DOWNTOWN CAMERA

Where photography lives.

[downtowncamera]

The Regulars: An Interview with Nick Spector

Photographer: Nick Spector 

Studio: Nick Spector Photography

Type of Photos Taken: Fashion, Street

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I'm Toronto-born and raised. I've been shooting for five years. I studied journalism at Ryerson. The photojournalism instructor at Ryerson, Peter Bregg, taught me everything about photography. Thanks to Peter, my first photo job out of school was shooting a fundraising climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

After that, I did lots of corporate and event jobs, but still craved something more creative.

I hit the reset button on my photography career two years ago; I took a continuing education fashion photography course at OCAD, taught by FASHION Magazine’s photo editor Erin Reynolds. We kept in touch, and a few months after the class, I reached out to ask if she knew any photographers looking for assistants. I figured it was a long shot. After all, I didn’t have much of a portfolio and no experience assisting. She recommended I get in touch with Chris Nicholls. I did, and I’ve been one of his assistants for about a year now. I’m totally using this platform to shout him out and show appreciation. I’ve learned so much from him and his whole team over the last year. They’ve all been really patient and helpful with me. It’s an incredible opportunity to get to be there and not one I take for granted.

What drew you into photography?

I always say that I wish I had one of those "I picked up a camera at five years old/this was destiny" type of stories. I was drawn to cameras at Ryerson. We had these broadcast news classes and they made you get into groups and either be a reporter, writer, editor or camera operator. I liked being a reporter, but I found camera work more creative and meditative (I also really hated writing for TV!). I remember playing with my friend Pedram’s DSLR at a party once, and wanting desperately to know how to use it properly. I was trying to take someone’s picture but I couldn’t get the photo to look like the lighting I was seeing in front of me. I remember feeling like I needed to master this. It became an obsession: seeing a moment of a scene and wanting to be able to capture the elements of it to evoke a mood or a feeling.

What is your philosophy regarding photo taking? Any personal rules you stick to?

There are politics to everything you shoot.

To me it goes beyond the baseline "respect your subject." As someone who shoots human subjects primarily, I believe that you should understand your subject; understand that beyond depicting who they are, you are also creating a visual representation of a sex, gender, identity, race, ethnicity, religion, etc.

That has the potential to be very impactful to your viewer, especially now that a majority of us are sharing our work online. We don't know who is seeing it, or how they're interpreting it. I think that it's important to remember that. There's a story beyond the photo, but the photo also shapes that story. I think the same set of rules can apply to photographing a city, a place, nature, everything.

I can’t say that I always (or ever) do a perfect job of it, but I think it's something that is of absolute importance to strive for.

Other than that, I really believe in that idea that the best camera is the one you have on you. If you understand the strengths and limitations of the tool you’re using, you’ll always get good

results.

Tell us about a photographic challenge?

I guess the root is fear. Fear of never reaching the calibre of photographer I want to be. Fear that what I’m doing isn’t good, or isn’t good enough. Fear that I won’t “make it,” whatever making it means.

For a long time, I was looking at photography as a business. My roommate Lily had to berate me into referring to myself as an artist instead. She made a fair point, that by not doing so I wasn’t taking any real responsibility for the work I was producing.

The satisfaction that I feel from work I produce is short-lived. I’m definitely very critical of myself. Those fears I mention are all still very prevalent. I’ve learned to just embrace it. Behind it all is an intense love for this art form. Rather than let my own criticisms get me down about what I’m doing, I try to recognize the passion fuelling it and harness that energy into creating the kinds of images I want to make.

What is one thing you could not go into a shoot without?

Inspiration. You can spend thousands and thousands of dollars on gear but if you don’t know what you really like, what moves you, what excites you, if you don’t know where you want to go and where you want to take the viewer, you’ll always come up short. I try to look beyond photography for inspiration. Paintings, music, my own life experiences - all that stuff gets weaved into the work I do.

What gear do you prefer to shoot with?

Like I said earlier, hand me a camera, let me figure out its functions and feel; what it can and can’t do; and I’m happy.

I know that’s not the answer you’re looking for though…

A majority of my fashion work is shot on a Nikon D800 and 85mm lens. Almost all of my street photos were shot with a Fuji x100T. All bought at Downtown Camera. I just did a trade-in with you guys for a used Nikon F80, I’ve been playing around with shooting some of my fashion stuff on film.

