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“183 Sunsets Over Georgian Bay (2023.07.21 – 2023.12.21), Ontario” SOLARGRAPHY is an alternative photography process that uses homemade pinhole cameras and light-sensitive black and white photo paper to capture exceptionally long exposures of the Sun’s movement across the sky. The colours are a byproduct of the extremely long exposures and the chemical breakdown of the paper. Over the course of days, weeks, and months, a single image is meticulously constructed, revealing a unique record of space, time, and weather patterns that would otherwise remain unseen. “183 Day Solargraph #1 (2023.07.21 – 2023.12.21), Oakville, Ontario.” The resulting sun tracks present a gradual day-to-day change, attributable to the Earth’s 23.4-degree axial tilt and slightly elliptical orbit. The height of each track is determined by the latitude of the exposure location and the time of year it is recorded. The lowest track is produced on the winter solstice, while the highest track corresponds to the summer solstice. Missing, faint, or broken tracks occur when clouds or other obstructions block the Sun. “Total Eclipse over Port Maitland Lighthouse - 1 Day Solargraph (2024-04-08), Ontario.” The colours depicted in the images are not direct representations of the scene, but rather the result of the paper’s chemical reactions to extreme overexposure, as well as the influence of uncontrollable factors such as moisture, dirt, significant temperature fluctuations, or fungus that may infiltrate the pinhole camera. Furthermore, each brand of photography paper possesses a unique chemical composition, leading to distinct colour schemes. If developed using traditional methods, the photo paper would turn completely black and the use of a photography fixer would diminish much of the colour. Instead, the prolonged exposure times etch the image onto the paper without requiring any additional steps. A high-quality flatbed scan is then performed on the resulting negative (paper) despite its light sensitivity. Light emitted by the scanner degrades or destroys the original image as it traverses the paper. Once scanned, the image is inverted, horizontally flipped and further processed digitally using Lightroom and Photoshop. Bret Culp is a photographer and visual effects supervisor based in Georgian Bay, Ontario. This feature originally appeared in the TIME issue. Get your copy in print: HERE Enjoyed this free read?!  Consider supporting us! JOIN US AS A PATRON   • SUBSCRIBE FOR PRINT DELIVERY   • READ our digital editions   • Make a donation

Capturing a moment, whether a split-second action or an encapsulation of the slow passage of time, is one of the most beautiful and impactful ideas a single image can convey. The artists featured in photoED magazine’s TIME edition have produced time-bending works that, politely, gently, and kindly invite viewers to take an extra moment of consideration from our fast-paced image heavy world. The payoff is not only a visual reward, but also the gift of new ideas when considering one’s own future recordings. The TIME issue IN PRINT • Cover image by Bret Culp • photo by Marie-Louise Moutafchieva #MadeWithAffinity The artists in this issue work with time as the basis of their photography, taking their explorations to new levels. “Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.” — Dorothea Lange Sylvia Galbraith records room-size camera obscura images with such clarity; her work is a time-blending puzzle. Bret Culp uses the same tool, a pinhole camera, to create a single image recording: the passage of time over days, weeks, and months. Sylvia Galbraith • What Time Is This Place? Solargraph by Bret Culp, “183 Day Solargraph #1 (2023.07.21 – 2023.12.21), Oakville, Ontario.” Zinnia Naqvi • “The Wanderers ‑ Niagara Falls, 1988,” from the series Yours to Discover, 2019. Zinnia Naqvi’s art practice embraces 1980s images from her family albums to question colonial influence and (re)present her experience to new audiences — perhaps relating to viewers’ own experiences and influencing recollections of whatever a “Canadian experience” means to them. Craig D’Arville/ FFOTO.com + June Clark and Christina Leslie I’m especially excited to present an interview by Craig D’Arville featuring June Clark and Christina Leslie. These artists’ works are thoughtfully crafted and loaded with immeasurable layers of history, family, love, struggle, and contemplation in every visual they thoughtfully present. I hope you can afford to make the time for these works, ideas, and more. This issue features:        June Clark and Christina Leslie , in conversation with Craig D’Arville Zinnia Naqvi , Time after Time, by Darren Pottie Sylvia Galbraith , What Time Is This Place? Camera Obsura rooms Wade Comer , Layering time in a single frame, by Cece M. Scott Arianne Clement , Aging, beautifully. Documenting centenarians, by Alan Bulley Scarborough Made : Celebrating five years of community storytelling by Sid Naidu This edition also features, our Books + Resource recommendations for further explorations, and our PORTFOLIO featured artists: Daphne Faye Boxill Elsa Hashemi Lucy Lu Farah Al Amin Julianna D’Intino Elizabeth Siegfried Catherine Page Find our playlist of TIME inspired tunes on SPOTIFY! Follow us on Instagram, Patreon , Facebook , and Instagram , and sign up for our e-newsletter to keep up with all our adventures! We need your support to continue producing great content for you to enjoy!   • JOIN US AS A PATRON   • SUBSCRIBE FOR PRINT DELIVERY   • READ our digital editions  • • DONATE•

