Monday, February 1, 2021

City Daily Photo Theme Day: Smiles

 The first day of each month is a theme day for members of City Daily Photo, and for February, that theme is Smiles. See how others are interpreting that theme right here.

I'm relying in part on archive shots, starting with this one taken at Arts Court downtown in 2015 during Nuit Blanche. Allison Blakley, a member of a local dance company, did a performance piece through the night at Arts Court and gave me this shot following one of those performances, with a splendid smile.


2017 was the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, and there were multiple events to mark the occasion that year in the city. One of those events, running through the year, was Ottawa Welcomes The World, held at Lansdowne Park in the Glebe. It was a series of events held by embassies to showcase their countries. One such occasion for Columbia featured this woman, Pilar, part of a chocolate consortium, with a bright smile.


Another occasion, profiling the country of Uruguay, featured candombe dancers with bright smiles and high energy.


Another event held that year was MosaiCanada, which was done over on the Gatineau side of the Ottawa River in Jacques Cartier Park. Part of the park hosted large topiaries in 2017 and 2018. They included a majestic First Nations version of Mother Earth with a gentle smile.


Doors Open is an event usually held here in Ottawa at the beginning of June. We'll see if it happens this year. In 2019, I happened to be at the National Arts Centre on stage and took this shot at the right moment, with a woman at the conductor's position holding the baton.


And then there's the smile. In 2019, the Canada Science And Technology Museum, another of our national museums, hosted an exhibit marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, examining his art, inventions, and concepts from a scientific perspective. That included an in depth analysis of his most famous painting, presented in multiple visual spectrums, with a look beneath the surface of the work, and an actual sized replica of the painting, front and back.

What is Mona Lisa smiling about?


Now for some fresh shots, these brought out smiles or laughs from me. First, this sheet I've come across showing the proper and improper way of masks in the Covid era, Gotham City style.


This is in a restaurant window in Centretown.


And this is the front billboard for a church in the Glebe.

38 comments:

  1. We need smiles. Nice and genuine smiles.
    Blowing out candles is a thing of the past!!

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  2. What a fun event, I would be right into the garden display.

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  3. So many fun events. There are still people not wearing mask the proper way and when caught, they will be fined RM1K. These days, blowing of candles on cake is a big no, no and no long normal to do so.

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  4. Love all the smiles you gave me, if some are rather... "bitter".

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  5. It would put a smile on my face if they would send a vaccine to my arm. Maybe one day I will even be able to remove my mask and you will be able to see the smile!

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  6. @Catarina: all too true.

    @Amy: that event was grand.

    @Nancy: one wonders if it'll ever be again.

    @Iris: thank you.

    @Ella: I try not to.

    @David: I can relate.

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  7. That's nice to see smiles ! In our lockdown even smiles are hidden under the masks ! Mother earth has a very stingy smile and Mona Lisa as usual misterious ! I have seen the painting was I disappointed it is so small that you almost need a magnifier ! You have to search for it or ... follow the crowd !

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  8. Love the smiling sculpture.
    Have a smiling February!

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  9. Good theme, and I just saw a cake-blowing thing on tv yesterday and it kind of gave me the creeps.

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  10. Wonderful smiles.
    Your photo of Allison Blakley is my nr. one.

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  11. What fun! I'm not seeing many smiles these days, since masks hide them. :-)

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  12. I love that analysis of Mona Lisa's smile.

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  13. You have a great selection here and included the most studied smile of them all, Mona Lisa. Nice!

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  14. Thanks for giving me something to smile about.

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  15. Wonderful 'smile' photos ~ creative approach to Mona Lisa too.

    Moment by moment,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  16. All those smiles made me smile. Thanks, William!

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  17. @Gattina: seeing a replica was a neat experience. It gives you time and space to see it without the crowd.

    @Italiafinlandia: I did too.

    @Anvilcloud: I can't see us going back to that point.

    @Magiceye: thank you.

    @Jan: it was fun watching her performance.

    @Tom: quite true.

    @DJan: indeed.

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  18. @RedPat: thanks.

    @John: you're welcome.

    @Sharon: i found that exhibit fascinating.

    @Michelle: thanks!

    @Barbara: you're welcome.

    @Carol: thank you.

    @Revrunner: it is.

    @Bill: you're welcome.

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  19. OK. I'm cracking up at Christopher Walkens! Love all these pix, William. The lighting on that first is especially beautiful. I remember when Rick sent me photos of the oversized topiary (?) displays. I remain in awe.

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  20. Lots of work searching your archives for smile photos. I remember some! Have a happy day. (Smile.)

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  21. A fun post, especially "We accept Christopher Walken." I hope you have a great birthday!

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  22. @Marie: it does.

    @Jennifer: thanks!

    @Jeanie: those topiaries were a real treat.

    @Jack: I thought these were fitting.

    @Linda: there's a barbershop here that has a similar Walken sign, but predates covid.

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  23. Many thanks for these smiles ... we do need to smile :)

    Happy February Wishes.

    All the best Jan

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  24. wonderful photos and wonderful smiles all.

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  25. Thanks for all these smiles :-)

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  26. i really think it is odd how certain situations have always been odd, or different ...but maybe others didn't get it. how now??! i give the veggie section story ...why do folks lick their fingers to open a veggie bag? gross i have always thought. but suddenly with all going on ...every one else is thinking oh, what took so long to get it has always been GROSS??!! lol. people??! ( ;

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  27. @Jan: thanks!

    @Denton: thank you.

    @Karl: you're welcome.

    @Lady Fi: thanks.

    @Beth: thank you.

    @Jim: indeed.

    @Orvokki: quite so.

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