When did you first come to Downtown Camera? Anyone in particular you remember?

I don’t remember the first time I was there, but I do remember coming in to buy an Elinchrom lighting kit, and John told me to wait a month for the newer kit to come out. He emailed me when it came in and everything. From that point on I’ve been a loyal customer.

George has always been very kind and helpful with me (and he takes great passport photos!). Sheldon helped my mother pick out a point-and-shoot. I don’t know everyone’s name there, but

they’ve always been really nice and super helpful. I follow a couple of them on Instagram.

Any advice to fresh photographers?

Stop looking at the back of your camera after every shot. Take one test to make sure the light is

right and then focus on shooting what you’re shooting.

Don’t give up. Ever. No matter what. If you feel discouraged, embrace that and get better.

Buy photo books.

Study light. Just watch it throughout the day. Be aware of it. Think about how it makes you feel: the thoughts, memories, and ideas it conjures. Use that.

No but seriously, don’t ever give up.

Follow @nickspector on Instagram.

[downtowncamera]

The Regulars: An Interview with Geoffrey Inniss

Photographer: Geoffrey Inniss of Inniss Photography

Type of Photos Taken: Nature

Tell us a bit about yourself… Born and grew up in Barbados West Indies, came to Canada in 1970 with the intention of completing studies in Electronics and returning in a few years, but I am still here having met a few interesting people along the way.

What drew you into photography?

Nothing specific, bought my first camera after leaving school an Agfa  rangefinder and fell in love with taking pictures.

What is your philosophy regarding photo taking? Any personal rules you stick to?

To record the scene or object as accurately as possible.

Tell us about a photographic challenge you overcame?

The challenge of embracing the shift from film to digital.

What gear do you prefer to shoot with?

Canon full frame cameras.

When did you first come to Downtown Camera? Anyone in particular you remember?

Philip Sun sold me my first camera in Toronto back in 1975 while he was at Toronto Camera and I have moved with him from there all the way through the different location to Downtown Camera.

Any advice to fresh photographers?

Practice understanding light and exposure and build from there.

[leicagraph]

[downtowncamera]

The Regulars: An Interview with Robert Sadoff

Photographer: Robert Sadoff

Type of Photos Taken:  The majority of my photos are Candid Street although I have been known to take the odd Landscape, Nature or Macro shot just to annoy my photo buds.

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I’m 68, retired, married with children, grandchildren and cats, and have been photographing since 1977.

I originally bought my first “real” camera back in 1977 to take photos of our first child. Very quickly I found that the majority of my pictures were of our two kids, and their interactions with the children of our friends and neighbours, and this just naturally evolved into an interest in photographing strangers as they went about their daily lives. I also spent a great deal time reading photography books and magazines as well as attending courses on photography, and was exposed to a wide variety of photo genres. I became a competent photographer of many of the static genres such as landscape and nature, but my photos of them seemed to lack soul, likely because they never interested me as any more than academic exercises. “Oh look! Robert took a photo of a tree!”, was a comment from a photo bud upon seeing some of my nature pictures, and when dragged kicking and screaming to Lake Superior Provincial Park, or Death Valley California to bask in, and shoot Nature’s Splendor, I’d usually spend the time taking photographs of my photo buds taking photographs.

For most of the Nature and Landscape photographers I know their Photographic Mission seems to be a Search for Beauty, and a very fine photographer told me that he could never shoot the subjects I do expressly because they weren’t beautiful. I replied that I could never shoot the subjects he did, because all I ever wanted to do was tell stories with pictures

What is your philosophy regarding photo taking? Any personal rules you stick to?

“Photograph unto others as you would have them photograph unto you.”

Moses and Jesus (who both used Nikon's newer than mine) used to say that.

Tell the stories, but don’t be mean or hurtful.

When expressly asked not to photograph, I always respect those wishes and won’t then covertly or from a distance take the shot. This has happened on a number of occasions during Gay Pride or with Homeless People whom I’ve been photographing for over twenty years, and I have always respected those wishes. In cases where the requests were made after the photos were taken, those shots have never been publicly shown.

