Winner of Peterborough Photo Festival Announced

Toronto’s Lucas DeClavasio and his photo “Focus” won the “Focus on Coffee” photography competition on Tuesday held by Spark Photo Festival back on March 12.

DeClavasio’s photography style has been described as abstract/experimental according to his Instagram page. Photo Courtesy of Spark Photo Festival.

The winning image was unanimously voted as the winner that best represented a creative, imaginative and technically well-executed interpretation of the competition theme, “coffee at home” according to the press release.

“Focus” will be exhibited at the 2021 SPARK Photo Festival in when it will reopen in September and featured on the packaging of a special edition Sparkplug X SPARK Photo Festival 2021 Coffee. This special edition coffee will be released in time for the festival in September and will be available for purchase online across Canada.

DeClavasio submitted a unique series of digital double-exposure images that impressed the judges. They said he planned each of the five images to poetically reflect each stage of coffee at home from the craving, to the first sip and through to the last drop.

“The double exposure is captured in-camera with the intention of portraying the physical effects of caffeine,” DeClavasio described. “The feeling of that first sip, it's like your body is in bloom and your mind is ready for whatever the day has in store for you.”

The Toronto-based amateur photographer credits the pandemic for his return from a photography hiatus.

“I needed a creative outlet,” he said. “My overarching goal with my photography is to embrace the chaos surrounding us, reconnect with my surroundings, and hopefully find a way to mentally cope with all these external factors.”

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Photography Contest Takes Place of Postponed Festival

SPARK Photo Festival has teamed up with Sparkplug Coffee and PhotoED Magazine for a new Canada-wide photography competition announced on Friday.

The contest calls for the best, most captivating, unique Coffee-at-Home images for the “Focus on Coffee” competition.

“We're looking for images that catch our attention, tell us your story about your at-home coffee experiences and nourish us like the first coffee of the day, “ said Jennifer MacKenzie, Festival Director. “We want to stay home and stay inspired creatively — together in 2021.”

First place will earn a year of Sparkplug Coffee and a year’s subscription to PhotoED Magazine.

The winning image will be featured on the packaging of a special edition Sparkplug X SPARK Photo Festival 2021 Coffee and the image will be exhibited at the 2021 SPARK Photo Festival.

The event was created after the festival was postponed to September by the SPARK Photo Festival Board of Directors.

“In the current pandemic environment, the health and safety of our community’s citizens, our photographers and those working at our venues, are the most important considerations at this time,” said MacKenzie.

Submission is free and open to Canadian residents except for Quebec. Photographers of any level are welcome and encouraged to submit before March 21 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. 

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The Lakefield Trail Launches 20th Anniversary Photo Contest

The Lakefield Trail Stewardship Committee invites people to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Lakefield Trail in 2021 by entering your photos in a yearlong photo contest. 

“It has always been a very well used recreational trail, but this year it has been critical infrastructure in our village,” says Bruce Bellchambers, Chair of the Lakefield Trail Stewardship Committee. “Physical and mental health is so important and our trail is accessible for all to enjoy.”

The Lakefield Millennium Trail opened in 2000 as way to celebrate the new millennium and the 125th anniversary of the Village of Lakefield. So many natural and historic locations along the trail result in wonderful photo opportunities. 

The Lakefield Trail photo contest will run for all four seasons of 2021. Photos must be taken with at least one foot on the Trail and then emailed here.  

For more info, check out contest details here and a map of the trail here.

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How Local Photographer Captured These Stunning Images Of Comet NEOWISE In Skies Over Peterborough

UPDATE (July 15th)

Here’s a couple more comet images Jay captured on Tuesday night around 10:20 p.m. from the south shore of Little Lake.

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ORIGINAL POST

Comet NEOWISE has been lighting up the early morning skies around the globe this month and Peterborough photographer Jay Callaghan was up bright and early on Thursday (July 9th) to capture it.

Currently NEOWISE is roughly 141 million kilometres from Earth and is gradually making its way closer to our planet as each day passes. The best time locally to see the comet has been in the early morning hours before sunrise, so in the wee hours, around 3:30 a.m., Jay was out capturing stunning images from the top of Armour Hill of the comet as well a great shot over Little Lake with the planet Venus to the right.

View from Armour Hill

“Locating the comet can be a bit of a challenge but with use of websites dedicated to the comet, such as The Sky Live as well as Sky Map app for Android phones, I was able to pinpoint when and where the comet would be when it rose at 2:59 a.m. this morning,” Callaghan tells PTBOCanada.

”Once the location is known, it was easy to find the comet and even see it with the naked eye,” he adds. “The humidity on the horizon made it a bit difficult to see at first but the camera had no issue capturing it.”

