“Autumn, the final brilliant show of the trees I have know all summer. Shine brightly, fill my senses, for I will miss you in the chill of winter and remember your beauty fondly.”
– Ed Lehming
It seems to me that the annual autumn show of colours was particularly bright this year. Birches competed with the beeches in their bright tones of yellow and orange. Even the light reflecting from the tree trunks seemed to glow with energy and life.
Here, the sun beams through the ever enlarging gaps in the canopy and bathes the ground with brilliance, catching the colourful leaves on the way. The leaves shiver and tremble in the gentle breeze that blow through the edge of the forest, bringing the whole scene to life .
Just looking at the photo brings back that moment, with it’s sounds, smells, and warmth. After a brief departure from my deliberate camera movement technique, I have found myself going back to what I love, creating art with light. Every image brings me joy as I reflect back on the time it was made, the slight movement reminding me that the forest is not a static thing, but rather, filled with life and energy, which shows through when I photograph this way.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 130 mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Within the autumn forests, trees put on a final brilliant show of colours to brighten our days as the days shorten and sunlight fades”
– Ed Lehming
Can you imagine an autumn without colour? An autumn where the days simply become darker and the leaves drop to the ground as dried green husks?
Thankfully, that is not the case and as days become shorter and the temperatures cool there is still the splendour of fall colours adding the illusion of warmth to otherwise dull and gray days. I can’t imagine it any other way.
Over the past many years, I have spent as much time as possible on the forest trails around my house. Every year seems to yield some new miracle of colour. This year has been no exception. Though I was tied up with my Studio Tour the bright, warm weekend when the colours were at their peak, I have since managed a few short outings to take in what remains, and have not been disappointed.
I faced many scenes like this one; mostly bare forest with incredible shows of dazzling oranges produced by the beech trees. In this case, the single beech among a grove of birch trees looked like a fire within their trunks and branches. The colour was so incredibly stunning that I was concerned it would not show in the photograph, but it did. I made the photo hoping to do the scene justice and when I looked at my phone, I knew I was successful. Yes, this photo was made using my iPhone and is pretty much untouched with the exception of a bit of sharpening and black point adjustment to maintain the contrast that makes it so stunning.
The nice thing about beech trees, which I have mentioned before, is that they retain their colour for much of the winter, offering bright patches of orange and copper in an otherwise bleak landscape.
iPhone 7 back camera @ 4.0mm
1/1000 sec; f/1.8; ISO 20
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“There are time when we just need to ‘pause’, and in that time, we can be filled with the most beautiful of things.”
– Ed Lehming
As I took my own ‘pause’ at lunch today, I was greeted by this unexpectedly stunning scene as I rounded a corner. The real joy in this image is that this is likely to be the last day with mild weather for some time and the beech trees were in the midst of transitioning from their summer greens, through yellows, and finally, the lovely coppers that will remain through the winter.
The sunshine was magnificent and filled the forest with brilliant soft light, adding further wonder to the scene.
I’ve said many times that I feel truly blessed to have these forest trails so close and accessible to me, especially after particularly stressful days, where even a brief walk in the woods helps me to relax. Today was no exception, so the title of the photo, “Pause…”, was pretty obvious for me. It really was a pause, and on hindsight, It seems the forest was taking a final, glorious breath, before it settles in for winter. As I headed home, clouds had rolled in and the air had more of a bite to it, as the temperatures dropped as well.
iPhone 7 back camera @ 4.0mm
1/250 sec; f/1.8; ISO 20
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“The colours of Autumn turn the world into a wonderland of colour, sound, and scent. There are times when I feel that I have left reality and entered the land of fables.”
– Ed Lehming
As I beheld the scene before me I was filled with an absolute sense of awe. The mid-afternoon sunlight filled the forest with a soft and wondrous display of light and colour. I literally felt like I have stepped into a magical painting and the world fell away around me. Only this place existed.
Such is the nature of many autumn forest scenes. They seem unreal. Where only a few weeks ago the forest was lush and green, much of the canopy has fallen away revealing stunning colours, filled with light and energy. Those who spend time in the forests and on the trails will know the feelings this evokes.
