Patrick Chondon 11/17/15 Patrick Chondon 11/17/15

First Snow of the Year - Centennial Park

Last week I managed to get out the first day it snowed. It all pretty much melted later in the day but first thing in the morning provided some pretty good photo opportunities. As soon as I saw the snow, I chose to go to Centennial Park as I figured it would be a pretty location. It was about 9:30 in the morning and surprisingly, there was no one there. I saw a few tracks from earlier in the morning but I didn't see another soul the whole time I was there. It was actually kind of cool, being all alone in such a big park. Well, aside from the horses, which I stopped to talk to for a bit.

I decided to just bring my Nikon D610 and the 85mm 1.8. Even though it's a DLSR, it's an extremely light combo for what it is. I have shot at this location in general more times then I can remember due to all the portrait sessions I have done so it's always a challenge to get 'different' photos and perspectives when shooting for myself. Luckily, the grey morning and light snow helped provide some unique shots.

Most of the photos are fairly muted due to the overcast skies and snow but I did mange to capture some colour within all of that too. Not only do I try and always get some good landscape photos, I'm always looking for finer details. My absolute favourite photo of the day is one I was expecting. I saw a log pile covered with a bit of snow and took a quick photo without giving it a second thought. I didn't even review it in camera, I just moved on. When I processed the photo on my computer at home I had to do a second take, as a cute little squirrel decide to photobomb the photo. Thinking back to that moment, I remember loud chirping and the very next photo I took was actually of the same squirrel in the tree.

I finished off the walk by going up to the lookout at the top of the trail. The view from there is amazing and with all the snow covered trees it was quite beautiful. Then, as I made my way down the snowy toboggan hill towards the parking lot I made sure to turn around, which I was always try and do when going on photowalks. As I did, there was one, tall, slightly snow covered tree. It ended up being another one of my faves from the walk.

After Centennial Park I made my way to the Marina to capture some more photos. I will be making a separate post for that one shortly. There were just too many good photos from that shoot to include into one post. Thanks for viewing!

Patrick Chondon 11/12/15 Patrick Chondon 11/12/15

Boulevard Lake

I'm just getting around to posting this from last week but better late then never. Even since a week ago it seems like winter is closer then ever but I did manage to find some colour last week. Most of the leaves are gone now so I'm glad I got out when I did. It was also a very foggy day as well, so that helped create a nice mood to some of the photos, especially the ones by the river.

The first few photos in this series are actually around Grandview Arena. Before meeting Anne for lunch, I walked around there for about 20 minutes. There is a really nice trail there and I came away with some great shots. After lunch, I then headed down to Boulevard Lake. I started by the park off Arundel Street and walked under the bridge along the water for a bit. Not being the sharpest tool in the shed I was wearing my dressier shoes the whole time so they ended up getting soaked by the end of it. Ah well.

I eventually headed back to the car and then drove down to the main area by the mini put course. I spent some time around the run down tennis court which I used to play tennis at back in the day. There were some great reflections due to the puddles on the court. I ended the walk by the playground. For the whole shoot I used my D610 combined with the 85mm 1.8. Such a great light combo and the colours that come from that lens are outstanding, especially for a lens that really isn't that expensive. Now I'm just waiting for the weather to get a bit better before I head out again this week...

Patrick Chondon 11/5/15 Patrick Chondon 11/5/15

Exploring Gore Street

I decided to head on over to Westfort the other day and walk down Gore Street. Aside from living on in this area a long long time ago I don't really get the chance to explore it too often. So I set out with my Fuji X-T1 and my 16mm lens this time to capture some photos. Of course, most people know that The Wayland is on this street so I made sure to get some photos of that place.

Aside from the Wayland I simply looked for things that stood out. These might not be things the the everyday person sees but that's the beauty of photography, I get to choose what strikes me as interesting. As I mentioned above, I hadn't really explored this area so I was surprised to find a road called Mountdale which leads right down to the water. It offered a fantastic view of Mount McKay. I'm sure anyone who lives in the area knows about this spot, but it goes to show you, even in a small city like Thunder Bay, there are still little gems to be found.

