“As I see it, life is an effort to grip before they slip through one’s fingers and slide into oblivion, the startling, the ghastly or the blindingly exquisite fish of the imagination before they whip away on the endless current and are lost for ever in oblivion’s black ocean.”
― Mervyn Peake
A “Kill Plate” is the geological term of a particular strata in which numerous fossilized animals can be found. In this case, a large number of fish, each about two inches long, all died and were preserved as fossils in a narrow layer of sandstone. We will never know what event caused this mass death to happen, perhaps a big wave deposited the fish to die high up a beach somewhere and subsequent waves buried them? Or, a river dried up, with the same effect. It leaves us with an unanswered story to ponder, but the end is written in stone.
I should have written down more of the details about this particular artifact. The primary reason I made the photo was that I saw this as a piece of art and have neither the space, nor the funds for the original, though I am fascinated by the details and wanted to spend more time looking at it. It’s a bit like a large stenciled drawing, with the same shape repeating randomly over and over on a carefully textured background.
I can picture the person who first saw this slab, peeling back the top layer and revealing the scene above. I also imagine this is a small portion of a much bigger slab that was divided and sold off to galleries and collectors.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 80 mm
1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 250
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“One of the reasons there are so many terms for conditions of ice is that the mariners observing it were often trapped in it, and had nothing to do except look at it.”
― Alec Wilkinson
As winter transitioned into spring and the light coating of snow melted on the lakes, rivers and ponds in the area, some very interesting effects emerged, that I had not previously noticed. Perhaps it’s due to the small amount of late snow we received, which melted soon after it fell, clear and uncontaminated with dust and grime.
The effect I noticed was smooth ice surfaces, in endless shades of blue and white. The colours seem almost unnatural, but I suppose the purity of the ice and how it formed this year may have something to do with that.
In the image above, you can see deep blues where the snow must not have accumulated much versus the whiter areas, where it would appear snow has melted and refrozen. And, of course, there are the white cracks, crisscrossing the surface. I also like the mottled effect in the distance, which was harder to capture well from the angle I shot from.
The entire image has the look of a blue and white abstract painting, but it’s just nature showing off her own artistry, something I have been seeing a lot of lately and am happy for.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 125 mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 250
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“Every doorway, every intersection has a story.”- Katherine Dunn
For any who have not had the opportunity to visit Toronto, there is a wonderful area which used to be the Gooderham and Worts distillery. After the distillery ceased operations, the early 19th century buildings were preserved and it has become a popular destination filled with shops, restaurants, and art galleries. It’s a place I visit at least once a year and always offers me new images.
This year I went, like last year, on my birthday, hoping to spot some new artifact, piece of architecture, and just enjoy the sights and atmosphere, as well as a good meal.
These street signs were installed to help navigate through all the side streets and alleyways, each representing the principal building which stands along that route. It helps give a sense of how things flowed back when the distillery was still active. It was the light that drew my eye to this sign as well as an image of New York Street signs I saw a few weeks ago.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 155 mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, ISO 200
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“To dwellers in a wood, almost every species of tree has its voice as well as its feature.”
― Thomas Hardy
As I walk the trails, I can’t help but be amazed at the colours and textures of the stumps and standing dead trees along the way. I’ve started a collection of these aged and aging forest statues, each so unique in its appearance, yet somewhat similar. Some are recognizable as wood, while others, gnarled, twisted and covered in moss and fungus, take on the appearance of something slightly alien. Each tree species has its own unique character and form and tends to become habitat to specific mosses and other growths.
There are those that stand for years, bare and smooth, weathering the elements and bleaching in the sun, while others, fall and turn quickly into a spongy, mossy heap, home to mushrooms, mosses, and ferns.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200
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“Beneath your burdensome regrets and who you think you are through the lens of past mistakes, there is someone beautiful who wants to emerge.”
― Bryant McGill
Spring has arrived! Though, somebody needs to inform the weather. In stark contrast to last week, this one has been quite chilly. Despite the sun shining brightly and turning open trails to mush, the forest floor remained locked in a shallow frost. At least enough to create a thin skiff of ice on the small forest floor puddles.
