Bob’s Blog — Fifteen Years of Walking Toronto

Fifteen years.

That’s how long I’ve been lacing up my boots, grabbing one of my trusty old Sony cameras—these days usually my Sony a6000 or my a5000—and heading out with the Toronto Photo Walks crew. And long before mirrorless cameras were everywhere, I was one of the first people on our walks carrying a Sony NEX-3, back when everyone else still thought DSLRs were the only “real” cameras. That little NEX-3 turned heads and proved its worth on every early walk.

And after all these years, I can honestly say:

I’ve seen more of Toronto than most people will ever see in a lifetime.

Not because I’m special, but because I kept showing up—week after week, year after year—with a camera strapped around my neck and curiosity leading the way.

A City Revealed, One Walk at a Time

Toronto transforms when you explore it at walking speed. You catch the things that cars blur past: the odd details on an old fire truck, someone quietly checking their camera in a marsh, an artist sketching in a park, or a person balancing dramatically under the Gardiner like the city built a stage just for them.

Fifteen years of moments like these add up.

I’ve watched Toronto evolve, rebuild, repaint, and reinvent itself. I’ve photographed neighbourhoods before they existed and after they vanished. I’ve learned that every block hides a story—and Toronto Photo Walks always seems to uncover it.

The Best Group in the City

This group is special. We don’t just “follow a route”—we drift. Someone spots a splash of good light, someone else notices a person worth photographing, and suddenly we’re wandering down a side street none of us had ever noticed.

We’ve walked through every season, every type of weather, and every mood the city can throw at us. Through it all, there’s always a laugh, always a surprise photo, and always a discovery.

After fifteen years, these folks feel like family.

The Tradition: Ending at the Pub

Every proper Toronto Photo Walk ends the right way:

a cozy pub, a round of drinks, and a table full of cameras, backpacks, lenses, and phones displaying fresh shots from the day.

That’s where the storytelling really begins.

We talk about the moments we captured, the ones that got away, the unusual characters we ran into, and the unexpected beauty we found. Someone shares a new technique, someone remembers a walk from five or ten years ago, and someone else starts planning the next one.

It’s the perfect ending—good drinks, good company, and a community built around seeing the city through a lens.

Fifteen Years In… and I’m Still Not Done

Toronto continues to change, and I continue to walk.

Every time I think I’ve seen everything, the city surprises me again.

Maybe that’s why I’m still out there—because Toronto is endless when explored slowly, one photograph at a time.

Here’s to fifteen years of walking, shooting, learning, laughing, and ending the day with a pint among friends.