Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Got caught up with work and may have to postpone my recce...

At least the blogs have updated:
http://www.highparknaturecentre.com/201 ... som-opens/

I'm starting to think that this Sunday might be too early, and the weather may not cooperate. For those who are *really* interested, a weeknight next week (for those who work) would be better. Maybe the 14th would be the better weekend TPMG event would be better.

Opinions? Should I change the registration up top to see how everyone falls?

actually it says it needs 4-6 days of warm weather to open not 4-6 days from now
a quote from your link
"So, don't rush to the park yet with your cameras as there is still nothing much to see - still 4-6 warm days or so until the real show"

Walked through the area this AM. Lots of very small buds, nothing open. Stretching it a bit I might have seen one or two buds with slightly open tips showing white pink. Unless these buds blossom en masse, I think next week is more promising.

Ok, I've made a final decision on the date for THIS event. (I guess I've made another commitment for Sunday, it might rain, and just a tad early anyway). There should still be enough left by the next Saturday to get some good results. Hopefully the weather cooperates.

The real peak should be about mid-week. I would encourage those who are available to head down sometime in the morning next week to get the best results -- maybe even make an event of it. I will probably head down one evening myself (and brave some crowdage), but I may have other plans so will not commit to making an event of it.

Good luck!

Just went to High Park with my little neice today and went by the pond. There are no blossoms yet...still buds. The only blossoms I saw were white ones by the baseball diamond on one tree

How do people typically shoot this event from a gear perspective? Wide angle, macro, tripods, yada yada?

I usually bring a mono-pod, 24 - 105 and a macro. Just remember you gotta lug around what you bring, also watch the stuff you put down since there is so many people.

Over the three previous years I've tried everything from wide to telephoto, to two at a time (see last year's set). That is why I suggest bringing anything. I find macro the most versatile, but then I use them all the time so that might be just me.

I haven't even decided what to do this year

Pretty crazy in High Park today. I drove through but didn't stop. Was passing by and thought I would take a look. Parking was hopeless, crowds everywhere and a lot of blossoms. The High Park Nature site said the blossoms were at 15% on Saturday. From what I could see today It looked like the trees on the hill behind the restaurant were the most advanced and the trees down in the valley near the zoo parking were further behind. By Saturday peak may be past. Wednesday might be good for those who can get there during the day or evening.

DG

Finally made it there today and it's still too early. Rain will help tomorrow. I think Saturday will turn out pretty good - especially is calls for rain subside.

Giant weeping sakura tree in the land of the rising sun. don't think i'll ever enjoy high park any more :p

Made a trip there today, pretty nice! Weekend should still be nice, but probably packed


Cherry blossoms - high park by Justina Chan, on Flickr


Cherry blossoms - high park by Justina Chan, on Flickr


Cherry blossoms - high park by Justina Chan, on Flickr


Cherry blossoms - high park by Justina Chan, on Flickr

Popped on by High Park today too. Shooting within the next few days should still be good as well.
Last year, a photographer brought his model (wearing a light pink kimono dress matching the cherry blossoms) to High Park for a shoot, which garnered quite the attention from people nearby.

Forecast this evening claims that rain won't start until much later in the day on Saturday. It might be a bit cloudy, but I think we're a go for this event.

Is anyone going to do sunrise at humber bay park prior to the blossoms?

drove by today, very crowded and seemed to have peaked, tomorrow morning should be nice since no rain should come until later tomorrow.

Can't make it, working OT.

Woke up, feeling sick

Sorry to hear that, Chris.

What a crowd. I was down with friends photographing waterfowl in the duck ponds and even in that area which has the small collection of cherry trees the crowds were crazy. I arrived at the zoo parking at 7:30 AM and the lot was basically empty. By 8:30 AM filled to capacity! The blossoms looked lovely though.

DG

I saw a bunch of guys with cameras today at work, around 8:30-9am ( I work at the Grenadier restaurant). Not sure if it was you guys or other photographers...

Wasn't us, the park was a zoo of photographers (as usual for Cherry Blossoms) but only a couple TPMG's made it.

I was there but there were so many camera groups there it was hard to tell who was tpmgers. Nice way to spend a morning though. Almost had a nap on the restaurants patio, but fun.

I was there at 6:30 with some other friends and the place soon became a zoo! Trying to leave your parking spot in one piece was crazy as you would have 2-3 cars wanting your spot and no one moving to let you even get out!

Thank you Ben for organizing

My wife and I went on Friday evening and the crowds were nuts. Around sundown some hippie dude climbed to the top of an 80' tree and hung out there for quite some time. I am surprised we didn't hear about him falling to his death.

Went to the park again for the second time with my family on Friday morning around 7:30, had breakfast in the restaurant, there were already people line up in the restaurant and around 20 cars parked outside. Bumped into a lot of Professional photographers. What a beautiful sunny day to be at the park to see the beautiful blossoming Sakura . When we get out of the park around noon, the parking lot already full, cars everywhere waiting for a spot.

lol We were there too! He was playing Frisbee with another hippie friend!

Was 5-10 minutes late at the restaurant and everyone had left. Wasn't sure who was from tpmg under the trees.