It was quite an overcast and foggy day so the photos I captured of Mount McKay aren't the most colourful, but they did have a certain mood to them which I kind of liked. All in all, it was a fun 30 minute walk through my old stomping ground. I'll definitely have to go back soon before winter sets in to see what else I can find.

Patrick Chondon 11/4/15 Patrick Chondon 11/4/15

Golf Links Road

After I got my car washed in the morning yesterday I figured I would finally visit the large empty field off Golf Links Road. I pass by it almost everyday and each time I keep saying to my myself that I should take some photos there. Well, yesterday was the day. It was quite gloomy and pretty overcast which I really didn't mind. It actually suited the overall mood of the photos.

The main things that catch my eye with this area are the trees in the background as well as a gnarly old tree with a for sale sign on it. I would have loved to have gone all the way in to where the trees in the background are buy I wasn't sure if there was some old guy in the centre of the field sitting on a lawn chair waiting for trespassers with his shotgun. So I decided to stay by the trail on the road.

With that being said, I think I came away with some interesting photos. I simply used my X-T1 with the fixed lens 35mm. So I couldn't really zoom or anything but it goes to show you, as long as you have feet to move with, you can frame any shot. I also took a few minutes to walk to the stream just of Central Avenue, which are where the last few photos came from. The last photo was of a toy bulldozer which caught my eye in someones yard. I ran up, quickly grabbed a photo and then I was on my way.

Patrick Chondon 11/4/15 Patrick Chondon 11/4/15

Kam Park Portraits with Anne

This past Friday, after we had some great food and a drink at ExCuria in downtown Fort William, I decided to drag my wife Anne for a quick photoshoot in the rain over at Kam Park. It has been so long since I did this with her that I figured we could walk off some calories and get some nice photos in the process.

I chose to go to Kam Park because I thought it would be a nice atmosphere with the boardwalk and the rain. It wasn't raining to hard but enough where it was kind of cold, so we only spent about 15 minutes walking around and taking photos. She was such a great sport and even though it was raining, we both had a great time. Of course she is a pro by now when I take photos of her since I pretty much do it every day.

We came away with some fun photos but one of my faves was the where I got her to run down the boardwalk, making some of the seagulls fly away. All the photos were shot with my Fuji X-T1 and the 35mm 1.4.

Patrick Chondon 11/2/15 Patrick Chondon 11/2/15

Downtown Fort William

Last Friday I decided to meet my wife Anne for Dinner after work. So, as usual, I brought my camera with me and showed up a bit early so I could walk around beforehand. She works at McKellar School which is in Fort William, right downtown. I didn't stray to far from the area and kept right around the school. I walked down some alleyways, as well as the streets. Eventually I met up with her but before we headed to ExCuria for an after work drink, I came into the school with her. As you can see, I snapped a few quick photos inside as well. And that was it. Although I would later drag her over to Kam Park for a quick photoshoot in the rain. You can find the post soon on my professional blog.

All photos were taken on my Fuji X-T1 paired with the 35mm 1.4.

Patrick Chondon 10/30/15 Patrick Chondon 10/30/15

A Quick Walk Down Kingsway

So I had a very quick break today during work yesterday so I decided to just park on Kingsway Street and quickly walk around the old motels there. I literally had about 10 minutes to spare before I had to leave so I got whatever photos struck my eye. I think, if I have time, I will go back and spend a bit more time when it's not so rushed.

The area I definitely want explore a bit more is the old mini put course. I realized you can actually walk right in. I'm sure you really aren't supposed to but seeing as how it has been close for quite some time I don't think it should be a problem. I'm thinking of maybe even bringing my own putter and ball to shoot a round. Well, I probably shouldn't do that but it's an idea.

Once again I used my X-T1 for all these photos paired with the 35mm. You really can't go wrong with that combo. The 35mm 1.4 is such a compact and light lens that you barely realize it's on the camera. Thanks for viewing!

Patrick Chondon 10/28/15 Patrick Chondon 10/28/15

East End

The other week I managed to walk around East End a bit and below are some of my favourite photos from the day. I even got some Halloween decorations in there as well. I just love all the old homes in this area as well as the train yard. It was a cloudy day so as you can see everything is kind of muted but I actually like it. It tells you that winter is definitely on it's way.