It hit me even more this time, as I only had a short time to be in the woods. My day was filled largely with outdoors tasks that had to be done before the frost and snow come to my area, so I was able to carve out a little space in the day to drive to one of my favourite trails in hopes of a few photos before the wind and rain forecast would end the show for another season. As you can see, I was not disappointed, even within a very short hike, the forest offered up its gift to me, and I was a willing recipient.
iPhone 7 back camera @ 4.0mm
1/730 sec; f/1.8; ISO 20
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Slowly and subtly , the colours of the world shifted. The bright greens of summer transformed to gold and copper, as the autumn breeze rustled in the tree tops high above. The warm glooming of the summer forest filled with a soft light that brought vigour to my spirit as I partook in the forest freshness.”
– Ed Lehming
I truly love autumn. Though it’s a time when the forest begins preparations for it’s winter slumber the freshness of the air, the smell of the leaves, and the bright colours are like a final feast for my senses.
Proximity to the local forests is a true benefit for me. After, or during a long day of work, even a few moments in the forest refreshes me and I’m grateful that I have the ability to bring some of those sensations back with me through my photography. Even after long pauses, a few minutes on the trails bring all my senses to life and inspires me to create.
Though the change is only just beginning and colours are not near peak, it was a delight to bask in the colours that were starting to show. With the canopy thinned, even slightly, light once more makes its way to the forest floor and everything seems to glow with life. I’m looking forward to more time in this place and hoping to bring back new autumn memories with the images I make.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 90 mm
1/4 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“There is wonder in simplicity. Sometimes a mundane scene can offer more than first meets the eye.”
– Ed Lehming
Today I chose an image from last weekend’s hike along the York River. The small stand of bright birches against the deep green forest interested me. As with many of my photos, my initial perception is a simple composition, nice lines, and contrasts. Then, when I start actually processing the image, to get the colours closer to how I see them, wonderful and often surprising details emerge.
Behind the birches, the sunlight catches some balsam trunks and yields a wonderful golden light, a very subtle competition to the bright white of the birches. Some of that golden light appears on the birches as well, though it’s not something I was conscious of when I made the image.
So, a simple image of a stand of birches has become so much more.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“There is peace in the sound of the river’s voice. From low gurgle to roar, the sound of water moving resonates within me.”
– Ed Lehming
I’ve been quite remiss in my posting frequency. Summer has been filled with activities not necessarily conducive to photography, but I’ve been able to carve out some times to get back to my passion. Sometimes, I’m able to combine them, in the form of hiking and making photos.
On the Labour Day weekend I spent time with my family in the Bancroft area, visiting local events and enjoying the outdoors. One of my favourite spots is the York River, which flows through the town of Bancroft and into the rugged terrain east of the town.
The river begins its journey with a roar at High Falls at the southern end of Baptiste Lake. The lake was dammed to control flooding downriver and the resulting dam created a wonderful waterfall. From there the river meanders slowly through the countryside north of Bancroft in a series of beds, twists and oxbows. On exiting the town, the river forms a few small rapids and continues generally south east till it turns north once more as it enters the region known as Egan Chutes, as series of chutes and cataracts that compress the waters into raging torrents as the wide river is compressed through narrow passageways.
The first of these chutes is Egan Chute, where the water plummets some 10 meters between steep rocks. By late summer, it still rages, but some gentler side cascades form with the reduced water flow. A few kilometers past Egan Chute is the narrow but gentler Middle Chute and finally, Farm Chute.
I really enjoy Farm Chute, primarily because it’s a bit more unspoiled and the river flows rapidly through a narrow and angled defile in the rock before spilling out into a large basin, where it continues on in a peaceful flow to join the Madawaska River many kilometers to the east. Pictured her is Farm Chute looking over across the basin. The image really reflects the overall environment of the river as it flows through the chute region and highlights the narrow passage that the chute flows through. From this angle, it almost looks like a cave, but it’s really just a very narrow and steep passage.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 130 mm
1/200 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast comes from the grocery, and the other that heat comes from the furnace.”
