A word of caution – this post is not about cheese or the fact that I haven’t eaten it or dairy1 for several years. It has nothing to do with the fact that it has been well over a decade since milk has passed these lips. And it has nothing to do with the fact that both are poison to my body. Nope, this post is about none of these things.
It’s about saying cheese.
You know – saying cheese – that thing people ask you to do when you get your picture taken. Why do we say it? What are the origins of the expression? I have no idea, although I’m sure the all-knowing and all-powerful Google could tell me – but I’m far too lazy to look it up right now3.
Of course, now you’re probably wondering why I’m rambling on about saying cheese. And you are right to wonder. Especially if you live in Guelph and just so happen to read this blog, and perhaps are part of the Twitter.
Anyway, about a week ago (maybe longer – I forget things) I started noticing a new hashtag on Twitter. The hashtag was #Guelphonography and it seemed to always be associated with a photo that I or someone else had posted. It didn’t take much of a genius4 to figure out that the photos were all of Guelph. That is – pictures that I or someone else had taken while wandering town using our phones5.
Photos such as the following6:
Why so many photos of Guelph? Well, why not? Guelph is awesome and it’s great to see it through the eyes of the people who live here. In fact, viewing the photos reminds me of two things. First, there are a lot of very creative people in Guelph and we definitely should be celebrating them. Second, there are so many places in Guelph that I still need to explore. Or re-explore. I think the thing that I love the most about this collection of pictures is that it reminds me to keep my eyes open – to remember to look at Guelph and the people who live here all the time – because there is beauty and awe right outside my door. Being someone who wanderlusts on a pretty regular (permanent) basis, it’s good to be reminded of what I have to be grateful for right here in this town I call home.
Of course, Guelphonography isn’t just a collection of pictures of Guelph. It’s also a contest to celebrate our city and the talent we have here. For details on the contest, you can check out the Guelphonography webpage here, or perhaps read the Guelph Mercury article here, or simply follow @Guelphongraphy here. The gist – winners will have their photos blown up and put on display as part of an exhibit in downtown Guelph in September. There are also jazz tickets and other prizes to be won.
So if you’re in Guelph – start snapping those pictures, and don’t forget to say cheese.
1 Intentionally. There have been a few mix-ups2 since then. Several painful, awful mix-ups.
2 Such as the chocolate gelato incident of circa 2005 – also known as the day that Dr. Steph and I became family.
3 Okay, I’m not that lazy. An explanation is provided here. It’s riveting. You are welcome.
4 I mean, I figured it out and I’m definitely not much of a genius. Ask anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing me walk into a wall, bike into a car, or perhaps pour orange juice into my kettle when making tea. Oh, and there were also those times when I poured coffee on my oatmeal. Take it away Homer:
5 Get it? Guelph + Phone + Photography = Guelphonography.
6 You can find more photos by clicking here.
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consumedbywanderlust 
Great article, and thank-you for sharing my photo!
Thanks. And no problem 🙂