I also was able to walk to the overpass and get some great shots of the not only the bridge, but the view from the bridge. It's the first time I actually walked on the bridge and it's amazing what you can see when you actually stop to look. Every other time I have been on the overpass it's been in a car so obviously it is a bit hard to appreciate the view.

My camera of choice this time around was my Fuji X-T1 paired with the 35mm. All of the photos were shot as jpg's and edited in Lightroom. Thanks for viewing.

Patrick Chondon 10/23/15 Patrick Chondon 10/23/15

Sunday Photos

Last Sunday we made a last minute decision to go to an indoor flea market. Well, I knew, that I would probably get bored after a few minutes, and there were candles involved, so I made sure to bring my Fuji X-T1 paired with the 35mm 1.4. After looking around for a little bit once we arrived I braved the cold morning air and explored around the area a bit. I was fairly familiar with the general area so as usual I just wandered around. There was a park right next door so I got some good 'macro' shots in around there and I also walked around the neighbourhood somewhat as well.

I also managed to snap a few photos of some of the items inside. It wasn't really a big yard sale, but there were definitely some interesting finds in there. After about an hour we headed home. It wasn't until later in the afternoon that I once again had a camera in hand. This time around it was for a photoshoot out on Memory Road. Once the session was done I snapped a quick photo of one of the tractors. I like the contrast of the yellow against the blue sky. Lastly, we made a stop at O.T.C., which is a burger place on the highway coming back into town. While sitting around, waiting for your food, I pulled out my Nikon D610 and 50mm 1.8 and grabbed a few photos. I even got one of Anne, even though she wasn't really in the mood for photos that day. But hey, when has that ever stopped me.

Patrick Chondon 10/20/15 Patrick Chondon 10/20/15

Downtown Fort William

Last week I had to take Noah to the dentist so I decided to bring along my D610 and 50mm 1.8. After snapping a quick photo of my feet, just cause, I headed outside to walk around aimlessly. I tend to explore Simpson Street quite often so it's always a challenge to find different perspectives, and things to photograph. I'm always amazed that I am able to do so. Sometimes it's just a matter of looking behind as your walking or simply taking a slightly different route.

Another thing that often dictates what kind of photos I capture of the same area is lighting. Sometimes all it takes is a bright sunny day or on the opposite end, a cloudy day. In this case, it was bright and sunny which meant harsh shadows. It also meant that the colours would generally be a bit more vibrant then that of a cloud day.

When I walk around I tend to resort to my X-T1 but I actually don't mind the weight of the Nikon and 50mm. It's obviously heavier but not excessively so. The main difference is that I actually have to look through the viewfinder on the Nikon, which I have absolutely no problem doing.

I came away with a few good shots and a nice collection overall. All photos were processed in Lightroom with my usual adjustments and tweaks.

Patrick Chondon 10/14/15 Patrick Chondon 10/14/15

Sunday Afternoon at Chippewa Park

It was a busy weekend with portrait shoots but I actually managed to find about 20 minutes to take some personal photos. One of my sessions took place at Chippewa Park so I decided to get there a bit early and walk around. With me I had my Nikon D610 and the 70-200mm 2.8 and 50mm 1.8. I usually don't walk around with these lenses as they are a bit on the heavier side. Anyone who has seen some of my previous posts know that I tend to favour the Fuji X-T1.

For the photos of the sleeping giant I pulled out my trusty 70-200 2.8. I obviously use this lens a lot for all my weddings and portrait sessions but it has been a while since I used it for personal photos like landscapes. The Nikon D610 isn't the highest end full frame camera by Nikon but it did an amazing job with sharpness and detail as well as retaining the highlights and shadows. One of these days I'm going to upgrade to the D750 and use the D700 solely as a backup camera but for now I'm more then fine with the D610.

For all the other photos I used the 50mm 1.8. To be honest I just started using this lens again and I have forgotten how much I truly love it, especially when paired with the D610. I used it for the first time on portrait session this past weekend and I came away with some fantastic photos. The bokeh produced by this lens along with the rich colours are amazing.

