Thanks to digital cameras, taking a beautiful photograph has never been easier. Still, as the recent opening of the Lomography shop indicates, some shutterbugs aren’t yet ready to say goodbye to the beautiful imperfection of film. Here, the Toronto guide to keeping the soul in your photography.
Lomography Gallery Store
Don’t think, just shoot: Lomography wants you to get emotional about your pics. The Toronto gallery store gives amateur photographers a resource – a place to find quirky film cameras like the Holga or Fisheye2, to participate in workshops, and (soon) develop their shots. 536 Queen St. W., 647-352-6700.
Pikto
Forget screensavers and profile pics; turn your shots into something tangible. Pikto, in the Distillery District, will help you design and publish your own photo book. Edit carefully and create a new coffee table fixture that will bring you so much more joy than a jpeg ever could. 55 Mill Street, Bldg 59 – 103, 416-203-3443.
Photojournalism Course
A picture’s worth a thousand words – but not all words are created equal. Get gritty, not glossy, with a course in photojournalism at Toronto Image Works. 80 Spadina Ave., Suite 207, 416-703-3991.
Harry’s Pro Shop
To give your shots a real vintage feel – not the Hipstamatic kind – seek out a secondhand camera at Harry’s, home to everything from 35 mm cameras to vintage Hasselblad Flexbodies, plus all the gear you need to go along with them. 31 Hewitt Avenue, Unit #1, 416-538-6520, by appointment only.
Image courtesy of Bethan.
