This past weekend, I went on a trip to the very exotic locale of London... That is, London, Ontario.
Named after the well known English capital, London is the 11th largest city in Canada and home to my university alma mater.
I've been back a few times since I graduated back in 2014... each time feeling much older that than the last. This trek back to my university home was made visit a very good friend who is moving back to Western Canada.
On Friday night, we celebrated, reminisced, and said our goodbyes. I asked the waitress if she had any decorations we could use to jazz up our booth. She returned with a bunch of helium balloons... and given the current shortage of helium (and my unashamed love for balloons,) it would be downright irresponsible to leave them behind!
And thus, a photo op was created:
As the majority of pictures I capture are at concerts, I've refrained from purchasing a flash thus far. I've always disliked the unnatural lighting flash provides, as well as how it can disrupt the ambiance of a scene (hence why I absolutely despise when they are used at concerts). Though the street lights helped illuminate these scenes, I found myself with images that were a little grainier than I would have preferred. Looks like it might be time to investigate into a flash after all.
But regardless of the grain, I love the nostalgia that London's Richmond Row invokes in me, the whimsy of the balloons, and the fact that one of my best friends is in these photos!
Unsurprisingly, the major entertainment street of a University town is not a safe place for balloons. Though the balloons were prodded multiple times, I am happy to report that no balloon kidnapping or murder (ie. popping) took place under our careful watch.
And of course, like any good balloon owner, we made sure our helium-filled friends had a safe place to spend the evening.
I could go into extensive detail on the significance of balloons and how they are representative of freedom, childhood, new beginnings, joy, etc... but I think Disney's Up is a much more potent homage to the symbolism.
Walking the midnight streets of London, Ontario, one last time, camera in hand, balloons floating in the air, and a best friend by your side - I can't think of a better way to make new memories and to celebrate old ones.