These leaf filled puddles, with their yellow, brown, and gray occupants, are like a miniature canvas, reminding me of the spectacular fall last year. In a few more days, the ice will be a memory and green will return once more to the forest floor, followed by bright trout lilies, pink spring beauties, and white trilliums. I even noticed a few wild leeks beginning to emerge from the chilly earth.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm
1/100 sec, f/7.1, ISO 250
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“Nothing clashed because nothing had the strength to clash; everything murmured of safety among the hues; all was refinement.” ― Mervyn Peake
In anticipation of spring greens and colours, I find myself back in the familiar and somewhat commonplace of local walking trails. In the middle of town, I find small sanctuaries of wildlife and the remnants of last years plants which have survived the winter. relatively intact. Though my eyes see mainly greys, yellows, and browns, a deeper look yields subtle pastels, adding a softness to the stark and brittle stems.
I’m trying to see all aspects of life that way, looking beyond the surface and anticipating subtle beauty and wonderment in every situation. Admittedly, this can be a challenge, given the world we live in, with all its stresses and pressures, but I believe it to be a worthwhile goal.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 190 mm
1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 250
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“Any patch of sunlight in a wood will show you something about the sun which you could never get from reading books on astronomy. These pure and spontaneous pleasures are ‘patches of Godlight’ in the woods of our experience.” ― C.S. Lewis
With spring just around the corner, this is the time of year where I go looking for signs of life re-emerging. The light is soft and indirect and casts wonderful shadows. I find myself looking at things differently. Textures, like those in the flowerheads above abound and make for interesting compositions. So, as I wait for signs of green and the first small flowers to appear, I’m happy to have these beautiful sights to satisfy me, as they were last year’s beauties.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm
1/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 250
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“Given the right lighting, all the colors in the world can be seen in a white object.”
– Michele Cooper
This time of year tends to be fairly challenging as far as finding interesting things to photograph. The ground tends to be muddy and accessing some areas is tough. There’s also the prevalence of browns and grays with very few bright colours. Yet, if I look around, I can still find some worthwhile subjects. In this case, the mature seed pods, or ‘catkins’ of a hazel tree growing in a local park. And, I was blessed with beautiful spring light, though spring is still a few short days away.
I liked the texture of the catkins and I though this particular composition had some potential, as I narrowed my depth of field to isolate on cluster. While my primary subject was the catkins, all sorts of bright colours emerged from the background as I processed the image. This made the photo even more appealing to me, as the background looks like some colourful drop sheet, and nothing like what appeared to be a mundane background when I made the image. Light always offers surprises.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm
1/100 sec, f/5.0, ISO 250
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“A river seems a magic thing. A magic, moving, living part of the very earth itself.”
― Laura Gilpin
A few mere weeks ago, this entire scene was filled with ice and snow. A handful of mild days, and it’s all a memory, preserved and recalled in thoughts and photos.
Since I don’t live in an area with high mountains and grand vistas, I take great pleasure in long hikes along the local creeks and through forest paths. Moving water, especially in the form of creeks, cascades, and rapids, holds a special fascination to me. I love the way it moves, how the light plays in the currents and eddies. The water courses themselves are alive and always a bit different every time I visit. There’s a new log on the banks, winter ice has rearranged the rocks on the bottom, sediment has accumulated and changed the course, ever so slightly.
The scene above, would be typical of an April day along the creek, as the spring runoff concludes and the sediment levels decrease, the creek becomes clearer and the rainbow trout begin their annual run to spawn. But, this is March and the trout are not quite ready, but the water awaits, cold and clear. The coltsfoot and bloodroot will begin to bloom, signalling the start of the run. I imagine, if the air stays mild, that will be within the next few days and I look forward to seeing life returning to this magical place.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 95 mm
1/10 sec, f/22, ISO 250
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“A world which sees art and engineering as divided is not seeing the world as a whole.”
– Sir Edmund Happold
The varied and beautiful architecture in New York City took me completely by surprise. It must have been quite the place back in the late 19th century. I love fine details and could spend hours sitting in front of a building like this and drinking in all the fantastic stonework. It’s also nice to see how well these buildings have been preserved. New York, at least parts of it, seems to have largely escaped the wave of ‘urban renewal’ that swept through many major cities back in the 70’s, where beautiful old edifices were sacrificed for parking lots or concrete monoliths.
I decided to process this in black and white because it brings out the detail and texture better for me and masks the distractions of the colourful billboards advertising the current show.
iPhone 5s
Back Camera @ 4.2mm
1/30 sec, f/2.2, ISO 80
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“For me, the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity.”