As with most of my photography I rarely set the lens past it's 1.8 setting unless I'm taking photos of groups of people. But when I am just walking around taking abstract photos I always try and pick out small details as you can see from the photos below.

As for procession, I worked with the native RAW files converted to DNG in Lightroom 6. From there I always start by using my favourite preset. Then I play with the contrast and clarity and colour enhancements. To be honest, the files don't need much work. Then I'll usually sharpen the images using NIK Effects along with a few tweaks in Viveza. It seems like a lot of post processing but I'm usually only spending about 1-2 minutes per final image tops.

Thanks for viewing!

Patrick Chondon 10/9/15 Patrick Chondon 10/9/15

Current River

I managed to get for a bit the other day in the Current River area. It was in the dead of afternoon with the sun beating down, so not the best lighting conditions. When it's bright and sunny like that, I tend to look more for harsh shadows and contrast. The one thing I realized about Current River is that there are endless back alleys. I'll definitely have to go back and explore a bit more when I have more time.

Once again I used my X-T1 with the 35mm 1.4. I just love the colour that comes from that lens. I rarely have to do much post processing. I usually just apply my usual subtle preset and then bump up the contrast and selective colour.

Thanks for viewing!

Patrick Chondon 10/6/15 Patrick Chondon 10/6/15

Friendship Gardens

Once again I managed to walk around the other day after a very filling lunch. I figured I would burn off some calories and have some fun doing so. So, I grabbed my X-T1 and 35mm 1.4, and headed off to the Friendship Gardens. To be honest, after all these years, I really haven't explored this area too much. Sure, I have done some portraits and portions of weddings here but it would usually be in just one section. Well, this time around, I made sure to walk all around and I was actually quite surprised at the amount of statues and monuments located at the park.

Before I headed to the Friendship Gardens, I did manage to snap a few photos at Cronos Cafe which has really good greek food. If you haven't been there yet, you should really go check it out. Anyway, just a few random shots there, of course one of my wife Anne and a couple other ones.

Then it was off to the Friendship Gardens. I started around the back part of the stadium and just made my way all the way around. As I mentioned before, there are a lot of great statues and monuments at the park which I did capture a few photos of, but the majority of the photos below are simply my randomness. I tried to find colour and unique textures and shadows.

And that's it, not much else to say. Thanks for viewing.

Patrick Chondon 10/1/15 Patrick Chondon 10/1/15

Exploring McKenzie Street

I'm just getting to this post as it's been a busy week with photography I actually get paid for. Last week I managed to get out for a bit and walk around, in the rain. But hey, the weather isn't always going to cooperate so you just have to go with the flow. This time around I ended up around the McKenzie Street area. As I always do, I just walked around aimlessly with no direction looking for photo opportunities.

If something catches my eye, whether it is colour, composition or even something that just looks out of place, I take a photo. It may not always be a keeper but you'd be surprised how often a photo you didn't really think would turn out, ends up being one of your favourites. Of course, sometimes you take a photos and you just know right away that it's going to be definite keeper.

During this walk, my favourite by far, was the one of the 3 suit jackets hanging on the outside window. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to take a photo. The fact that they were perfectly aligned and contrasting in colour and style made for the perfect photo op.

The camera of choice this time around as my trusted X-T1 paired with the 35mm. The X-T1 is waterproof but the 35mm isn't. So, even though it was just a slight drizzle, I was still careful to always shield it from the rain as much as I could. After using my full frame Nikons a lot lately, it was a nice break to pull out the X-T1.

Thanks for viewing!

Patrick Chondon 9/23/15 Patrick Chondon 9/23/15

County Fair + Cumberland Street

Since it is my birthday today, I figured I would treat myself to a little photowalk. Since I had just met my wife Anne for lunch on Eddy Lee's, I decided to go down the street and walk around County Fair. There used to be a Canadian Tire there but it has long since shut down. Instead, they opened up a Walmart a few years ago. I always remember going to that Canadian Tire when I was younger to go get some tennis balls or other random things that kids need. It was always a trek to ride my bike all the way there. As you can tell from the photos, it is now just an abandoned building, but you can still see some of the signage.