―
I instantly fell in love with this quote. Spending any time at all on a working farm makes you realize just how precarious our food supply can be, that it requires constant work to yield any kind of crop, and that deep green fields can be among the most deceptively hot places you will ever experience.
Earlier this week I stood in this place looking at my wife’s late cousin Paul’s farm from a new angle. We were meeting with staff from Park Canada and the Toronto Region Conservation Authority to discuss a wetland restoration project that was planned in a parcel of low pasture land, which is seen here as the tall grass area just behind the tree stump. This area is fed by several springs just north of the property and, in the past, provided a water source for Paul’s dairy cattle. Some time prior to his passing, Paul gave up his cattle herd and focussed on grain crops and the pasture sat generally idle, with the exception of a few cattle he allowed a friend to pasture there.
Standing here and reviewing the restoration plan and surveying the idyllic scene before me gave me a whole new appreciation for just how tightly interwoven our natural surroundings can be, even in a developed area like a farm. From here I see layer after layer of different environments unfold before me, from the bright green hay field, to the wetlands; the feed corn that grows on the flowing hillsides, till they meet the summer sky, with its billowing clouds. Among this multi-layered landscape, the barn and farmstead sit like a guardian, overlooking it all.
I know that Paul was involved in the process of developing this portion of Rouge National Urban Park, but sadly, did not survive to see it fulfilled. But, he left us his legacy in this little slice of paradise he called home for so many years.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/500 sec, f/11.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
―
Indeed, a bright, warm summer afternoon. Among my favourites, despite the lingering heat, there is a sense of comfort. As the day runs on, even the flowers nod their heads in repose.
The image I chose for today’s post was made at my wife’s late cousin’s farm as we dropped by this week to check in on the property. This lone sunflower sat along the laneway by the barn. It seemed out of place, but somehow appropriate and a real delight as I surveyed the farm scenes around me.
It was a warm summer afternoon and the ‘feel’ of that particular time and place is captured in this image. The puffy summer clouds float lazily in the distance as I stood enjoying the intricate beauty of the sunflower’s face. A simple image with all the colours and emotion of late summer.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“The wind skimmed the waters of the bay, creating infinite tendrils of foam that stretched as far as the eye could see.”
– Ed Lehming
For me this was a rare opportunity to photograph a scene which I have seen and enjoyed several times over the past few years. It’s a view from the highway 49 bridge over Telegraph Narrows at the eastern end of the Bay of Quinte.
The bridge joins the mainland with the peninsula that makes up Prince Edward County. It’s a fairly high and expansive bridge and offers wonderful views ,both eastward and westward over the Bay of Quinte. But, it’s primarily a bridge for vehicles, with a narrow sidewalk along one shoulder. A rather long and steep walk to make photos.
Last weekend, the bridge was narrowed to a single lane for construction, with a stoplight regulating the traffic at the top of the bridge. SO, I found myself conveniently stopped a this beautiful vantage point. I reached in to the back seat of my truck, grabbed my camera and made a few photos of the bay, looking westward.
The wind, blowing from the west through the channel of Telegraph Narrows mad some interesting patterns on the water. I noticed there was only one sailboat out, so it may have been a bit too windy for people to actually enjoy a sail around the bay.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 135 mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Summer moves forward, like a lazy river.”
– Ed Lehming
Ah, warm summer days, spent enjoying the northern countryside. Everything seems to slow its pace, just a bit. We spend the days drinking in the sweet warm air, and cool ourselves beside gentle streams. Not a care in the world.
Pictured here is one of my favourite summer stops. I came across it quite by accident as I was working on documenting the many waterfalls and cascades in the Bancroft area. I was looking for a set of rapids, based on a topographic map, and as I drove the back roads looking for an access point to the rapids I turned down a laneway and found this little slice of paradise. Here, Papineau creek gently flows over a rock strewn chanel, eventually resting in a deep, calm basin at the base of the rocks. It’s a perfect swimming hole. The water is actually quite deep in the pool formed by the flowing water.