― Henri Cartier-Bresson
Spring thaw, though not officially spring, has begun in southern Ontario. The scant snow and ice of this past winter is releasing it’s captives to open air once more.
This scene, which I titled “Left Overs” is so typical of some of the trails I hike on. The local conservation authorities have put great effort into creating walkways over sensitive areas of the forest, especially low, boggy areas, which would otherwise be damaged by all the foot traffic. These wooden plank walkways also serve as wonderful canvases for images like this. The leaves of last autumn lie pressed to the wood like a multi-media artwork, in tones of grays and browns, with the occasional splash of green and orange for the cedars.
I find myself stopping frequently and enjoying this mini art show that most people simply walk past. I supose I’m a bit strange that way and people look at me oddly as I point my camera downward at something that has no significance to them as they enjoy the outdoors their way.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 125 mm
1/40 sec, f/3.2, ISO 250
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“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
I am haunted by waters.” ― Norman Maclean
The above, is one of my favourite quotes. it simply resonates with me on a very profound level and I’m pleased to be able to start articulating those feelings through my images.
How often have you sat by a stream, calmed by the gently flowing water and the dance of light below the surface? I find myself taking these simple moments for granted. As I walk through the woods through the forest, I cross many streams, each unique in their character. Some are deep, dark and cool, others shallow and fast moving over stoney bottoms.
Yesterday, I sat by this small creek and simply watched and listened as the cool water flowed over a sparkling sand bottom. The shimmer of light on the ripples inspired me to make more of this that simply a photograph. I was trying to capture that subtle energy of the water, the play of light, and the many textures created by the flow.
The photo above is an abstraction on that initial image. For me, it ‘adequately’ captures that moment, shows the light, texture, and movement. I tried several other treatments, but none worked for me. I’m pleased with this one.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm
1/80 sec, f/4.5, ISO 2000
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“Life is only a flicker of melted ice.” ― Dejan Stojanovic
Along the trails lie small depressions, filled with water, and lined in ice. The ground beneath still frozen as the sun gently warms the ground, freeing the scene from winter’s hold.
This scene, though it repeats every year, was particularly interesting, since it was such a mild winter and the only significant snowfall happened only a week ago. The result was very clean ice and snow, without significant dust and dirt contamination, making the ice quite white, rather than the usual gray. The trails, despite this late snowfall, were surprisingly icy, making my hike a bit treacherous, as I’m carrying my camera gear with me and really don’t want to fall.
The forecast, here in southern Ontario is for a warmer than usual spring, and I for one, am looking forward to that and continuing to get out there and document my experinces.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 190 mm
1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 250
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“Have you remembrances, the glimmering arches that span the summits of the mind?”
– Khalil Gibran
Inside the front doors of the new York Public Library, is Astor Hall, the grand foyer, with it’s high ceilings and barrel arches. When you walk in, you cannot help but look up and around this vast space of bright, intricately carved marble. I can put myself back to a time when this was being built and stone masons hoisted the marble slabs high on scaffolds, put them in place with experienced precision and carvers went to work adorning the arches and panels.
The hall itself is not decorated much and I’m partial to that treatment, so as not to distract from the beauty of the architecture itself. Knowing something of the process involved in constructing these vast spaces, I have a certain reverence for them and try to capture some of that feeling in my photographs.
Because of the dim lighting in this place I had to break from my ISO 200 rule and let the camera select the most appropriate value. Indoor photography is not where my heart is, but there is beauty everywhere and I wanted to be able to portray that here.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm
1/60 sec, f/2.8, ISO 2000
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High Art? vs Low Art?
Mary Cassatt. Mother and Child. Oil on canvas, 1890. Wichita Art Museum.
Film still from Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989).
Book cover of Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead.
Book cover of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities.
Beethoven, composer.
Incubus, alternative rock band.
Above I have listed a few images of artworks and artists that I have mentioned in the final paper I wrote for my Philosophy of Art seminar, in which I gave my take on the topic of high versus low art. If I asked a group of people to sort the above artists/works into the categories of high and low art, I think the categories would look pretty similar among everyone. Incubus, the movie Crimes and Misdemeanors, and Ayn Rand’s novel would all probably fall in the low art category, while Cassatt, Beethoven, and Dickens would all be placed in the high art category. It is natural…
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“One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years.”