Well, me being a fan of run down buildings and anything old, I simply walked around the building looking for things that caught my eye. It is actually attached to the mall which I later checked out. The mall itself, is almost empty as well, with just a few random stores here and there. I'm not sure what is going to come of it but it's really strange seeing it so baron.

Once I finished walking around at County Fair, I trekked down to the end of Cumberland Street. For those of you who aren't familiar, it is another street with a lot of motels and older buildings. Again, I just looked for random scenes, paying attention to colour and composition.

For the County Fair photos I used the X-TI with the 16mm and for the Cumberland Street photos I used the X-T1 paired with the 35mm. Both lenses are fantastically sharp and quick to focus. I am just taking photos of stationary objects, but still, the colour rendition is superb with this camera and lenses. Each image, I used the jpg version, with the exception of some of the landscape photos where I need to bring out the sky a bit more. All processing was what I always do. I boost the contrast, selective colour here and there to make it pop and overall sharpness.

Thanks for viewing!

Patrick Chondon 9/12/15 Patrick Chondon 9/12/15

Kam Park + Westfort

I decided to take some time to walk around Kam Park and eventually Westfort the other day to take some photos. I brought my XT-1 with the 16mm. I'm still somewhat getting used to this focal length because I'm so used to using 35mm and beyond. It's really forcing me out of my comfort zone a bit and making me see different angles. As a photographer, I think it's important to use different lenses as it really opens up your eyes and it obviously lets you capture images that you might not of been able to before with a different lens.

So, the first stop was Kam Park. After taking a few photos of the boardwalk I concentrated on the old Via Rail Train. What I like to do sometimes is just focus on one subject, in this case it was a large one, and document it. Just like I would do with a wedding couple. If anyone was actually watching me they would see me walking around the train, studying it, looking up and down, and eventually taking photos here and there. It probably looked a little strange. But, I'm well past that point. Hell, I even get down on my stomach sometimes just to get different angles. Although, with the Fuji XT-1 it isn't really necessary any more due to the tilting screen.

With the train, I looked for colours, details, angles and I even stepped back a bit and had some fun with the train tracks. I almost treat it as an exercise, seeing how many unique photos I can get of one single object.

The next stop were the elevators off in Westfort. I've been here many times before but I figured I would visit them again and see what I could come up with. With the 16mm, which ends up being about 23mm it was wide enough to allow me to get some nice wide angle photos. I just came away with a few photos here but I spent about 30 minutes there. A train ended up coming and I tried to get some shots of the motion with the elevators in the background but it just wasn't working. An ND filter would have helped immensely and of course a tripod. But I rarely bring either of those things with me. Ah well.

I finished off my photo walk drifting around Westfort. Instead of studying a single object or place for a while, here I just did my usual walking around, taking photo and moving on. All the time looking for interesting things or moments.

The last few photos are around the downtown area, as I had to drive Noah to his dentist appointment. So while I waited, I walked around outside for a few minutes. And that's it. more random goodness. All photos in this case were shot in RAW and processed in Lightroom using my usual style. Thanks for viewing!

Patrick Chondon 9/9/15 Patrick Chondon 9/9/15

To the Marina and Back

Last week Anne and I managed to go for a walk to the Marina. It was so nice out and actually still is so we definitely like to take advantage of this weather when we can because who knows when it's going to suddenly get cold. Instead of walking the main streets we decided to take some of the alleyways and side roads we don't usually walk down. It always amazes me how much there is to see when you just head off the beaten path a bit. Plus, you often get to see some backyards of houses as well which I always find kind of interesting.

Like most walks, I decided to bring along my XT-1 with the 35mm. I just love the fact I can carry it with me using the wrist strap and I hardly notice it's there. Plus, because of the flip screen it allows me to easily get down low without getting dirty. I'm constantly amazed at just how good the colours are straight out of the camera. The photos below are still processed a bit but nothing out of the ordinary.

Hopefully this good weather continues and we are able to keep going on these walks. When I'm driving I always see certain neighbourhoods I want to explore.

