A chance encounter at a funeral introduced me to two Leasiders with a deep photographic talent.
One of them, Kathi Adachi, turned to me and said she remembered me from the time I had taught her Grade 9 math at Winston Churchill Collegiate in Scarborough, and that my husband, Ted, had taught her biology in Grade 11 at Wexford Collegiate! When we chatted further at the reception, I learned where she and her husband, Doug LeClerc, live, and how their photography has evolved.
Kathi has resided on Eglinton in Leaside for the last 50 years, and she and Doug have been partners for the past 30. And while they have occasional shows of their work, it’s entirely possible only their close friends and immediate neighbours recognize the photographic talent in their midst. With this article in Leaside Life, that may change.
Wandering around the One of a Kind Show in 2011, Kathi and Doug happened upon a flyer for a one-week street photography course in Cuba led by Juris Kornets. Doug had always been a keen nature photographer. Kathi, a graphic designer, also had a good eye, but was less interested in photography because her photos “weren’t what I wanted to see.” So, “interested, but a bit hesitant,” they signed up. Kathi figured, “I’ll go shopping and hang out on the beach,” since she had been to 1970s-era Soviet Cuba and had always wanted to return.
It was fascinating to them, in their group of about 10, being assigned to walk down a street, take photos where they chose, and meet in about an hour at the end of the street to compare notes on their very different impressions.
Every evening the group would gather to critique their work. Juris’s contacts in Cuba gave the group access to non-touristic Cuba. Gaining confidence and skills, Kathi abandoned her beach vacation and came to enjoy photography and take photos using her inner eye.
That first street photography trip changed the way the two of them have travelled since. On a canoe trip, they’ll often pause just to look and try to capture what they see. They’ve also taken several more professionally led trips, including a memorable one to Romania, where at every stop they were greeted with a shot of palinka, a strong distilled fruit brandy, and became part of a village wedding celebration. Asked about a favourite camera, Doug answers, “the one I have with me.”
They’ve slowed down a bit recently since Kathi’s hip fracture in the fall of 2025, but that hasn’t stopped them from more local street photography outings, with plans in the works for a possible short return trip to Paris this spring and longer jaunts, including revisiting Japan.
