Hutchinson Block in Medicine Hat, Alberta

Fondly remembered as the former location of Hutchings and Sharp, the Hutchinson Block in downtown Medicine Hat, Alberta actually dates back over a century to 1911. Thomas Hutchinson was an influential businessman in Medicine Hat's early years, and was the mayor of Medicine Hat in the 1890s. As a skilled harness maker, Hutchinson operated his business on the ground floor of this building throughout the 1910s.

H.R. Hutchings took over the building in 1934, and by 1950 it was known as Hutchings and Sharp Clothing Limited. The business remained in operation for decades, becoming the essential western clothing shop in Medicine Hat. When I first photographed the Hutchinson Block in 2013, Hutchings and Sharp had already been closed for years despite much of the signage and decor remaining. 

Coincidentally, this is another abandoned downtown building that I happened to photograph only a year before it underwent a complete renovation. I was invited back in 2014 to capture some of the progress, and back again in 2015 to see the finished work. The Hutchinson Block is now occupied and a beautifully restored historic building in the city's core. Below you'll find a series of images I shot while the Hutchinson Block was abandoned, being renovated, and restored.

Hutchings and Sharp (vacant) in 2013.

Inside the closed Hutchings and Sharp in 2013.

Inside the renovated Hutchinson Block in 2015.

Old brands hung up in the closed Hutchings and Sharp in 2013.

Exterior in 2013.

Renovation on the exterior in 2014.

Old western suit jackets left behind in 2013.

Old signage and register in the basement.

Interior in 2013.

Renovation underway in 2014.

Upstairs renovations in 2015.

Renovations in the basement in 2014.

Empty storefront windows in 2013.

Hutchings and Sharp storefront windows in the 1980s.

Basement renovations in 2014.

Exterior in 2017.

Exterior in 2013.

Hutchings and Sharp horse in 2013.

Storefront renovations in 2014.

Hutchings and Sharp in the 1980s.

Upstairs renovations in 2015.

Exterior in 2017.

Hutchings and Sharp in 1963.

Retired After Shooting Nearly 200K Images

I've added a number of cameras to my collection over the last 10 years, but this is the first time that I can say I've actually worn one out. I bought this Canon T3i about 3.5 years ago as a backup camera for shoots on the go. In reality, I ended up using it almost exclusively as the travel camera that I packed on road trips. Even I'm amazed that in just a few years I clocked nearly 200K shots on a secondary camera that I thought I was using part-time.

What happens to a camera after that much shooting? Well, the shutter is noticeably slower than it used to be. The sensor has a minor, but workable glitch. The viewfinder guard has fallen off. The back screen is cracking again after I replaced the glass once a year ago. The kit lenses both have a grit to them, likely from the sand collected on repeat shoots in the California desert. The telephoto has a rattle and no longer focuses properly when fully zoomed. There are also a smattering of to-be-expected scratches and scuffs. 

All things considered, this camera has held up remarkably well for how many miles it's traveled and for how much abuse it's took. As someone who shoots a lot of travel content in the moment and on the go, this camera was constantly getting tossed around in my backpack. I'm not the least bit disappointed about how its held up or performed. This Canon has been a workhorse and its earned its spot on the shelf next to my other retired cameras. 

Replacing and upgrading equipment is par for the course with any media business - and in this case I bought a brand new camera and series of lenses specifically for future travel shoots. What makes it bittersweet is that I captured so many incredible adventures with this T3i. It was far from the most expensive camera, but I certainly got my moneys worth over and over again. Curious to see some of what I shot with it? Explore these travel collections for more:

• Aloha Hawaii
• Around Alberta
• Roadside California
• Pacific Northwest
• Middle America
• Motor City
• Shambhala    

Donner Lake in Northern California

Located on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, and just northeast of Lake Tahoe in California, you'll find Donner Lake and Donner Memorial State Park. This beautiful freshwater lake is surrounded by cabins, trails, and private docks, and is an especially popular spot for hiking, camping, and fishing in the summer months. 

Donner Lake derives its name from the ill-fated Donner Party, a group of pioneers who became stranded near the lake in the winter of 1846. Trapped for five months in the Sierra Nevada, and after running out of supplies, many in the group infamously resorted to cannibalism. Of the 81 members of the Donner Party, only 45 survived the ordeal.

Visiting Donner Lake in January and surrounded by snowdrifts over 12 ft. high, it was easy to imagine the winter conditions that trapped the Donner Party. Symbolically, even the massive Pioneer Monument was buried in snow that was above my head. Even as a Canadian, seeing that much snow in an area where people actually lived was surreal.