Patrick Chondon 9/3/15 Patrick Chondon 9/3/15

Honeymoon in Montreal

Anne and I decided to go to Montreal for our Honeymoon. We had been there once before, but only got to spend a couple days on our way to the East Coast. When we were trying to decide what a good destination would be for our Honeymoon, Montreal was always at the top of the list. So we went with it. We decided to just fly in, stay by the hotel and rent a car. That way we could pretty much do whatever we wanted. Seeing as how I don’t mind driving in the larger cities and Anne being an expert navigator, it was a match made in heaven.

Upon arriving at our hotel, we were amazed. It had to be one of the nicest hotels we had ever stayed at. We joked throughout the trip that we didn’t really even need to leave as it almost felt like a resort. Obviously we ended up exploring a lot of Montreal but it was always nice to come back to such a beautiful home base.

The day we arrived we settled in, took a bit of a break, and then ended up going downtown for a bit. We found a great pub on the main stretch and quenched our thirst and hunger. Seeing as it was extremely hot and humid the whole time there, lets just say that any excuse to stop in for a drink somewhere was welcome.

Our next day there revolved around the outlet mall just outside of Montreal. We must a couple turnoffs along the way but Anne made sure we got there. There was no way we weren’t going to make to the outlet mall that day. Once we arrived I was amazed how large it was. It was all outdoors and there were a ton of stores. One of Anne’s favourites was the Coach store. It was very cute watching her hum and haw about getting this purse she really wanted. In the end, before leaving, she ended up getting two things from there and was extremely happy. I imagine it was the equivalent of watching me in a camera store.

We walked around there for a few hours, grabbed a bit to eat at the food court and did a bit more shopping after that. Then it was time to go back to our hotel. We ended up going down to Old Montreal that evening to search for a bite to eat. We got much then we bargained for. After eating we headed back to the main square and watched a really street performance. We were 2 of the first people there and Anne immediately gave the performer some change as he was setting up. He joked that he hadn’t even did anything yet but promised he would give us a good show. The funny part of the whole performance was that he didn’t really do all that much with fire, it was just a ploy to get people to come watch. By the end of it, there was a huge group of people and he put on one of the funniest and entertaining shows we have seen in a long long time.

The next day was also full of a few surprises. We grabbed some breakfast again and another local diner and then we headed back down to Old Montreal. We wanted to make sure we saw it during the day. This time around I really had a chance to take a lot of photos. As you can see from the images below, Anne was once again my model of choice. How could anyone not want to photograph here. There was a lot of cool things to see down in Old Montreal. One of the highlights was the zip line they had going at the Pier. It was another scorching day so it was nice to walk around. Not sure what to do next we made the choice to go to the island across the water to explore. Once we got there, we decided to do a drive around first to see what there was. As we pulled into one of the parking areas, we paid the steep price of $25 for parking and then saw La Ronde in the distance. So.. instead of parking and walking around the island, we drove straight to the amusement park and spent the next 6 hours getting whipped around on rides. The first ride I took Anne on was the biggest and fasted rollercoaster at the park. She tends to get a bit nervous for the larger rides, so what better way to get those nerves out of the way then to do the scariest ride.

It was smooth sailing after that and we had a ton of fun. We ended the day with some food from the local ‘Saloon’. One of the things we found strange was that you could basically walk around with your beer in hand anywhere in the park. That’s Quebec for you I guess. We weren’t complaining. The last rides we went on, which didn’t make sense, were the water rides where we got completely soaked. In hindsight, we should have done them at the beginning but it all worked out.

If my memory serves me correctly, once we got back to the hotel, this was the night we met some very interesting people at the bar. There was the pilot beside us that Anne befriended over the mutual love of wine. Supposedly he was flying out later the next day so his ‘consumption’ of wine was not out of the norm at all. Then there was the older couple beside us. They were so much fun and the fact that the husband would routinely get up, stand up beside us, and test out some of his comedic material was priceless. Almost as priceless as the way his wife would bury her head in her hands each time he did so. I laughed at all his jokes though and it certainly made for a memorable evening. I knew it was time to head back to our room when Anne and said pilot considered purchasing a bottle of wine. For fear of the passengers the next day and Anne potentially passing out, I grabbed her by the arm and took her back.

