Hi, I’m Mike from Toronto!
I love Toronto aka Tdot / the 6ix, and I’ve been exploring it as a blogger, photographer and educator for the past few decades.
Since 2018 I’ve offered residents and visitors some really cool photo walks and tours of my favourite spots in the city. Read on to the end for some tips. 😀
If you see “Tdot Shots” and “Iconic Toronto” mentioned, these are some of my social media and website pages. Through both I offer events in the city.
Photo walk and tours I offer:
- Art and Architecture (downtown and downtown west)
- Allan Gardens and Downtown East
- Bloor St West and the Annex
- Financial District and Union Station
- Harbourfront and Toronto Waterfront
- Humber Bay Parks and the Arch Bridge
- Kensington Market and Chinatown
- Old Town and St. Lawrence Market
- The Beaches (east) / Sunnyside Beach (west)
- Toronto Island
- University of Toronto
- Yonge St and Downtown
My background is in education and design. I’m a teacher in multiple disciplines and I’ve been designing for decades. In University I studied literature and urban geography and I’ve always been a passionate explorer of the city.
Join me sometime! I advertise free and paid events and I offer private groups their own customized walk and tour. Contact me anytime for more in formation.
On this page I share short descriptions of some of my favourite places. On a typical event we balance the discussion of architecture, art, culture and history with some chat about photography including ideal spots for interesting compositions and tips about using different focal lengths to get the perfect shot.
These event images may say “photo walk” but all can be done as a regular walking tour, with or without tips on photography. And if you love photo and video we can put less emphasis on culture and history.
City Classics – Iconic Toronto
Who doesn’t love these places!?
I also offer outings to Toronto Islands or “the island” as it’s known to locals.
Art and Architecture
Neighbourhoods in West Downtown Toronto
The west side walk and tour I’ve recently created leads us from the famous Bloor St West / Annex neighbourhood south to the funky and eclectic Kensington Market neighbourhood.
I’ve known both since I lived and worked in the area in the late 1990s. We explore the dynamic change that includes new high-rises and retail expansion and discuss the enduring legacy of the beautiful residential neighbourhoods and immigrant enclaves.
Neighbourhoods in East Downtown Toronto
Allan Gardens is a gem in the downtown east and there are many historic architectural sites nearby. One of those spots is Maple Leaf Gardens and one of those neighbourhoods is Cabbagetown.
You can enjoy an hour in the beautiful greenhouse and then stroll south toward TMU (Toronto Metropolitan University) and Yonge-Dundas getting to know a lively and gritty side of the city.
Or from Allan Gardens we can walk north to Bloor and the upscale Yorkville neighbourhood.
Contact
Interested in a photo walk or walking tour? Please get in touch. I offer fair rates and have good availability.
Tips
What kind of camera should I bring? Is a smartphone ok?
Yes your smartphone is okay. I bring my Pixel with me and use it often. It has some cool special modes and an excellent ultra wide lens that cover a range my Lumix camera misses.
I always tell me to bring the best camera you own. Sometimes that’s a DSLR or mirror less, oftentimes it means a compact or travel camera. Those little pocketable cameras often take better photos than new smartphones (better lenses?).
But you can get creative with any type of camera, so don’t worry about it and come enjoy the event! Photography is often secondary to the experience! 👍
Why do we call it Tdot and the 6ix?
Most cities have special nicknames. Toronto has also been called Hogtown and the Biog Smoke. But with the rise of urban and alternative culture, primarily focused around the music scene, the city’s inhabitants borrowed slang from musical personalities and thus since the 1990s Toronto has been known as “Tdot,” and since the 2010s people have used the term “the 6ix.”
I can elaborate and share some video links with you on our photo walk tour. I love to chat about culture, street art, music, photography and other visual and creative arts. It’s one of the things that’s great about Toronto.