Thursday, June 04, 2020

Going Vertical

Sometimes, we Canadians can get a little smug. We've come a long way in recent history and, for the most part, have become a tolerant and welcoming country. For the most part. We are far from perfect.

I saw this tweet from a Canadian black man. The OPP stands for Ontario Provinicial Police.
Age 24 🇨🇦 Store clerk accuses me of theft, detained as actual thief leaves store. Called dad (an OPP INSPECTOR) to advocate for me. Enter dad, Clerk calls 911, 6 officers hold me & dad at gunpoint. Did not release us until dad was permitted to reach for his badge.
On FB, I read this account from a person whom I know.
I'll never forget the day when Jamie was 12, walking to his school by himself and playing with his cell phone along the way, when unbenownst to him a police officer in a parked car saw him, followed him to the school, and reported to the principal that a child with a gun had just gone into the school. Even today one of the most important life saving messages shared with him is not to go outside with a hoodie pulled up over his head. With fatal anti-Black racism at the forefront of all the headlines right now, my heart goes out to all my Black friends and family who are enduring this intensity. I am hopeful that lasting systemic change is on the horizon....
That's all that I want to say about this right now. Let these accounts stand for themselves.

Meanwhile, let us return to the land of the banal, starting with a selfie.


I posted those two horizontal (landscape orientation) tree photos yesterday, saying I preferred them to the the vertical (portrait orientation) ones that I also took. It is true that horizontal shots tend to be more appealing for some reason, but when I looked closer, I changed my mind in this case, mainly I think because they show more of the trees and that's what the photos were about.



Landscape mode photos show up better on our wide computer screens, but the times they are a changin and many photos are viewed on phones and both FB and that Insta place show better in portrait orientation.

As I wended my way home later, I came to corner where I stopped for traffic lights, which I consider to be a good thing to do. As I looked to my right, I saw a church well-framed with lilacs blooming next to it. This is a church where Sue takes some exercise classes, or did until mid-March when the pandemic hit, so it did draw my attention.

Since I had my camera in the car, I drove around the corner, walked back to the spot, and squeezed the shutter. Due to its location, I don't think it would be easy to get a much better photo.


Today is to be the nicest day of the week, so it may be time for another round of coffee in the park.

12 comments:

DJan said...

I don't know why but I prefer landscape to portrait orientation in pictures. But both ways seem quite lovely in those two. The last one needs landscape, I think. Well done, AC. And I think systemic racism will fade along with the old people who grew up with it. That's my prayer, anyway. :-)

Tabor said...

The subject and composition make me decide whether I go with landscape or portrait. It all depends on the flow of the bone in the photo. You life in a nice area.

Marie Smith said...

But there’s no systemic racism in Canada AC...

Barbara Rogers said...

I enjoyed hearing Trudeau's answer to a journalist about his opinion of tRump's handling of the racial/violent events...where Trudeau paused, then paused again, then made a completely Canadian comment, where he addressed the racism problems of Canada and never mentioned tRump. Well done. Of course institutionalized racism is much more difficult to weed out...because it's practically invisible until we have protests about it. I'm so sorry how many people of color, POC, have been hurt throughout their lives. It will take a few more generations of hard efforts, with legal changes and then systemic ones, to have equality really achieved.

Margaret said...

Trudeau's long pause was very telling. I like the vertical ones (portrait?) of the tree because it's the focal point. Some photos call for more background, like the church or many of my photos from Scotland. I never know what I'm doing, but I do occasionally get a good shot. It's important for us to hear words from people who have experienced racism. I feel that my opinion means little, and that we need to listen to their stories. Thank you for sharing a couple.

gigi-hawaii said...

You have such a pleasant, green environment. Looks so lush and beautiful. Yes, enjoy your coffee in the park with your wife.

Rita said...

I can see the trees both ways well on my laptop and they are both awesome. You do take really great pics. :)

Joanne Noragon said...

That last shot is worthy of a postcard, if they still are in fashion. I'm sorry to read your black population is in similar danger as ours.

Red said...

Good for you to remind us that Canaadians are pretty smug about things. there is racism here and it's not pretty.

A Cuban In London said...

Thanks for those two anecdotes. They say a lot in just a few words.

Greetings from London.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I suspect that no society is perfect nor ever will be. But I don't think we are smug.

Jenn Jilks said...

The weather sure has improved.
The lilacs are nearly done, though.
I am so unsettled. It's difficult to be of any help to people of colour. I just don't tolerate it in my life. We have a few trades people who keep on spewing racism. Most do not, but perhaps they know better around me!