Nature is a glorious thing. Last week I took to the forest for my annual deer hunt, with camera in tow.
It was not an ideal year for hunting. A slow moving low pressure system had set in and I was faced with three solid days of rain, cold, and wind. This should not come as a surprise in November in Canada.
My real purpose to hunting has always been more about simply being out in nature and observing. A bonus, some years, is a freezer full of meat.
You often hear people bemoan bad weather. “It’s too dark, too rainy, too windy, for any good photos. Well, to me, the above photo proves that all wrong. If your eyes are looking for beauty, you see it, even on an overcast, rainy day. In this case, the rain had eased up a bit and some brightness in the sky lit up the drops of rain clinging to the beech trees. It was near dusk, so the background forest had just taken on a blue cast. The farm field in the foreground had hints of green from the grass that had not yet been heavily frosted. I was really trying to capture the bejewelled look of the branch in the foreground and the contrast of the orange beech leaves against the blue background. I think it turned out rather nicely. It put some brightness into a dull day.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm
1/25 sec @ f/2.8 -.33, ISO 250
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This has been a beautiful autumn. Generally, by this time of the year, the leaves are down and it’s hinting at the winter to come. It has made photographing fall colors a real pleasure. Bright reds and oranges are everywhere with a nice mix of yellows and some splashes of green, from plants less susceptible to frost.
The photo above was made along the 28th Sideline, in North Pickering, Ontario. The old maple trees here create a wonderful canopy over the road and there is not much traffic. The road itself is in the heart of expropriated lands destined, at one time, to become the new Pickering Airport. Those plans seem to have been put on the back-burner and some lands have been designated parkland. These lands, still full of fertile farmland, have fallen into disrepair, with a few farmhouses scattered across the vast acreage. Fields are still actively worked, but it has lost the feel of a once vibrant farm community.
The one gain in this situation is that there is a lot of land that has not been absorbed in urban sprawl and large expanses of rural wilderness can still be experienced here. I go to this spot every year, and it remains largely unchanged. A fun fact for me is that the eastern tree line (on the left side of the photo) is the eastern limit of the farm my mother-in-law grew up on. I’m sure she and her brothers played in these trees at some time.
Nikon D300
Tamron 18-50mm f/2.8 @ 36mm
1/125 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 100
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I’ll admit to it. I’m often looking for images to use as wallpapers for my desktop. I guess I have a bit of desktop ADD. I don’t like looking at the same images over and over and am always looking for something new and close to me. There are many times where I see a suitable subject and photograph it, with the sole intention of creating a desktop wallpaper for myself.
This past week I went for a walk along my favourite local hiking trail and the poplars were just dropping their leaves after a hard frost. There were a few ‘interesting’ leaves laying on the trail and a few stuck to logs along the way. I stopped to make photos of a many of them.
I liked the composition of this particular image and began to process it, only to be totally surprised at all the colours present in the fallen leaf. Really, there is purple and fuschia in this? I was seeing only the greens and yellows when I made the image. Nature is truly amazing, especially when you take the time to look closer.
I consider myself as an observer, but every now and then, the unexpected shows itself, as in this photo. I challenge all of you to get out there and observe. New perspective are in store and your assumptions of what is considered obvious, may be challenged.
Enjoy.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @185mm
1/50 sec @ f.\3.5 -0.33. ISO 250
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One of the wonders of photography, that I have noted before, is the fact that I can walk past a scene dozens of times and nothing ‘grabs’ me. In this case, there is a nice stand of poplars along one of my favourite hiking trails. I’ve photographed it many times and the results were “average”. I knew it had potential for a great photo, but conditions and lighting were never quite right to capture the photo I envisioned.
That was not the case last Sunday. On this particular hike, all the elements came together; the light, the colour of the leaves, the reflection of the bark, as well as the angle I was photographing from.
I carefully framed the shot to match my vision of the image, checked and double checked my camera setting, and made one single photograph ( a big risk there). I deliberately underexposed it, since I knew the tree bark could blow out some sections (I learned this through previous attempts).
When I got home and downloaded the images from my camera, I knew I had what I’ve been seeking. With only minor adjustments to compensate for the under exposure and a bit of sharpening, the image above emerged. It was all I had dreamt of. I also printed it as a 12×18 print and it now hangs proudly in my home gallery, where I can enjoy it as I work. I hope you enjoy it too!
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm
1/80 sec@ f/4.5 -0.33, ISO 250
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It’s fall. Time for me to get out into the woods and just enjoy being there. It’s been a late fall here and the temperature is still mild, considering the time of year. We’ve been visited by a few flurries and light frosts till last night. The colours are spectacular and trees slow to shed their leaves. Essentially, ideal fall conditions for photography and just enjoying nature, in all its glory.
