By the Lake

"By the Lake" is a project about the people and landscape of the Toronto waterfront.

Life flourishes in this tiny sliver of public space sandwiched between Lake Ontario and the Gardiner Expressway. The highway pulses with a steady stream of cars in contrast to the waves gently lapping against the shoreline, while people carve out their own spaces between these ever-present forces. At times, this area feels like a respite from the city, while in other moments it’s a bustling ecosystem of lakeside activity. I initially began photographing this area in 2020 during the pandemic, as I live nearby and regularly walk these routes. It was only in 2022 that I started approaching people to chat and potentially make a photograph together. I’m fascinated by this complex relationship between nature and the urban landscape, how people use this space, and specifically how these dynamics can be represented in a photograph. Unfortunately, parts of this waterfront are undergoing profit-driven changes, like the transformation of a popular scenic area into a private spa, and I sense this area will continue to change in the future. I see this project both as a documentation of this changing place where I love spending time, but also as an expression of the people and community that make it so special.