It’s a place that I seem to end up in at least once a year. Stopping for a picnic lunch along the shore or going for a dip in the cool, calm waters. Just looking at the photo calms me, as I reflect on the times I have stood in this place and enjoyed the view, the sound of the water, and the sense of peace it brings me.
I hope to get back one more time in the autumn to see the place transformed with fall colours. For now, the deep greens of summer and refreshing water suffice.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 122 mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 1250
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“As we journey through life, and along the roadways, we are often faced with things we don’t expect. How do we process those times and circumstances when an opportunity to observe and consider is presented?”
– Ed Lehming
As a general rule, I don’t often photograph man-made items, unless they really interest me and the opportunity for deeper observation presents itself. So, here we go.
As my wife and I recently travelled some of the back roads of Prince Edward County, we found ourselves just outside Picton, Ontario and were surprised to find the Picton had an airport, let alone one of this size.
The airport, it turns out, was at one time a fully active air force base, used extensively during WW2 when it opened in 1941 as a bombing and gunnery school. It went through several different iterations over the years, eventually transferring to the Amy and being used for several civilian purposes till being formally closed on 1969.
Currently, it’s owned by a private developer and the former barracks and hangers are being used by local businesses, including an art gallery. The large hangers were used as recently as last weekend to host a local beer festival. The airfield itself is still used as a municipal airport.
As I stood on the roadside along the ruting fencing, I was particularly drawn to the textures and lines that the fence presented me with. Widening the aperture a bit produced the clarity of the barbed wire detail while softening the watchtower in the background.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 125 mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“It’s the unusual, the ‘out of place’ that gets our attention and prompts us to ask questions.”
– Ed Lehming
While driving through Prince Edward County, a large peninsula in south-eastern Ontario, some of the main roads run through a fairly large patch of marshland, rather, swamp, since it is filled with shrubs and trees. What makes this so unique is that the swamps, which seem to be wet all year round are filled with large maple trees, primarily red and silver maple, which don’t seem to mind getting their feet wet in what is locally known as “The Big Swamp”.
The rest of the ‘County’ is rolling farmland with the occasional patch of low brush or juniper, as well as many of Ontario’s emerging wineries. The ‘County” is becoming a very popular destination, mostly because of its proximity to Toronto, its quaint villages, picturesque landscape, and a spectacular provincial park known as “Sandbanks” made up of miles of soft sand-dunes jutting into Lake Ontario.
Among this diverse landscape, I keep coming back to the central swamp, because it’s so out of place to me. I’ve been here many times over the past few years but until a few days ago, did not take the time to stop and photograph them. The trees you see in this photo stretch on for hundreds of meters into the swamp, but the thicker summer foliage obscurs much of that, so a trip back in autumn is definitely going to happen.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/4 sec, f/20.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“One does not have to travel to far flung and remote places to find beauty. We simply need to open ourselves up to see it, by expecting it, in our daily journeys.”
– Ed Lehming
In line with my recent “Along the Way” theme, here’s another roadside treasure that I captured on my recent drive from Bancroft, Ontario to Picton. This stretch of Highway 62, north of the farmlands of Madoc, leads us through some near north Canadian Shield wilderness which is so typical of the North Hastings region. This same landscape continues north to Ontario’s Algonquin Park and beyond and can be easily enjoyed from the highway.
The rocky terrain, filled with pines, small lakes, and swamps goes on for miles in the same pattern and most travelers take it for granted,simply driving through it, focussed on a destination, when the journey is just as beautiful.
This small, roadside lake is called Spring Lake and I simply loved the serene little island with its tall pines and backdrop of fluffy summer clouds. I see these scenes all the time as I’m driving, enjoying them and envisioning a possible photograph, but often fail to stop. Or, I’ll see the scene and the angle or light has changed enough by the time I pull over that the composition is lost as a memory. This one worked out.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 122 mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Summer progresses and the fruits of our labours and those of others, begin to yield, as evidenced by the bounty of the farm fields.”