And while it may be more about self-preservation than ethics, I never photograph children without permission.

Tell us about a photographic challenge you overcame?

I've been photographing Toronto's Homeless People for about twenty years.

It started because while downtown here in Toronto I noticed a homeless person sitting at busy main intersection begging for change.

He was essentially surrounded by a crowd of pedestrians waiting to cross, and as I watched it became apparent that they were all deliberately ignoring him. The light changed and they all walked away without one even so much as glancing down at him.

It occurred to me that the homeless were essentially invisible to the rest of us because in most cases it was just easier to look away or ignore them, than to perhaps make eye contact and confront an unpleasant situation.

I decided then to start photographing them and perhaps in some small way make them more visible.

The first time I went out, I drove to a street where I knew a number of homeless persons "lived", pulled over, rolled down the window, took a shot with a long lens, and quickly drove away.

I stopped a few blocks away and was overcome with shame at what I had just done. Not because I had taken the picture, but because of the manner in which I had taken it.

I realized that to get any meaningful photos I'd have to first get to know the people I was photographing.

So I drove back, parked my car, got out and walked up to the first street person I saw, introduced myself, shook his hand, asked his name and began to talk. We spoke for a long and with his permission I took some pictures. He was kind enough to give me a lot of insight into his life on the street as well as lessons in street etiquette and even walked back with me to the colony of street people I had first photographed and introduced me to them. For the next couple of years, I spent a great deal of my free time downtown, getting to know many street people and photographing them.

What is one thing you could not go into a shoot without?

The ability to schmooze with people. Talking to strangers is invaluable when doing Candid Street photography.

What gear do you prefer to shoot with?

Laughably outdated, hopelessly primitive, Nikon film SLR & Rangefinder cameras and manual focus lenses from the previous century.

When did you first come to Downtown Camera? Anyone in particular you remember?

About fifteen years ago after meeting Phillip Sun, one of the then-owners of Downtown, through a photography club I still belong to. He was always, kind, considerate, very knowledgeable, and extremely generous to his friends and customers and downtown very quickly became my store of choice.

Any advice to fresh photographers?

You really can’t know a person until you talk to them, and perhaps in some small way walk a mile in their shoes. I learned this many years ago from my first Photography Mentor, who spent a great deal of time in North Africa, and always had wonderful stories to tell about the people he photographed. He impressed upon me the idea that photos of strangers were always better if you got to know them first, and this became very evident when I began to spend time talking to, and far more important, listening to many of my subjects whether they owned homes or not.

Robert Capa was right when he said “If your pictures aren’t good enough, It’s because you’re not close enough.”, both physically and more important, emotionally.

[downtowncamera]

The Regulars: An Interview with Anielika Sykes

Photographer: Anielika Sykes of Anielika Sykes Photo

Type of Photos Taken: Environmental portraits, landscape

Website: blog.anielikasykes.com/

Tell us a bit about yourself...

I was born and raised in little Poland. I lived in the house that my grandparents proudly bought when they immigrated to Canada after the war. For a lack of a better word, that house had some vibes. Growing up in such a culturally rich community taught me early on that everyone has a story. That has gone on to inspire the majority of my work.

What drew you into photography?

My parents are both extremely creative people. My father loved to take photos, and my mom, in sweet Polish fashion, loved to make photo albums. My father passed when I was very young, so I looked to photos to learn about him. Those photo albums told me a huge story that words could never quite capture.

What is your philosophy regarding photo taking? Any personal rules you stick to?

That’s hard to say because rules that I stick to may not be useful to the next photographer. There’s always going to be more than one way of doing or seeing something. I think it’s important to make your own rules up as you go. What is one thing you could not go into a shoot without? I think it would be really weird to have a shoot without music.

What gear do you prefer to shoot with?

I shoot a Canon markii 5D for business, and a Fuji 4x4.5” for pleasure. My mentor and friend, David Gillespie (and fellow DTC regular), gave me that camera a couple years ago. It’s consistently been my favourite camera to shoot with.

When did you first come to Downtown Camera? Anyone in particular you remember?

I first started developing my negs with DTC when I got my first job shooting for Toronto Life 4 years ago. George is unforgettable!

Any advice to fresh photographers?