After a good nights sleep we decided to head to the waterfront area just on the way to Montreal. We rented a bike and rode around the small little inlet and some of the town area. It was a really nice bike ride and I wish we could have done a bit more but we wanted to still do more that day. Plus, Anne was anxiously awaiting her call from the Lakehead Board to see if she got a full time position. Once we finished up there, we eventually decided to make our way to the water park north of Montreal. I was actually really looking forward to it. So we hopped on the highway and drove the 40 minutes it took to get there. Just after purchasing our tickets and entering the park, Anne got the ‘call’. She found out she got a full time position. Yay. That only made the rest of the day that much more relaxed and fun. Overall the water park was a lot of fun. I just wish we had more time there but it all worked out.

By the time we got back to our hotel we were wiped. But that didn’t stop us from treating ourselves to a nice dinner at the Keg. We took a cab there and back so I could have a couple drinks. The meal was fantastic and the biggest surprise of the night was me pretty much eating a whole cheesecake. Anne had a a few bites but otherwise it was all me. Very rare indeed for anyone that knows me. But if there is one weaknessI have it’s Keg cheesecake.

Our final day in Montreal was actually still pretty action packed. We checked out of the hotel and still headed to the gay district. We had accidentally ended up there briefly a previous night and it looked really cool so I wanted to head back during the day to take some photos. We walked that street and then eventually headed back to downtown Montreal. Anne attempted to do some shopping and then we eventually found a great Irish Pub for some food and drink. After that, it was time to head back. It was a bit rough with traffic heading back and I almost got side swiped by a transport on a merge but other then almost getting killed it was fun!

We headed to the airport, dropped off the rental car and then made our way to our gate. We had time to kill so we walked the entire airport, checking to see what kind of places there were to eat. We ended up going to one of the restaurants closest to our gate. I got a $11 beer, but Anne declined to pay $13 for a small glass of wine. I can’t get over just how much they were charging for food and drinks. All the places were like that by the way. We finished off with a drink at other bar just across the way. The bartender there was just plain awesome. He told us a few stories and was super friendly. Plus, Anne was able finally have her glass of wine.

The last stop was Toronto. We definitely like flying through Toronto because the Porter lounge is fantastic. Unfortunately we had a very fast layover so we didn’t really get a chance to enjoy it as much as we wanted to. And then we were back in Thunder Bay. The whole way thorough we upgraded each flight so we had the front seats and it was heaven. Lots of leg room and first off the plane could not be beat. All in all it was a great trip. Spending 5 days in Montreal with my beautiful wife Anne was something I will remember the rest of my life. I can’t wait until our next trip. Plus I was able to capture some great photos along the way. Although, probably more food photos then I would normally include. But that’s what happened when you spend a lot of your time eating and drinking!

Patrick Chondon 9/3/15 Patrick Chondon 9/3/15

Exploring Victoriaville

It has been a while since I've had the chance to walk (wander) around myself and take some photos. Well, after meeting my beautiful wife for lunch in Victoriaville, I decided to venture into the abyss that is called Victoriaville. Now technically, Victoriaville is the mall, so in reality, I walked around the area. Anne can attest to this, but instead of walking on the main streets, I always try and find the off beaten paths. Well, lucky for her, she wasn't forced to follow me on my excursion and I pretty much ventured down every back alley I could find.

Now, those of you not familiar with this area of town, it can be a bit rough around the edges. But, as I have said before, I love looking for old, run down, or even vintage things to photograph. That's not to say all the photos are of dilapidated walls, I did mix in some other random things, but for the most part, I wanted to capture the overall feel of the area. At least, according to me.

This time around, I brought my wonderful Fuji XT-1, paired with the 35mm 1.4. It is one of the oldest lenses for the Fuji system, but it has become one of my favourites. It's just so sharp, and paired with the XT-1, the colours are amazing. Most importantly, it's extremely fun to shoot with. Plus, not being the safest neighbourhood to walk in, especially the back alleys, it's a little bit more discreet. Although, I do constantly get compliments on how pretty it is. That is, when people aren't complimenting my wife. In regards to that, I've lost track how many times I have been standing beside Anne and someone simply came up to us and gave her a compliment as I stand in the shadows. Just once, I want one. Some day. But I digress.