An interview with NIKON creator Stefan Thurairatnam A Tokyo alley hidden gem •   Shot with: Nikon Z8 Nikkor Z 24-70 mm f/2.8 shot at ISO 640, 1/160s, f/ 4, 70 mm. Stefan Thurairatnam is a self-taught and self-represented travel, lifestyle, and luxury content creator. Born in Germany to a Sri Lankan family, Stefan is based in Toronto but works everywhere and anywhere for numerous international brands. What began as a passion for travel turned into his full-time career when he traded his day job at a financial institution in favour of roaming the world, capturing natural beauty and luxury real estate for his roster of international clients. We spoke to Stefan about his work and adventures as a Nikon Creator. photoED: You had a steady day job that would allow you to take holidays, but you made the dramatic shift to turn travel and photography into a completely different career for yourself. What prompted this transition? What did those early days feel like for you after you had made this decision? Stefan : The decision came from a growing realization that photography and travel were no longer just passions — they were becoming the core of how I wanted to experience life. I was working in finance, which provided stability, but every trip I took left me more inspired than fulfilled by my day-to-day routine. Eventually, I reached a point where I had to ask myself whether comfort was worth ignoring. The early days were equal parts exciting and terrifying. I walked away from predictability into complete uncertainty, without a road map or safety net. There were moments of self-doubt, but there was also an incredible sense of freedom. I was finally betting on myself, and that commitment changed everything. Al Awir Desert, United Arab Emirates •   Shot with: Nikon Z8 Nikkor Z 24-70 mm f/2.8 shot at ISO 800, 1/500s, f/ 5.6, 70 mm. photoED: How did you learn photography and the business of working for luxury brands? Stefan: I am entirely self-taught. Photography began as experimentation — learning through trial and error, and studying light, composition, and storytelling by observing the world and analyzing the work of photographers I admired. Over time, I became more intentional, treating each shoot as both a creative and a technical exercise. The business side came later and was learned through experience. Working with luxury brands requires more than strong visuals; it requires understanding brand identity, consistency, and trust. I learned how to communicate professionally, deliver reliably, and align creative vision with commercial objectives. Every project became a learning opportunity. photoED: What do you love most about sharing stories through photography? Stefan: Photography allows me to communicate without language. A single image can convey emotion, atmosphere, and narrative in a way that words often cannot. I love the idea that someone on the other side of the world can feel inspired, nostalgic, or curious simply by engaging with an image. At its best, photography invites the viewer into a moment they may never physically experience, yet still feel connected to. photoED: Your work is primarily showcased on social media. How do you manage the pressures of the Instagram platform? Stefan: Social media can be both a powerful tool and a source of pressure. I try to remind myself that Instagram is a distribution platform, not a measure of creative worth. Algorithms change, trends come and go, but authenticity and consistency endure. I focus on creating work I am proud of rather than chasing validation. Taking intentional breaks and maintaining perspective are essential for long-term sustainability in this industry. Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary  in Dubai is a wetland reserve hosting thousands of migratory flamingos • Shot with: Nikon Z8 Nikkor Z 180-600 mm f/5.6-6.3 shot at ISO 125, 1/500s, f/ 6.3, 600 mm. photoED: Whose work has influenced yours? Stefan: I draw inspiration from a wide range of photographers and visual storytellers, particularly those who prioritize mood and narrative over perfection. I am deeply influenced by cinema, architecture, wildlife, and remote destinations, as these elements naturally shape how I approach storytelling through imagery. Often, inspiration comes less from a single individual and more from observing how light, space, and emotion interact in everyday life. That said, one individual who has consistently inspired me is Alex Kydd , a professional ocean and wildlife photographer based in Western Australia and a fellow Nikon Creator on the other side of the world. His ability to capture underwater environments is truly surreal — his use of natural light, composition, and timing creates imagery that feels both powerful and poetic. His work is a strong reminder of how technical mastery and patience can come together to tell meaningful stories in some of the most challenging and unpredictable environments on the planet. photoED: What makes a good photograph? Stefan: A good photograph evokes feelings. Technical excellence matters, but emotion matters more. If an image can make someone pause — even briefly — and feel something, then it has succeeded. Composition, light, and timing are tools, but intention is what brings them together. photoED: How has working in photography influenced you personally? Stefan: Photography has taught me patience, adaptability, and humility. Travel exposes you to different cultures and perspectives, which naturally broadens your understanding of the world and yourself. It has also made me more present — constantly observing details that might otherwise go unnoticed. People of Ulukhaktok, Nunavut photographed on a Northwest passage expedition •   Shot with: Nikon Z8 Nikkor Z 24-70 mm f/2.8 shot at ISO 100, 1/1000s, f/ 5, 70 mm. photoED: What has been your favourite or most personally impactful project or adventure? Stefan: Some of the most personally impactful projects for me have been expedition-based journeys through some of the most remote regions on Earth — destinations such as Antarctica, Greenland, and traversing the Northwest Passage. These environments push you well beyond your comfort zone, both creatively and physically. Working in extreme cold, unpredictable weather, and rapidly changing light conditions forces you to be fully present and technically precise, while also trusting your instincts as a visual storyteller. For a photographer and filmmaker, these destinations are unparalleled. The scale of the landscapes, the rawness of the wildlife, and the remoteness of the human stories create an emotional depth that is difficult to replicate elsewhere. Capturing polar wildlife, isolated communities, and vast, untouched environments allows me to translate a feeling — silence, power, fragility — through my lens in a way that feels honest and immersive. Projects like these also allow me to truly push the limits of my Nikon gear, testing reliability and performance in some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Extreme cold, high winds, and constantly shifting atmospheres demand equipment you can trust without hesitation. Through the success of these expeditions, I will continue my journey this year with upcoming projects including a northern lights expedition in Norway, a full circumnavigation of Svalbard, and