Photography and COVID-19 – How the Two Collide

Pandemic Hoops

Photography and Covid-19. It’s time to talk about this. I’ve been putting it off since it all went to hell. No disrespect to those that have lost loved ones. I don’t mean to downplay the seriousness of the situation, make light of it or, add any emphasis on how it affected me. Everyone is suffering, in one way or another. But this is about how it’s affected not only my hobby but other Photographers who make a living at Photography.

Essentially, the Photography world has ground to a halt. Some have ventured out onto the empty streets to document it, whether it be for clout or actual documentation, I’m not here to judge one way or another. I can only say that I’ve pretty much stayed at home, save for the odd occasion when we ventured out into nature to maintain our sanity. But they really didn’t even let you go anywhere at the onset. You could to a park if there weren’t many people there. But you couldn’t get to any trails or the Scarborough Bluff’s for example because the parking lots were closed. Even as late as last weekend the lots were closed.

Humber Bay Shores

We tried to get to Humber Bay Shores for the Sunrise on Sheri’s birthday but the parking lots were closed and it made it difficult. I wasn’t exactly thrilled at the spot we chose to stop and view/take pictures in the beginning but even still the images turned out pretty good. I used my Sigma 16mm 1.4 in crop mode for these.

Trillium Park

We tried to get to Trillium Park last weekend for another sunrise. This has been one of my favourite locations. The Park didn’t open until 6 am. The sunset started at 6:46 am. So we had to settle for a location that again was less than optimum. I did however get a few shots that I was quite happy with. A few of them didn’t actually include the sunrise but I was especially drawn to this particular scene. More than the sunset actually. Probably because of the spot we got stuck in. All in all, though it turned out to be a nice morning. It’s always fun when the 2 of us go out, regardless of the hurdles we encounter.

Goodbye Photo-walks

I’m accustomed to going on Photo walks by myself in downtown Toronto, but so far there’s been none of that. I’m too far from the best spots down there and there’s no way I’m jumping on the TTC to get down there. Not a chance. I’m not even sure how I’ll feel about it when all this blows over. The buses, streetcars, and subways seem like virus magnets on the best of days. Shout out to the people that still need to ride them to get to their essential jobs though. Glad it’s not me.

Twitter Community

I’m pretty heavily into Twitter right now and when all this began, the Photography Community got hit pretty hard by it. I’m talking about those that do it for a living and those that had a singular income from it. Whether or not that’s a good idea is not for me to say. I will say that I am still drawing a regular income. A lot of them are coping by setting up print stores and selling their images. Some seem to be doing pretty well with it. I wish them all the best of luck.

Anyway You Can

I have managed to get out a little bit with my camera. I can’t really complain too much. Sheri is working on her website and requires some images so we’ve gone out a couple of times to shoot some portraits and content for her web pages.
We did finally get a chance to shoot at Bluffer’s Park at Scarborough Bluffs. It was a bit crowded but people seemed to be keeping their distance, unlike the incident at Trinity Bellwoods Park a couple of weeks ago. That scene made me cringe. I hope everyone there is as healthy as when they made the decision to crowd in like that.

I did also get a chance to visit Tommy Thompson Park at the end of March. It also was quite crowded. We never went back after that.
I had a blog post on that trip on a previous site. But I lost it, do the incompetence of my previous web host. But now is not the time for that topic.
Incidentally, if you have any plans on buying a hosting plan from Ionos…don’t!

At the end of it all, it’s been a rough ride for everyone. If you’re reading this, I don’t need to tell you. But sometimes personal stories and how events like a Pandemic affect us makes it easier to get through. Photography and Covid-19, we need to get along!
I could be wrong.

Photography and Covid-19, we need to get along!

Until next time…

Protest on city street with signs, Canadian flag, and tall buildings in background.

A group of people are participating in a protest on a city street. They hold signs, including one with a political message, and flags such as the Canadian flag. The scene is set in an urban environment with tall buildings in the background.

Calm water at sunset; orange and grey sky, distant city skyline, tree silhouettes framing scene.

A calm body of water is depicted at sunset, with the sky displaying hues of orange and grey. A distant city skyline is visible on the horizon, and reflections are seen on the water's surface. Bare trees and silhouettes of buildings frame the scene on either side.

Dirt path through sunflower field; sunflowers focused left, blurred trees in background.

A dirt pathway runs through a field of sunflowers, with bright yellow blooms on both sides. The sunflowers are in focus on the left side of the image, while the background is slightly blurred, showing a line of trees.

Stack of newspapers on red fabric in a public seating area, top one showing a blurred image.

A stack of newspapers is placed on a red fabric surface. The top newspaper features an article with a blurred image of a person wearing a blue and white shirt. The setting includes rows of seating, suggesting a public space or transit area.

Red transit seats, one with COVID-19 restriction sign, pole and signage frame visible.

The image shows a row of red seats on public transportation, with one seat displaying a sign indicating it is restricted for COVID-19 precautions. The sign aims to maintain physical distancing between passengers. The surrounding area is clean and has a partially visible pole and signage frame.

Bus seat with red cushion marked restricted for COVID-19 distancing precautions.

A bus seat with a red cushion is marked with a notice indicating it is restricted for use. The sign mentions COVID-19 precautions and advises the seat is not to be used to maintain physical distancing.

Wet basketball court with a mural of abstract patterns, hands, urban buildings, and orange trees.

The image shows a wet basketball court with a colorful mural on the wall featuring abstract patterns and hands around a central object. Tall urban buildings and trees with orange leaves are visible in the background, and a basketball hoop is in the foreground.

Sunset over cityscape with tower, silhouetted trees, and water reflection in foreground.

The image depicts a sunset view over a cityscape with a prominent tower. The scene is framed by silhouetted trees and vegetation in the foreground, with a calm body of water reflecting the warm colors of the sunset.

Basketball hoop on street court, urban mural and city buildings under clear sky in background.

A basketball hoop and net are in the foreground of a street basketball court. In the background, an urban mural on a wall features vibrant artwork, with city buildings visible under a clear blue sky.

City street at sunset with blurred road dividers, warm light on tall buildings in background.

A city street view captures a sunset in the distance, with soft, warm lighting reflecting off tall buildings. The foreground features a blurred focus on road dividers, contrasting with the sharper background elements.

Person sitting on bench beside bicycle, urban setting with large stone structures.

The image depicts a person sitting alone on a bench, next to a bicycle, in front of a large, plain wall. They appear to be in an urban setting, and the foreground is framed by large, angular stone structures. The overall atmosphere seems contemplative.