Saturday, August 6, 2011
Photo #39:
Sitting by the harbourfront at sunset today, I was waiting on a former work colleague from Montreal who was in town on business. I'm so primal in that any time I can be barefoot, I will be. I just hate shoes. I sat down at my favourite spot (that I usually only visit at night) and kicked off my shoes. I like this picture because the harbour almost seems like an infinity pool--there you have my tootsies, and behind it, just endless sea.
Sitting by the harbourfront at sunset today, I was waiting on a former work colleague from Montreal who was in town on business. I'm so primal in that any time I can be barefoot, I will be. I just hate shoes. I sat down at my favourite spot (that I usually only visit at night) and kicked off my shoes. I like this picture because the harbour almost seems like an infinity pool--there you have my tootsies, and behind it, just endless sea.
Photo #36:
I don't really know what my fascination is with benches like these, or what drove me to head on out to Peggy's Cove today after work. I shot this bench a few times in the past and just never liked the way the photo turned out, for some reason. Just couldn't get what I wanted. The sky was a fantastic shade of blue today but the more I drove out, the more overcast and gloomy it became. It has been wicked hot in Halifax lately, so it was the hazy kind of gloom where you can practically see the heat radiating off of everything. I have about 50 shots of this stupid chair, and now, I believe I found the one I want. Don't know why, but this one seems more right than all the others.
I don't really know what my fascination is with benches like these, or what drove me to head on out to Peggy's Cove today after work. I shot this bench a few times in the past and just never liked the way the photo turned out, for some reason. Just couldn't get what I wanted. The sky was a fantastic shade of blue today but the more I drove out, the more overcast and gloomy it became. It has been wicked hot in Halifax lately, so it was the hazy kind of gloom where you can practically see the heat radiating off of everything. I have about 50 shots of this stupid chair, and now, I believe I found the one I want. Don't know why, but this one seems more right than all the others.
Photo #35:
Citadel Hill is this humongous, steep fortress built on the top of downtown Halifax. It is so huge that it is visible from pretty much anywhere in the city, and it spans about 15 city blocks. Just an enormous fortress that was built in case Halifax ever got attacked (which it never did). Citadel Hill is both my best friend and my worse nemesis. I run on that hill. At the top, the road encircling the crest is built like an 8 point star--but the road rises and falls in steep inclines, just like the fortress does. I run all the way to the top--a feat in itself--then I circle it a few times, heaving as the hills zap everything I have left in my quads. When I'm not cursing it to high hell, Citadel Hill is a lovely place to get a panoramic view of the city, and to just lay on and have a picnic.
Citadel Hill is this humongous, steep fortress built on the top of downtown Halifax. It is so huge that it is visible from pretty much anywhere in the city, and it spans about 15 city blocks. Just an enormous fortress that was built in case Halifax ever got attacked (which it never did). Citadel Hill is both my best friend and my worse nemesis. I run on that hill. At the top, the road encircling the crest is built like an 8 point star--but the road rises and falls in steep inclines, just like the fortress does. I run all the way to the top--a feat in itself--then I circle it a few times, heaving as the hills zap everything I have left in my quads. When I'm not cursing it to high hell, Citadel Hill is a lovely place to get a panoramic view of the city, and to just lay on and have a picnic.
Photo #34:
"You march to the beat of your own drum, Lisa" that's something my mother always told me, and it's something that I both loved and hated to hear. I know I'm different. Sometimes I embrace that, explore it, make it grow--and sometimes I wish I was a tall, skinny blond with no intellect. Life might be easier--but it certainly wouldn't be as rich. It's funny how I see beauty in every one and every thing--except for in myself. There's a lot of things about myself I don't like, but years of therapy taught me not to speak of them, because spoken thoughts become real ones. My dark skin--everyone always thinks I'm "ethnic" or "exotic" and it's bothersome. Getting asked "what are you?" on a daily basis sucks. My hair--wild, big and curly and incapable of keeping a straight lock, especially in Halifax. My shoulders are wide. My legs are far too big. But, there are moments when I feel beautiful--sitting by the water front tonight, cross-legged on the ground just smelling my beloved ocean--I felt my own beauty. All of these things I hate on myself are slowly but surely becoming beautiful in their own way, and maybe one day--I'll find the boy that finds them beautiful, too.
"You march to the beat of your own drum, Lisa" that's something my mother always told me, and it's something that I both loved and hated to hear. I know I'm different. Sometimes I embrace that, explore it, make it grow--and sometimes I wish I was a tall, skinny blond with no intellect. Life might be easier--but it certainly wouldn't be as rich. It's funny how I see beauty in every one and every thing--except for in myself. There's a lot of things about myself I don't like, but years of therapy taught me not to speak of them, because spoken thoughts become real ones. My dark skin--everyone always thinks I'm "ethnic" or "exotic" and it's bothersome. Getting asked "what are you?" on a daily basis sucks. My hair--wild, big and curly and incapable of keeping a straight lock, especially in Halifax. My shoulders are wide. My legs are far too big. But, there are moments when I feel beautiful--sitting by the water front tonight, cross-legged on the ground just smelling my beloved ocean--I felt my own beauty. All of these things I hate on myself are slowly but surely becoming beautiful in their own way, and maybe one day--I'll find the boy that finds them beautiful, too.