an east Greenland expedition. Together, these experiences are shaping me into a more refined expedition photographer and filmmaker, deepening both my technical skill set and my ability to tell meaningful stories in the most challenging environments on the planet. Ilulissat, Iceberg capital of the world in the High Arctic • Shot with: Nikon Z8 Nikkor Z 24-70 mm f/2.8 shot at ISO 100, 1/1000s, f/ 5, 70 mm. photoED: Tell us about your hardest or most challenging day as a photographer. What keeps you going on a hard day? Stefan: There have been days with extreme weather, missed connections, lost light, or technical issues — all while under pressure to deliver. What keeps me going is perspective. Challenges are part of the process, and every difficult day has ultimately contributed to growth. Remembering how far I’ve come helps me push through. photoED: Your work and life involves constant travel. What does a holiday look like for you now? Does the camera always go with you? Stefan: Travel and work are deeply intertwined for me, but I still value intentional downtime. The camera usually comes along, but I try not to force productivity. Some of my favourite images are captured when there is no brief, no expectation — just curiosity. photoED: What advice do you have for photographers just getting started in any genre? Stefan: Be patient and stay consistent. Focus on learning fundamentals before chasing trends. Develop your own visual voice and do not compare your beginning to someone else’s middle. Most importantly, treat photography with professionalism from day one — creatively and commercially. photoED: We simply have to ask … what are your top travel tips or hacks for travelling with photography equipment? Stefan: Pack efficiently and prioritize essentials. Always carry critical gear in your carry-on, use protective cases, and insure your equipment. Planning ahead — especially for climate, power requirements, and local regulations — can prevent major issues on location. photoED: We guess you spend a lot of time in airports. We would love any great airport stories. Best airport experience? Worst airport experience? Stefan: Airports have become second nature to me. The best experiences are often lounges that allow you to reset between long journeys. The worst experience was definitely in Egypt. Our luggage got stuck in Cairo, and we were boarding the Steigenberger Nile Cruise in Aswan the very next day. Everything from clothes to all of our camera gear was in those suitcases. Since we were doing a campaign for Steigenberger, my wife had to go ahead and board the ship so we wouldn’t miss the start of the trip, while I flew back to Cairo early in the morning to get our luggage. I then flew straight back to Aswan the same day. Throughout the entire process, I stayed in contact with our client, Steigenberger Nile Cruise, who connected me directly with the ship’s captain so he could keep me updated on the ship’s location once I landed back in Aswan. Since the boat couldn’t dock at night, they improvised, pulling alongside a port and setting up a plank so I could board the ship with the luggage through a window. Incredibly stressful at the time, but it makes for an unforgettable story now. GEAR UP What camera and equipment do you most use now? What’s your favourite lens? Tell us about your experience using NIKON products. Stefan : My primary camera for both filmmaking and photography is the Nikon Z8. It has become the backbone of my workflow because of its exceptional image quality, dynamic range, and video capabilities, all within a compact and durable body. The Z8 performs reliably across a wide range of environments — from controlled luxury interiors to extreme expedition conditions — which is essential given the diversity of projects I work on. For lifestyle and everyday content, I often use the Nikon Zf. Its design is unobtrusive and versatile, making it ideal for more intimate, candid moments while still delivering outstanding image quality. In terms of lenses, the NIKKOR Z 24–70mm f/2.8 S II is a constant in my kit. Its sharpness, colour accuracy, and versatility make it suitable for nearly any scenario, whether I’m shooting editorial content, landscapes, or brand-focused storytelling. For wider perspectives, especially when working with luxury hotels or airlines, I rely on the NIKKOR Z 14–24mm f/2.8 S . It’s lightweight and fast, allowing me to capture expansive interiors, architectural lines, and immersive environmental shots without distortion, which is crucial for premium brand work. When it comes to wildlife and expedition photography, I’ve had the opportunity to work with the NIKKOR Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S and the NIKKOR Z 180–600mm f/5.6–6.3 VR. These lenses are exceptional for capturing distant subjects with clarity and precision, even in challenging weather conditions. The 600mm f/4 delivers outstanding sharpness and subject isolation, while the 180–600mm offers incredible flexibility, smooth zoom and focus control for video, effective stabilization, and controlled focus breathing — making it ideal for unpredictable wildlife encounters. Together, this system allows me to move seamlessly between luxury, lifestyle, and expedition storytelling. Nikon’s reliability and optical performance give me the confidence to focus on capturing emotion, atmosphere, and narrative — regardless of how demanding the environment may be. Nikon equipment has consistently delivered performance I can trust, whether I’m photographing luxury resorts, landscapes, or expeditions. The system allows me to focus less on gear and more on storytelling, which is ultimately what matters most. Check out all Stefan's favourite Nikon gear, HERE. Stefan Thurairatnam To see more of Stefan's work, find him on Instagram: @ stefanthurairatnam

