A Street Photography Newsletter by tahaphoto

Peace, friends. Summer is finally here! These past few weeks have been filled spending time with family and fulfilling client needs for photo projects but I always try to find a few days for uninterrupted exploration.

This month, I had the opportunity to get out and shoot on both film and digital. One of the highlights was a day spent in a small town just outside Toronto. I was intentionally looking to slow down my documentation process and with a population of just over 40,000, Bowmanville, ON fit that bill. Filled with cozy streets, original historic buildings and a few vintage cars, I had a great time composing what felt right to me in the moment. It was refreshing and an important reminder about getting out of your usual surroundings for a change in scenery and expanded vision. You’ll see some of that experience in my video below plus more of what I’ve been reflecting on lately.

Latest Video

Small Town VS Big City Street

In my latest video, I finally get out to explore a bit of small town street.

Latest Blog

My first Streetsoul Photo Walk of 2022

Sharing space with a group of like-minded individuals was a breath of fresh air.

What I’m into right now…

Reading…

After American painter and photographer Saul Leiter passed in 2013, his hardcover Early Colour (2006) which presented his colour work to the public for the first time, became an instant coffee table must-have. I've been trying to get my hands on a copy since 2017, but they're going for $800 a pop online so that book may have to wait. See, I've been wanting to physically touch and see Leiter’s images up close for a while now. So, I recently purchased Forever Saul Leiter (2022). It’s a small, accessible paperback volume of unseen works, a few classics, and documents that reveal the secrets to his artistry. I’ve been carrying it with me pretty much everywhere I go these last few weeks. Inspiration is abounding each time I open this beautiful piece of art history. Check it out if you’re a fan of his work and looking to learn from one of the greats of the past 100 years.

Listening to…

Consuming comedy is probably my best stress-reliever.
I'll go on record comfortably saying I've been a comedy nerd for a very long time. When I found out that Dana Carvey and David Spade (both of Saturday Night Live fame) started the Fly on the Wall podcast together, I was super-hyped. I love hearing them share old stories from their days on SNL and listening to alumni guests from the 90s. It's been a blast laughing along with these comedy legends! One of my favourite episodes was their conversation with Mike Meyers who we all know is a Canadian comedic legend from Scarborough, ON. Tap into their convos here if that's your thing.

Enjoying…

A quick FYI: brewing fresh coffee has been a large part of my morning “slow-down” routine since my wife and I visited Italy back in 2014. I make a cup every single morning. I carefully weigh and grind my own beans and painstakingly pour over clockwise to counter-clockwise ensuring I have the temperature and aeration just right. I strive for consistency each time and love the process and patience it involves (something I learned while shooting street). Lately, I’ve been enjoying Trebilcock’s Wicked Espresso using my single-cup Hario Pourover. I appreciate their farm-to-cup sourcing and in-house roasting. A freshly brewed cup of coffee while flipping through my Forever Saul Leiter book… (exhale) my mornings simply don’t get better than that!

Thanks for joining the Streetsoul community! Until next time, stay creative and believe in yourself.

Peace,

t. ✌🏽