I took a lunchtime stroll today and was surprised at how much colour was still present, despite our first real hard frost last night. I noticed a lot of leaves coming down and figured this might be my last chance to capture and share this beauty.
One of my go-to places is the local Secord Conservation area, just south of Uxbridge, Ontario. The trail winds its way through variable southern Ontario forest. Through groves of oak, maple, poplar, maple, cedar and spruce. There are meadows and swamps, high ridges and rolling hills. The Oak Ridges Trail Association does an amazing job at maintaining these trails, which I enjoy in all seasons.
I could not resist photographing this stand of birch trees next to the golden leaf-covered trail. The sun was bright with interspersed clouds, which made for great lighting conditions. I hope you enjoy my view of this walk as much as I do. More to come.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 @ 75mm
1/160 sec @ f/6.3 -0.33, ISO 250
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I love the way light plays through glass. In this case, a set of glasses set up for a formal dinner in the Casa Loma library. We did the ‘tourist’ thing a week ago with our cousins from California. It’s been a very long time since I have visited Toronto’s castle. The library is a large room that has been repurposed as a formal dining room and these glasses were set up on one of the many tables.
It seemed like a nice shot, with the light coming in though a distant window. The natural light intensified the gold colour of the damask table-cloth, making the glasses glow with gold flecks. It’s probably not a prize winner but an interesting image for me. I just like the way it looks. If I had to re-compose the image, I would have moved further to the right and centred the front glass a bit better.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200mm @ 1900mm
1/40 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 250
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Another long exposure from my visit to Toronto’s Casa Loma. This one is from the Conservatory. A bright spacious room, with a stunning stained glass domed roof. The Conservatory once once held beautiful plants in all seasons. Today it is largely empty but beautiful, nonetheless. The Conservatory is surrounded by large, ornate windows, has Italian marble floors in pink and grey and the walls are lined with pink Ontario marble, quarried in the Bancroft area.
I was fascinated by the fountain, located in an alcove, which was running very slowly and I wanted to see what the image would look like as a long exposure. By Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 has incredible vibration reduction, so I took my chances on a narrow aperture, long exposure, to see what the final image might look like.
The image above is the result of a 1/8 sec handheld exposure. It freezes the water drops as they fall from the fountain bowls, yet still captures the details of the fountain itself.
I have not been to Casa Loma for about 40 years. My last memory was going there on a school trip, but I remember how grand the building was. It was definitely worth the re-visit.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200mm @ 155mm
1/8 sec @ f/29, ISO 250
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On a recent visit to Toronto’s only castle, Casa Loma, I set out to make my photos with existing light only. It would be an interesting experience, since the castle is filled with so many 20th century items, including more telephones than I could count. It seemed every room and hallway had a phone. I suppose I should not be surprised, since there are 98 rooms in the 64,700 square foot building.
The lighting that day was very nice and I was able to make several photos of rooms and architectural details. This photo really appeals to me. Given the light coming in through the window and the dark to gold tones on the old telephone in Sir Henry Pellat’s Study, I was able to capture the image in a style that resembles a Dutch Golden Age or Baroque style. And, as I look at the image, I can only imagine the conversations that took place on this phone, so many years ago.
As I said earlier, this image was made using existing light only. Something the technology of modern photographic lenses makes possible through advanced image stabilization and fast optics. I was able to shoot this at 1/15th of a second, handheld, which is pretty awesome and opens up so many possibilities.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 mm @ 95mm
1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 250
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This beautiful statue sits outside the Canada Post Office at Sparks Street and Elgin St.
I was standing outside, waiting for the rest of my group to mail something and thought this might make a nice photo. It was mid-morning and the light was softened by a low cloud deck. All the elements seemed to be aligned. The colour version was quite nice, but I really like him in black and white. All the tones and structure seem so much more pronounced. There is something about stone carvings that appeals to me. I can imagine the artist working on it and carving all the fine details. The other nice feature about this statue that I am more aware of now, is that it is not covered with ‘anti-pigeon’ spikes. I see that in a lot of old buildings lately. It was not something obvious, but when I review the photos I can’t help but notice. The netting and spikes keep the stone clean, but they sure a distraction from the fine workmanship. I guess it’s all about compromise.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70.0-200.0 mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm
1/400 sec @ f/10, ISO 250
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I find myself going back to my photo abstractions frequently. They bring me great pleasure, in that I never know quite how they will turn out. Don’t get me wrong, these are very deliberate photos, and I have a vision in my mind of the outcome. But, the random elements; light, speed, colours, and focus, all add their own unexpected twist to the final composition.
Case in point with the image above, I can see the scene very clearly and it lends itself well to a vertical pan. What I can’t predict, at least not yet, is what the effect of random branches across tree trunks, background reflections, and ambient light might have on the whole photo. I saw the branch across the tree in the forefront, but had no idea how the soft green leaves might play in the whole image.