An interview with photoED Magazine Banji Abioye ,   a.k.a. Fabolousbanji Studios, is a wedding, event, and portrait photographer based in Toronto. “The Fab,” as he’s fondly called, says “every story deserves to be seen, felt, and remembered.”   photoED Magazine spoke to Banji about his work. S tudio portrait on location in London, UK • Shot on Nikon Z6II with the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 - 1/80sec, ISO63, f/8 photoED: How did you get started in photography? And what keeps you motivated and inspired to keep at it? Banji : I started photography about 10 years ago, fresh out of university. During my time studying quantity surveying and construction cost analysis, I found I had a knack for taking photos. I was not doing it professionally, but I was always the go-to guy in my department when people wanted to take nice photos. As for what keeps me motivated and inspired, I’m deeply inspired by art. At my centre, I really just love to create for the sake of it. photoED: What’s the story behind your company name? Banji : It’s kind-of cheesy, but as a teenager I was obsessed with a certain rapper’s charisma. I added his stage name in front of mine, and it stuck. Most people just call me “Fab” now. Studio portrait, Toronto, Canada. • Shot on Nikon Z6II with the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 - 1/100sec, ISO63, f/3.5 photoED: What do you love most about creating stories through photography? Banji : I love the ability to freeze moments in time and to carefully translate what I saw and experienced in a single, unrepeatable moment. photoED: Whose work has influenced yours? Banji : My artistic influences have shifted with the seasons of my growth. Artists who’ve shaped my perspective in no particular order include Annie Leibovitz, Chris Knight, Lola Melani, Big H, Lindsay Adler, Paulina Duczman, Sue Bryce, Prince Meyson, Oyè Diran, Felix Khunze, Ale Vidal, David Urbanke, Alsu Leyman, AJ Hamilton, and Aykut Aydoğdu. Studio portrait, Toronto, Canada. • Shot on Nikon Z6II with the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 - 1/100sec, ISO320, f/3.2 photoED: What makes a good photograph?  Banji : Soul is what allows an image to move you before you even understand why. It’s the photographer’s ability to evoke deep, powerful emotion through the harmony of light, shadow, expression, and pose, all set within a space that complements the story. photoED: How has working in photography influenced you personally? Banji : This journey has transformed how I experience the world visually. Everyday moments, a scene in a movie, a conversation, a quiet walk, are all filtered through my understanding of colour theory, lighting, shadows, and composition. It has awakened a deeper way of seeing, training my eyes to search for meaning, mood, and beauty beneath the surface. A moody studio portrait, Toronto, Canada. • Shot on Nikon Z6II with the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 - 1/60sec, ISO100, f/3.2 GEAR UP: What camera and equipment do you most use now? What’s your favourite lens? Tell us about your experience using Tamron lenses? Banji : My current camera is a Nikon Z 6II. For lenses, I love primes. I have a prime in almost every focal length: 16mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 90mm, 135mm, and more recently a 200mm. I also have the 90mm macro lens, which is becoming a favourite. My experience using Tamron lenses has been phenomenal. Their lenses are tack sharp. It’s almost like they were built ahead of their time. Their zoom lenses contend with my love for primes. The 28–75mm and the 70–180mm are ranges I never thought I needed, but after trying them out they are always in my camera bag. Banji Abioye See more of Banji’s work - HERE. Check out Banji's fave Tamron lens - HERE! www.tamron-americas.com

Banji Abioye ,   alias Fabolousbanji Studios, est un photographe de mariage, d’événements et de portraits basé à Toronto. «The Fab», comme on l’appelle affectueusement, affirme que «chaque histoire mérite d’être vue, ressentie et mémorisée».   photoED Magazine s’est entretenu avec Banji au sujet de son travail. Portrait en studio, Toronto, Canada. • Pris avec une Nikon Z6II et la lentille Tamron 90mm f/2.8 – 1/100s, ISO 63, f/3,5 photoED: Comment avez-vous débuté en photographie? Et qu’est-ce qui vous motive et vous inspire à continuer? Banji : J’ai commencé la photographie il y a environ dix ans, juste après l’université. Pendant mes études en métrologie et en analyse des coûts de construction, j’ai découvert que j’avais un talent naturel pour la prise de photos. Je ne le faisais pas de manière professionnelle, mais j’étais toujours la personne de référence dans mon département quand quelqu’un voulait de belles photos. En ce qui concerne ma motivation et mon inspiration, l’art est une source profonde pour moi. Au fond, j’aime simplement créer pour le plaisir de créer. photoED: Quelle est l’histoire derrière le nom de votre entreprise? Banji : C’est un peu cliché, mais adolescent, j’étais obsédé par le charisme d’un certain rappeur. J’ai ajouté son nom de scène devant le mien, et c’est resté. Aujourd’hui, la plupart des gens m’appellent simplement «Fab». Portrait en studio, Toronto, Canada. • Pris avec une Nikon Z6II et la lentille Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 @174 - 1/60sec, ISO100, f/3.2 photoED: Qu’aimez-vous le plus dans le fait de raconter des histoires à travers la photographie? Banji : J’aime la capacité de figer des instants dans le temps et de traduire avec soin ce que j’ai vu et ressenti dans un moment unique et irremplaçable. photoED: Quels artistes ont influencé votre travail? Banji : Mes influences artistiques ont évolué au fil des saisons de ma croissance. Les artistes qui ont façonné ma vision, sans ordre particulier, incluent Annie Leibovitz, Chris Knight, Lola Melani, Big H, Lindsay Adler, Paulina Duczman, Sue Bryce, Prince Meyson, Oyè Diran, Felix Khunze, Ale Vidal, David Urbanke, Alsu Leyman, AJ Hamilton et Aykut Aydoğdu. photoED: Qu’est-ce qui fait une bonne photographie? Banji : L’âme est ce qui permet à une image de vous toucher avant même que vous compreniez pourquoi. C’est la capacité du photographe à susciter une émotion profonde et puissante grâce à l’harmonie entre la lumière, l’ombre, l’expression et la pose, le tout inscrit dans un espace qui soutient l’histoire. Portrait en studio, Toronto, Canada. • Pris avec une Nikon Z6II et la lentille Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 @174 – 1/60s, ISO 100, f/3,2 photoED:  En quoi le fait de travailler en photographie vous a-t-il influencé personnellement? Banji : Ce parcours a transformé ma manière de percevoir le monde visuellement. Les moments du quotidien, une scène de film, une conversation, une promenade silencieuse, tout est filtré à travers ma compréhension de la théorie de la couleur, de l’éclairage, des ombres et de la composition. Cela a éveillé une façon plus profonde de voir, entraînant mes yeux à rechercher le sens, l’ambiance et la beauté sous la surface. Portrait en studio, Toronto, Canada. • Pris