A wonderful picture, and I love Nathan Phillips Square, but I just have to say that two of my least favourite buildings in Toronto are featured in that photo--the horrid concrete 60s monstrosities in the background. Its sad that our most public square is blighted by them.
Posted by pageblank at January 11, 2006 12:20 AMthis is a lot better than yesterdays but it does look a bit crooked. ps. wasnt the ice melting today? i guess this was from a while ago.
Posted by darren at January 11, 2006 12:39 AMFabulous!
A great depiction of the fairey land that it must be at that time of day at this time of the year.
It brings to life the quiet magic of childhood that we need more and more as we grow older.
Well done, and thank you, Sam.
Beautiful Sam. I really like the soft lighting on the buildings.
Posted by Sean Bennell at January 11, 2006 12:56 AMThat's certainly the most vibrant I've ever seen Nathan Philips Square in the winter!
Posted by Soloman at January 11, 2006 01:04 AMawesome!
Posted by M at January 11, 2006 02:05 AMThis shot is awesome...just one thing bothering me...
If you edited this alot I don't know, but the grey building in the background looks like its been faded out except for that huge piece in the center and a small piece on the side.
The center one is most disracting from the rest of the picture. If it wasn't doctored I'd suggest fading that out.
Posted by Alex at January 11, 2006 02:28 AMbeautifully crafted
Posted by AndyM at January 11, 2006 03:00 AMbeautiful long exposure with nice sharpness,composition,lighting and colors.
Posted by Pooriya at January 11, 2006 03:10 AMAwsome. Now this is back to the DDOI standard that I know and love.
Posted by ROB at January 11, 2006 03:15 AMAhh Sam, this image reminds me of my first view of toronto on my honeymoon 5 years ago! We had arrived late in the day on December 10th 2000 and we walked out from the hotel and around the corner and this was the sight we saw! Thanks for this its put a smile on my face at the start of the day!
Posted by Keels at January 11, 2006 04:27 AMVery nice lights!!!
Posted by Ramon at January 11, 2006 04:32 AMi like this shot.. the choice of a long exposure works well.. but i would have loved to see the tripod height increased so that the camera will not be tilted, resulting in the convergin verticals of the buildings.. juz my 2cents eh.. ;p
Posted by jxiong at January 11, 2006 04:53 AMThe way the skaters look next to the city looks amazing, the photo looks great!
Posted by AG at January 11, 2006 05:21 AMGreat photograph.. amazing lighting.. the skating rink looks very inviting indeed
Posted by Rahul Kumar at January 11, 2006 05:23 AMjust wanted to tell you, you've inspired me to create a photoblog myself. the next comment from me will be with it's url.
also, the building by the clock tower, looks like it's dissapearing!
Posted by Victoria at January 11, 2006 05:53 AMI really like the color of all the lights in this one
Posted by DG at January 11, 2006 06:27 AMpretty :)
Posted by abby at January 11, 2006 07:26 AMwow. i love your pictures!
Posted by Berit at January 11, 2006 08:10 AMVery pretty mix of movement and static. I wish I could hear the music playing... :)
Posted by Dan :: genestho.ca at January 11, 2006 08:26 AMwow so pretty! postcard shot.
Posted by ed at January 11, 2006 08:30 AMI think i already seen a similar picture here before but not so vivid. Any filter for this shoot?
Posted by Lucas Engel at January 11, 2006 08:34 AMIt's pretty,your photo are very nice.
Posted by parnian at January 11, 2006 08:39 AMOh so pretty :D
Posted by Tasnuva at January 11, 2006 09:04 AMa photo of NPS without the spaceship city hall in the background? very refreshing!
Posted by schmee at January 11, 2006 09:20 AMWhat a wonderful picture!!! Since reading about your photo blog in the Globe and Mail, I have bookmarked it and check in every morning at my desk before work. It's wonderful and addictive.
Thanks so much for all your work...
Lynn Gow
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Another great shot sam. Would love to see this one as a high rez wallpaper. Keep it up
Lucas
Posted by Lucas A at January 11, 2006 09:34 AMgreat combo of the motion blur of the skaters and the stately buildings lit up in the background
Posted by Gary at January 11, 2006 09:56 AMi enjoy your works...something i'd say:Thumbnailed archive saves viewers time!
Posted by sarah at January 11, 2006 10:32 AMAlex and Victoria, the building you are both referring to is an office tower attached to the Eaton Centre. It is all glass, and pretty much looks like that. I suspect that there is some "hazyness" to it as a result of the evening sky reflecting off the glass. The small sections that don't look the same colour is a reflection of a nearby building and is shaped so as a result of the curvature of the building.
Great shot Sam, I too love that the space ship is absent from a NPS photo...
--Pete
Posted by Pete at January 11, 2006 12:28 PMAll the lights are great!
Posted by Phil at January 11, 2006 01:48 PMNice shot, Sam. I took one there (earlier in the day) yesterday too! :)
Posted by James at January 11, 2006 01:51 PMWonderful photo, with a great irony: in a skating photo, the buildings look like they might tip over.
Posted by Kevin at January 11, 2006 03:25 PMVery nice. There is definitely a mood to this picture that makes it seem both very real and fantastical.
In an odd way, the glass building behind the clock tower seems like an alien implant from the future next to the brick and concrete that predominates. The fact that it seems to fade back adds to the effect.
This seems like a lovely essay on time, in more ways than I can describe in a comment box
Posted by Ravenmn at January 11, 2006 03:58 PMto Jxiong:
At what height do you suggest the tripod should be in order to correct the convergence of the verticals.
I think about 17 stories high(or half the height of the tallest building)might help somewhat; but, if that were the right method, I expect Sam would have done it that way.
Probably there are easier ways :-)
nice one...how bout a wallpaper version, havent thrown one of those up in a while mano
(ur kickin it with the cityscape shots, try and get a few more of those in rotation)
Posted by Ben at January 11, 2006 08:19 PMThis is a great dusk photograph. I like the balance of all the different light sources. Great tonality. I also like the sense of movement from the blurred skaters.
Posted by Bartek at January 11, 2006 08:54 PMHello!Nice to meet you!
I'm a japanese girl.
I live in Tokyo.
I love this weblog.
I chech this site everyday.
All photos are very beautiful&exciting!!!
I love it!!!
wow hi!
After a couple of months of following your site, I've finally plucked up the courage to tell you how much I worship you and your godly, GODLY pictures. You just breathe so much life into our city and all its prismatic beauty, really showing the world what a wonderful, unique place Toronto is.
Special request! Please come take pictures at the University of Toronto Schools! Bloor and Spadina! Where you have a rabid fanbase who will lovingly wait on you hand and foot. =)
I really like the way you photoshopped out the background!! No wait..... I think you're a CHEATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but I love the picture. Use whatever you want as long as they look like this. and wow! You reached a girl in Tokyo, congrats! That's in Asia, in case you were wondering.
Posted by keith at January 11, 2006 10:52 PMstrange composition. the focus is everywhere.
Posted by Boreo at January 11, 2006 11:14 PMI love the motion in this shot. The colors are rich and contrasty - fantastic!
Posted by Abe at January 12, 2006 04:05 AM
your photos are so great .
I have got a question.
Are your photos took by disital cameras or film cameras?