Parade #1

A quick selection of my favourite photos from the 2013 Mermaid Parade in Coney Island.

More photos, or new edits of these ones, may appear at a later date. The link to click to see them all is this one.

Parade #2

I've attended the past three Mermaid Parades, and 2013 is my favourite so far.

Photographers

The parade is a huge draw for photographers, but few make much of a concession to the event itself.

(I was the one in the orange fish hat, not pictured.)

The Crowd

A few of the hundreds of thousands of people in attendance.

Parade #3

A few more moments from the parade.

Post-Parade

A good time was had by all.

NYPD

I'm going to argue that the second photo is indeed level.

Cat and Mouse

So I spend a day in New York, take over a thousand photos, more than half of which are with a brand-new Sigma 35/1.4 on my D800, and this is the first photo I decide to post.

Symbolism

Toronto City Hall, where the government meets in a bubble that's sheltered by two buildings that literally turn their backs to the city.

Zodiac

First visit to Ai Weiwei's Circle of Animals.

Brickworks 2013

A return trip to the Brickworks, which Evergreen has taken from an easy destination for beginning urban exploration photographers and turned it into a community and environmental showcase. Opened up and with electric lights replacing holes in the ceiling, not to mention legal access, photography has become a very different experience. I did use my little keychain flashlight once, just for old times' sake, but there was a time when I'd carry a minimum of three good flashlights before venturing inside. During the day.

All of these were taken with my GRDIV point-and-shoot. I was also carrying my V1 set, but never took it out of the bag.

Red on White

I've photographed my share of 'Danger' signs, but this is the first time I've seen anyone colour-coordinate the marker.

That's pretty awesome.

76 Grenville

The old building is being taken down before phase two of Women's College Hospital's redevelopment can be built. I was born here, so I was pleased to see that one of the companies involved in the project is my age.

I'm still trying to come to terms with the Ricoh GRD-IV. There's a whisper of hope that I might have The New GR in time for NYC6 later this month, but that won't help much if I'm not able to learn how to compose with a wide-angle lens and LCD screen. But at least the GR is already supported by DxO Optics, so that's one less thing to worry about when mine finally arrives.

Smokers

While only the middle two are doing something blatantly and objectively offensive – smoking next to a no-smoking sign while blocking a busy set of doors in the second, and blocking an emergency exit in the third – it's also true that cigarettes smoked on the street almost invariably end up as toxic litter.