Tony waiting for a customer

[RBSinTo]

This is a photo that I finally got after about five or six unsuccessful attempts. Tony's is a barbershop on Queen Street East here in Toronto, that I often pass on my way into and out of the downtown. It took several tries to get this shot because every time I drove by there was always a problem with the scene: Tony was cutting hair, the shop was closed, or there was a car parked in front of the shop.
Finally, one weekend I drove by and the scene was perfect. I parked across the street, rolled down my window, turned off the motor and grabbed this shot with a long zoom.
As an aside, the lettering on the filthy window is one of the few remaining examples of signwriting done by "The Queen Street Slasher". For many years, The Slasher, armed only with a couple of cans of One-Shot Lettering Enamel and a brush roamed through this part of the city lettering signs for the local shop-keepers. His work was characterized by its primitive, free-hand style, the ever-present drop-shadow, and the tendency of the letter heights to decrease from left to right as he ran out of space. I think that the lettering adds to the "feel" of the image.
motorized Nikon FA
zoom-Nikkor 80~200 2.8 ED AIS manual focus
Fuji 100 ISO colour slide
exposure about 5.6 or f4 @whatever

[Shadowman]

Very grungy shot, looks like an old photograph. Lots of good elements within the scene, the clock, jackets, lettering.

[RBSinTo]

Very grungy shot, looks like an old photograph. Lots of good elements within the scene, the clock, jackets, lettering.

John,
The grunge comes from the windows (which were filthy) as well as the primitive style of the window lettering.
This particular stretch of the street is now beginning to undergo some re-development and gentrification, and this shop is no longer in business.
When I took this shot, the scene reminded me of a Norman Rockwell painting.
Robert

[Shadowman]

John,
The grunge comes from the windows (which were filthy) as well as the primitive style of the window lettering.
This particular stretch of the street is now beginning to undergo some re-development and gentrification, and this shop is no longer in business.
When I took this shot, the scene reminded me of a Norman Rockwell painting.
Robert

Robert,

I meant grungy in a good way, like adding noise to a shot for a different look.

[RBSinTo]

Robert,

I meant grungy in a good way, like adding noise to a shot for a different look.

Good. Bad. Indifferent.
The scene is grungy, and I like the way it looks, as it is a reflection of the reality of that place, at that time.

[bnnrcn]

It is sad to lose those kind of old shops because of re-development and gentrification. IMO an artificial looking and luxurious building can never replace the atmosphere of this shop. I like the image

[RBSinTo]

It is sad to lose those kind of old shops because of re-development and gentrification. IMO an artificial looking and luxurious building can never replace the atmosphere of this shop. I like the image

Binnur,
I couldn't agree more.
Robert

[FootLoose]

Great picture, Robert. It's dripping with nostalgia for me. I wish my barber still employed men.

[DEAN01]

Wonderful shot, Robert.