Looking Up on our Main Street

Last week, Sue had a Looking Up theme, so we headed downtown. It was also a b&w theme, so I processed some of mine that way too. I used my longest lens although I did not have it extended all that far — just around the half way mark of my 400mm

I deliberately blew out the sky, by overexposing, on these photos of St Andrews Presbyterian church. It is technique that is sometimes effective, but I am not too impressed by these results. You probably can't see the 1887 date at this size, but it is there. A few years ago, the property was sold to the All Nations congregation.

As is plain to see ↑ I decided to put two different detail photos into a diptych. It was  last-minute decision, and I hadn't processed the two photos with the same tones, the tower being a bluer tone. I didn't think this diptych is important enough to edit further.

That is quite the ornate tower for a church. As ornate as the architecture is, however, I can’t exactly endorse the interior pews, for I once attended a concert there, but my gamey back couldn't hack those old-fashioned pews. People must have had strong backs in the late 1800s, but I am nothing other than a weak, modern homo sapien. 

I do like the next photo of the tower on the old Federal building that once housed the post office and inland revenue. It is now privately owned. We were in there for an open house tour a few years ago, and I remember being impressed by the commodious vault.

With that green patina on the clock tower, I couldn't face turning this ↑ into a b&w photo. 

Too bad neither the clock nor the bell still function, but as the building is now in private hands, I don't think the proprietors are about to invest in an expensive restoration project.

There is also a masonic temple in town, and it still serves that function. We have toured that too. Only the upper half serves as the temple. The stores at street level provide revenue. It has always been this way from what I can tell from historic photos.

My final UP photo was looking Way Up at the flag flying above the clock tower at town hall. (I emphasized Way Up in honour of The Friendly Giant, a kids tv program that older Canadians might remember.)

It was a very windy day, but I managed to get one photo with the flag revealed fairly fully. I also thought that our fine flag deserved to be left in colour.