Will Ivany and Joe Lethbridge have lived in Cambridge their entire lives and are excited to showcase all the city has to offer during their Galt Photo Walks.
The walks, put on by Ivany's local business 1228 Studios and led by Lethbridge, take residents on a tour of the city while inviting them to tap into their creative side by snapping photos along the way.
"It's a way for other artists to explore the city," Ivany said.
"Our premise for the walk is to encourage people to bring a camera or phone with them. Joe is known for his photography and he has some unique spots that he goes to take photos. So we've built a few routes off that."
With so much growth happening and newcomers making their way to the city, the walks also provide an opportunity to connect people with history.
For 61 years Lethbridge has been exploring the landscape and hearing interesting stories that many people are unaware of.
"There's a lot of new people moving into the city, so that's huge," Ivany said.
"There's history in Galt. When Joe was telling me about everything, I was thinking I've lived here my whole life and didn't know any of it."
Lethbridge says he often gets interesting responses when he shares his historical knowledge with people.
"I see a lot of new people coming in, there's growth everywhere and they don't know the history of the town," Lethbridge said.
"People say 'oh wow you're not all new developments, you still love your history, heritage and architecture.'"
Both Ivany and Lethbridge emphasize all artistic abilities are welcome and it doesn't take high tech equipment to shoot good photos, as even a simple cellphone will do.
"It's trial and error, Lethbridge said.
"But I don't believe there's error in art. It's about letting your creativity out."
As an artist himself that's done everything from photography and painting to graphic design, Ivany wants to expand the opportunities for local talent. He understands as well as anyone that being an artist can often be expensive and it isn't always accessible.
"I think there's artists out in the woodwork right now," Ivany said.
"Joe's a perfect example of that. It's not always about your top-end gear and knowing everything. Art is about trying, tinkering and figuring things out."
Regardless of what walkers are hoping to get out of the experience, the pair want them to feel they've learned something new and leave eager to explore more about the city.
"I hope people appreciate what we have local," Lethbridge said.
"The nature, the trails, we're hoping to show them a bit more."
The walks take place on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. throughout the remainder of the year.
To register visit 1228 Studios' website.
