tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85754662012-01-31T20:38:02.637-05:00Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.comBlogger9481100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-33314834970408746432012-01-31T20:38:00.000-05:002012-01-31T20:38:02.643-05:00

Two different days, not two different seasons. These photos were taken twenty-four hours and two minutes apart.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-72622021416037172582012-01-29T18:33:00.002-05:002012-01-29T18:37:26.749-05:00

More from my Canon S100. It has a "custom" setting on the mode dial that I've configured for long exposures. It engages the neutral density filter, zooms the lens out a bit, changes the focus and metering modes, kicks in one-third of a stop of over-exposure, and although it aspires to a fifteen second shutter speed it will shorten it as needed. It's a clever little camera – my TS3, which

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-35904544980645266352012-01-28T20:30:00.001-05:002012-01-29T18:33:50.595-05:00

When I bought my little Canon S100 compact camera, I knew it would be better than my Panasonic for night photography. But I never thought it would turn out to be so adept at long exposures. The photo of the food truck has that interesting pattern overlay because the camera fell forward during the exposure. And the one with the streetcar has two faint dotted light trails in it from

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-32737062829267508152012-01-17T22:28:00.003-05:002012-01-17T22:30:21.661-05:00

Another photo from my long-delayed and light-damaged roll of XP2 film; it was taken during the summer at the Leslie Street Spit. This was the trip (and the camera) that sparked the idea that eventually became my 'Lakefill' series.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-51072822285036547162012-01-13T22:04:00.000-05:002012-01-13T22:04:02.139-05:00

We're on the brink of the middle of January, and this is the first day that Toronto has finally had its first real attempt at a snow storm. It seemed like a good day for scanning film of people skating at city hall. It took me almost a year to finish a single roll of film, for a total of nine exposures. I have two backs for my GX680, and the one with black and white film didn't see much use.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-48742475799338793422012-01-06T11:48:00.000-05:002012-01-06T11:48:09.294-05:00

I want to say that this is to give a bit of variety after so many photos from my 'time and motion' project, but it's blatantly the same basic image from a different subject. I even used some of the same processing techniques. In fact, I'm pretty sure that this is from the same roll of film as the red one, "III".

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-72053924941241719352011-12-31T23:59:00.000-05:002011-12-31T23:59:01.041-05:00

The fourth in my irregular series of welcoming the new year with a strip club photo.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-89411208685425047752011-12-31T23:36:00.004-05:002011-12-31T23:50:50.633-05:00

One more before the new year. This one is from a different camera.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-42357021945026760532011-12-24T14:38:00.001-05:002011-12-31T23:39:01.307-05:00

When I first started sorting through these photographs I quickly discovered that I would need to operate a little differently. Typically I grade by quality, making further and further refinements as I cull down to the fewest possible photos, but the unexpected nature of these meant that I needed to form broader groups before I could do that. Instead I graded by characteristics, either '

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-48311166061933751252011-12-09T18:33:00.000-05:002011-12-09T18:33:59.264-05:00

I won't say what the camera was pointing at when I took these photos, because what it is and what it looks like doesn't need to be the same thing. Most of my photos are the result of reduction and control. For these I've set up a situation and guided the process, but don't know what the results will look like until the very last stages. Captured on film, I've layered the colours and

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-83650028357891441062011-12-03T20:32:00.000-05:002011-12-03T20:32:25.417-05:00

This is an out-take from a series that I've been working on recently, and as anyone who sees this would probably expect, it's not for the obvious reason. The camera was pointing the wrong way.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-33972311324407144942011-11-28T20:57:00.000-05:002011-11-28T20:57:51.902-05:00

Three photos mostly from Montreal.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-82047504639978638632011-11-20T17:30:00.000-05:002011-11-20T17:30:42.881-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-43406162976329468232011-11-20T17:25:00.000-05:002011-11-20T17:25:47.585-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-54466062408361708642011-11-20T17:23:00.000-05:002011-11-20T17:23:39.931-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-4777263173939079332011-11-20T17:20:00.000-05:002011-11-20T17:20:14.153-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-76434925432766484752011-11-20T17:16:00.000-05:002011-11-20T17:16:49.756-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-13690903138776370522011-11-11T20:47:00.001-05:002011-11-11T20:49:08.720-05:00