– Ed Lehming
I should really call this recent series of images “Images Along the Way” since all have been taken from the roadside or not too far off the road on my travels to and from my camper.
This scene was absolutely marvelous and I simply had to stop and try to capture the scale and beauty of the massive field of rolled straw near the small community of Yelverton, Ontario. The field rolls far into the distance and is filled with hundreds of bales of straw. The immensity of the field is further complimented by wonderful late afternoon sunlight breaking through a thining deck of rain clouds.
It was not long after I made this image that the skies once again opened up into torrential rain, so I’m even happier for the brief break in the weather that allowed this image to be created.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 110 mm
1/640 sec, f/13.0, ISO 1250
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Summer walks along the creek, the sun playing among the drifting clouds, and life, in full force all around me.”
– Ed Lehming
Today I spent a day just being; taking things easy and simply letting the day flow. The day started cool and overcast. The forecast called a mix of sun and cloud, which soon became cool showers. The showers eventually cleared and yielded a wonderful soft light which made for great light and bright greens.
My wife and I spent much of the day visiting the town of Maynooth, with its farmers market and a plethora of antique shops. There was no real plan, simply time to be together and checking out the shops. From there we headed east to a favourite spot of ours, along Papineau Creek.
This little piece of heaven is little known and generally quite private. An ideal place for a picnic lunch and some photography. I enjoy the quality of light here and the open pine forest.
This image is one of my first for a while, using intentional camera movement to yield the slightly impressionistic look and feel. I love how the light plays among the branches and along the path, and highlighting the birch log that has fallen across the path. Someone has peeled the white bark back on a section of the log, making it look like an over-sized cigarette butt.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/4 sec, f/22.0, ISO 1250
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“The most beautiful things happen, along the way. Stop and enjoy them.”
– Ed Lehming
Today, I’m doing a quick post and starting to get myself back into the discipline of posting and writing about my photos more frequently. I realized just how much I had dropped from my routine.
I had a significantly disruptive life event in March, which pulled the rug out from under me, creatively. I may talk about that at some point, as I continue to process it. Needless to say, the event caused me to stop doing the thing I love. Namely, photography.
It’s a strange thing that I fell away from the very thing that has always been my outlet and refuge through all the stresses life throws at us.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve done the very thing that I encourage others to do. Simply stop and enjoy all the beautiful things along the way.
The image above was taken from the side of the highway on our way north to our camper. I’d been admiring the thunderstorms on the horizon for some time, but there was never a good view from places where it was safe to stop. Finally, I found a short opening that offered this view of the clouds, lit up bright pink by the setting sun.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/80 sec, f/4.5, ISO 1250
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Mid-June after a rainy spring and crops are finally planted, the world is greening, and wildflowers burst forth in profusion. Time for a pause.”
– Ed Lehming
I made this image at my late cousin’s farm. We’ve spent some time there trying to understand what goes with what, who’s farming what lands, and just getting a sense for the timing of things.
Farms are busy places in the spring, made busier when the farmer who has managed this farm for years suddenly passes. There have been a lot of unknowns but lots of help from those who knew him and understood his rhythms. Farming is all about timing and if the timing is off things go awry.
Fortunately, close friends and fellow farmers have stepped up to the challenge and made the best of things. The fields on the home farm are planted and now there is a brief pause, a time for a quick rest, before the next step begins. A tractor sits idle by a freshly planted field and Dames Rockets bloom behind it, as if just planted themselves.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/640 sec, f/8.0, ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Flowers will always try, and look their best, no matter what the season or reason.”
―
Every spring I get to enjoy a gift from the past. My mother and I are both avid gardeners and sharing seeds connected us in a unique way by having some similar plants in our gardens. I live in Ontario and she lives in British Columbia, so our growing zones are quite different, so there is a limit to our ability to share. Many years ago, she shared the seeds of this particular plant with me, and it has grown in may garden ever since.
