Toronto is not my city.

I have said this before, and nothing has changed since I moved here 5 months ago, Toronto is just not my city. I am fine living here for now, but I don’t see myself settling down here in the long run. And that is all ok except my inability to connect with this city means I didn't feel inspired to photograph it.

So what happens when a photographer doesn’t feel like photographing?

Well, you make yourself take photographs. Last month, I finally stopped whining about living in a city that wasn’t my first choice and started acting like a professional. I dragged myself out of my apartment and forced myself look at this city without my reservations.

I started off simple. I like old buildings and brick walls, so I found old brick buildings and photographed them. I've always been a fan of back-lit photos so I shot subjects into the sun. Where I didn’t feel inspired to shoot, I looked for something - even a tiny detail or a glimpse of a moment - to inspire me. Whether it's a fashionable biker at the intersection or an alley of color in flash graffiti, I found things that caught my eye and I photographed it.

I stopped for a cappuccino and window-shopped. I made an urban adventure out of it. For months, I had been yearning for every chance to get out of the city - 3 trips to San Francisco, 2 to New York, and 1 to Vancouver - but, as it turns out, there are gems to be found in this city too.