The different cameras with the same subject. The first is from an Olympus XA, built in 1981, using modern black and white film; the second is from a Panasonic TS3 digital camera that's thirty years younger. Both are excellent compact cameras from their respective generations, and make a great team now.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-69740634953481315842011-11-04T15:11:00.000-05:002011-11-04T15:11:49.173-05:00

I still have a few things puttering along, but nothing much to show right now. These are the photos that I was going to post before I was sidetracked by a couple of rolls of film. I do really like low-key photos, and am looking forward to a time when I can print these properly. They might make a nice triptych as framed 5x7's, or possibly some others in the series could create a short folio.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-82118192957636399442011-10-27T23:59:00.000-05:002011-10-27T23:59:41.001-05:00

A million dollars isn't actually all that expensive for a decent home in Toronto – it's not at all difficult to find examples of the disparity in wealth in the city. But in the same way that the poorest in North America lives far above the global poverty level of $2 a day, those who experience hardship in downtown Toronto are still in a more livable city, with better services, amenities, and

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-14562297375609429002011-10-25T21:17:00.002-05:002011-10-25T21:18:53.185-05:00

There are a couple of things that seem a little out of joint with the "Occupy" movement coming to Canada. One is that it's created out of an American experience, where the non-wealthy are systematically and institutionally screwed in ways that just aren't happening in Canada. The other is that despite the slogans, we here in Canada – and the USA, and western Europe – aren't the 99%. We are

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-22981003301432113792011-10-19T22:03:00.002-05:002011-10-19T22:03:04.472-05:00

I go to a park and take photos of the supplies for rebuilding the parking lot.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-45588924766620369582011-10-06T01:17:00.005-05:002011-10-06T01:17:00.567-05:00

Photographs from Toronto City Hall, 27 August 2011.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-59323974062448730752011-10-02T17:27:00.000-05:002011-10-02T17:27:50.084-05:00

More from playing with my little camera. I bought the more expensive model with rangefinder focusing, and all of these have used the scale focusing that the cheaper models are designed for. Still, there's something to be said for having the better one.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-20181845724925575952011-10-01T19:47:00.001-05:002011-10-01T19:48:03.258-05:00

I'm not really into the Cultural Tourism photos these days, and I'm very self-concious of using a camera in public, but I've recently gained a little tiny 35mm camera and needed to try it out. And the third photo in this set is weak, but the first two aren't strong enough to stand on their own, so certain compromises needed to be made.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-69140898651518415872011-09-26T01:52:00.039-05:002011-09-26T01:52:00.772-05:00

I have to admit that I'm losing track of what I've posted here. I've made four trips to the Spit (so far) this year. The first was in March with my Hasselblad and 150mm lens, which was a practice run for Coney Island. The second time was in July, after I was back from my second trip to Coney Island, and I used my Fujifilm GX680 for that. I have only posted one photo from those two trips –

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-27697431668397827212011-09-25T19:48:00.000-05:002011-09-25T19:48:21.060-05:00

I brought my infra-red-converted superzoom on a recent trip out of the city. The camera has a filter on the front that blocks visible light, so it looks completely black. So far nobody's tried to tell me that I've left the lens cap on.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-54024489679243397262011-09-21T19:10:00.003-05:002011-09-21T19:10:00.474-05:00

I was taking just one more photo, playing with the arrangement of flowers, when a bee landed on the one I was already focused on. What else could I do?