― Tom Wolfe
Just as you enter Times Square from the south, along Broadway. There’s a stunning building amid the business and noise of the modern Times Square with it’s neon lights and larger than life billboards that turn night to day. That building, is the Knickerbocker.
This beautiful Beaux-Art building hearkens back to a time of pomp and elegance. At one time, it was the home to famed Italian tenor Enrico Caruso and renowned American playwright George M. Cohan. I can only imagine what it was like in it’s glory days.
Built in 1906, it was one of New York’s premier locations and essentially, anything that happened in New York City in the early 1900’s likely had some link to this building. It was “the” place to be for glitterati and dignitaries, while its legendary ballroom became known as “The 42nd Street Country Club.”
Post prohibition, it became an office building, until being designated a New York City landmark in 1988. It was converted to a luxury hotel shortly thereafter. If you want to try this place out, you can get a room starting at about $350 an night and you can get to Times Square and Broadway in a few short steps.
Unfortunately, I only had my long lense with me this day, but I was able to get a nice image of the wonderful facade above the front entrance, showing the detail of the stonework.A truly beautiful building, so representative early 20th century New York City.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm
1/60 sec, f/4.0, ISO 400
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“Everything in New York is a photograph. All the things that are supposed to be dirty or rough or unrefined are the most beautiful things. Garbage cans at the ends of alleyways look like they’ve been up all night talking with each other. Doorways with peeling paint look like the wise lines around an old feller’s eyes.” ― Ann-Marie MacDonald
Yes, it’s my second photo this week of this awesome building, but a slightly different perspective than the typical front-view. The way the light shone off this building was stunning, there are no sufficient words to describe it.
Mid-morning, the warm sunlight just “glowed” from the walls of the Flatiron building. The experience of standing here, in this place, having seen so many beautiful images made by other photographers over the years, nothing prepared me for the light. It’s indescribable and completely unexpected, in this busy, bustling, modern city, filled with treasures from her past. That light, is soft, beautiful, out of place, somehow. But I love it and the effect it has on my soul.
In the photo above, people pass through the frame, unaware of the profound effect this scene is having on me. I’m locked in the moment, and reliving that experience as I view the image, and reflect back on that all too brief moment in time when I stood at this intersection of light, and time, and history, drinking in the essence.
Nikon D300
Tamron 17-50 mm f/2.8 @ 22 mm
1/640 sec, f/13.0, ISO 400
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“I get a little romantic about the old Empire State. Just looking at it makes me want to play some Frank Sinatra tunes and sway a little. I have a crush on a building. I’d been in there several times but never to work. I always knew there were offices in there but the face never penetrated, really. You don’t work in the Empire State Building. You propose in the Empire State Building. You sneak a flask up there and raise a toast to the whole city of New York.” – Maureen Johnson
What’s a trip to New York City without a photo of the iconic Empire State Building, as it soars high above midtown Manhattan? What really struck me was just how eye-catching it is. The sun reflects beautifully from the walls from nearly every angle I saw it from, which were numerous. In the image above I tried to incorporate much of the street and surrounding buildings, some quite modern and others hearkening back to earlier times.
This image was made mid-morning, and as I stated in earlier posts, the New York light is something unexpected, as it reflects from the skyscrapers into the streets below. I was really expecting street level to be darker, but there is a constant soft glow everywhere I looked.
Nikon D300
Tamron 17-50 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm
1/500 sec, f/11.0, ISO 400
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“Life isn’t just about darkness or light, rather it’s about finding light within the darkness.”
― Landon Parham
Another shot of the water tanks. I could not help myself. They are everywhere in New York City and I have a strange fascination with them. This image shows the wooden variety and a steel tank on the same rooftop.
My other observation about new York City is the abundance of soft reflected light. I was expecting lighting to be a challenge, but the light reflects beautifully from all the skyscrapers, filling the ‘canyons’ with wonderful, soft light.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 105 mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 400
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In a thoroughly commercialized society, an artist is respected if he makes money, and because he makes money, but there is no genuine respect for the works of
Source: My Idea of Good Art
“The peculiar office structure appears to exercise a strange fascination over some minds, for not only do hundreds of people stand for five and ten minutes at a time looking up at it, but many of those who have detached themselves from the groups are obliged to return in a minute or two to examine the structure from another point of view” – New York Times, 1902
I completely understand what the author of this quote meant. I’ve dreamt often of standing in this place and making a photo of this iconic New York Building at the intersection of 5th Avenue, 23rd Street, and Broadway, also known as the Fuller Building. When it was completed, in 1902, it was the tallest building (285 ft) in the world and people feared it might collapse.
