I've got one of those things in my basement that I found in a library dumpster in Mississauga. Maybe I'll go put mine on the other side of the gate. :D

It's not very exciting.
It'a a dirty turnstile.

nice shot... love the colors.. season changes

Looks like russian cottage place (dacha)

another name for the photo could be "Ticket Please". I like it when I see things out of place, always makes a good photo op.
I have been spoiled with your shots from England, so this looks kind of boring in comparison, but that's just me.

This is a nice depiction of urban waste. Oddly, that turnstile has been there for as long as I can remember ... and I have been going to the Leslie Spit for over twenty years. Makes you wonder why nobody has hauled it away yet.

Great title! That 'traffic counter' is definitely out of place at this seldom used park.

Thanks for my morning laugh Sam!!

Sam,

I've been following your site since last summer -- ever since I bought my D70 -- as a source of inspiration. Though a mixture of winners and not-so-winners is to be expected, I think that lately your photos have taken a turn toward the snapshot-y. For the last few months I'm getting the sense more of you walking/biking around, stopping, snapping a photo, and rolling onward rather than stopping, laying the bike down, walking around, and really getting to know the setting and doing it justice by composing the photo slowly and appropriately.

The reason I get this feeling is that lately your photos look and *feel* as if you are standing behind the camera. Now, while this feeling works in and even helps with metaphotography, usually it adds a detrimental static effect to an image -- plus, standing is rarely the best point of view in a photo because it isn't *interesting*.

For instance, with this photo, why not get down on your belly and really juxtapose the machine with nature? Why have a blown-out sky as your background instead of some of those neat yellow ferns? Or get even closer and show us the intricacies of the machine's decay as it rots in nature... I know that, once you're there, your instincts will kick in and you'll compose just fine, but you're limiting yourself by not getting off the bike.

Well, that's just my two cents, and the only reason I say anything is because I know what you are capable of. Thanks for listening.

Ha! Ever weird!

Nice colours too :)

love it! But who is Tommy Thompson in CA? here in WI he's the former Governor and part of Bush's cabinet. I doubt that it's the same guy.

well that's random... hehe.

wicked shot!
tommy tomson is among the greatest spots in toronto, and this shot is far more interesting than the tourist shots you've been showing us!

more like this!

Tommy Thompson was a Parks Commissioner in Toronto just after WW2.

There was once an actual working gate at this site. The park, also known as the Leslie St. Spit is both a bird sanctuary and a working garbage dump. Clean fill from construction and demolition sites is used to push the spit out into Lake Ontario and the older sections are now inhabitted by an amazing aray of wildlife right in the middle of the city.

More info at http://www.trca.on.ca/parks_and_culture/places_to_visit/tommy_thompson/

This pic is of particular interest to me as I bike with a friend there most evenings, passing that redundant gate. I take my D70, he brings his D2X and we shoot away.

Thanks, Sam.

hehe... to get to the oter side of this prarie field, you must use a turnstile. We need to count the people who go in and out of this place...

hehe nice picture, I like the awkwardness.

The subject is awesome, but the shot could be so much better- I've never commented before, but I just think this shout could be 10 times more awesome. I don't know how... mostly... because... I suck. But um... I think it would be better in black and white... maybe... more contrast, anyway... *hides*

Boreo said not very exciting... I highly disagree. Most of your work has great color to it, but it is ocationally lacking subject. This photo is spectacular though. Like the last place you would expect to see a turnstyle at. This photo poses so many questions (in a good way) I like art that keeps the viewer wondering, wanting to know more. This is a wonderful exaple of that. Very powerful photo. Great work!

I love your photos in general, but I have to agree with some of the other commenters here, that this photo probably could have been taken at a much more interesting angle. I dunno, everyone see's things differently so thats kind of weird to say maybe. Ahh well.

The irony in this shot is funny, the composition tight [as always] the lighting gorgeous, a great find and grab.

Works for me Sam

Although it would be nice if you could go back at 6am
and on your belly... ahem

will they have these at the edges of citys some day?

zzz... i took that shot ages ago...

I like the lighting in this shot - the soft, amber light really makes for a tranquil feel here.

great shot. the soft lighting and the out of place kinda 'post apocalyptic turnstyle to no where' is cool.