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-75430556954183871492011-09-20T19:06:00.005-05:002011-09-20T19:06:00.488-05:00

In an unusual move, I've been using my D700 and over-exposing by at least a stop. It's a pretty good camera, and I've been impressed by the results.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-55725012264271020552011-09-19T19:04:00.007-05:002011-09-19T19:04:00.186-05:00

A trip to Edwards Gardens gave me the chance to practice for greeting cards.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-8535222702241287872011-09-18T19:01:00.004-05:002011-09-18T19:01:00.178-05:00

A little colour for the end of summer.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-29989775979446982962011-09-17T19:00:00.001-05:002011-09-17T19:18:52.251-05:00

These days even shopping bads are quoting Gandhi.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-44217073078054476282011-09-05T00:05:00.002-05:002011-09-04T21:36:25.927-05:00

I've been going to the Leslie Street Spit for a decade. Officially known as Tommy Thompson Park, it's a nature reserve that's open to the public on the weekends, but during the week it's the city's tipping site for construction waste. It's the largest of the infill projects that have reshaped the waterfront. The side of the spit that faces the city is covered with trees and is home to

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-83943665475691195772011-09-04T01:19:00.004-05:002011-09-04T01:19:00.939-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-23157506064080708382011-09-03T01:17:00.000-05:002011-09-03T01:17:00.090-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-86866520712681382282011-09-02T01:15:00.001-05:002011-09-02T01:15:00.390-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-42182023989386978562011-09-01T01:13:00.003-05:002011-09-01T01:13:00.425-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-7561722030425411342011-08-31T01:11:00.001-05:002011-08-31T01:11:00.099-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-25012631773560713002011-08-30T01:06:00.001-05:002011-08-30T01:06:00.585-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-85921276262247359472011-08-27T23:04:00.000-05:002011-08-27T23:04:10.109-05:00

The CN Tower lit in tribute for Jack Layton.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-90151571605110277552011-08-27T17:23:00.002-05:002011-08-27T17:23:39.315-05:00

One of the small parts of Toronto that could pass for Chicago.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-10995535987599446522011-08-26T15:39:00.000-05:002011-08-26T15:39:00.150-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-54541822485784584202011-08-14T19:42:00.000-05:002011-08-14T19:42:16.300-05:00

Recently I've taken a lot of photos for specific series, and haven't done as much of the random walking-around photos this year. But for the next little bit, these are some of the scattered ones that I like.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-35959544315559126912011-08-11T21:05:00.001-05:002011-08-12T21:07:55.793-05:00

One of my first photos was of a telephone, taken through a window.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-45999485344672693482011-08-05T13:00:00.000-05:002011-08-05T13:00:09.889-05:00

The final photo from my June 2011 trip to New York. For a few weeks each year the setting sun transits past the Manhattan street grid, and it worked out that I was in the right place to catch a few photos.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-71561391673957467162011-07-31T16:04:00.000-05:002011-07-31T16:04:54.277-05:00

A few rare colour photos from modern midtown Manhattan.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-11704482197326266812011-07-20T19:45:00.002-05:002011-07-22T16:40:51.673-05:00

I switched to New Portra 400 for my colour photos later in the afternoon, both to squeeze out more light, and to come closer to the look of my photos from the spring that were taken with the same film but a bigger camera. Both cameras were manual focus, though – most of my best ones are.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-63787521138030310982011-07-18T21:58:00.000-05:002011-07-18T21:58:32.250-05:00

The parade went on for hours and hours, and even when it was done it didn't really stop.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-51824855390549124722011-07-10T19:55:00.001-05:002011-07-10T19:58:46.554-05:00

As befitting any event that centres around mostly scantily clad women and large crowds, there was a strong police presence. This particular officer was amazing – he was asked "how do I get around this thing?" so many times that I was getting ready to snap after only twenty minutes, while he must have dealt with it for hours. Each time he answered it as politely and completely as if it was

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-80057738891165501782011-07-07T09:58:00.002-05:002011-07-07T10:02:26.348-05:00

There's a large parade in Coney Island to mark the beginning of summer. I accidentally booked my bus tickets for that Saturday, which dramatically changed all of my plans for New York City. The parade frequently resembled collections of people in costumes loosely walking in roughly the same direction, but made up for its lack of cohesion by lasting for hours and hours. The huge

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-54944020918500872412011-07-05T07:22:00.000-05:002011-07-05T07:22:25.419-05:00

