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!

From British Columbia to Ottawa: Kelly-Anne Maddox becomes a Local Tourist

Kelly-Anne Maddox relocated to Ottawa from British Columbia in 2010 and is busy being a mom to her one-year old daughter.

Kelly-Anne Maddox

I’m not the sort of person who adapts well to change.

Major upheavals in my life have brought with them fear, trepidation, and a not-so-healthy dose of introspection. So when my husband announced to me last year that he had been transferred from British Columbia to Ottawa, it was with much kicking and screaming that I tagged along. I lamented the loss of my dear friends, my job, my house, my beloved mountains, and the bounty of Okanagan produce.

I had been to Ottawa as a tourist many times in the past, visited Parliament, strolled along the Canal, and wandered through the museums, and was well aware that I was moving to a beautiful city. But nonetheless, I was plagued by doubt as to how I would live my everyday life here: Would I get to know people? Would there be interesting hikes? Would I like the neighbourhood I had yet to see? And were the people of Ottawa interested in 100-mile food?

We arrived in Ottawa on September 1st, after a meandering ten day road trip. For the first couple weeks I sat at home, brooding, with a six month old and a dog for company. As I started to put a finger on my initial loneliness, I realized that I was in mourning for lost connections and companionship. With two choices in front of me – get out of the house or go mad – I decided I had to start building my own community in Ottawa.

As luck would have it, I found out about the Boomerang Kids Strollercise program around that same time, and before I knew it Baby and I were whiling away three mornings a week walking the Canal with other moms and chatting over coffee in the Glebe. We added Mom and Baby Fit classes at the Glebe Community Centre to our routine, and signed up for Hush-a-Bye Babies, a locally owned song and rhyme class. My family and I discovered our Quartier Vanier Farmers’ Market and, at the last market of the season, I won their gift basket – a delicious welcome to the neighbourhood! We expanded our radius of exploration and spent Sundays at the Lansdowne Farmers’ market, and weekend afternoons hiking in Gatineau Park. We found sustainable beef and heritage pork, and a nearby organic store where the shop owner now exchanges pleasant banter with us.

My original questions were all eventually answered with a resounding yes. I’ve made friends though the various programs I became involved in, gratefully embraced the heartpounding ascents of the Wolf trail, planted roots in our delightfully colourful neighbourhood, and unearthed a locavore presence that’s very much alive in my new city.

Thanks for the post Kelly-Anne! We hope to see more of you soon!

Do you want to tell us how you ended up in Ottawa? Send us a note or leave a comment below!