Photo #33:
This is my roommate, Rebecca. Rebecca is a beautiful soul. She's a phenomenal artist over every single medium--she paints, she writes, she makes jewelry, she sculpts, draws, makes collages, designs her own clothes and she's a photographer. We're kindred spirits in a way--we have the same humour and we're both random in the most unthinkable ways. I came in stumbling on Thursday night, already well drunk, and started throwing my clothes off in an attempt to get ready. When she asked me where I was going, I told her to a club, and asked her if she wanted to come. In about 3 minutes flat, she was ready to go. She threw on short jeans shorts, a striped tank top--and black knee socks with combat boots. It would have looked ridiculous on anyone else, but on Rebecca, it just worked. She's this clumsy, 6'0 blazing redhead who weighs about 100lbs soaking wet, but to me she just epitomizes what it means to be beautiful--in every sense of the word. Today we made a picnic and headed up Citadel Hill to enjoy the best views of the city. I snapped this photo of her as we were laying down catching some rays.
This is my roommate, Rebecca. Rebecca is a beautiful soul. She's a phenomenal artist over every single medium--she paints, she writes, she makes jewelry, she sculpts, draws, makes collages, designs her own clothes and she's a photographer. We're kindred spirits in a way--we have the same humour and we're both random in the most unthinkable ways. I came in stumbling on Thursday night, already well drunk, and started throwing my clothes off in an attempt to get ready. When she asked me where I was going, I told her to a club, and asked her if she wanted to come. In about 3 minutes flat, she was ready to go. She threw on short jeans shorts, a striped tank top--and black knee socks with combat boots. It would have looked ridiculous on anyone else, but on Rebecca, it just worked. She's this clumsy, 6'0 blazing redhead who weighs about 100lbs soaking wet, but to me she just epitomizes what it means to be beautiful--in every sense of the word. Today we made a picnic and headed up Citadel Hill to enjoy the best views of the city. I snapped this photo of her as we were laying down catching some rays.
Photo #28:
These rocks just never cease to amaze me. They give Lawrencetown so much character, for as much as I hate walking across them. And for as much as I hate the creepy crawlies that lurk in the gaps (seriously, spiders the size of your fist that just jut over and under the rocks so quickly you can do nothing but squeal and pee-dance around them). This is the ramp that leads down to the water, and when I knelt down here, I swear it looked like one of those crazy, colourful ball pens I used to flitter about in when I was a kid.
These rocks just never cease to amaze me. They give Lawrencetown so much character, for as much as I hate walking across them. And for as much as I hate the creepy crawlies that lurk in the gaps (seriously, spiders the size of your fist that just jut over and under the rocks so quickly you can do nothing but squeal and pee-dance around them). This is the ramp that leads down to the water, and when I knelt down here, I swear it looked like one of those crazy, colourful ball pens I used to flitter about in when I was a kid.
Photo #26:
Because the rocks are so perilous at Lawrencetown, and because I still have a bum foot, I have to bring a more stable-soled pair of shoes with me when I go. If I wore flip flops, my foot and ankle would twist amongst all the stones and it would just be bad news. These shoes aren't rock solid, but hey, they're better than flip flops. As usual, I kicked them off in a fit of joy as soon as my toes hit the sand. I walked over a few feet to get away from the rocks, and I was putting a layer of wax on my surfboard when I looked over and thought...huh. That'd make a real pretty photo. Haphazard--like me :)
Because the rocks are so perilous at Lawrencetown, and because I still have a bum foot, I have to bring a more stable-soled pair of shoes with me when I go. If I wore flip flops, my foot and ankle would twist amongst all the stones and it would just be bad news. These shoes aren't rock solid, but hey, they're better than flip flops. As usual, I kicked them off in a fit of joy as soon as my toes hit the sand. I walked over a few feet to get away from the rocks, and I was putting a layer of wax on my surfboard when I looked over and thought...huh. That'd make a real pretty photo. Haphazard--like me :)
Saturday, June 25, 2011
he always said she was good as gold
Photo #23:
Historic Properties is this little section/sidestreet by the boardwalk that is differentiated by a small banner on a walkway above the entrance. The area itself has remained, for the most part, unchanged for hundreds of years. The appearance of cheesy shops in the hundred-year old building pictured here--dentists advertising whiter smiles, souvenir shops--kind of make me sad. The new opening of a Baton Rouge restaurant (a huge steak chain in Canada), surrounded by wonderful authentic Nova Scotia restaurants and shacks makes me downright irate. But, somehow, the quaintness, tranquility and beauty of this little spot--this little cove away from the frenzy or tourists--was somehow kept.