Be observant. Inspiration isn’t always in obvious places, so it’s good to be aware of what’s happening around you. When you find something that gets you curious, pursue whatever that may be.

[downtowncamera]

The Regulars: An Interview with Bruce Zinger

Photographer:

Bruce Zinger of Zinger Photographics Inc.

Type of Photos Taken: Live Theatre; People

Website: www.brucezinger.com

What drew you into photography?

My Father was a Photographer, so I sort of grew up in that environment of cameras and f-stops. I liked the craft of making images, especially the black and white darkroom fun! When I realized I could make my living doing Photography, I was keen in pursuing that angle of it seriously.

What is your philosophy regarding photo taking? Any personal rules you stick to?

My main insight is that Lighting is a life-long apprenticeship. Also, I like to "finish" my photos ... which basically means fine tuning the details. Often I will move the camera angle slightly to accommodate elements of the image to "flow" better as linear components of the composition, like a line of a wall or building. It's all about balance. Anyone can point a camera at a face and "take a picture". The skill comes into play when you start to shift the elements of the composition as you observe through he viewfinder ... it's a conscious, "live" action sort of control. Like a video game. I often view images and find myself leaning one way or the other in order to mentally try to alter the image's compositional balance ... it's not finished, if I find I am doing that!

Tell us about a photographic challenge you overcame?

Mainly, reinventing yourself as an image maker on each new job, especially with a new Client ... they don't care how fantastic you were last week shooting for "National Geographic", if you can't deliver what it is they are expecting ...

Not getting complaisant with the repetitive nature of years of being in business ... always stay "hungry", or you may go hungry!

What gear do you prefer to shoot with?

Since 2003, when I switched to a full digital workflow, I have been using Canon. I wish someone would make a system that combines Sony's chips with Ziess optics and Canon/Nikon's interface ... I shoot in total darkness and it is essential that I am able to change shutter speed/ISO instantly with one button, and have that status "live" in the viewfinder ... and a better out-focus system than what Canon has hobbled together ...

When did you first come to Downtown Camera? Anyone in particular you remember? Any advice to fresh photographers?

A friend of mine knew Stan, and dealt with him in the old location on Church street. She introduce me to Stan, and the Gang ... I have shopped in many different camera stores over the years, but it isn't about price these days, it's about the service and after sales help. That is why I keep returning to Downtown Camera.

Any advice to fresh photographers?

‘It's not so much what you know, but who you know" ... NEVER before has it become more pertinent than now ... develop relationships and contacts.

Also, do not get caught up in equipment-itis ... it's nice to own the latest and greatest cameras and lenses but often, if a piece of equipment is sitting on a self for more than 2 months (this will vary for each individual, of course ...) then maybe it makes more sense to "rent as needed", as opposed to owning it outright. ... and, if you are constantly renting a specific piece of equipment, then maybe it's time to buy it outright and expense it against your profits ...

Listen carefully to the "Pros" ... they are often wrong about many things! ... and, SAVE your money!

[downtowncamera]

The Regulars: An Interview with Sheryl Minnett

Photographer: Sheryl Minnett of Kevin & Sheryl Photography 

Type of Photos Taken: Wedding & lifestyle, now venturing into wildlife & travel

Website: www.kevinandsheryl.ca

Tell us a bit about yourself...

I am a country girl turned city, slowly making my way to all ends of the globe.  I consider myself lucky to share my passion for photography, travel, and nature with my husband and partner in work, play, and life.  

What drew you into photography?

I think photography found me rather than the other way around. Close to 20 years ago, I saw a need for story telling through image while I was volunteering with a small NGO in Mali, West Africa. So I took it upon myself to get a camera, take some classes, and work on my skills. Then for a number of years I provided the organization with the promotional images they needed to support their work. The rest, as they say, is history.

What is your philosophy regarding photo taking? Any personal rules you stick to?

I like to think that respect is one of the values that guides me in everything I do. Whether I am photographing people, places, wildlife or other natural elements, it is important to me to respect the subject, other people I may be working with, the environment around me, and the opportunity I have been given to be part of that moment.  

Tell us about a photographic challenge you overcame?

