Ottawa seen 365 ways in 365 days: Christophe Ledent shares his story

Christophe Ledent (Blog/Facebook/Twitter) is an amateur photographer who moved to Ottawa nearly three years ago to work for the Government of Canada.

A little over five months ago I set out to discover Ottawa through photography. Some would even say I am a tourist in my own city, a tourist looking to discover everything Ottawa has to offer. 

In a way, this is true.

But the real truth is I’m just a guy trying to make a new place home by setting out and discovering new things about a city I barely know while learning the art of photography, a passion I only just rediscovered after more than 10 years of not owning a camera.

My Ottawa 365 Photo Challenge: Everyday for 365 days, I upload a picture of Ottawa shot from a new and hopefully exciting location.

While I could go into a long story about why I only just recently decided to set out on this challenge, I would much rather share what I have learned so far about Ottawa because, like many people I know who have moved here, it’s the combination of the people I have met and the unique-to-Ottawa places I have discovered that now allow me to call Ottawa home.

Here we go.

The most obvious realization is that as Canada’s capital, Ottawa is host to some of the most memorable celebrations, commemorative ceremonies and festivals I have ever experienced, including the Canada Day party and Remembrance Day.

127 – Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Ottawa also plays host to a number of amazing events, almost on a daily basis. From Zombie Walks, to the Plaid Parade, to Haunted Houses, to the latest festival or fair, there is always something going on in some part of the city.

119 – Ottawa’s first Plaid Parade

Love it or hate it, OC Transpo is part of your daily life if you live in Ottawa! One thing is for sure, we have some of the most beautiful bus stations I have ever seen, and this is even before the arrival of the LRT!

109 – Transitway at Lincoln Fields

Ottawa is much more than just a city centre; it spreads far beyond the Greenbelt and includes many unique places and towns, including Osgoode, Orleans—heck, we even have our own cranberry farm.

105 – Upper Canada Cranberry Farm

Galleries, museums, memorials and public art are everywhere. In every corner of the city, you are bound to come across a unique piece of art. From the reflective mirror ball in front of the National Research Council offices on Montreal Road, to the unique fire hydrants in Hintonburg.

Everywhere you turn, there is art, art, art!

45 – The Peacekeeping Monument

Greenspace! Ottawa is filled with parks, fields and forests just begging to be discovered, but the ultimate view is only a few minutes away in Gatineau Park.

96 – Fall colours as seen in Gatineau Park

I have quickly learned that balancing work, photography, blogging and social commitments is hard and that sometimes I just don’t have time to get out and look for a place to discover. Sometimes you just need to sit back, relax, improvise and see what your surroundings have to offer!

135 – Bytowne Cinema

Winter means shorter days and early darkness, but for a photographer it means a new motivation to get out of bed early! What they say is true, there is no better time to get out and shoot than at sunrise!

138 – Parliament at sunrise

Winter darkness has also forced me to learn how to shoot at night and to take advantage of some of Ottawa’s amazing buildings and light sources to produce some unusual photos (even though sometimes they really don’t turn out!)

126 – The Convention Centre

And finally the number one thing I have learned is that I still have so much to learn.

After nearly five months of challenging myself to try new things and seek out new places, there are just so many places and events left to discover. As proof, this map of Ottawa shows how much I have yet to cover. I hope you come along for the ride and that my photography skills improve, so that my photos are not a poor sight for your eyes.

 

I’m almost halfway there, but I feel like this project will never really end because as this city evolves there will always be something for me to capture and share!

Thanks for sharing your adventure with us Christophe! …and you’re too humble, those photos are AMAZING!

A perfect Saturday in Ottawa: the Bytowne Cinema, Capital Slam and Play Food & Wine

Jessey is a writer, digital communications strategist, and the founder of Local Tourist Ottawa.

I had such a great day yesterday, I thought I’d share with everyone what a perfect Saturday in Ottawa looks like from my perspective.

Here we go…

Never Let Me Go, based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro

1:30 p.m. – The Bytowne Cinema

We haven’t yet had a guest blogger take the time to write  a full post on the magic that is the Bytowne…but hopefully that will be coming soon! First called the Nelson cinema when it opened in February of 1947, the theatre has a long history of being the go-to spot for a great film.  Today it is known for its independent programming and, to be perfectly frank, its propensity for sharing great films I would have otherwise probably never heard of.

Yesterday’s film was Never Let Me Go, “a science-fiction story with virtually no science-fiction elements.” Starring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield, the movie is about three young people trying to figure out the purpose of their lives and come to terms with the limited time they will have to live them. I won’t tell you much more than that, but I will say that it was excellent.

Also a great surprise, (and this always happens when I go to the Bytowne!) I ran in to two great friends from my university days.

6:30 p.m. - Capital Slam kick-off at the Mercury Lounge

Wow. What a wonderful event.

Ottawa poet Brandon Wint

Capital Slam is the second longest running slam series in Canada, and every year poets compete for a chance to represent Ottawa at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word.  After a fantastic open mic session, 12 slam poets took the stage, all wowing and inspiring the audience in their own unique way.

I was particularly taken by Brandon Wint - I hung on each and every word that he spoke. Montreal folk musician and poet Caytee Lush also sang and shared some of her poetry, and I’m officially hooked. Check out “Oh Paranoia” on her MySpace. Immediately.

If you’ve never been to Capital Slam, you really should check it out. The competition will continue the first and third Saturday of each month at the Mercury Lounge. I’ll be there!

10:30-ish – Play Food & Wine

Play Food & Wine is, without a doubt, one of my favourite restaurants in Ottawa. I go for the wonderful food (last night we shared: pork rillette, digby scallops, gnocchi and grilled hangar steak), the fantastic wine, the exceptional service, and of course – to see the smiling face of wine director and LTOttawa contributor Grayson McDiarmid. As always, Play was a delicious way to end a wonderful day.

I hope everyone else is enjoying their weekend!