Historic Properties is this little section/sidestreet by the boardwalk that is differentiated by a small banner on a walkway above the entrance. The area itself has remained, for the most part, unchanged for hundreds of years. The appearance of cheesy shops in the hundred-year old building pictured here--dentists advertising whiter smiles, souvenir shops--kind of make me sad. The new opening of a Baton Rouge restaurant (a huge steak chain in Canada), surrounded by wonderful authentic Nova Scotia restaurants and shacks makes me downright irate. But, somehow, the quaintness, tranquility and beauty of this little spot--this little cove away from the frenzy or tourists--was somehow kept.
you wear nothing but you wear it so well
Photo #22:
On the Commons, across from the fountain, is what I always thought was a church. The structure, architecture and stained glass windows just lead me to assume that it was a church of some kind, especially since Halifax is pretty big on churches and has quite a few of them. But while fetching a renegade frisbee this afternoon during a game of Taps, I got in close enough to read the etching above the front door. Armory. The building all of a sudden took on a whole new eerie, gloomy vibe that gives me the willies.
On the Commons, across from the fountain, is what I always thought was a church. The structure, architecture and stained glass windows just lead me to assume that it was a church of some kind, especially since Halifax is pretty big on churches and has quite a few of them. But while fetching a renegade frisbee this afternoon during a game of Taps, I got in close enough to read the etching above the front door. Armory. The building all of a sudden took on a whole new eerie, gloomy vibe that gives me the willies.
take some time and think about it
Photo #21:
Downtown Halifax is separated into three main parts--South End, where I lived last year, mainstream downtown by the harbour, and North End, where I live this year. North End is the cultural district of Halifax, on my street there's about 6 Greek tavernas, a few Turkish coffee houses, a ton of Korean restos and some dodgy Donair joints. There's also a wide open space called the Commons. The Commons are....they're strange. It's just this massive urban square space that's about 6 city blocks in total. There's 9 baseball fields, 4 soccer fields, a running track, and 3 football fields, and various winding walking paths. The grandeur is ridiculous. And despite the fact that it's a wide open space--somehow, walking across it, I always get lost. The path turns and twists and while the whole time you can see exactly where you're going, you get so disoriented because everything looks the same. The 360 view around you with the buildings and trees looks exactly the same, no matter which way you turn. Many time I thought I was headed home only to come face to face with Citadel Hill--on the opposite end of where I need to be. This beautiful fountain is facing where I live (I think), and it just looked regal with the backdrop of heavy clouds that day.
Downtown Halifax is separated into three main parts--South End, where I lived last year, mainstream downtown by the harbour, and North End, where I live this year. North End is the cultural district of Halifax, on my street there's about 6 Greek tavernas, a few Turkish coffee houses, a ton of Korean restos and some dodgy Donair joints. There's also a wide open space called the Commons. The Commons are....they're strange. It's just this massive urban square space that's about 6 city blocks in total. There's 9 baseball fields, 4 soccer fields, a running track, and 3 football fields, and various winding walking paths. The grandeur is ridiculous. And despite the fact that it's a wide open space--somehow, walking across it, I always get lost. The path turns and twists and while the whole time you can see exactly where you're going, you get so disoriented because everything looks the same. The 360 view around you with the buildings and trees looks exactly the same, no matter which way you turn. Many time I thought I was headed home only to come face to face with Citadel Hill--on the opposite end of where I need to be. This beautiful fountain is facing where I live (I think), and it just looked regal with the backdrop of heavy clouds that day.
who says we don't need love
Photo #20:
One of the very first things that put Nova Scotia on the map for me was a photo that was taken along this part of the boardwalk. The photographer had stood on a ramp of what I now know is the Marriott Harbourfront hotel, and had snapped a photo of these lamp posts with Salty's, the famous seafood restaurant, hazy in the background. I saw the photo and thought "this...this is a place I need to see." There's something lovely about these lamp posts that border the harbourfront, on dark nights they create a haze and it's almost as if you're walking amongst clouds. They're also oddly comforting, making you feel not so alone on a solitary walk of self-reflection. Often times through the winter, I'd sit in bed, close my eyes, and imagine I was standing right here, breathing in the salt water, hearing the faint sound of celtic music. This photo captures the image of my mind for the past nine months: home.
One of the very first things that put Nova Scotia on the map for me was a photo that was taken along this part of the boardwalk. The photographer had stood on a ramp of what I now know is the Marriott Harbourfront hotel, and had snapped a photo of these lamp posts with Salty's, the famous seafood restaurant, hazy in the background. I saw the photo and thought "this...this is a place I need to see." There's something lovely about these lamp posts that border the harbourfront, on dark nights they create a haze and it's almost as if you're walking amongst clouds. They're also oddly comforting, making you feel not so alone on a solitary walk of self-reflection. Often times through the winter, I'd sit in bed, close my eyes, and imagine I was standing right here, breathing in the salt water, hearing the faint sound of celtic music. This photo captures the image of my mind for the past nine months: home.
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