Fleeting Ambience

Though a lifelong anime enthusiast, this was the first anime 'con I have ever attended, Anime North. Was impressed with the volume of attendance, including many who never had passes but were content to hang out in the parking lot. En route via public transit, I spotted others at a bus stop similarly destined to Anime North. A young fellow who was on disability and had no money to attend said he was just there to 'hang out' at the parking lot. That sounded bleak and pointless until I got there. Most of the fun was indeed at the parking lot where photo shoots, live music, performances and games were situated. In the convention buildings were lots of vendors and events panels, but the parking lot was the 'it' place to be. Many thanks to Shaded Lenz who provided the media pass so that I can make photos, otherwise I would never be able to attend.

Then there were the costumes, everything from risque to elaborate, but almost all put in a supreme effort. Favorites were the ones who really got 'in character'. This was a fun event with great costumes and worth multiple posts. I suggest you scroll through my Archive.org instance , volume one. Most of the costumes were from new anime I have yet-to-watch, but there were some classic characters from video games I grew up with like Bison, from Street Fighter II and early anime characters like Char from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series. Since this was over the course of two days, expect a "batch 2".

Am grateful for the number of portraits I was able to shoot, just about everyone let me make photos. Many asked for my contact info so I could send their portrait in high resolution for their portfolios. A great opportunity to hone skills.

On occasion, I shoot with a Minolta Himatic F rangefinder, using expired film forgotten in drugstores, looking to clear out. The other film I shoot is with Kentmere black and white, but that is for other entries. Chinatown has a mystique, especially at night. But that mystique is being dissolved by relentless gentrification. I am glad to capture what I can, while I can. The grocery stores are less, and the shops gradually replaced by chain retail. Now there are less places to develop film in Toronto, the ones left, rather expensive to develop. Places left to buy and develop film in Toronto are now specialty shops, but you can try Lomography online. Though, there is also a Lomography shop in Toronto on Spadina...in Chinatown. What's left of it.