Last year a dear friend of mine was forced to leave his life in New Hampshire and found himself on a new journey destined for Toronto. Since the day we packed up his life and bid him farewell, it has been my mission to take the trip north for some quality time together.

Though a short four days, our schedule was packed from beginning to end. Through the craziness of planning a roadtrip, wandering the streets like goofballs and enjoying the uniqueness of each activity, my camera became a tourist of its own.

With an emphasis on my surroundings and the lives within, the following photographs capture what I believe to be an honest representation of a trip guided by curiosity and exploration.

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A Silver Line(ing) to start the trip and to set the scene for travel. I’ve brought along my trusty Canon G7Xii. Though a simple point and shoot, it has never let me down, even after 8 years. The flip out screen is great for framing and its compact size is exactly what I want when shooting in public spaces. Here I used the ledge of a railing to act as my tripod.

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Behold, my take on architectural photography. I was face deep at a water fountain outside my terminal, and this sight caught my eye. Its not particularly thrilling, but the shadows, layering and use of odd angles was enough for me! What’s even better were the looks I received from passing travelers. I’m sure they were probably wondering “why tf is this guy photographing a wall”. I say, if you like it, snap a picture of it and don’t take mind to what others think. As a street photographer this mindset sure does comes in handy.

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Originally compelled to shoot some mindless filler for images of the airplane, this photograph was one I didn’t expect to like so much. Usually when i’m faced with particularly bland spaces, I find it fun to turn my camera on and see what can be found through the lens. It’s a simple exercise, that can yield some amazing results. Here I’m drawn to the uniqueness of each individual and the similarities revealed only as a collective. I also see a kind of balance highlighted by the next free seats that follow. To the naked eye this was a typical sight on an airplane, but through the lens it felt like a scene meant to be photographed. To me this is what makes photography so magical.

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Within the contents of my bag sat these two chai cups. They were both designed, thrown and glazed by my girlfriend and it was my job to safely deliver them to my friends cabinet. I would be remiss if I didn’t make an effort to photograph these beauties. The lighting was a bit dark for the capabilities of my camera, but I did my best with what I had and producing something that is good enough is far greater than than producing nothing at all.

If you are a fan of ceramics or simply a fan of well made art, go check out more of her work on instagram @josephine.mae.design.

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To me street art has to be one of the purest forms of creative expression. Its raw and uncensored and seems to be free from glory seeking. It exists for the present moment which creates a pause, inviting us into a space that feels like an alternate universe. With street photography I find the same characteristics hold true. That even though the monotony there is always beauty to be uncovered.

I grew up seeing Obey Giant on t-shirts and stickers, but this was my first time seeing one of Shepard Fairey’s pieces in person. Glad I have this photo to remember the occasion, before some rich person decides to keep it for themselves.

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Of all my photographs from the trip, this is my favorite. I saw these two while walking down Queens Avenue, but couldn’t muster up the courage to stop for an obvious photo. In the moment I kept walking, and in a desperate attempt to salvage what was lost, I dropped my camera below my hip and took a shot behind my back. Not the most reliable technique when it comes to setting up composition, but as luck would have it, I didn’t even need eyes for this one. Sure my camera straps got in the way, but if you ask me, the added “vignette” pulls everything together.

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If you’ve been to Toronto recently, you’ll notice the streets are dominated by delivery drivers on electric bikes and mopeds. This wasn’t much of a surprise to see, since every city appears to be run by two wheeled couriers working for Postmates and Uber Eats these days. From my point of view this is all part of a larger conversation surrounding habits of online ordering and the rising demand for gig-workers in our post-pandemic world. As a response I urge you to tip well, share the road and have some grace with delivery times.

Here’s an article with further perspective if you’re interested.

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Walking through Garrison Common, I spotted this kid taking his longboard for a walk. It was obvious he was new to skating, yet behind his awkward movements slogging his board around, he walked with a pep that reflected such a high level of pride. In those moments, I knew exactly how he felt, remembering the pure joy of skating for the first time and feeling so cool as I tried my hardest to emulate the older kids that did it.

These memories represent an important right of passage in my life and as a photographer being able to capture those very feelings in an image speaks to the types of photographs I strive to take and share with you all.

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As the saying goes, “not all who wander are lost” and if you find me wandering, I’ll likely be searching for scenes like these – candid shots of people busy at work. I love the honest nature behind it all and having the ability to document the technologies and techniques that one day might become obsolete.

In this pursuit of wander, I found myself behind my friends apartment just west of the CN Tower. Initially I was drawn in by the cement worker, and as I walked closer to center him in frame, the tower revealed itself perfectly in the background. This simple act of intrigue turned out to be much more than I had anticipated and because I had my camera, this great find can live on!

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Enticed by the stray bicycle on the sidewalk, I turned my camera on to snap a picture and found myself looking at an image of a far greater visual significance. From my perspective, it combines some of my favorite visual elements – bicycles, Japanese design, a candid ongoer, and a straight on shot, reminiscent of what is widely seen in a Wes Anderson production. A special thanks to Raku for setting the scene and the dude in all black for walking into frame.

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Six deep in our Toyota rental, here’s a glimpse of the gang on our way to Tobermory. It all started with talk of a short drive north of the city, promised to only be an hour and a half away thanks to the blue shirt king you see next to me. Of course, this was a complete oversight after Siri informed us that our destination was in fact 3 hours away. At this point we were already stuck with the rental, went out of our way to pick everyone up, loaded the car full of snacks, and spent a fortune on gas…so naturally we had no choice but to send it. You can tell the level of excitement by everyone asleep in the back!

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Among the massive amounts of tourists climbing through the rocks lining Georgian Bay, sat this beautiful auntie watching over her family as they explored the intricacies of the bedrock. Her contentment was such a grounding force and even calmed the excitement of my emotions, as though she too was my kin. From these very emotions, I knew a photo was warranted in order to capture the purity of her presence.

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While sipping a latte on the sidewalk, I stopped in my tracks as I watched this women transform from casual day walker into an anticipatory elegance, ready for the unknown. Of course in the typical fashion of photography fate, take a look at her tattoo and all your questions will be answered.

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Thanks to my pals Rishil and Soheir for introducing me the city they now call home! Because of their hospitality and planning, we were able to live out some new found memories that will follow us for the rest of our lives. It could have been so easy to go about our weekends as we normally do hundreds of miles apart, but its important remember the effort it takes to go the extra mile to maintain the relationships that matter most.

Peace and love,

Nate