Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Hi, my name is Bart Synowiec and I'm a downtown Toronto photographer focused mainly on fine art, urban exploration and travel photography. Aside from my current endeavours; I have spent a number of seasons as a semi-pro wedding photographer, and spent a lot of time working with off camera flash. I shoot digital and I am a Nikon shooter.

I hope to contribute knowledge and events to this community that focus on any and all skills that I have acquired over the past few years. While I am far from an expert or professional in any photographic field, I look forward to helping facilitate events that provide a benefit to new and seasoned photographers alike.

I am more than happy to answer any questions or help any member plan and execute events that can benefit from my knowledge and enthusiasm. I look forward to helping this community and its members flourish.

Jordan Faust

I have been enjoying the hobby of photography for around 10 years now. First starting off with a Pentax film camera before moving to digital when the Nikon D70 (a classic digital camera that I still own) came out. I current shoot with a Nikon D300s and have several lenses ranging from high consumer grade to Nikon professional glass (for those equipment techies out there). I also added a fujifilm x10 to my collection for when I want to travel/shoot light.

I enjoy shooting a wide variety of subjects, but my passion is in landscape and nature photography. I have shot a couple of weddings as a second shooter (not my cup of tea) and more recently have developed and interest in street photography, which I am just learning. With also being a techie myself I try and keep up with camera equipment and technology, especially Nikon related. So if you want to talk tech I would be more than happy to oblige.

I have just started using my Flickr account to post photos (I have been using Facebook exclusively for years), so you will not currently see any of my landscape/nature photos available for review, but I promise to add some soon so you all can have an idea of my shooting style, etc.

So please feel free to pick my brain on anything photography related (or Mac/Apple related for that matter), and if I don't have the answer I will point you to someone that does. And if you would like some guidance or assistance in putting on an event here at TPMG I would be more than happy to help.


Cheers,

Jordan

Ryan Raz an Ordinary Photographer

Background

I have a scientific background in remote sensing (Geophysics, satellite technology… and now biotechnology) I hold a few patents in medical imaging and some more in AI, NN and pattern recognition stuff. At the end of my university life I started traveling up to the far north and the arctic, then later around the world to far away places, many being off the tourist map. I carried a camera for only a few of those years because carrying a camera in the more difficult areas marked me as being a person that was out of place. For many years afterwards too many to mention I was without a camera, except maybe for the occasional sea or under sea adventure.

Why I Got Into Photography

Back in 2004 I moved back to Toronto and gave up my race car as who can find parking for a race car in TO. I needed a new more Toronto compatible hobby. And looking around I came across TPMG (the early days), after 2 events I was hooked, brought a Canon XT and kept on shooting. On the rare occasion when I bring it out of the box even after over 180,000 actuations the XT still works as new!

Where Have I been and Where I’m I Going

For the first few years I went through an intensive learning phase: landscape, street, strobist, studio lighting… you name plus lots of experimental stuff including building a 8x10” large format pinhole camera, I even put together an underwater bath tub studio.

For a while I did a few commercial fashion and product shoots. I will still do them, rarely though as someone has to be willing to pay enough.

My main interests are portrait, city and street plus a pinch of urban and nature photography thrown in for good measure. My never ending quest is to pack more emotional impact into my photography.

Unless I’m paid I mainly use film and natural light but may go back to digital when they make a camera that I just have to have. I’m fortunate enough to have my hobby pay for it’s self so long as I don’t go overboard on equipment purchases.

TPMG and Me

Almost from the start of TPMG I have been putting on events and workshops for example: trips to wine country, exploring the Brickworks (when it was still an urban exploration destination), Elgin and Winter Gardens Theatres, the first and only TPMG Gallery Show, varies workshops… Last year it seems easier to put on events outside of TPMG, I held a short lecture series at Sick Kids and put on a few classes elsewhere not to mention 2 gallery shows of my own. This year hopefully with the participation by the TPMG membership I can reverse the trend and hold more events through TPMG.

TPMG Contributor: Ashley Day

My interest in photography started back in University where I was a member of the UTSC Camera Club. From there my interest spiked when I went on my first trip to Europe and hasn’t left since.

I graduated with an Art History degree from U of T and I’ve also dabbled in the Ryerson photography certificate courses. It was at Ryerson I met a great mentor who quickly introduced me to the world of Food Photography. Besides shooting food, I’ve also been a working wedding, engagement, baby and portrait photographer.

I shoot Nikon (D300s) and my main interest is Still Life. I’m a foodie at heart and tend to spend my time on TPMG in the Food Shots section where you can see some of my work.

I hope to keep the events fresh and fun for everyone. As an educational event planner by day and a Nikonite by night, I'm hoping we can put on some killer events in the future. I know when I first started out on this site I had a ton of event ideas but no clue how to put them on. I’m more than happy to be a resource that's available to help plan events & be available to anyone wanting to navigate the TPMG world.