So I didn't really have any set destination in hand, I just gave myself about an hour to walk around. I did try and got to areas I haven't ventured before and it definitely paid off. Most of the photos below you simply could not see from the main path. Whenever I walk around like this, looking for things to photograph, I always remind myself to look up and constantly behind as well. Not just for photos opportunities, but also for someone looking to attack me. I kid, it's not that dangerous.

One of the things I really dig about the XT-1 is the tilt screen. Honestly, it allows me to get certain photos that I just wouldn't even attempt with my big DLSR's. Sometimes, you just shouldn't lie on the ground. All the photos below were shot as jpg's and using the chrome filter on the XT-1. As usual, I used my standard preset that I love but tweaked each photo, enhancing colours here, desaturating there. I also added a bit of sharpness using Nik Effects. For those of you who don't own the package, I highly encourage you to at least try the trial. I constantly use the RAW Pre Sharpener, Silver Effex Pro and Viveza. Thanks for reading, and remember, there are opportunities for great photos no matter where you live, you just have to know where to look!

Patrick Chondon 8/10/15 Patrick Chondon 8/10/15

Our Wedding Day

Our wedding has come and gone and by what a whirlwind of a day it was. Thankfully everything came together perfectly and I was able to actually take a few photos during the day. I was hoping for my time to take photos but, to be honest, I chose not to as I wanted to really take in the day and enjoy it. But, when there was a lull in the action and other people were being photographed I used my trust XT-1 to sneak in a few.

When I first arrived at the ceremony, I immediately started taking some photos of the guests. There couldn't be an easier wedding in the world to do so since I no mostly everyone. If only every wedding I photographed was like that. Ah well..

After about 10 minutes it was my cue to join the rest of the guys and start the walk down the isle to wait for my beautiful bride. I should say that I wasn't concerned about getting photographs at any point seeing as how we had our friend Chris Borgo taking video and Anne's cousin Tony McGuire taking photos the entire day. Still, the photographer in me still feels the need to take photos.

In any case, the ceremony came and went and I'm still not sure what happened. I remember Anne walking down the isle, repeating our vows, laughing at us messing some of them up and then saying I DO! Then we signed the book, walked back through the crowd and that was it. Soon after we hopped in the limousine and departed to take our portraits. Ah, the limo. The poor, poor limo. Upon first entering the limo we were assure that the back end of the vehicle touching the ground was simply the hydraulics. That didn't end up being the case. Every single bump we went over, we practically bottomed out. Suffice it to say I quickly put down drink after half it spilled on my suit. I did feel bad for the driver as you could see he was embarrassed. But in the end, it wasn't his fault. At least we all have yet another story from the day.

Once we got to Hillcrest Park we did all the family portraits and some of the wedding party ones as well. This is pretty much where I got most of my photos for the day. After that we finished there, we headed down to our old public school, Queen Elizabeth. The only photos we took there were the few of us that attended a long long time ago. That is one of the photos from the day that I cannot wait to see.

We then made our way to our old high school, PACI and also the wall by Magnus Theatre. I had gotten a gorgeous picture from a previous wedding with the couple standing against the wide expansive wall. So, we asked Tony to use his creative style to capture a similar one. I actually got a really good one my iPhone 6+.

The last stop was Sovereign Room downtown. Her friend owns it so we pretty much took over the bar side for about 15 minutes. The shot Anne really wanted were the guys passed out around her on the seats while she was doing a shot. Of course, once that was done we had to drink the shots.

The reception was our final stop at the Polish Legion. That whole evening was a blur but so much fun. It was great seeing a lot of old friends and family. My best man Desi certainly stole the show with his speech. Let's just say that he brought me to tears as well as those around me.

The next day we had a family get together, and it was there that I caught just a few more moments. I'm so excited to finally be married to my Anne! She looked so beautiful as she always does.

All the photos below were taken with the X-T1 and the 16mm and 35mm. It was so fun to use and as I mentioned before in previous posts, no one is intimidated by it. I love my Nikon's, but when I want to shoot with more of a documentary style, I pull out my Fuji's. As always, they are all processed with my own style in Lightroom. I also use the jpg's for each and every one. No need for RAW in this case. Gotta love those Fuji camera's.