I finally got my chance to photograph it myself this past weekend. Looking at other’s photos, including many well known ones gives me a certain sense of reverence. I’m standing in the same location once occupied by great artists. The scene is so familiar, yet details are slightly different, the cars on the road are different, the light, the foliage, the street signs, are all slightly different, or I simply did not notice them before. Then, the moment of truth, I get the opportunity to try my hand at this, with all the images rushing through my memory. Then ‘click’, image made, I check my histogram and all looks good. I make a few more, just in case and move on to the next landmark, suddenly aware of all the other remarkable buildings in the area. If you have not been there, New York is an architectural wonderland.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 190 mm
1/500 sec, f/4.0, ISO 400
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“He has made me wary of chronological snobbery. That is, he showed me that newness is no virtue and oldness is no vice. Truth and beauty and goodness are not determined by when they exist. Nothing is inferior for being old, and nothing is valuable for being modern.”
― John Piper
One of the first things that I noticed while walking around New York was the wooden water tanks that topped most buildings, whether old or new. There are slight variations, some are metal but most are wood (which is apparently cheaper to build), of varying ages and roughly the same size, about 10,000 gallons. They seem like such an anachronism in this vast modern city. Yet, as I researched them, they are a very practical solution to an infrastructure that can’t deliver sufficient water pressure to buildings over six stories tall. In fact, there are 12,000 to 17,000 active water towers in service throughout New York and more are being built or replaced every year.
The towers work a bit like a toilet, whereby, when the tank level gets low, a valve is tripped and water is pumped into the tank from pipes in the building’s basement. Health concerns have been raised recently, since the water simply sits, untreated in heat and cold and can stagnate. Also, a layer of sediment builds up in the tank, which needs to be cleaned out annually, and is often overlooked. Out of sight, out of mind.
The image above shows both types, the wooden tanks in the foreground and a large steel tank on top of the condo. Once you notice them, it’s hard to tune them out, since they are such a unique feature that seems to define New York City.
Nikon D300
Tamron 17-50 mm f/2.8 @ 31mm
1/400 sec, f/10.0, ISO 400
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“Even in its darkest passages, the heart is unconquerable. It is important that the body survives, but it is more meaningful that the human spirit prevails.”
― Dave Pelzer
Situated on the north-west corner of the World Trade Centre Plaza, I’m sure this building has some stories to tell, as it sustained some damage during the 9-11 attacks and has a clear view of the Plaza itself. I did not think of the building’s story as I stopped to photograph it. Though I’ve had time to reflect on that since.
The way the light played off the walls and created shadows is what first drew my eye to this image. There is also the structure of the fire escape that really brings this image together. I made a large print of this image, which hangs on the wall in front of me as I write this. The lines draw me in and keep me scanning all the fine details and subtle shade gradations. It seems to capture the ‘feel’ of New York, as I experienced it. It’s also quite a contrast to the ultra modern World Trade One and the Oculus, which are directly behind me and to the right as I made this image.
Nikon D300
Tamron 17-50 mm f/2.8 @ 31mm
1/250 sec, f/8, ISO 400
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“Poetry is not only dream and vision; it is the skeleton architecture of our lives. It lays the foundations for a future of change, a bridge across our fears of what has never been before.”
– Audre Lorde
The ‘Oculus’ is the odd, skeleton looking building left of centre. It is part of the connection between the New Jersey PATH transit system and the New York subway systems that intersect at the World Trade Centre complex. It’s not quite finished but far enough along that you get the concept.”
My eye caught this awesome reflection on the wall of the 9-11 Museum complex, offering a near perfect reflection of the World Trade Centre Plaza, including the Oculus. It was very bright and difficult to balance the bright surfaces yet shows the people lined up to enter the museum, but it all worked out after a few exposure adjustments.
Nikon D300
Tamron 17-50 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm
1/500 sec, f/11, ISO 400
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“I can’t stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action.”