One in particular, that has worked remarkably well for both of us is this variety of Columbine, which we referred to as Mountain Columbine is actually Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata ‘Nora Barlow’
This ‘frilly’ columbine, one of the so-called rose or clematis flowered aquilegias, where the sepals are doubled and the outer ones have an attractive green tinge. Nora Barlow was a granddaughter of Charles Darwin and this plant, popular for more than 300 years, was found growing in her garden by the nurseryman Allan Bloom.
So, there is also the pleasure of finding the history of our shared flowers, which likely came from her mother or grandmother. I never did ask where the seeds came from. Interestingly, hers did not propagate one year and she came to me asking if I could send some seeds back her way.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/400 sec, f/7.1, ISO 800
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Spaces high and low, previously wide open and empty, are now filled with deep green leaves, as the forest breathes in the warming air.”
– Ed Lehming
It seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. The forest suddenly transformed from the bright greens and yellows of spring to the deep greens of summer. Places where I could see deep into the woods a few days ago are now a wall of green. Only a few bare spaces remain.
Even though it’s still late spring, but the forest is now in its summer garb. The soft light of spring is quickly absorbed in the lush greenery. though some splashes still fall on the brown and coppery leaves on the trails.
It’s a time of transformation and I find myself looking for new subject matter, other than just the green ‘veil’ that dominates life inside the forest.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/32., ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“As I stepped over the slippery rock, making sure of my footing, the Heron launched itself into the sky from it’s shoreline perch, fading quickly across the lake.”
– Ed Lehming
This is why a chose landscape and botanical photography as my go-to. I have, on the rare occasion made a good wildlife photo. Those photos are more the result of being in the right place at the right time when an opportunity presents itself. Most often, the wildlife is fleeing or gone already.
I have a special respect for the work that goes into being a successful and consistent wildlife photographer. It involves days of preparation, scouting, and immeasurable patience and practice to get the shot that presents the wildlife correctly in its natural environment.
As my past few posts have indicated, I was actually on my way to photograph Burleigh Falls. On my way I encountered wonderful plants, a chipmunk, and almost two herons. Both herons surprised me, as I was not expecting them along the edge of this fast flowing waterfall. I’m used to herons along the calm shores of lakes and ponds. I actually startled them both, because the rush of the water masked the sound and movement of my approach. In fact, they started me as they launched themselves into the air to escape.
This is the better shot of the two, as I was able to quickly focus on the heron as it faded away. The other shot was out of focus. The other factor here was I has only carrying my 90mm macro lens, which is great for flowers but a bit more challenging for wildlife o the move.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/640 sec, f/8.0, ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Nature takes hold, in the smallest crack or hollow, filling them with life and laying the foundation for the next generation.”
– Ed Lehming
Among the solid stone of the Canadian Shield I find not only lichens but entire gardens of beautiful plants. Here, a crack in the granite is filled with a variety of Stonecrop known as Sedum Acre or Wall Pepper, with tall Yellow Hawkweed growing from it. The crack has produced its own little garden. And when this garden dies off in the autumn, it will produce even more compost, providing nutrients for a larger plant next year.
These little gardens were everywhere, some filling low spots but most popping out of cracks in the stone, as I stopped by Ontario’s Burleigh Falls to make some picture of the fast rushing water.
A side benefit to photography is that I often find new subjects to photograph while on my way to my intended destination. I was actually a bit disappointed in the images the waterfalls yielded, though I am still in the process of reviewing them. We’ll see if anything comes of them in future posts.
For now, I am content with what presented itself: some lovely plants and the great texture of the moss-covered rocks. What’s not showing in this image is the swarms of mosquitoes that greeted me on this rainy June day.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/100 sec, f/8.0, ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Our eyes are drawn to things, often not knowing the specifics. Trust your instinct and study what they are trying to show you.”
– Ed Lehming
There have been countless times where I have been drawn to a composition; some seemingly random object or scene, not knowing at the time why I was moved to photograph it. Then, on reviewing the image during my editing process some marvelous detail reveals itself.
