feels otherworldly to me. These are simpler photos than what I usually capture but I’m still happy I had my camera with me on this walk. Sometimes it’s the simple moments that help pull us through.
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.
Another Toronto snowfall! Getting photos of when the snow is freshly fallen is really something special. Undisturbed and with no tracks, the scene always looks so calm and peaceful.
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!
Gina Staios Photography 