I have a few more black and white photos from the morning in Manhattan, but I used colour film for much of the afternoon.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-25597301769270906742011-07-01T22:20:00.000-05:002011-07-01T22:20:37.297-05:00

I almost always remember where I took my photos. Almost.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-68756215507509317032011-06-28T20:15:00.000-05:002011-06-28T20:15:54.062-05:00

Madison Avenue at East 52nd Street.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-79984131414981783762011-06-27T21:19:00.000-05:002011-06-27T21:19:52.596-05:00

When I booked my bus ticket I thought I would spend the entire day walking 42nd street, and visiting the places it passes by. I'm glad I didn't do that.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-12509218071555975162011-06-24T21:14:00.000-05:002011-06-24T21:14:35.695-05:00

It was strange weather in New York, warm but slightly hazy. This is post number nine hundred and one, figuratively speaking.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-21243284643688721192011-06-22T20:31:00.000-05:002011-06-22T20:31:58.986-05:00

Many people like photos that raise questions for the viewer, and for me this accomplishes that. I look at this and wonder how the store hasn't accidentally burned to the ground. But everyone's entitled to their own interpretation.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-27285383476380916382011-06-21T18:59:00.001-05:002011-06-21T18:59:17.315-05:00

In Midtown on Saturday I did two loops around Times Square, Grand Central, and the Apple Store. Just few hours apart, there was a huge difference in the life of the city.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-51249374879520258282011-06-20T20:55:00.000-05:002011-06-20T20:55:33.761-05:00

Positively Fifth street, New York City.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-53876888930660422352011-06-17T13:23:00.003-05:002011-06-17T13:24:24.035-05:00

On the road again.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-30502949125827544542011-06-15T22:31:00.001-05:002011-06-15T22:32:07.826-05:00

I took this as I hurried to work last Monday, and I used my Nikon F100 film SLR. On the way home I saw that the basic arrangement was the same, and took out my digital P&S camera for a reshoot. Its battery was flat, and I don't carry a spare with me. So despite the constant predictions of its demise, I can safely say that film isn't dead – but batteries often are.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-65908777588905193522011-06-12T21:45:00.000-05:002011-06-12T21:45:48.062-05:00

A couple more photos that I liked from my underwater adventure.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-48008246808077438102011-06-11T22:04:00.005-05:002011-06-12T21:40:24.952-05:00

While it's been pretty quiet over here, my daily photo project has been progressing rather nicely. Using film cameras means that I take photos in lumps, so I'm countering that by using a digital point-and-shoot and posting one photo from it every day since it came out of the box. I upload my favourites from each day to a gallery, and the project continues until it reaches 5000 photos. I'm

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-20834552029279363102011-06-05T21:14:00.000-05:002011-06-05T21:14:01.537-05:00

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-90046236160242923642011-05-24T19:17:00.001-05:002011-05-24T19:18:14.593-05:00

If memory serves me correctly, this is the second digital photo that I've posted so far in 2011. This is from my trusty old Olympus E-1, which is quite happy in the rain. (I call the E-1 old, which in digital terms it is, but I have five film cameras that weren't even made during this century. One is APS and another is retired, while the other three continue to provide reliable service.)

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-49506042092830156692011-05-21T21:24:00.000-05:002011-05-21T21:24:02.285-05:00

I always have some down time after a trip, but I had to get at least one photo of the cherry blossoms.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-16868367996901600442011-05-15T21:23:00.000-05:002011-06-02T20:16:12.090-05:00

The last photo from my March trip to Coney Island, fresh from the lab. It took me until now to finish the roll that was in the camera - #10 from the trip. Perhaps interestingly, the rest of roll #10 was test exposures for a new lens, which I may be taking when I go back to Coney Island in June. I'm not quite sure which camera I'll bring – it will be a very different place – but the Hasselblad

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-31589618502325932492011-05-08T15:41:00.001-05:002011-05-08T15:42:14.588-05:00