It’s those times that I am so grateful for this ability to ‘see’ unseen things in my photography and somewhat saddened that I have ignored it for many years. It seems to be an intuitive thing and I wonder if only some of us have it? People tell me I have an ‘eye’ for composition and I know it’s not something I have learned, it’s always been there. I suppose I have refined it through repetition and experience but it still surprises me. I also wonder what life would be like if I could not filter it. Would I spend my days staring in amazement at everything I behold?
Then, there are times like this. While making photos of a waterfall recently, I noticed a chipmunk sitting on a rock. I don’t normally make images of chipmunks, as I’m not big on ‘cute’ images. However, I stopped to make a few images of this fellow as he cleaned himself atop the rock. He did not even seem to mind me as I approached him for a closer shot.
As a processed the photos I had to laugh. The chipmunk is perfectly safe where he is and knew I would not approach much closer, as he is completely surrounded by a healthy patch of poison ivy. I would have noticed if I had gotten closer, but from my vantage point and focusing on the chipmunk, I had not noticed it.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“The deeper one looks into what appears simple, the more complex it really is. Even the very delicate and wispy structures show there is more to them than meets the casual eye.”
– Ed Lehming
The natural world is continually amazing. The simple and commonplace are not what they appear. Living forms are incredible in their diversity and design.
Take the simple dandelion seed head. It looks like a fluff ball, a novelty for children and adults alike. But really look at it. Look deeply and deliberately and it’s absolutely stunning how it’s designed. Hundreds of seeds per flower, each with their own feathery parachute, wait for a breeze strong enough to disperse them far from the parent plant. The wind creates just enough of a pull to dislodge the seed from the base. Not enough wind and the seed remains anchored.
For this image I first had to find a seedhead that was largely intact. Not an easy task as it has been quite breezy the past few days. Ideal for the dandelion, not so much for me. When I found a good specimen, I had to decide on my composition and depth of field. Getting the right depth of field also meant I needed good light, as I also had to contend with a slight breeze, meaning I also needed a fairly fast shutter speed. Not so simple a task when shooting without the benefit of a tripod.
In the end I got a couple of images that I was happy with. If I wanted to do more, like have the entire seed head in focus, I would have to bring one into my studio for a much longer exposure and some focus stacking. Perhaps another day. For now, I’m pleased that the detail is there while still keeping the image a touch soft, matchined the image title nicely.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/160 sec, f/22.0, ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Bright white blossoms greet me from the morning garden, as the sun warms the early June day with it’s own brightness.”
– Ed Lehming
The gardens are beginning to come alive. I enjoy this time of year, watching plants and flowers begin to thrive as the days warm up. It’s always nice to see that everything has survived yet another winter.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, spring here has been cool, damp, and extended. In fact, it really has not warmed up much till only a few days ago, and it really shows in the gardens. It seems everything is racing to catch up. Daffodils were blooming until only a few days ago and a few gardens still have tulips blooming.
The Star of Bethlehem was a surprise addition to my garden. It came here unannounced when I transplanted several other plants from my mother-in-law’s garden a few years back. It’s a pleasant surprise and a welcome addition since it fills the flower beds with such lovely blossoms.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/80 sec, f/16.0, ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Cool spring breezes blew past me and set the wildflowers dancing, like purple paint brushes on a canvas of green leaves.”
– Ed Lehming
Some things look so much more interesting if you look at them differently. We are so used to seeing things as stationary, even our eyes compensate for movement. So when that compensation is removed by the eye of the camera a new view appears.
I wanted to capture the wind patterns in the patch of Dame’s Rockets, so I left my shutter open of a quarter of a second to allow the movement to translate back to the image and I ended up with this somewhat impressionistic version. My biggest challenge over a few attempts was to get the exposure right in the bright sunshine.
It appears to me like the flowers and leaves are individual brush strokes of colour and the wind is the artist. Something worth pursuing a bit more deliberately in future images?
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90m
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Simple beauty can be found anywhere, you simply need to be receptive to it.”
– Ed Lehming
Spring is slowly pushing out the cold and damp that has been so dominant here for what seems like months. With the warming air more and more wildflowers are beginning to show their faces.