avec une Nikon Z6II et la lentille Tamron 90mm f/2.8 - 1/100sec, ISO320, f/3.2 GEAR UP: Quel appareil photo et quel équipement utilisez-vous le plus actuellement? Quel est votre objectif préféré? Parlez-nous de votre expérience avec les objectifs Tamron. Banji : Mon appareil photo actuel est un Nikon Z 6II. Côté objectifs, j’adore les focales fixes. J’ai une focale fixe pour presque chaque distance : 16 mm, 35 mm, 50 mm, 85 mm, 90 mm, 135 mm et plus récemment un 200 mm. J’ai aussi l’objectif macro 90 mm , qui est en train de devenir l’un de mes préférés. Mon expérience avec les objectifs Tamron a été phénoménale. Leurs objectifs sont d’une netteté incroyable. On dirait presque qu’ils ont été conçus en avance sur leur temps. Leurs zooms rivalisent avec mon amour pour les focales fixes. Les plages 28–75 mm et 70–180 mm sont des focales dont je ne pensais pas avoir besoin, mais après les avoir essayées, elles se retrouvent toujours dans mon sac photo. Banji Abioye Suivez Banji Abioye en ligne à: fabolousbanji.com www.instagram.com/fabolousbanji www.tamron-americas.com

We invited our patrons to participate in a creative conversation through images. Each photographer participant was sent a single image with no information about it, and asked to respond with the next link in the chain, an image of their own that spoke to what they had received. Here is where our contributors took this story…   Ann Piche, Ottawa, ON “breakfast lunch supper ”  The inspiration for this image is Stephen Leacock’s short story “The New Food.”  A large family is gathered around the Christmas table for dinner. 13 plates of food have been condensed into one pill. While the father is giving thanks, the baby of the family grabs the pill and eats it.   One of the first presentations of a meal in a pill idea was at the Chicago World Fair in 1893. People from different fields were asked what they thought life would be like in 1993. American suffragette Mary Elizabeth Lease predicted that we would be eating synthetic foods in a pill form, so women could get away from the kitchen.       Lori Ryerson, Toronto, ON “Tanks Giving” This image was captured around Thanksgiving, the timing of which gave me the play on words to title the piece. When I see things like these empty BBQ tanks in a dumpsite, I can’t help but consider the our North American waste habits, unnecessary landfill, and how many people do not get a Thanksgiving meal due to food scarcity.   Alan Bulley, Ottawa, ON “Thanksgiving With Bechers”  A play on the seasonal theme, colours and repetition of round shapes.     Mark Walton, Waterloo, ON “Thanksgiving prep at the Walton/O’Connell household” A Graflex SuperGraphic 4x5 shot direct to fibre photo paper, scanned and inverted.     Valerie Lancia, Toronto, ON My initial reaction to the photo I received was to think of something tastier than Brussel sprouts! (I'm not a fan of them at all). My thoughts lead me to consider the process of growing foods, and seeds. I picked milk weed seed heads thinking about how they provide sustenance for monarch butterflies. Many people still pull the plant thinking it's a weed, but it's an edible food for a vital part of our ecosystem.   Ian McKenzie, Calgary, AB Food can range from fine art all the way to crass commercialism. This photo falls firmly at the latter. This five metre statue of a Cheeto, placed in a quiet hamlet in Southern Alberta is a marketing ploy. It seems to have worked, there’s been media coverage beyond Canada’s borders and a steady stream of visitors drive out to get their photo of, or with the sculpture.   Patricia Parsons, Ottawa, ON   Playing on the idea of food sculptures, I photographed a fruit bowl that I made 30 years ago, in grade 10. I still have it and love it even though it's been cracked a couple times from various moves it has gone through.      Gabrielle de Montmollin, Welland, ON “Still Life with Three Pears”  My image also has a ceramic component, a jug and part of a vintage faux fruit plate, in addition to three pears. I was drawn to the similarity of the dark backgrounds which are reminiscent of the style of 17 th  century Dutch still lifes which I love.     David Brandy, Toronto, ON The strong golds and yellow colours in the image I was provided,  reminded me of a photo I took at sunrise of a hay bale. I learned recently through the Ontario Farmland Trust, that we lose 319 acres of farmland a DAY in Ontario. To me this is insane and has to stop. The food cycle begins with farmers. No farmers, no food. Farmers feed cities.   Kenneth Udle, Orleans, ON Hay is integral to sustaining cattle and horses.   John Healey, Ottawa, ON This copy of The Joy of Cooking  was my mother’s go-to resource from the 1970s. Like the presented image of food being dispensed to farm animals this volume dispensed the knowledge to feed herself, husband, and five kids, at the same time studying to become a chartered accountant. I was fortunate to collect this beloved book from her estate and have worked on documenting each page where there is evidence of her hand.     Chris Goodyear, Kanata, ON For me, the real joy in cooking is eating and sharing the comfort foods made by loved ones, like, my Dad's Superbowl Seville Orange Marmalade. This image was inspired by Mary Pratt's work, and my intention is to convey the pleasure found in food made by and for our loved ones.    Conan Stark, Waterloo, ON The mason jars, wood texture and bright warm hues called to mind a field-to-table approach to our relationship with food. My mind went to a photo I took of the activity at the community focused Kitchener Market.   David B. Williams, Toronto, ON Luxury foods appeal to our hedonistic sides but they are also important in the social interactions of those who can afford them. Who doesn’t like to stop in at cafés like to gawk through the windows at the wonderful creations and to share them with friends along with coffee and conversation?   Shelagh Howard, Halifax, NS In the image I received, we appear to be looking at a high end bakery on a busy street, likely in a metropolitan city.  The baker appears detached, her mood unknowable, and the reflections in the window of the people passing by give us a clear view of the outdoor world and the indoor world overlapping, yet, feeling very separate.     