Tag: Summer

Toronto’s Shrine Peace Memorial on July 18th, 2021.

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Digital, 2021.

My first visit to Toronto’s Shrine Peace Memorial. The memorial serves as a symbol of friendship and peace between Canada and the United States. It’s located on the CNE grounds and there are flower gardens nearby.

The sky was very hazy on the day we chose to visit. This resulted in really lovely subdued even lighting. Overcast skies are my preferred choice of lighting whenever I’m shooting outdoors. It’s easier to achieve soft and well exposed photos. Sunny days usually result in harsh shadows and uneven lighting which isn’t what I’m usually trying to achieve.

When photographing the allium flowers (the circular flowers that look like fireworks), I unluckily walked into a spiderweb. I felt something on my face and went to wipe it off. All I remember seeing is a speck of black on my palm with many legs. Maybe it was an ant. But with my luck and fear of spiders, it was probably a spider. I didn’t check to see what it was as I immediately started shaking my hand. Did I shriek a little? Why yes, yes I did.

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Pink Summer Sunset on July 15th, 2021.

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Digital, 2021.

Such an intense summer sunset!! I was at my usual spot waiting for sundown, but unfortunately the sky remained dull and unchanging. So I decided to leave. I had a feeling that I should have stayed but I didn’t listen to my gut as I should have. There have been many other times where I’d leave thinking nothing would happen only for the sky to start changing minutes later. Sunsets can really be so unpredictable sometimes.

On the drive home, I noticed the sky turning pink. And this wasn’t your standard soft sunset pink. This was a bright pink that was only getting more intense by the moment. We pulled over by a nearby park and I dashed out to photograph whatever I could. Sunsets like these don’t happen every day and I felt so humbled being alone surrounded by a giant expanse of vibrant sky. The energy felt electric and you could smell the incoming rain in the air.

The lighting here was tricky and it made me realize that I really need a new camera that handles low light situations better. I feel regret when I think about the photos that didn’t turn out but there was nothing I could do, both in the moment and in postproduction.

When I felt like I had all of the photos I wanted, the sunset was also starting to fade. Then, there was a sudden shift in the air and I could hear the rain start to make its way in. I grabbed my belongings and made a mad dash to the car before the rain could really get bad. Once I closed the car door, the skies opened up and it just started pouring. Good timing on my part!

What I love about sunsets like these is how they become the talk of the town for the next few days. I really enjoy going on Instagram to see all the other photos my fellow Torontonians have taken. While Toronto is definitely blessed with its fair share of gorgeous sunsets, ones like these don’t happen often and they get all us nature lovers excited!

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Toronto Music Gardens on July 14th, 2021.

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Digital, 2021.

Another trip to the Toronto Music Gardens! This visit was done on a weekday which resulted in a nearly empty space. I prefer no people in my photographs so that was a bonus for me. Plus, it feels like the whole garden is there just for you.

The Music Gardens initially were meant for the city of Boston but when those plans fell through, Toronto stepped in and the gardens found their home here. Inspired by Bach, the garden is meant to be explored while listening to specific musical pieces. I have not had a chance to try that out myself but I can say that the garden is gorgeous and special all on its own, as well.

Since my first visits here occurred this year during summer, I’m very curious to see what the landscape will look like in autumn, with red and orange leaves everywhere. Or in winter, with fresh snow clinging to the trees and architecture.

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Hydrangeas on July 11th, 2021.

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Digital, 2021.

I went looking for hydrangeas on my walk and found hydrangeas on my walk. I love these flowers so much. Aside from cherry blossoms, they might just be my second favourite flower. I love how long they bloom for and how long they last. They come in all sorts of colours and are like the cotton candy of flowers.

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Toronto Music Garden Flowers on July 10th, 2021.

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Digital, 2021.

I’ve lived in Toronto all my life and yet I’ve never heard of the Toronto Music Gardens. I’ve seen photos taken there but I never questioned where they were taken. We decided to head down one weekend and I was amazed at how gorgeous the whole space was. When exploring the flower gardens, I loved seeing all these pretty flowers close up, especially allium!

I didn’t get more shots of the main space as we went on the weekend and it was pretty busy and I prefer not having any people in my shots. For that, it’s best to visit on a weekday, which we eventually did. Those photos will be up soon!

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