The Bluffs

It's Sunday evening in Toronto and it's super bright outside. I decide to get off my computer and do something a bit more human for a change. Lately I've been busy running around photographing different concerts, friends and catching up on photo edits. I travel a lot so when I'm back home I make sure to spend as much time as I can with my friends.

I text my friend Alex, and thankfully she's around! Alex comes to scoop me up with her boyfriend, Chef. I debate whether to bring my camera or not. Do I want to relax or do I want to go on an adventure with these two sweethearts and document it all?

I pretty much instantly make up my mind. I want to shoot!

I grab my Canon EOS 80D DSLR, my two favourite lenses and my tripod. I get in the car and Alex asks me, "Where are we going mama?! (Short for mamacita, I'm obviously not a mom yet). So I say "Scarborough Bluffs Mama!".

The area is surrounded by hills and the view from the top is amazing. It's a well-known spot so sometimes there are people there hanging out or taking photos. I like to go during the week because there's nobody there and it's a great spot to think and listen to music on your headphones. Today is a holiday so it might be pretty crowded, but we're going to try anyways.

Alex is so excited to get to the Bluffs that she gets out the window like a little kid. That's why I love her so much! I'm in the back seat and we're going pretty fast, but luckily the autofocus lets me keep her face super sharp!
Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM. Shot at 19mm. Canon EOS 80D: 1/500 sec, f/5, ISO 800, autofocus.

Meet Chef. No, that's not his real name. Yes, he is really a chef. I found this fur coat in the back of their car and made Chef wear it.
Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM. Shot at 21mm. Canon EOS 80D: 1/160 sec, f/3.5, ISO 500, autofocus.

We get to the Bluffs and it's absolutely perfect.

The views! Scarborough Bluffs in an area just outside Toronto. It's basically a beach and a series of hills on the east coast. It's one of my all time favorite spots around here.
Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM. Shot at 31mm. Canon EOS 80D: 1/80 sec, f/4.5, ISO 160, autofocus.

There is nobody there, the place is all ours! I take out my iPhone and I play some Drake (I'm shooting his concert in a few days so I want to get in the mood!). It's also magic hour and the lighting is stunning so I couldn't be happier. I begin taking photos right away and even use the built-in timelapse function to capture the boats on the water.

I have my friends, my camera, my music, and there's nothing else to do but to hang out and take some shots. Life is good!

We get to the top of the hill and we chill for a sec. I've been photographing Alex for a really long time so I think she sort of automatically stroke a pose a little bit here!
Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM. Shot at 33mm. Canon EOS 80D: 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 500, autofocus.

To me, very few things can compare to shooting with a close friend. That's usually how I get my best photos.
Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM. Shot at 35mm. Canon EOS 80D: 1/100 sec, f/5.6, ISO 320, autofocus.

On our way back to the car we found this random chair in the middle of a park. Seemed like a dream spot for a portrait so I captured this one of Chef. This is the first time I photographed him with Alex and I already know it won't be the last!
Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM. Shot at 29mm. Canon EOS 80D: 1/100 sec, f/4, ISO 640, autofocus.

All Photos Shot on the Canon EOS 80D DSLR

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