Something that I didn't expect from my first visit is the way so many ambulances park near the boardwalk, even early in the morning. Most are simply vans, but after watching so many TV shows set in NYC, seeing one of their trucks was a little like meeting a celebrity.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-6085684186810189342011-05-04T21:53:00.000-05:002011-05-04T21:53:15.030-05:00

An unusual number of my coney island photos included fences. "Unusual" for other photographers, at least.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-90649415114414410112011-05-01T16:42:00.000-05:002011-05-01T16:42:12.585-05:00

A telephoto lens turned out to not be the best for capturing views of the boardwalk.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-18909222440716268682011-04-30T20:09:00.000-05:002011-04-30T20:09:43.561-05:00

I'm still working on picking and finishing my favourites from Coney Island, and haven't taken any photos in the month since – except for my regular daily photo project that I'm doing with my little compact camera. So instead of having anything new to show, I have some other photos that I like that didn't get included in the first round of picks. Plans for my next trip are starting to come

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-56135512351378203682011-04-13T21:02:00.000-05:002011-04-13T21:02:33.557-05:00

The slogan on the garbage can reads "Clean Streets Clean Beaches". The building in the background is Nathan's Famous, reputed to be the birthplace of the hotdog. I decided that I'd rather eat at Honest Ed's, and kept my reputation for subsisting on Subway and McDonalds for yet another road trip. (I have no idea what to make of the freaky baby head.)

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-77232486497790453772011-04-12T20:52:00.000-05:002011-04-12T20:52:22.350-05:00

Coney Island's beach faces south, so it's always in the sun.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-62668624460598720182011-04-11T19:20:00.000-05:002011-04-11T19:20:05.454-05:00

Save Coney Island – development has threatened to replace the amusement parks with condominiums.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-6568251203395230952011-04-10T21:47:00.000-05:002011-04-10T21:47:35.515-05:00

A detail from the former Child's Restaurant building, vacant since the 1950s. It was recently revived as a home to the Dreamland Roller Rink, but after two years of activity it now sits empty again.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-68068857676233439312011-04-09T20:29:00.000-05:002011-04-09T20:29:58.292-05:00

It turns out that the school bus depot is a very photogenic spot along the boardwalk.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-6628024040113617152011-04-08T16:03:00.000-05:002011-04-08T16:03:12.759-05:00

None of the photos that I'm posting from Coney Island are the final images. These are essentially proofs or work prints – if such a thing exists digitally – that I'm using to refine my selections. That said, I really like this one, and it may be my best.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-71407349836894015322011-04-07T20:59:00.000-05:002011-04-07T20:59:48.934-05:00

Closed amusement parks have a certain charm.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-2451971033224946262011-04-06T20:02:00.000-05:002011-04-06T20:02:44.369-05:00

The border guards were wondering why I'd want to go to Coney Island when the rides weren't running yet.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-41818961257591718302011-04-05T20:46:00.001-05:002011-04-06T20:04:57.344-05:00

I was late getting to Coney Island, giving me no time to warm up while I was still in Manhattan. This was my second photo, which I'm fairly pleased with, but I still wish I had more time. All of the photos taken in Coney Island (spring 2011 - I reserve the right to go back) were captured with a Hasselblad 500c/m camera, 150mm T* CF f/4 lens, and portra 400 speed film. For the sake of

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-77016539603775279702011-04-04T21:17:00.000-05:002011-04-04T21:17:18.491-05:00

Every time I'm near a large body of water I'm compelled to take at least one photo that looks like this. I love them and keep trying, even though none of them have ever amounted to anything. (It's the closest I come to being a good parent.)

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-3560182130339146152011-04-03T16:14:00.000-05:002011-04-03T16:14:52.277-05:00

It's hard to argue with someone who insists that civilization is about to end when we're standing in Times Square. After all, the evidence is on his side. But if he really knew what he was talking about, why would he be hanging out here?