My image, taken though the window of a small, rustic restaurant in Yellowknife shows a woman in what appears to be communion with the bread she in kneading. It feels like a very personal and intimate moment. Although also taken through a window with elements of the outside reflected, they barely register and become ambiguous, rather than being equally balanced as was the case in the other image.   CB Campbell, Thunder Bay, ON My first instinct when seeing this photo was to respond in kind. But seeing another artisanal baker preparing loaves through a window wouldn't be much of a conversation.  Instead I chose this image to complement and play off the first. I imagine both pictures could have been taken on the same street.  The coffee shop is locally owned, these windows also reflect trees and the immediate environment, but now the action is playful.   Vitallii Sovhyra, Toronto, ON For me, there is always a spot for sweets with a cup of coffee. I enjoy having nowhere to rush and taking my time savouring treats. Victoria Prevot, Burnaby, BC Photography is the sweet food that feeds my soul. Tracey Halladay, Elk­ford, BC When I saw the photo I was sent, it made me think of the Lady and the Tramp scene when the dogs are eat­ing spa­ghetti in the moon­light. My response was to cre­ate a scene of my own. RAMO/HCKYGRLPHOTO, Toronto, ON After the bed­time story, the mice snuggled to sleep. And now I get to have a late night snack too! The 'Food Chain' project featured in our FOOD issue   Did you enjoy this FREE read? Consider JOINing us!   • JOIN US AS A PATRON   • SUBSCRIBE FOR PRINT DELIVERY   Follow us on Patreon , Facebook , and Instagram , and sign up for our e-newsletter to keep up with all our adventures!

Mindful photography is not just about what we see, but how we see. It’s a contemplative way of slowing down enough to experience presence.   From the NAUTICAL REFRACTIONS  series by Anna Wilson Sunlight danced across the worn hulls of fishing boats in Lake Bolsena’s harbour, catching ripples in the water and the textures of chipped paint. In that fleeting shimmer, the ordinary — the harbour, the boats, the gentle lapping of the lake — felt extraordinary. Photographing in that moment became meditation, a pause where noticing and presence converged. From the NAUTICAL REFRACTIONS series by Anna Wilson Mindful photography offers a way to return to a moment, discover inscape  rather than escape, and access creative flow through intentional observation. For anyone seeking a pause from the everyday, it provides a restorative path back to presence and creativity. My venture, Mindful Eye Photography, grew from this insight — and from a desire to create the kind of community I wanted to support my own practice. I am looking to create a space where photographers of all levels may explore, reflect, and create without pressure or comparison — nurturing clarity, fostering connections, and rediscovering inspiration. Mindful photography   draws from Zen and Tibetan dharma art traditions, where art is a form of direct experience and spiritual expression. One lineage, Nalanda Miksang, emphasizes practice over performance — creating from awareness, authenticity, and curiosity rather than ego or decoration. Each photograph becomes a meditation, a way to see deeply, fully, and honestly. From the RECONSTRUCTED series by Anna Wilson “The contemplative practice is to transform the obvious, ordinary experience into an appreciation of the ordinary as extraordinary — the appreciation of it for what it is, the ordinary magic of being alive.”  — McQuade & Hall, Looking and Seeing: Nalanda Miksang Contemplative Photography My photographic workshops, retreats, and journeys begin with stillness — breath work, meditation, connecting to the senses, or simply pausing to observe. The camera becomes a tool for reflection, a frame through which participants explore balance, light, texture, and nuance. Mindful observation turns distraction into focus, revealing patterns and surprises that bring both order and vitality to the photograph. “Anna’s program encouraged me to slow down, be present, and truly reconnect with who I am as a photographer.”  — Jo Gomes, past retreat participant Mindful photography naturally extends to photographing people. John Daido Loori, a Zen Buddhist monk and accomplished photographer, observes in The Zen of Creativity  that the image reveals as much about the photographer as it does about the subject. In street or portrait photography, participants ask: “Am I taking or witnessing?” They approach subjects with curiosity, openness, and ethical sensitivity, considering consent and context.  Costa Rica portrait by Anna Wilson “If your mind is cluttered, your images will be cluttered. If your heart is open, your work will be open." — John Daido Loori, The Zen of Creativity Approaching your subject with presence and respect allows moments to unfold naturally. Portraits and scenes become reflections of relationship, connection, and emotional depth — turning ordinary encounters into extraordinary expressions. Bringing my Mindful Eye Photography program into new landscapes felt like a natural evolution of my work — a way to unite mindfulness, creativity, and exploration. International journeys and retreats explore a variety of stimulating locations, offering opportunities for different types of photography while emphasizing presence, connection, and curiosity. Ordinary scenes — the play of sunlight on a harbour, the textures of a weathered street, or fleeting expressions in a crowd — can feel extraordinary when observed with attention and intention. From the SAN GEMINI series by Anna Wilson These experiences gently nudge photographers towards what heals and inspires, reminding us that noticing and creating are themselves restorative acts. Mindful photography weaves together structure and spontaneity, order and intuition, experientially demonstrating that both coexist beautifully. Whether capturing sunlight dancing on a lake, wildlife on safari, or moments in a bustling street, my goal remains the same: to move with presence, finding stillness in the act of creation. In a world that celebrates speed and productivity, perhaps the real art lies in the pause — in the space between breaths, where order meets chaos and meaning begins to take shape. It is in these moments of presence that photography reflects not only what we see, but also the calm, clarity, and aliveness that emerge when we are fully present. Mindful photography shows us that even amidst life’s chaos, we can find order — and in that balance, beauty, surprise, and meaning emerge. Find out more about joining the next Mindful Eye Photography journey... to SPAIN! ✨Alchemy of Light ✨ An 8-Day Mindful Photography Journey in Spain 🇪🇸⁠ Discover Mindful Eye Photography Join photographer and educator Anna Wilson  for immersive retreats and international journeys that blend photography, mindfulness, and creative flow. mindfuleye.ca  | @mindfuleye_photography

