HFX Street: A Photography Project

Lisa and I have been travelling together for ten years now. Our first real trip together was to London and Paris back in 2012. Since then, we have travelled together to the United States and have returned to Europe multiple times. We enjoyed each one we visited, and with all the destinations, I enjoyed capturing the cities and experiencing the destinations. When we returned home, we immediately thought about how great it was and began discussing the next trip. With each completed trip, my desire to travel has only increased, and destinations continue to be added to our must-visit list. As this desire to travel continues to evolve, so does my photography. As I travel more, my outlook changes. I begin to recognize different compositions and opportunities and need to put this into practice, but I don’t need to wait until the next trip.

Halifax Waterfront

Why a Photography Project?

The weather in Halifax is usually quite good, and the summer of 2022 has been one of the best in terms of great weather, but the fall season is relatively short, and the winter arrives almost immediately. I mention this because the weather plays a big part in my automotive photography. With seasonal weather in Atlantic Canada, I do not have the opportunity to shoot automotive all year, as many automotive subjects are in seasonal storage for the winter months. As a result, there are 4-5 months where I don’t do much for automotive photography.

For travel, we usually focus on one around April as the winter concludes (we can get snow in April) and one in late Sept or early October (before the winter begins). There have been some trips outside of those times, but for the most part, that is the frequency we try to plan for, as it’s an excellent way to conclude winter and the second trip to conclude summer in Nova Scotia, as we tend to stick around and enjoy the summer. However, with two trips throughout the year, there are significant gaps that I would like to take advantage of. The summer months have consistent automotive, but I want to extend beyond that genre during those months.

Why This Project?

Recently, I have made a few changes relating to my photography. My gear has changed, and my travel photography has evolved to include more focus on the people within those destinations, creating a mix of travel and street photography as I find that both genres of photography share some elements. However, with significant time gaps in my automotive photography and travel schedule, I want to create something that allows me to continue evolving and shooting.

Halifax is not exactly associated with street photography. The regional municipality of Halifax has around 450,000 people, which is small compared to some of the most famous street photography locations, such as London, New York, and Istanbul. Still, Halifax does have beautiful areas that mix historic structures with modern development. Halifax is a popular spot for tourists, and it also benefits from a fair amount of daily commuters, with many coming into the downtown area.

This recent project is a chance to explore and document a new opportunity in a convenient location.