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-84688235215668380792011-04-01T15:18:00.000-05:002011-04-01T15:18:21.131-05:00

A short trip to Coney Island included a brief layover in Manhattan.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-64506261396964945652011-03-23T20:55:00.000-05:002011-03-23T20:55:19.816-05:00

There are certain things that I can't not take photos of. I took a trip to the Leslie Street Spit last weekend, which is a landscape of reds, yellows, and browns. Naturally, I was using black and white film. It was still a very productive trip, and I burned three rolls (36 exposures total) in about four hours. This was one of the last images that I took, but rest of the photos are going to have

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-87076400989959268842011-03-13T02:23:00.000-05:002011-03-13T02:23:35.078-05:00

Winter doesn't end, it just becomes less frequent. The snow has melted and reappeared twice since this photo was taken just a couple of weeks ago.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-51933890233481492362011-03-12T14:57:00.002-05:002011-03-12T14:57:49.355-05:00

I also wonder about shoes that are left by the side of the road.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-19116677845481167932011-03-11T18:48:00.001-05:002011-03-11T18:50:05.058-05:00

I'm pretty sure this is the same wheelbarrow, four and a half years later.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-73910197125181321582011-03-06T13:13:00.001-05:002011-03-06T13:13:57.669-05:00

Looking through my older photos here, I was really struck by how much more adventurous I was in where I would go, the weather I would be out in, and the photos that I would take when I got there.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-37267958255743345532011-03-05T08:27:00.000-05:002011-03-05T08:27:24.593-05:00

I'm ready for spring, but enjoyed the minor snowstorm that we had last weekend.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-56535177823250967422011-02-27T16:52:00.000-05:002011-02-27T16:52:49.662-05:00

A suitable photo for today.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-1466733178922638882011-02-21T21:03:00.000-05:002011-02-21T21:03:32.213-05:00

I've been singularly unproductive recently, but have been spending a little time going through some of my negatives now that I have a new film holder for my flatbed scanner. Film likes to curl, and newly-developed film often has a very strong arch to it that can take it out of a scanner's depth of field. Scanning negatives that are older, have been stored flat, and using a holder with a glass

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-48097646810624157272011-02-13T17:32:00.000-05:002011-02-13T17:32:00.386-05:00

Taking off from the Toronto Island Airport

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-30977783922908722022011-02-11T13:43:00.002-05:002011-02-11T13:43:49.877-05:00

I try to take this photo at least once each winter.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-4442606014674146292011-02-09T22:46:00.000-05:002011-02-09T22:46:10.834-05:00

Water and rocks at the western gap.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-71542391229120638842011-02-07T19:50:00.002-05:002011-02-16T19:43:06.326-05:00

Even the name of the PATH system linking Toronto's downtown towers concedes that it's a route to somewhere else, not a place to be in its own right. This is what it looks like on a sunday morning.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-19005711808298451502011-02-05T16:06:00.001-05:002011-02-05T16:07:13.720-05:00

With all of the huge machines around, it's easy to overlook the way that these massive buildings are essentially built by hand. "Aurora" development, Yonge and Gerrard.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-40425324743486738812011-02-03T10:27:00.001-05:002011-02-03T10:27:38.107-05:00

It took longer than I expected, but the heritage building that once stood at Yonge and Gould has been reduced to a depression in the ground. This was taken early last week, but demolition equipment continues to pick over the site. There's been little in the news to suggest that there's been progress on the investigation, although the police have released some very bad surveillance footage

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-53998786180052128172011-01-29T16:42:00.002-05:002011-01-29T16:42:39.893-05:00

Motion blur isn't usually a problem with rhinos, but this was taken at 1/4 second.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-7369782539086720872011-01-27T22:48:00.000-05:002011-01-27T22:48:48.306-05:00

Not the decisive moment.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-73381477474010150042011-01-21T19:16:00.000-05:002011-01-21T19:16:34.680-05:00

I like this photo, but it makes me sad.

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8575466.post-2528661134809046992011-01-19T22:24:00.000-05:002011-01-19T22:24:18.517-05:00

Playing with the GX680 for close-up work is a challenge, but entertaining. This image is softer than I would like, but I'm not sure which of the many possible causes is to blame. (More specifically, I know that it's user error, but I'm not sure which error it is.)

Matthew Robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04134787874718415563noreply@blogger.com0