I was shooting again for the Canadian Cancer Society last Friday, along with the lovely ladies of The Brides’ Project. In the heart of downtown Toronto! And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Gary ~ the only groom in the group, complete in a sharp looking tuxedo.

Above: Shooting in the hot 28C sun and speaking with the media and the public about The Relay for Life was hard work for the ladies in wedding gowns. The dresses are heavy and it’s easy to work up a sweat in a matter of minutes. One “bride” rests in the shelter of some shade.

The premise of the shoot was “Giving Cancer the Boot!” And it served two purposes: first as a media – awareness event. CTV did a piece for the evening news. It also landed in three or four of the daily newspapers. Second, to create marketing images for The Canadian Cancer Society.

As a photographer, this shoot had its challenges: crowds, more crowds, bright sunshine and an uncontrolled lighting environment with MANY white wedding gowns, location permits, accommodating the press, etc. But I love the challenge and enjoy thinking on my feet.

Above: Join the biggest cancer fundraising event to make the biggest difference: The Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

Toronto hosts four Relay for Life events: Central Toronto (Forest Hill), Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough. I’m scheduled to shoot at least the Toronto event, so if you’re attending, come look for me and please say “Hello”.

By the way, the top image “The Brides’ Ballet” is beautiful. The girls look radiant. The juxtaposition of an army of brides against the backdrop of the Hard Rock Cafe and the Eaton Centre is something one rarely, if ever, will see. Click on the image to view a larger version. Contact the studio to inquire about owning a print.

Click here for more information on The Relay for Life events in Toronto Canada.

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If you haven’t heard of Brad Pattison, you may want to check out his TV Series airing on Canada’s Slice TV called At the End of My Leash. It also airs in the USA under the name In The Dog House on Discovery Animal Planet.

ABOVE: Tails were wagging at the Canadian Cancer Society when renowned dog trainer, TV host and author, Brad Pattison arrived to kick-off Bark For Life, a new canine event to fight cancer. Bark For Life will take place in Toronto on July 3 at Allan Gardens.

Luckily I was available as I received a phone call with less than 48 hours advance notice. Sometimes these events come together quickly; that’s the nature of the biz. The Society is launching a really fun fundraising event called Bark for Life in downtown Toronto. If you’re a dog owner or walker you can participate. All you need to do is drum up a minimum of $150 in donations by July 3rd, the date of the event.

ABOVE: Though not yet confirmed, it is suspected that this happy terrier is the culprit who piddled on photographer Dean Oros’ jacket during the media and book launch event for The Canadian Cancer Society and Brad Pattison.

The event and book launch took place in a boardroom. So you can imagine when I walked in and was greeted by a bunch of tail-wagging pooches happily playing amongst a room full of executives, laptops, and promotional “Bark for Life” signage. Fun stuff! I think beagles may have a camera-gene in their DNA because one particular beagle wanted to jump up on the boardroom table to get up close and personal with my camera gear.

When Brad walked in and said something about masturbating dogs I almost lost my focus, but managed to keep shooting. I won’t even mention the amount of dog humping that was going on. Funny guy that Brad Pattison. Well, that’s all I’m going to say about that!

ABOVE: TV Host, renowned dog trainer and author Brad Pattison becomes acquainted with a happy beagle during The Canadian Cancer Society’s canine media event “Bark for Life”.

Photographing rambunctious dogs meant I needed to get down to their level, so for a good part of the shoot I was rolling around on the floor with them. Everyone got a kick out of that, especially when I commented I was getting a good ab workout when shooting in mid sit-up. Kindly enough, the Society offered to pay for my dry cleaning bill. Haha. Which is too funny because after I had completed the shoot I realized that a pooch had piddled on my jacket. Note to self: Don’t hang jacket over back of chair when photographing canines.

ABOVE: Unleashed: A Dog’s Eye View of Life with Humans, the new book by Brad Pattison.

The shoot went well. Brad was great with the dogs. I got the shots I needed. Two hours afterwards a press release was sent out complete with a photograph by yours truly.

For those of you interested in participating in Bark for Life, it’s taking place July 3rd at Allan Gardens in Toronto. Here’s a map to help you out. And this link will take you to Bark for Life registration information.

You may also want to read:

1. An Army of Brides: Giving Cancer the Boot in Downtown Toronto… a behind the scenes peek. Above: “The Brides’ Ballet”. After the shoot for The Canadian...
2. Canadian Cancer Society: Relay for Life: Scarborough Friday, June 19th I’ll be photographing again for the Canadian...
3. Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Last summer I photographed the Relay for Life, an awareness...
4. Canadian Cancer Society: Relay for Life – Scarborough It was impressed upon me early on during this weekend’s...
5. Superheroes Galore! Central Toronto Relay for Life Above: A smiling cancer survivor enjoys the Survivor’s Lap during...