View from Armour Hill

View from Armour Hill

Callaghan, known for his beautiful pictures of the outdoors and wildlife in the area and for tweeting—and stormchasing—about the weather locally, used a Canon 80D and Sigma 18-35 and 70-200 lens to take the comet photos.

“The shots ranged in exposure times of anywhere from 1-6 seconds depending on the amount of light as well as other settings on the camera (ISO, aperture, etc),” he tells PTBOCanada.

View from Little Lake

For those interested in viewing the comet, here’s what Callaghan recommends:

-> As the comet gets closer to earth, the chances of seeing it after sunset will increase but unfortunately, at this time, it appears that the magnitude (or brightness) of the comet looks to be getting lower so the sooner you can get out to see it the better. 

-> Make sure to visit the The Sky Live website, enter in your location and keep an eye on the rise and set times of the comet, as well as what constellation it will be residing in, for a chance to catch a glimpse.

-> Your best bet is to get away from city lights and don't forget the binoculars and camera. 

-> The comet will make its closest approach to Earth on July 23rd when it will be approximately 103 million kilometres away and then will slowly disappear from our view.

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Powerful Pictures Of Frontline Healthcare Workers At PRHC By A Mother Whose Daughter Was Treated There For Cancer

Ennismore’s Mary Zita Payne has such enormous gratitude for this community and particular the frontline workers at PRHC.

See, her daughter Eliza, at age 3, was diagnosed with cancer. Young Eliza went through two and a half years of treatment for leukaemia, much of it at PRHC. “We were blessed her treatment plan had amazing success rates, and little likelihood of relapse,” Mary tells PTBOCanada. “She came out of on top, heathlier and happier then ever."

“Throughout those days as dark and sometimes lonely as they could feel, there was so much love, so many impactful moments from humans and our community that shined so much beauty in our lives,” Mary adds. “Our community rallied around us in an incredibly fierce way—they had a set up a GoFundMe page (which went beyond our wildest dreams), they sent cards and gifts, they donated blood, they sent beautiful messages.”

But the real heroes were the doctors and nurses who were there for Eliza and her family day in and day out. And for that, Mary is eternally grateful. During Eliza’s treatment there, Mary started really understanding the power of an image, of capturing moments (like the photos above).

“Photographing these nurses and community supporters was a way to thank them for the support—a way to make sense of it all and share with Eliza when she got older. My camera became a means of sharing my gratitude to my loved ones and the universe.”

Fast forward to today: To the crisis. To the pandemic. To our heroes, the healthcare workers at PRHC who are fighting a war against a virus, saving many lives, and in doing so putting themselves right in harm’s way on the battlefield. And back to Mary, who has turned her camera on them once again to give them a voice so to speak—to thank them for their awesome support, and for taking such amazing care of all of us. 

“I have been taking photos of them at the ‘parades’ honouring them, when I visit my grandma’s nursing homes and when I head into town for some essentials,” says Mary, who has been doing so while abiding by the physical distancing guidelines set forth, keeping well back.

“I see our nurses, many of whom we came to call our family and beloved friends, are being thrown into a war against a horrible disease, a disease that puts them at risk as well as their loved ones,” Mary tells PTBOCanada.

“It only seemed fitting to pull my camera out again and find a way to thank them,” Mary says of documenting this on her blog.

“By directing the camera right onto them during this crisis, I wanted to make sure they know how incredibly beautiful and strong they are for doing so. I wanted to help remind them on their bad days that their communities have so much love, respect and appreciation.”

Mary’s hope in documenting the frontline heroes at PHRC?

“That it inspires our community to keep the focus on keeping those in the ‘trenches’ safe, and how much we have to be grateful for. Grateful for a healthcare system and people within in it that will do everything they can to keep us safe and healthy.”

It only seems fitting somehow that we should finish this post here, with a picture of a now healthy and happy Eliza, who just turned 7, waving to the very healthcare workers at PRHC who helped save her life.

Eliza

View more of Mary’s photos of our heroes on her blog. (PRHC is need of the following supplies if you think you can help with their PPE drive.)

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Peterborough Getting A Facelift Around City

As Peterborough turns 115 this year (since it was incorporated as a city), many aspects of the city are getting a facelift. Here are some examples:

Y Lofts is renovating the old YMCA building to create condo-style rental suites and it is set to open in 2021…

The Scotts Mills Dam at Lock 19 is starting to show its age, so a new dam that retains its historic look is being constructed in its place…

The United Canadian Malt building (which was built in 1931) at the corner of Lansdowne and Park is being torn down to make way for high-end apartments…

Sears (which opened here in 1954) is being demolished to create new retail spaces…

King’s Crossing Tap & Grill at the corner of George and Dalhousie street has been demolished to make way for a new three story building housing a medical clinic…

—Photos by Evan Holt

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A Snowy Owl On Christmas Eve At Peterborough Airport

[UPDATE: December 28th: After seeing our post, Peterborough Airport says in a tweet that the snowy owl lives at the airport every winter. “She can be seen perched all over the airport and stays well clear of the runways.”]

