Help – I am stuck in a Toronto Hotel Room

For some reason I seem to have a penchant for corny titles. I suppose for those who might remember when, I was also a big fan of a TV show called ‘Hee-Haw’ (a country version of Rowan and Martin's ‘Laugh In’ from ‘69-71). Now that was corny humour. So I hope you might find a bit of humour too.

Whenever I can, I always try and travel with a camera, and I am not opposed to even buying the disposable waterproof cameras when heading out for white water rafting. This article will show what could be accomplished when you are stuck in a hotel room and you have a zoom lens with you.
After returning from daylong sessions at a weeklong Project Management conference in Toronto, Canada, I would spend a few minutes photographing the surrounding cityscape from my hotel room before heading out for the evening.

I was fortunate to be on the 20th floor and therefore I had a decent vista, at least in one direction (south) that did not have many towering skyscrapers blocking my view. The late afternoon summer sun was at its lower angle on the horizon, which created more textures, and shadows on the textures of city buildings. With the strength of the light being slightly reduced it also reduced the contrast range or harshness.

The lens I used is ‘BIGMA” (4+ lbs) which it is sometime referred to (Sigma 50-500mm f4-6.3 EX DG/HSM lens) is a good performer as a zoom lens but definitely not a carry around the neck type. The effective focal length with a 1.5 crop gives you a lens in the range of 75 to 750mm, quite a respectable magnification power of 15x human eye (50mm). This is a lens that I do not use too often but when you need it can be quite fun.
This reach allows you to isolate architectural elements of buildings and find unique or abstract compositions.

Dpreview Sigma 50-500mm

Now looking at the images years later after taking them, it almost seems strange that I could capture such diverse group by looking out of a hotel window.
The image below with the wild and abstract orange colours becomes interesting by the inclusion of the green frames and the one open widow reflecting the blue of the sky, creating an RGB triad.


f6.3 1/160s 500mm


The simplicity of green and vertical stripes is contrasted by a large, strong zig –zag line in the building design. The closed blinds on one floor re-enforces the horizontal lines established by the green tiles.



f6.3 1/160s 370mm ISO200


I enjoy the strong horizontal and diagonal lines but the abstract patterns on the center green panels is where my gaze remains. The glass panels have the appearance of curtains but are the result of reflections from another building and then the glass distorting the shape.



f6.3 1/320s 500mm ISO200


I like how the building shape and the angle I was shooting created repeating curved blue lines.The reflection of the white building provides complementary curves.






f6.3 1/40s 420mm IS0200


This B&W image is a view a little lower from the image above. There were these trees on the roof top of a shorter building. This was s little oasis of life amongst the skyscrapers.


f6.3 1/120s 500mm ISO200


A summer storm has just passed and the dark rain sky can just be seen behind the building now lit by the setting sun.


f6.3 1/400s 500mm ISO200

A few other images.







I was even able to get a daylight moon. Cropped with strong sharpen applied.




















f6.3 1/60s 500mm ISO200



Niels Henriksen

A Photographer’s Adage

People who earn less than half of their income from photography are amateurs. This has nothing to do with the quality of their photography. - Ken Rockwell