#52weeksofWE - Theme 26, Demolition / Construction

We are at the halfway point in the year, and the last few weeks have seen a lot of changes to the bricks and mortar of Windsor. The Tunnel Barbecue and the Windsor Raceway are coming down. The Welcome Centre at the University of Windsor is going up, not to mention the new college and university campuses springing up in the downtown core. You may even be one of the Herb Gray Parkway trailblazers to burn rubber down newborn asphalt. Capture demolition and construction this week, and be part of the changing face of Windsor – Essex.
Submit your photos on Flickr or Facebook, and send the picture files to me if you want them to be featured on my weekly reflections: essex.masqueATgmailDOTcom

Up Sides Down and turned 180, Reflection on theme 24 of 52

If you look at a “How To” book for photography amongst the discussions of aperture speed and light, etc., there is usually the recommendation for the photographer to change their perspective. Maybe it means holding the camera low to the ground and shooting up at a statue. Maybe you find a balcony and shoot down at tables and chairs on a patio. Is there an angle of a building that people usually don’t see, or a time of day where the light hits a detail that seems to change the object that makes it come to life?

This can be said for cities as well, and the challenges that we have with making them vibrant places. This week YKNOT, an organization focused on young professional retention, and WETechAlliance took this strategy, flipping Windsor on its head through the #Windsor180 summit and week of activities. I thought we could join in the excitement and take upside down photographs. Here is the description:

It is an exciting time to be in Windsor – Essex. You get the feeling that things are changing, that there is some reinvention happening. This is exemplified this week by Windsor 180, a week long conversation that seeks to turn Windsor “on its head”; to promote the area in terms of new technology, knowledge, and skills, to bring the changemakers here. It also provides us with an excuse to take upside down shots and still be part of something exciting. I would also encourage you to attend the events, and of course, bring your camera with you.

I attended the summit and enjoyed the creativity and energy of the people who ran it, the presenters, and my fellow participants. You can check out the follow-up on the following sites:

YKNOT
Windsor 180 
WEtech Alliance

What did we #52weeksofWE challengers flip upside down this week? Carnival rides and streetscapes, market fruit and the Renaissance Center. My personal favourite is Paul’s Written on Clouds that captures the monumental names and the reflection of the Spitfires in Jackson Park.

 "Written On Clouds, Windsor, ON" by Paul Thibodeau

 "Taking the Plunge" by Steve Biro

"Bizarro World!" by Steve Biro

"Upside Down" by Lupita Amaya G.

"Riverfront Festival Plaza, Summer Festival, Carnival in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, lots of entertainment for the families, with games, music, food and getting ready for Fireworks next week."

My contribution was “Re-entry,” an upside down shot of the art installation in front of the Capitol Theatre. I also flipped my complimentary #Windsor180 mug in Sandwich Town and then right side up in my digital darkroom.

 "Re-entry" by Patrick Firth

"The Mug Righted" by Patrick Firth

For those concerned whether or not I would leave the #52weeksofWE hashtag in a prominent spot during the summit, let your fears be put to rest. It is done.

Enjoy next week where we don’t celebrate any particular event or organization in general. Rather we are simply enjoying red things. As always, check out more photos on Flickr, as well as updates on Facebook and Twitter.

#52weeksofWE - Theme 25, Simply Red

While I am sure there are fun and exciting things happening in Windsor – Essex this week / weekend, I have decided to choose a refreshingly simple theme. You can get creative with the colour red. However, if there is something happening this week that is especially “red” – whatever that means – let us all know and we can shoot it! We are coming up on our halfway point. Please let me know if you have any ideas for what you would like to see for the back 26 weeks. 
Submit your photos on Flickr or Facebook, and send the picture files to me if you want them to be featured on my weekly reflections: essex.masqueATgmailDOTcom

Seeing Blue Dots, Reflection on Theme 23 of 52, #52weeksofWE

I know they do not take that long to plug out, but these blog posts have been falling along the wayside of our 52 week photographic journey through Windsor – Essex. Life is pretty demanding when you break it down to its component parts, and suddenly exhaustion and eating just get in the way.

I am not one to ever completely give up though, and I always am looking for more motivation to get me back on the keyboard and pestering the group for their photos so that they can be featured. So why not, parasite-like, fasten on to someone else’s passion and excitement and nourish myself with it. With the warm weather, groups, non-profits, businesses, etc. are a little more active and I am spoiled for choice. Though I will not do this every week, I featured an organization in week 23 that is important to me anyway, and felt that we could all celebrate their work with our photographs.

Blue Dot Windsor believes in the right of people in Windsor – Essex to a healthy environment: clean air and water, fresh food. The Blue Dot movement is a national one, being run by the David Suzuki Foundation. You can find their information on the following links:

Blue Dot Windsor 

Blue Dot National

Natural and manufactured solar energy panels by Patrick Firth

Here is my description for the Blue Dots theme:

Do you feel like you deserve the right to a healthy environment – to fresh air, clean water, and healthy food? Do you deserve the right to take pictures of fresh air, clean water, and healthy food, and those aspects of Windsor – Essex that keep our air, water, and food clean and healthy? If you agree you will especially like this week’s theme, as well as the opportunity to look into a local / national effort to help communicate and work towards this right. Follow the links to read more about and get involved with Blue Dot Windsor, and the national Blue Dot effort run by the David Suzuki Foundation. Also, check out the Save Ojibway, Evening of Art at Milk Coffee Bar, Sunday June 21st.

On top of the Evening of Art at Milk Coffee Bar, this is also a timely post because the man himself, David Suzuki, will be at the Capitol Theatre in Windsor on June 22nd for his "Letters to my Grandchildren" book tour, which you can find here.

Clean water made its way into this week’s shots in the form of raindrops caught on a leaf and in the splash of a hunting bird – both my favourite shots for this theme. Water also ran through healthy ecosystems and was the backdrop to a flock of birds (cormorants) at dusk.

"Diving In!" by Steve Biro

"Pollinator" by Paul Thibodeau

We also saw people in action, planting trees, recycling, and just standing back and breathing in the fresh air.

"Clean, clear ice waters" by Lupita Amaya G.

"Planting trees with the scouts" by Laurita Bonita

My contribution was more tongue in cheek, with the infamous Canada Geese of Riverside Drive holding up traffic, judging silently our reliance on automobiles, or something like that.

"Public Transportation Demonstration" by Patrick Firth

Thank you again to all those who are taking part in the #52weeksofWE challenge, and those who are letting me feature their photos on my blog. This is also a reminder that – if you are seeing this for the first time especially – there is no ‘too late’ to join, or ‘too amateur.’ Let me know what themes you would like to see as well, and share the stories behind your photos. 

We are almost at the halfway point. I am looking forward to this week’s contributions, with upside down shots celebrating #YKNOTWE and #Windsor180. Check out other posts for information on this. Also check out the Flickr group for the rest of the photos for the last 23 weeks. Thanks again!