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ORIGINAL POST

We’re not sure if this snowy owl was at the airport hoping for a flight to warmer parts but whatever the case naturalist Drew Monkman was there and caught beautiful pictures of the bird there on Christmas Eve.

Photo by Drew Monkman

Drew says he first saw the adult white owl perched on a red-roof building adjacent to Flying Colours at the very end of Brealey Drive, and then it flew to the runway taxiway sign where Drew caught these amazing pics.

Photo by Drew Monkman

Drew tells PTBOCanada the pictures “were taken with a 600mm lens and then cropped, and photographed from Flying Colours parking lot.”

Photo by Drew Monkman

[UPDATE No. 2]: Drew also snapped another picture of the owl more recently at the airport…

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Instagram Worthy Alleys & Urban Spaces Of Peterborough Perfect For Photo Shoots

Peterborough has awesome alleys and cool urban spaces downtown that make perfect backdrops for photo shoots for Instagram. Here are just a few great options that Rob “Electric City” James captured on a recent trek around town…

Location: Water & Hunter Street

Location: Water & Hunter Street

Location: Water & Hunter Street

Location: Chambers & Hunter St. W.

Location: Chambers Street at Hunter

Location: Charlotte & George Street

Location: Hunter & Aylmer Street

Location: Hunter & Aylmer Street (reverse angle)

Location: Water & Hunter Street

Location: Water & Hunter Street

Location: Hunter Street facing Simcoe Bus Terminal

Location: Near the corner of George & Hunter Street

Know any other cool urban spaces and hidden alleys? Email here!

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PTBOCanada Autumn Photo Contest

We're hosting a Fall photo contest over on our Facebook page.

Simply post a scenic photo of our beautiful city to be entered for a chance to win a copy of the book Audubon Society Guide to Nature Photography. Have a look below at some of the gorgeous photos that our readers have already submitted on our Facebook page...

Photo by Brenda Mac. This photo was taken while sitting on the upper deck of our houseboat at the Peterborough Marina, and enjoying the beautiful sight of Peterborough's waterfront at night!

Photo by Hilary Quint. Early autumn, late in the day at Jackson Creek.

Photo by Nicole Stricker.

Photo by Shawna Colvin.

Photo by Jessica Hobbins.

Photo by Kayleigh Hindman.

Photo by Rebecca L Carpenter.

Photo by Trace Jay

Photo by Vicki Gray.

Photo by Lauraann Hickey Frost.

Photo by Jen Cowey.

Photo by Sandy Scammell.

Photo by Angela Ferguson.

Photo by Amanda Mertens.

Photo by Brenda Mac.

Photo by Vanessa Maynard.

Photo by Sarah Busby.

Photo by Lori Bridges.

Photo by Danielle Kelly. Beavermead Park at sunset

Photo by Kelly Bruce.

Photo by Alan Cummings.

Photo by Rodica Manea.

Photo by Kelly Pagett Russelle.

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Local Photographer Releases Zine On Back Alleys Of Peterborough

Since moving to Peterborough 13 years ago, photographer Kevin Collins has been fascinated by the back alleys in the downtown core.

"Most of these alleys are only accessed by discrete tunnels or 'holes in the wall' and open up into a whole other world," Collins says on his website introducing the "Backwater" series, which has been released in zine format (more on that below). "In spring 2017, I set out to try and capture downtown Peterborough from a different perspective."

Photo by Kevin Collins

"While many of the buildings in downtown Peterborough have gone through multiple restorations and renovations over the years, the backsides of these buildings are relatively untouched," Collins writes.

Photo by Kevin Collins

"Many of these areas are covered in graffiti, and held together with crumbling bricks, rotten wood and corrugated sheet metal, and in that, I’ve attempted to capture the dilapidated beauty of these nooks and crannies and that they still function as part of local business or provide living accommodations," says Collins.

Photo by Kevin Collins

"I wanted to capture downtown Peterborough differently than most of the other photos I've seen," Collins tells PTBOCanada. "We walk by these alleys and corridors everyday and never give them a second thought. To try and convey some of the grit, all the photos were shot on black and white film."

Below are a few more of the photos Collins took in the series, which has been released in a new zine called Backwater that you can order a copy of by clicking here. 

Photo by Kevin Collins

Photo by Kevin Collins

Photo by Kevin Collins

Photo by Kevin Collins

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