GURU'S TOP PICK WINNER: Laimis Urbonas  • Lithuania  Billed as the world’s greatest photo game, GuruShots is an international competition platform for photographers . Players get feedback from more than three billion monthly voters and try to work their way up through rankings, from Newbie to the ultimate status (and bragging rights) of Guru. TOP PHOTOGRAPHER WINNER: Oliver Isermann • Germany TOP PHOTO WINNER: Il quara vince  • Switzerland  The Power of Minimalism photography challenge showcases an exceptional collection of images by photographers from around the world. GuruShots’ challenges are voted on by the platform’s Gurus and the wider community, with a fresh challenge every day. Winners can receive prizes from GuruShots’ sponsors such as Adorama, Kodak, Lowepro, and Lensbaby.   Bryony Herrod-Taylor • UK   Damjan Žagar • Slovenia    Ivan Miksik •  Czech Republic   Cristina Sarageaua • UK   Gary Luk • USA   Octavian Oprea • UK   Michael Burlak • USA  To find out more, and take part in the next challenge, visit www.gurushots.com Also, check out GuruShots’ newest app AI Art Master.

An imagined, untaken photograph A grainy black and white photograph shows a 32-year-old Black woman, Viola Desmond, standing in line to purchase a ticket in the lobby of the Roseland Theatre, a cinema in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. It is November 8th, 1946, and Desmond’s hair is perfectly coiffed, a fur stole is draped over her shoulders to ward off the Atlantic autumn air, and a small handbag is tucked into the crook of an elbow. There is confusion at the ticket booth: Desmond requests admission to the orchestra level, but when she attempts to take a seat on the lower level, the white usher stops her and tells her she holds a ticket for the balcony and must sit upstairs. Thinking there has been a mistake, Desmond returns to the cashier and again requests a downstairs ticket, offering to pay the 10-cent difference in cost. She has poor distance vision, she explains, and needs to sit nearer to the screen in order to see. The white cashier tells her, “I’m not permitted to sell downstairs tickets to you people.” The photograph cannot capture these verbal exchanges but registers them nonetheless. The next image is so dimly lit, the figures are nearly obscured, but we can just make out Desmond’s profile in the back of the orchestra, where she has turned in her seat to respond to the theatre manager standing in the aisle. He demands that she leave, threatening to call the police. In her affidavit, Desmond would recount that the manager loudly confronted her, explaining the back of her ticket confirmed the theatre’s right to “refuse admission to any objectionable person.”  She, in return, politely asked if he could acquire a downstairs ticket for her, at which point he became angry and threatened to have her thrown out. An exterior view of the cinema, taken from the sidewalk a few moments later, shows Desmond being carried out of the building towards a taxi waiting at the curb. Starkly lit by the camera’s glaring flash, Desmond’s shoulders are tightly grasped by a police officer while Henry MacNeil, the white theatre manager, carries her feet. A shoe is missing, as is her handbag. In an image taken an hour later, Desmond is in a county jail cell, awaiting arraignment the following day. Her shoe has been retrieved, as has her purse, and she sits bolt upright on a cot: a single bare bulb casts shadows on the cinderblock wall behind her. Two more photographs, taken days later in the bleak light of a physician’s exam room, document bruises on Desmond’s shoulders and ankles. These images constitute an important part of the archive of early civil rights activism in Canada, but they do not exist. They are instead “untaken photographs,” a category of images introduced by Ariella Aïsha Azoulay that do not visualize the spectacular moments of regime-made disasters and therefore “tend to evade the archival filter, or to deceive it.” But these untaken images can be imagined through their traces: the photographs taken just before, just after, or at the periphery of events. The photograph of Desmond that does exist and has most often accompanied stories of her act of civil disobedience and her subsequent arrest and trial, is a studio portrait of her taken six years earlier. In it, Desmond gazes seriously but serenely into the camera, her hair immaculately styled. A heart-shaped pendant at her neck and her darkly pigmented lips suggest the visit to the photo studio was a special occasion, or perhaps its inverse: that Desmond was perennially presentable, using every public appearance as an opportunity to promote her salon on Gottingen Street in Halifax, and the Desmond School of Beauty Culture, which drew students from across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Quebec each year. Viola Desmond It is one of these studio portraits that took on a very different public function when it appeared on the cover of the first illustrated issue of The Clarion newspaper — the first illustrated, Black-owned newspaper in Nova Scotia — in December 1946. Beneath Desmond’s studio portrait, under the title “Takes Action,” the text, authored by editor Carrie M. Best, tells readers a now–familiar story: that Desmond was arrested and fined 20 Canadian dollars plus 6 Canadian dollars in court costs (which is about 260 USD today), for “defrauding the Federal Government of one cent.” Under the guise of a puritanical Canadian law requiring the owners of theatres to charge patrons one cent for every ten they spent on entertainment, the Roseland Theatre manager informed the police that she had committed tax evasion by sitting in a floor level seat while holding a ticket for the balcony, a space that was, as Desmond discovered, implicitly segregated for “coloured people.” No mention of race, nor of segregation, was made in the charges nor in any of the subsequent court proceedings. The Clarion’s coverage of Desmond’s arrest ends with her biography, outlining her education and family members, and includes