There are always challenges in photography and constant room for growth and learning.  For me, taking a photograph requires solving a series of problems in order to achieve the result that you want. Often times things are beyond our control, so we need to be able to think on our feet and to adapt. Personally, I would say one of the ongoing hurdles I deal with is remaining open minded, trying new things and not being afraid to make mistakes.  These things are so important because that's when the learning happens.

What is one thing you could not go into a shoot without?

I like to have a plan and be prepared. For a wedding that might mean mapping out in advance where I want to do various sets of photos and envisioning what I want to do. Regardless of the type of shoot, having a plan and being prepared always means ensuring my gear is prepped and ready to go, and continually working on my craft so that I can reasonably manage whatever situation comes my way.

What gear do you prefer to shoot with?

I have always used Canon gear. Right now I am shooting with the 5D Mark III, with lenses ranging from 16mm up to 600mm.  I also like the versatility of speed lights and the range of modifiers that can be used with them.

When did you first come to Downtown Camera? Anyone in particular you remember?

Both my husband and I have been coming to Downtown Camera for years.  The first person I met and purchased anything from was Harry Mac. Aside from the fact that we like to support local businesses, the main reason I kept coming back was that never Harry tried to sell us anything we didn't need. He would always ask what we were trying to accomplish and would then look at options from that starting point. That was refreshing.

[downtowncamera]

We spent the day with DP and Photographer Adam Makarenko and the Pentax 645Z paired with the 35mm 3.5 AL [IF] to explore the use of medium format cameras in the world of miniatures.

Adam creates whole new worlds of surreal and majestic scenes right from his apartment studio in Toronto. Looking around his studio, filled with miniature stalagmites, clouds, and moon landing equipment; it is clear that he has a passion for science fiction.  He even mentioned that he’s in the works of finding a physicist to help him discover new techniques to expand his practice.  

When it came to the camera, along with the quality that upgrading a sensor size brings, Markarenko comments on the ease of navigation, as well as the simplified native raw format workflow. He seems to be greatly approving of the image and was generally very impressed with the quality of this Pentax legend. Take a look at his Facebook Page and Instagram Account to see more of his  work. 

[douglas-macrae]

My photoshoot is now up on Silodrome of the Walt Siegl Ducati Leggero, shot in ‘the Temple’ near his NH shop ©Douglas MacRae 

[tylerhayward]

This is Ken. Today is Ken’s last day working at downtown camera and he’s helped me ever since I started shopping and taking my film to the store. He helps me with all of my requests to see gear and has awesome stories of travelling, shooting and working for Sinar back in the day. I asked him what his favourite lens to be shot on would be and he said 35mm cron, but I’m not a huge fan of crons so he let me borrow the 35mm lux aspherical to take he portrait, wide open he insisted, of course.

[downtowncamera]

The Regulars: An Interview with Richard Dubois

Photographer: Richard Dubois

Type of Photos Taken: Fashion + Beauty editorial and advertising

Website: www.duboisphotography.com

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I've been a full-time commercial fashion photographer for over a decade.  I make Toronto my home base, but I occasionally travel to other Canadian cities and other countries for work.  Photography is also my hobby, although since I enjoy the kind of shooting I do for clients so much, the line between professional and personal work is fairly blurred.

What is your philosophy regarding photo taking? Any personal rules you stick to?

My number one rule with photography is to treat every shoot as the most important shoot you’ll do.  If I take on a project and don’t do it as well as I can, or decide to “blow it off” because I’m not feeling invested in it, I had no business taking on that project in the first place. 

Tell us about a photographic challenge you overcame?

Because of the commercial nature of my job, I've witness just about every complication I can think of, from crazy weather to sick colleagues to shooting at all hours of the day.  I once had a magazine shoot on the top of 1 King West during a tornado warning here in Toronto, where the weather went from blistering hot to freezing cold with hail in just a few hours.  Our light stands were in danger of blowing off the building, but we did get the shoot done.

What is one thing you could not go into a shoot without?

The single greatest asset I've ever had on a shoot is a great team.  My work is very collaborative, and the makeup and hair artists, the wardrobe stylists, the editors and art directors, and all the assistants make me look very good.  My best shoots are when there is a lot of synergy in the room.

What gear do you prefer to shoot with?

I've shot with both Nikon and Canon, and I use Elinchrom lights and light modifiers at the studio.  I much prefer fast fixed focal length lenses over zoom lenses, usually a 35, 50 and 85.  I also use a tripod often, which allows me to compose a shot more carefully when needed.