Fading now are the forest dwelling spring ephemerals which are being replaced by the taller and more colourful field flowers. The flowers pictured here are Dame’s Rockets, which seem to bloom wherever they please. They prefer to move about, from place to place, popping up where there was nothing the previous year.
As I noted a few weeks ago, my wife’s cousin and close friend, Paul, passed away and we are now in the process of cleaning up his home and farm. There’s lots to do, lots of memories, and short time to do it. One of the benefits of being on the farm though, is being able to walk around and enjoy the property. Between farm equipment and aged buildings some very beautiful scenes emerge and I could not resist bringing my camera with me to capture some memories of these times.
So, spring appears to be in full swing here, punctuated by this patch of Rockets, some white choke cherry blossoms in the background, and the farm buildings, with their rusty roofs, to complete the composition. There is beauty everywhere, even in sad times.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/1000 sec, f/3.2, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“The soft spring breezes played with the tiny flowers of the plant causing then to dance and twinkle in the light.”
– Ed Lehming
As I’ve said a few times in the past, one of the great things about being a photographer is having an eye for the fine details. I’ve found myself becoming an astute observer, noticing things that I would have passed by a few years ago.
These smallish plants grow along the trails and are not particularly eye catching, until the blossoms appear in early spring. In this case, a male plant with dangling yellow flowers. I did not notice any female plants, which have bluish-purple flowers, in the area, but my timing may have been off by only a day. It’s interesting that there are two distinct plants, male and female. The species name: dioicum comes from the Greek word that means ‘two households”.
So, I have discovered another plant to research and to be on the lookout for next year, leading me to be able to make even better photos of them when I know when to expect them.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/250 sec, f/9.0, ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Bright puddles of green foliage adorned the otherwise dull forest floor. Above them float delicate white stars, pure and bright; an elixir to the winter weary soul.”
– Ed Lehming
I try to make it a point not to revisit the same subject matter too often, but there is something about star flowers the touches something very deep inside me. As I consider the images I’ve made over the past few days, I suspect that it’s the visual purity of the plant and it’s lovely white blossoms.
They bloom just as the trilliums are beginning to fade, yet before the forest floor begins to really green up. So, they really show up among the winter litter of dried brown leaves, splashes of life on a largely lifeless background. It’s not enough that they are such a wonderful shade of green, it’s those beautiful, perfect blossoms. In this case, three on a single plant, which in my experience is a rarity, thus the photo.
They also only bloom for a day, so when I happen to catch them at the right time it makes me smile. Though not as large and showy as the earlier blooming trilliums, they still captivate me with their fragility and serve as splashes of brightness on a gradually darkening forest.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/60 sec, f/9.0, ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Nature amazes me still. Some changes are so gradual that you barely notice them while others happen in the blink of an eye.”
– Ed Lehming
Last week I took a much needed break at lunch and headed for a quick walk through the woods at North Walker Woods. For those who follow regularly, you will know that this is a place I like to go to quite frequently. It’s close to home, the trails are well maintained, and it offers me a broad profile of southern Ontario forest flora. It’s also fairly open, so bugs are not too intense.
I was just there last week enjoying the multitude of trilliums and other wildflowers and the forest was just beginning to show its spring flush of bright green, yellow, and red emerging leaves. The forest was still very open and bright, allowing lots of sunshine to reach the forest floor and feed the delicate spring flowers. This ‘open’ spring forest and its delightful colours was shared in my “Trillium Trails” post only a few days ago.
As the title of this post states, what a difference a week makes. With a few warm and sunny days, the entire forest is now in full leaf. It’s also quite surprising how many trilliums are still in bloom, largely due to the cool weather we had up till a few days ago. They have already started to turn the pink-magenta colour that is their final phase of blossom and soon they will be replaced by ferns and other deep green undergrowth as the forest settles into summer mode.
It’s been a wonderful extended spring on the trails this spring, with almost all the spring ephemerals blooming at the same time and remaining in bloom for close to two weeks. A highly unusual but delightful season, yet things must progress and I am thankful for these times.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/50 sec, f/11.0, ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
Ed Lehming Photography 
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