an appeal to readers to donate to her legal defence fund through the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People. Cover images from the first illustrated issues of The Clarion newspaper. The Clarion’s particular approach to using everyday, domestic images like Desmond’s portrait, alongside family photographs, on their cover and in their pages demonstrates an urge to narrate and represent Black racism as an everyday event in the Atlantic region, and the wider national landscape, in the 1940s — a history that the Canadian national imaginary has suppressed to the point of near invisibility. At the time of The Clarion’s first issue in 1946, for instance, Nova Scotia had the largest Black population of any province in Canada, a concentration originally produced through the transatlantic slave trade, which then intensified through a series of northerly migrations beginning in the 1790s and accelerating in the early 1900s as free Black citizens moved north to avoid the racist policies of the Jim Crow laws in the United States. The growing Black population in Canada confronted equally discriminatory policies and practices, in ways that were far more nefarious. Unlike Jim Crow law in much of the southern United States, which mandated racial segregation, Canadian segregation was not enacted by a set of laws, but was nonetheless completely legal. The federal government hid behind a non-interference policy that allowed individual businesses to decide whom to serve and to whom to refuse service. As a result, much of the country had de facto racial segregation — in housing, schooling, juries, the military, and even cemeteries, as well as restaurants, bars, theatres, and hotels — even as the law purported to protect all subjects of the dominion equally. It was against this backdrop of quiet, racialized violence that The Clarion deployed family photographs starting with a family photograph of the Prevoe family that appeared on their cover (the first to be illustrated with a photograph) in February 1947. Subsequent issues featured group portraits of the Phyllis Wheatley Business Girls Club of Halifax and the Criterion Club. In each instance, sitters adapted the poses and dress of middle-class culture to present themselves as citizens in the absence of any other recognizable visual lexicon of photographic subjectivity. The family and group portraits featured on The Clarion’s cover were not illustrations of an urgent story of civil rights violations, as was the case with Desmond’s portrait, but were offered without explanation. Obviously, for a community newspaper with limited resources, soliciting family and snapshot photography from readers was an easy solution to the problem of not being able to afford a staff photographer. But there is a reliance on family units and affiliative groups in The Clarion that suggests these images of collectivity also fulfilled a semantic function. Dominant histories of photography have tended to assume that photojournalism is most appropriate for documenting the loud, iconic events of public history, while family photography tends to be overlooked as banal, subjective, and private; as a mode that, at its worst, works to re-inscribe patriarchal, heterosexist, and middle–class ideologies. I want to suggest, however, that The Clarion presented family photographs alongside stories of racial violence to signal that acts of racial discrimination were as common as the act of taking a snapshot portrait. And, by entering homes alongside international news coverage of post-war destruction and reconstruction, and of US segregation, such as those covered by photojournalists, these community newspapers also framed everyday acts of discrimination as acts of violence. These “quiet” images therefore speak to the quiet nature of racial violence in Canada: a quietness, or “politeness,” to use a national stereotype, that made it difficult to publicly challenge and contest. I want to conclude by turning briefly to the sudden reappearance of Desmond’s portrait in the Canadian national imaginary, and to ask whether this might present an opportunity for contemporary viewers to do reparative work with her image. Desmond died at a young age, in 1956. It was only through the efforts of her sister that her story entered the national public record. In 2010, she was the first Canadian to be posthumously pardoned by the Nova Scotia Government, in an order signed by the province’s first Black Lieutenant Governor, Mayann Francis. Canada Post then issued a commemorative stamp featuring her in 2012, and in 2018, Desmond became the first Canadian woman to appear on the country’s 10-dollar bill. This very public circulation of Desmond’s private portrait is a mnemonic device for all the untaken photographs of her acts of resistance: an opportunity to see and recognize her experiences of segregation as forms of the pervasive and sometimes unseeable violence that structures Canadian society. A version of this text previously appeared as an op-ed article in the Toronto Star. (November 15, 2019). This essay is derived in part from an article published in Visual Studies (2021), available online . This story appeared in THE ACTIVISM issue curated by Laurence Butet-Roch. Enjoyed this free read?!  We need your support! JOIN US AS A PATRON   • SUBSCRIBE FOR PRINT DELIVERY   • READ our digital editions   • Make a donation

TOP PHOTOGRAPHER WINNER: Salvijs Bilinskis • Latvia  Billed as the world’s greatest photo game, GuruShots is an international competition platform for photographers . Players get feedback from more than three billion monthly voters and try to work their way up through rankings, from Newbie to the ultimate status (and bragging rights) of Guru. GURU'S TOP PICK WINNER:  Rhoda Hofer • Canada  TOP PHOTO WINNER: Micha Mettier • Switzerland The The Art of Maximalism photography challenge showcases an exceptional collection of images by photographers from around the world. GuruShots’ challenges are voted on by the platform’s Gurus and the wider community, with a fresh challenge every day. Winners can receive prizes from GuruShots’ sponsors such as Adorama, Kodak, Lowepro, and Lensbaby.   Pixel Poet • India Michael Shmidt • Israel Andrew Hitrov • Russia Roy Egloff • Switzerland  Gary Luk • USA Teo Kasketis • Greece Hector Falcon • USA To find out more, and take part in the next challenge, visit www.gurushots.com Also, check out GuruShots’ newest app AI Art Master.