When did you first come to Downtown Camera?

I bought my first roll of film at Downtown Camera in 1998, and I've been going there ever since.  Other than my first ever 35mm SLR I bought used, I think I've purchased every camera I've ever owned there, and more accessories than I can remember.  I've met dozen of staff at Downtown Camera over the years, and I've always enjoyed chatting with all of them.  There's a reason I keep going back.

Any advice to fresh photographers?

The only advise I would give to new photographers isn't terribly insightful, but I think it's very important:  Have fun.  I began my career with film and happily transitioned to digital, and I really like how more people are enjoying photography because of its greater accessibility — it's great to see so many people posting their work online.  As far as I'm concerned, the more photographers, the better.

[downtowncamera]

Digital Scanning Service Changes in effect September 15, 2015

Dear Valued Customer,

Firstly, we want to say thank you to all of our customers! We have seen an exponential growth in our film community and it’s been very exciting to work towards serving more and more film shooters.

Of course with growth come growing pains and especially with the recent closure of Black’s photography, our photo-lab has been experiencing a higher volume of photo-finishing than we had originally anticipated – especially in our scanning department.

In response, it has been decided to treat scanning orders like our print service. If you require scans on the same day there will be premium surcharge of $2.00, next day a $1.00 surcharge, while our “econo” service will have no additional charges. By making this change we are able to ensure our service levels are maintained, provide value options and make certain all orders are ready as promised.

We are also taking steps to increase our services to you. You’ll be seeing new order envelopes, a growth in staff, and we are working on an Internet solution where you can find out if your order is ready earlier than the due date.

So we send our heartfelt thanks for your business and understanding during this time. We hope to continue to be in your service for years to come.

Sincerely,

Downtown Camera Ltd

[downtowncamera]

The Regulars: An Interview with Harvey Schipper

Photographer: Dr. Harvey Schipper

Type of Photos Taken: Product, Street, Events, etc

Book: Of Light - An Invitation to Photographic Storytelling

Tell us a bit about yourself...

I’m both a physician and an engineer, and currently Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto.  Along the way I’ve helped build institutions, create new areas and disciplines of medicine, and even helped build a medical information company.  Most of all I’ve been a cancer doctor, at the bedside with patients. Photography has been a serious interest for a long time.

Allow me to include an excerpt from my book, of LIGHT An introduction to photographic storytelling:

"As this book about photography was going to press, I was immersed in writing a series of essays about the future of medicine…my other life. The juxtaposition has always been there, yet committing thought to print brought into focus how those two of my worlds deeply inform one another. Modern medicine is an art informed by highly disciplined science. It is, increasingly, a world governed by rules and structured observation.  Photography on the other hand, for me, has been about unbounded observation and storytelling.  It is about seeing something new in an old familiar circumstance, and conveying that sense of discovery. It is the antithesis of rules. The common thread, and source of energy is curiosity and the joy of discovery. It is about broadening one's vision, exploring the less illuminated spaces in both our world and our minds.  It is about being open to the unexpected, and resisting the temptation to explain it away, bound by conventional understandings. For me, my training as a scientist brings a discipline to my photography.  In return, my photography refreshes my curiosity, and brings to my physician life opportunities to occasionally see things differently, and influence the course of medicine."

What drew you into photography?

It was in high school, at Oakwood Collegiate in Toronto. They had a great photography club with an eccentric and engaging teacher advisor.  I got so involved I nearly compromised my academics.  Fortunately wiser people stepped in to help me along.

What is your philosophy regarding photo taking?  Any personal rules you stick to?

I’m a storyteller.  The book expresses my philosophy which, in a sentence, is concentrate on telling the story.  Today’s cameras are so smart you mostly don’t need to be a buttons and knobs expert.

Tell us about a photographic challenge you overcame?

Being disciplined about shooting.  When I was beginning we used film, and that cost roughly 50 cents a shot.  I was a student.  So I had to plan carefully, think about what I was trying to say, and pick my moment.  As a result, I shoot less than many of my friends.  I know why pros shoot as much as a thousand frames a day, and more, but even today, I don’t quite get it. I recall,at the other extreme a law professor friend who was an excellent photographer.  He took three rolls (about 100 exposures) of film with him on a trip to Egypt, and managed to make a sell-out show from that!  And his vision was failing at the time.

