Flamingo by Alexander Calder - Downtown Chicago

In addition to having the opportunity to walk through a magical kinetic world created by Alexander Calder at the Museum of Contemporary Art, I also got to stand under a much heavier piece as well. This ravishing bird is perched in Chicago's Federal Plaza, which is currently under some construction but unable to detract from the structure's magnificent beauty and stature. I was in awe as I walked under its massive limbs, delighted by all the various imagery I discovered, depending on which angle I was viewing. Whenever I photograph sculpture like this, I wonder how I can possibly come up with something different than what everyone else has seen, but nonetheless, this one emerged as my favourite creation.

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

I shot this during the return flight from a recent first trip to Chicago. I've been thinking about travel a lot lately, delving into exactly what is so alluring about getting on a plane or a train and just getting away! Is it the thrill of seeing life in front of a new backdrop for a little while.. something new and stimulating to keep your eyes and viewpoints limber? Is it the satisfaction of temporarily relieving yourself of your duties, however enjoyable or mundane they may be in your everyday life? Is it getting to sleep in?

I guess really, it's all about shaking things up, isn't it.. expanding your knowledge base, challenging your adaptability.. your eagerness for adventure. How much you get out of it depends on how much you are willing to stretch yourself. After all, being in a city where you are just another accessory for its avenues and curbs should spur you to speak a little more boldly, forge ahead in a dress you would never think of wearing at home, and perhaps enjoy a delectable meal of sushi for the first time. And then you return home a little richer, a little more seasoned, and most certainly completely refreshed!
© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

A few Toronto girls

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

You are looking at two of my all time favourite photos and no, I have no idea of which building it is!! I shot this during one of my first excursions into Toronto's urban playground, getting lost among the downtown melange of business people, tourists, and shoppers... just to name a few!

I thoroughly enjoyed this foray into the world of photography! While I was always the one with the compact camera tucked into my purse, I had never ventured into the delicious world of SLR photography until I started working for one of its most dynamic enthusiasts!! She wanted nothing to do with a classroom environment... so there we were, cameras in hand, mentoring and learning, eagerly sharing and eagerly absorbing. And at one point, I happened to look up and discovered these ladies looking down at me and I was hooked!

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

Power House, Welland, ON

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

I used to walk by the old Power House building at the corner of Lincoln and Hellems Streets in Welland and wonder what it was like inside. Abandoned for years, it was probably an eyesore to those in the proximity, but I always thought it was an interesting building to look at, with its power line fixtures in a row along the top. At one point it had actually become a women's gym, but I don't recall how long it was available for workouts before it was deserted again.

I recall seeing this quirky old floodlight and thinking: I should bring my camera over here sometime and take some pictures of it. I think what really motivated me to actually do it was when I passed by and saw that someone had smashed the glass inside of it. I decided I'd better hurry up and do it for fear it would disappear altogether some day. So I grabbed my old Miranda and walked over and shot a whole roll on the red brick building and all its nuances. I would have taken this sometime between 1999 and 2000 I guess.

The day after I did this, (and yes, it was exactly one day!) there was an army of Caterpillars on site to finally demolish the lonely, neglected building. Mere hours later, there was nothing left of the structure but crumbling framework and massive piles of bricks. Cleanup took a little longer of course, but to this day, there has still not been a replacement erected at the corner of Lincoln and Hellems Streets.

It was during a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake last autumn that I had the opportunity to experience the rush reporters must feel when they find themselves right in front of the story as it's breaking!

It began as a flurry of sirens, then a gathering of people, mostly tourists conveniently equipped with cameras! Soon we were barred from accessing the area behind these buildings and quickly realised why. What was really eerie was to think that moments prior to all this commotion, we had walked directly in front of The Butterfly Gallery, completely unaware that there was already a fire burning in its basement.

I wonder, because of their seasoned participation in such events, if reporters experience the same cocktail of emotions that I felt on that October afternoon: while I was thrilled to be right at the scene of something that I knew to be significant and that everyone would be discussing, it was a thrill injected with great sadness as we watched hungry flames devouring someone's livelihood and passion, forever altering the very structure of "the prettiest town in Canada".

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

I imagine life being good in Boston. When I was there last year, I felt like I was encompassed by elegance and culture and history. I realise it is because I was on vacation, liberated from my corseted schedule, free to absorb all that I found intriguing and to breathe and sleep deeply. But I often indulge a little and imagine how fortunate I would feel were I able to see what's good about Boston any time I like.

My impression while walking its downtown was such that every landmark is relevant and they all originated years and years ago, back when correspondance was meaningfully crafted and attire was a production. I breezingly perused the shops on Newbury Street without feeling inundated with street vendors. There are swirls and spirals of wrought ironwork everywhere, framing condo steps, as in this photo, as well as the shops. Sunday morning held no more vexing consideration than deciding which restaurant's charming outdoor patio to visit today. And never mind about having slept in from last night's socialising: they do brunch, not breakfast... priorities!

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

Quidi Vidi Village, Newfoundland

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved

This is not just a photograph of a rope. It is a photograph of a luxuriously relaxing afternoon meandering beside the sea on a quiet road, drinking in the textures and layers of the village. It is a photograph of Newfoundland weather and its effect on the rope and on the wood, both of which have been rendered monochrome and very soft.. almost fuzzy to the touch! It is a photograph of a fishing community, and of a tradition that may have been fractured but will never be exterminated completely. And it's a photograph that brings me back to one of my days in beautiful Newfoundland. After all, isn't that one of the main reasons we take pictures? To remember days and experiences, not just locations or objects.