– Tennessee Williams
I noticed these awesome light bulbs while waiting for our play, Chicago, outside the Ambassador theatre on West 49th Street in New York. The coffee shop is Caffe Benne, part of the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
What really attracted me to them was the variations in bulb type and colour temperature. It felt a bit awkward, looking in the window with my camera and making this image, but it turned out exactly as I had envisioned it.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 116 mm
1/160 sec, f/4.0, ISO 400
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“When you see a fish you don’t think of its scales, do you? You think of its speed, its floating, flashing body seen through the water. Well, I’ve tried to express just that. If I made fins and eyes and scales, I would arrest its movement, give a pattern or shape of reality. I want just the flash of its spirits.” ― Constantin Brancusi
I could not believe the colours on the surface of this ice flow, beneath the surface of Duffins Creek, a small river which runs through the area where I live. I spend a lot of time, as some of my regular readers may have noticed, hiking the creek and its tributaries.
On this day, the weather shifted regularly between sun, cloud, a brief shower, and then more sun and cloud. When I made this image, a small beam of sun shone on the a section of the creek, lighting up the ice below in whites and shades of turquoise, while the sections under cloud remained various shades of green and brown. I found it a curious effect, that a small section of creek would have so much colour variation, but it was driven by the effects of the sun, sediment in the water, as well as the varying depth of the water on top of the ice, or lack of ice altogether (dark green sections in the foreground), as the creekbed showed through in some areas. The entire image looks like some abstract painting, darker than my preference, but still interesting as your eye sweeps over the photograph.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 190 mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, ISO 250
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“Sense how
Even the smooth stones ache
With stories of their own
In the shuddering light of day.”
― Scott Hastie
Emerging from their icy bondage, two stones, or is it three, rest upon their captor, as ice water flows over them.
What’s the story of these stones? They sit alone, apart from others. Where did they come from? The pure ice they rest in fills a narrow but deep, steep walled, valley that flows into the Duffins Creek valley. Because of this, the hiking trail follows the valley rim and diverts far from the creek.
I looked into the valley, and hearing the sound of numerous cascades, decided to climb into the valley to photograph them. At the base of the valley, I found not just the small cascades which I heard, but a narrow frozen creek of bright white, with these rock embedded in it. It was not what I was looking, but I’m glad I entered the valley or I would not have found this beautiful scene.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 190 mm
1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 250
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“She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
“Winter is dead.”
― A.A. Milne
My favourite, for now, patch of Elecampane. Lit by the warm afternoon sun along the Seaton Trail. There is something appealing in the orange remnants of the blossom in contrast to the gray, dried steps. The vestiges of the former blossoms glow brightly in the sun while the dry steps remind me that it’s still winter. But, as they tilt to the east, locked in time, they remind me, through their glow, that the sun always rises and spring will come, in its time. It’s just a matter of waiting for it.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 250
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Let us simmer over our incalculable cauldron, our enthralling confusion, our hotchpotch of impulses, our perpetual miracle – for the soul throws up wonders every second. Movement and change are the essence of our being; rigidity is death; conformity is death; let us say what comes into our heads, repeat ourselves, contradict ourselves, fling out the wildest nonsense, and follow the most fantastic fancies without caring what the world does or thinks or says. For nothing matters except life.” – Virginia Woolf
“One must know the so-called ‘lesson of a downpour.’ A man, caught in a sudden rain en route, dashes along the road not to get wet or drenched. Once one takes it for granted that in rain he naturally gets wet, he can be in a tranquil frame of mind even when soaked to the skin. This lesson applies to everything. ” – Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Above is a photo from the past weekend. As I said in a previous post, this past mid-February Saturday was a glorious day. I have no other words to describe it. Having come from temperatures of -30° C to 12° C in the span of a few days, sure brightens the spirit. This day went from mixed clouds, to bright sunshine, to a warm shower, back to sunshine.
I did not even realize that it was raining, as the air was filled with the sounds of meltwater everywhere. It was not till I looked up from photographing water running over the ice that I noticed the raindrops on the puddles which filled the outlines of where the trails are. Many sections of trail had turned to small rivers of ice water, trying to find their way downhill. Since the ground is still frozen, all the water was flowing on the surface, rather than being absorbed into the soil. This also created puddles with icy bottoms, which made hiking safely a challenge.
I stood for a while watching the raindrops falling into the puddles and watching the patterns of the ripples play across the surface. The surrounding trees were being reflected in the puddles and offered, what I thought, was an interesting composition, combining the elements of the path, the puddle, the rain, and the trees, in a single image. I will remember this moment for some time.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm f/2.8 @ 180mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 250
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
Ed Lehming Photography 
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