What is one thing you could not go into a shoot without?

Don’t laugh…my camera.  One of my teachers, Jay Maisel, used to say that the best way to miss the photo was to forget your camera.  He once even chastised me for meeting him for dinner and not having it with me.  There is always something to see, to be curious about and explain in another way.  So its balancing the rest of your life, and I suppose not being a geek.

What gear do you prefer to shoot with?

I keep it pretty simple for someone who is quite serious. I have two cameras, one a full frame 35 with four lenses; a wide zoom, a mid-zoom, a 7–300 telephoto and a 100mm macro. I supplement that with a good pocket size camera when I want to travel really light, or be particularly discreet.  I started with Minolta, but switched to Canon some years ago.

When did you first come to Downtown Camera?

About 10 years ago.  A friend brought me, and I quickly came to appreciate that the people at Downtown were as much interested in advancing photographers as selling gear.  They have been trusted friends and advisors ever since.

Any advice to fresh photographers?

Get good advice about a camera that will suit your needs and grow with you. Then take pictures and share them with friends.  You could even read my book

[downtowncamera]

The context in which a photograph is seen affects the meaning the viewer draws from it.

Stephen Shore

[downtowncamera]

Just a Reminder that Downtown Camera is Closed Monday August 3rd for the Civic Holiday. Have a great long weekend!

[downtowncamera]

The more you shoot, the clearer becomes the reason you take photographs.

Chris Thomaidis

[downtowncamera]

The Regulars: An Interview with Chris Thomaidis

Photographer:  Chris Thomaidis

Studio / Company: Chris Thomaidis Photography

Type of Photos Taken: Portraits, Location, Still Life for corporate and editorial clients

Tell us a bit about yourself...

I was born in Northern Greece and have lived in Toronto since the age of four. I remember very little of my childhood. My sister describes me as a quiet and contemplative toddler. They would leave me under an olive tree in the village square, where I happily played and observed for hours. Nothing has changed, except for the type of tree. I started photographing professionally 34 years ago. I was a creative director for a few years in the 80’s. Had stock photo representation through a local agency, then with Tony Stone Images which morphed into Getty Images in the early 90’s. I continue to pursue commercial work and have been fortunate enough to work with exceptionally creative people.  

What drew you into photography?

In high school I was hoping to become an architect. When I was 21 a friend and I went on a weekend motorcycle trip. I borrowed my brother-in-law's camera, a Canon ftb loaded with a roll of colour negative film. I didn’t know how to use it. He showed me how to focus and match the needle for exposure. It was fun. A few years later I lived with artist friends north of Toronto. It was with their encouragement that I started photographing on purpose.

What is your philosophy regarding photo taking?

Even when I don’t have a camera with me, I still look at the world as though I’m looking through one. It’s the way my eyes are connected to my brain. I can’t turn it off. More an artistic illness than a philosophy.

Any personal rules you stick to?

Always be prepared and relax.

Tell us about a photographic challenge you overcame?

I just liked taking and looking at pictures and had very little interest in the physics or mechanics of photography. It took quite a few years for me to understand the basics. Once I understood them, they became second nature.

What is one thing you could not go into a shoot without?

A second camera.

What gear do you prefer to shoot with?

I have owned and used every format from 127mm to 4x5. Early in my professional career, my main kit was four Canon F1s and every Canon lens from 14mm - 300mm. Today I use Canon Dslrs, 1Ds3 & 5D3 and for the first time ever, a zoom lens. 24 -70mm being my go to lens. Oddly enough, 75% of the images I shoot are taken in the 35 - 55mm range. I could probably get by with a fixed 35mm lens. Favourite camera ever was the Mamiya RZ Proll with a 110mm.

When did you first come to Downtown Camera?

Many years ago, when Mike and Mary were proprietors on Victoria Street. You never just bought something from them, you learned something new every time you walked into the store.

Any advice to fresh photographers?

The more you shoot, the clearer becomes the reason you take photographs. Be ruthless when editing your work. Be inspired, not just by photography but by everything around you. Earth is a pretty amazing place.