Picture of the Day: Week 2 In Review
Review of my Photos Of The Day project: Week 2 (POD)
Welcome to another weekly roundup of my Picture of the Day project.
Before retirement, most of my photo shoots were family walks or trips, where it was more Shoot-and-Go. This Picture-Of-The-Day project is pushing me to be a more deliberate and thoughtful photographer.
When the weather is good, I aim to capture one meaningful image each day. This project also lets me revisit my catalog for my favorite images. Sorting through nearly 75,000 photos has been a rewarding exercise in slowing down and being purposeful.
Each photo tells its own story. This weekly digest steps back to highlight broader visual themes from the past seven days and provides a bit of behind-the-scenes context.
Picture of the Day: Week 2 in Review
This week, winter made a valiant effort to keep me inside. My focus was drawn mostly to the messy, transitional season right outside my backyard. With a foot of snow, most of the pictures this week are from my continued review and working on finding the gems in my back catalog. It was a great exercise in finding beauty in the warmer spring and summer months, and the collection below feels like a true documentation of the changing season.
Day 8/365 - Daytime Full Moon
While walking, I noticed this nice framing of the moon between the branches of a tree. I tried several settings and positions, and this one was the best. I have always been a fan of astrophotography and really need to try more. Being in a highly populated urban area, it is hard to do much at night. However, I did manage to get some great snaps while heading to the car at 5:30, on my way to work.
Nikon Z6 - 1/800 at F16, ISO 640
Day 9/365 - After the Storm
More snow this week. I was at least able to get out and take a picture of our backyard bench. Definitely a picture I will add to my “Mindful Bench” series and zine. I cannot believe that in the last days of February, the sun is now setting after 6 pm and is just 2 days away from rising before 7 am. Spring is on its way. :)
Day 10/365 - Centennial 1967
I have an open photography project titled “Just Look Down.” The series examines the details that are usually overlooked. People take the effort to design on covers, sidewalks, and other surfaces, and I am trying to document some of these objects. Finding the art in everyday objects that often get missed.
I may have been 4, but in 1967, during Canada’s Centennial, the Canadian government launched a large effort to leave a “concrete legacy”. Through a series of federally and provincially funded initiatives, the government encouraged municipalities to invest in long-term infrastructure, including libraries, community centers, and local parks.
One of the most enduring physical remnants of this era is the Centennial symbol, which was frequently stamped directly into wet cement during the construction of these projects. While these stamps are found nationwide, they are particularly prevalent in Toronto and throughout Ontario.
Centennial 1967 - iPhone 11 - 1/200 Sec at F1.8, ISO 32
Day 11/365 - Stoneboats and “Stone Hooking”
One of my favorite waterfront buildings is located in Bronte Harbour. This picture is from 2008, when the building was home to Stoneboats. This is an authentic 1840s “stonehookery” building. The building’s signature thick stone façade was constructed from Dundas shale, dragged from the lake by the schooners and horse-drawn stone boats of the era.
In the 1800s, before inland quarries were established and modern concrete was invented, there was a massive demand for building materials in developing cities across Ontario. To meet this need, a booming industry known as “stone hooking” emerged along the lake’s shoreline, particularly around Bronte, Oakville, and Port Credit. (More Info Link)
Stoneboats (2008)- Nikon D40 - 1/320 Sec at F20, ISO 400
Day 12/365 - Amazing Coronation Park Sunrise
Getting out before the sun rises is far easier in the fall and winter. Here in Oakville, we have the shores of Lake Ontario and the sunrise portion of the lake shore. I searched my catalog for sunrises and have an amazing number to choose from.
This sunrise is right where this small creek flows out to the lake. The stones light up with the early-morning sun’s shine.
Day 13/365 - Standpipes On Campus
Fighting self-doubt about my photography, these pictures go back to my first few months at Microsoft, back in 2007. As a new hire, I went to the Redmond campus for two weeks of consultant training and onboarding. I had heard so much about the DotCom companies and the campuses. I brought my camera, my 6-megapixel Nikon D40 DX.
The Nikon D40 is a classic 6.1-megapixel DX-format (APS-C) DSLR introduced in late 2006. It has been on many a trip over the years, and was one of my first ‘real” digital cameras. Looking up the stats, the pictures are amazing, given that it had a straightforward 3-point autofocus system and a base ISO range of 200 to 1600.
That being said, I liked drawing attention to the bright curb that anchors the bottom of the frame and the heavy metal standpipes hidden among the soft, feathery flowers. New enough development not to be too hidden.
Standpipes On Campus - Nikon D40 DX- 1/500 sec at F5.3, ISO 640
Day 14/365 - Starfish Beach House PEI
This blast from the past is from 2018 and the Google Pixel 3A. This family trip to Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, in the summer of 2018, was one of the best trips my wife and I have taken. Being from a Maritime family, I always feel at home.
The Starfish Beach House is in the coastal village of Victoria, often called Victoria-by-the-Sea. This weathered fishing boat has found its second act, resting in the coastal grass outside the house. It’s a great symbol of the quiet beauty in transition and finding new purpose in the landscape.
Starfish Beach House PEI - Google Pixel 3A- 1/2500 sec at F1.8, ISO 54
