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!

Remembrance Day 2010

Photo by David Kawai: http://www.davidkawaiphoto.com

When I was a kid, I’m not sure I truly understood the gravity of Remembrance Day.

I remember going to my small town’s cenotaph each year, singing In Flanders Fields with the school choir, writing poems and drawing pictures. I knew that I was always to call my Grandparents, there would be a poppy for my coat, a trumpet, and a moment of silence that for reasons I couldn’t quite put my finger on always left me feeling shaken.

Things are so much different now – especially because I live in Ottawa. In Canada’s Capital, we have one of the most moving Remembrance Day ceremonies that I (and I hear many) have ever witnessed.

Thousands of people lined the streets around the National War Memorial today, and what struck me the most were not the poppies, the trumpet, the 21 gun salute, jets overhead or the incredible two minutes of sweeping silence (I didn’t even hear a phone ring). It was this guy who stood beside me, while I waited for my dear friends at the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa to march past. For 10 minutes he clapped and he shouted ‘thank you’ to every single group.

I spoke to a few soldiers that afternoon, and one mentioned to me that he felt that the audience seemed really engaged in the ceremony this year. Maybe what’s going on in Afghanistan has communicated to a whole new generation what Remembrance Day represents, I don’t know.

One thing I can say for sure though, is that nothing compares to 11/11 in Ottawa. How did you spend this Remembrance Day this year?

Big thanks to David Kawaifor stopping by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and snapping this post’s photo. Also, take a minute to check out the Ottawa Citizen’s “Readers Remember” photo series.