Local Magazine is available in the Beaches and Leslieville neighbourhoods of Toronto. Editor Sarah Dann is the brains behind it, and I think it’s great.

I contributed one of my Winter Series Beaches neighbourhood images to the current “Early Spring” issue as my little way of supporting local business (no pun intended!). Beaches butcher The Chopping Block (featured in Toronto Life Magazine) can be seen at the top of Willow Avenue.

Winter scene in the Beaches, Toronto Canada.

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These images focus more on the holiday resort aspect of Kona, volcanic rock, and a pretty rare look at an abandoned energy turbine farm in the southern most tip of the USA. Keep an eye out for the cow. Enjoy.

More images to come. Click here to view all the images to date.

A display of nature's perfect symmetry.

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For those that follow this blog regularly, you’ve already seen a larger selection of Hawaii Images.

Click here to view the full Big Island Archive with images that document different aspects of the Big Island, AND with larger versions than available on this blog. (Pssst, more images will be added on an ongoing basis, so check in regularly if you’d like to view additional photos).

All images are available for personal and commercial use.

Click here if you can’t see the following five images. Enjoy!

Tree branches posing as snakes in Kona, Hawaii

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Click here to view all my Hawaii images, and to learn more about this amazing oasis.

Sun sets over lava rock in Kona Hawaii.

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I hope you enjoy them. There is a lot more to come, so stay tuned. If you can’t see the images for some reason, click here to view them. Thank you.

ABOVE: Sulpher dioxide gases from Halemaumau Crater are emitted into the air at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaii.

ABOVE: The sun sets behind a silhouetted, waterfront tree at the Waikoloa Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii.

ABOVE: Sky reflecting off water in the Waikoloa Anchialine Ponds Preservation Area, Kohala Coast, Hawaii.

ABOVE: Hawaiian palm trees, nestled on the beach at the Waikoloa Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii.

ABOVE LEFT: Hawaiian palm trees, shrubs and lava rock live side by side in Kona.
ABOVE RIGHT: A young male diver leaps off a cliff into the ocean at Ka Lae, Hawaii. This was captured in the southern-most tip of the USA.

ABOVE: Palm trees stand next to a parking lot with reserved parking and wheelchair access signs in Waikoloa, Hawaii.

ABOVE: The waterfront at the Waikoloa Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii. This mini-dam regulates the ocean’s waterflow to and from a manmade pond where fish are bred in a mix of salt and fresh water.

ABOVE: Dusk in Kona Hawaii brings spectacular colours with its sunsets.

ABOVE: The southern-most tip of the USA, Ka Lae, on the island of Hawaii. The road ends here.

ABOVE: A variety of flowers, trees and shrubs, inlcuding this ohia lehua, manage to blossom out of lava on the Kilauea Iki Trail, at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, island of Hawaii.

ABOVE: Hawaii has a wide variety of beautiful flowers in bloom year round.

Kona, Hawaii

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Downtown Toronto is starting to look a lot like Times Square in New York, especially at Yonge and Dundas, next to the Eaton Centre.

This image of the Toronto skyline, captured just before dusk, with the CN Tower in the background, shows just how busy our downtown core is. Wouldn’t this photograph look great in a commercial real estate office?

Toronto Cityscape. Click to view full-size version.

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As much as I grumble about terrible driving conditions, blustery winds, sleet and ice during our Toronto (Canada) winters, I find the coldest season of the year very beautiful. Especially in The Beaches neighbourhood, where yours truly currently resides. For the urbanites out there, there is actually life east of Yonge Street and south of Eglington Avenue. Get with the program already (yes, this may be a gentle poke in the ribs to those who think the 15 minute drive from downtown is too long).

The Beaches is an amazing oasis. Great community of people, local retailers and small businesses. And an ever-expanding roster of restaurants and cafés, too.

The images in the above slideshow are my first foray into nature photography. They were captured during a snowstorm on the beach and boardwalk. Yes, it was cold. Yes, I had to protect my camera gear from the elements while shooting. And yes, my hands were pretty darn cold at times. BUT, you would never think these scenes are from Toronto’s waterfront. Winter in The Beaches is spectacular (or the BEACH, for those who choose to be politically correct).

I’m really excited to offer these images as part of the Image Archive. These Winter Series photographs are great for Holiday Season Greeting Cards, fine-art canvases, custom prints and editorial use, just to mention a few uses. Simply click on the image you’re interested in to see all the options available. If you can’t see the slideshow, click here to be taken directly to the Winter Series Gallery. I’m planning to make the Winter Series an ongoing project, so check in occasionally to see more.

Thanks for reading.

Winter in The Beaches, Toronto Canada

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If you like it, it’s available for purchase from the Dean Oros Photography Image Archive.

Fire hydrant nestled in autumn leaves.

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