This image was the result of a quick lunchtime excursion to a local conservation area. I just needed to walk among the trees. Being in nature is the place where I can really experience ‘living in the moment’. For some time, I was not sure what that expression meant. Apparently, this is a rare gift in our fast paced world. In the woods, the outside world melts away, and I am at peace. There is only me and only this place exists to me, at this moment. This place becomes my world and what is beyond is of no consequence. So, I am grateful for the ability to capture those moments that captivate me, while i’m in the moment, and share them. Hopefully, this image will resonate with others.
I called named the image “Into the Woods, Darkly” because of all the dark spaces I saw below the trees, even thought the sky was bright. The photo technique brings all the dark places into the light, which I found interesting.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 @ 70 mm
1/4 sec @ f/16, ISO 250
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Another image from last evening’s “Reservoir Walk”.
I could do a whole book on this beautiful place, just minutes from my doorstep, and often overlooked, even by me.
Just north of my home is a reservoir designed to control flooding in case of heavy rains. This reservoir is part of an entire conservation system install in the 50’s when hurricane Hazel caused tremendous damage in the area.
The result is a wonderful pond, bounded by woods and a nice trail system. The area was deliberately planted to encourage a natural look and reduce erosion. And, nature has a mind of its own that supersedes out human endeavours. Now the area is a mix of planted shrubs and nature’s own handiwork. It seems like a ‘nice’ place to walk, but I have had many awesome photographic moments in this humble location.
Yesterday, I went out in the evening because the light was so wonderful. The reservoir trails change appearance by the hour, as the light warms and cools, and the sunlight changes direction. Last night the sun was just beginning to set and did a marvellous job at lighting up the sumac leaves, many of which have begun to change colour to their bright oranges and reds. This particular cluster caught me eye and I was able to capture it nicely, without too many obstructions by doing a long zoom to 300 mm. The combination of the golden sun backlight and fall colours really made this ‘pop’. I hope you enjoy it.
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-300mm @300 mm
1/60 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 500
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September, the month where some days convince you that summer will last for weeks, yet others are stern reminders that change is inevitable. This holds true this year. After weeks of above average, sweltering days, the temperature plummets and we layer on hats and sweatshirts, wondering if this summer has passed us by.
The saving grace, for me is the gradual change of colours. The once verdant trees begin to shift to shades of orange and yellow. I do like the change and variety this time of year brings with it. I recall the days of new growth and flawless leaves. As I look around me now, those leaves are showing evidence of the hardships of days in sun and heat bring on. Edges are browned and shrivelled. Black spots of age dot the once pristine surfaces, leading to the inevitable fall.
Such was my walk today. The grove of poplars pictured above was a beautiful range of bright greens and yellows and the wind made them dance with life. Above me, a falcon disturbed the sparrows, who fled his hungry eyes with shrill chirps. The whole forest was alive with activity and bathed in glorious golden light.
I was happy to get out with my camera again to enjoy and capture this unique moment and, hopefully, bring some of that joy to others.
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-300 mm @ 95mm
1/4 sec @ f/25, ISO 250
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As I’ve said earlier, I like fine details and being able to reflect on them at a later date. That stand true for this photo of a sand sculpture at the Canadian National Exhibition. The sculpture take several days to create and are incredibly detailed. How the artists manage to keep them standing fascinates me.
The details and emotion in this face are simply beautiful and with the wonderful light, I could not help but want to capture it. if you look carefully, you can see the fine lines left by the sculpting tools as well as just ‘how’ the eyes were crafted. Keep in mind the scale of this sculpture, It’s about 8 feet tall! By the way, it was the 2015 Grand Prize Winner
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-300 mm @ 70mm
1/13 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 3200
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I love fine details and textures. It’s especially those little details I notice after having walked by something dozens of times and I find myself wondering, “Why did I not notice that earlier?”
One of the joys of photography is being able to capture those moments and reflect on them later. Above is a bronze statue of fish outside the Food Building at the Canadian National Exhibition. I’ve been going to the “EX” since I was a kid, and spent a fair amount of time inside the food building. In that time, I suppose that I have never exited via the west-facing doors? Not sure, but I certainly never noticed this interesting statue by Jean Horne. It has a very Art Deco look and I like how it’s installed over a small reflecting pool. How many other have walked past this statue and never noticed it? It is incredible, in our busy world, how we can miss so much. I’m just happy to be able to slow it down for a moment, to enjoy that moment, and to be able to take it with me, as a photo.
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-2000mm @ 80mm
1/250 sec @ f/8, ISO 250
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A revisit to what started as a beautiful mid August day at Sauble Beach this past August.
We had heard forecasts of rain all day, but the day started out sunny and windy. Since it was too windy for a good game of volleyball, we all headed to town for a bit to shop. Shortly thereafter, the clouds, which had been hanging far out on the lake started to roll in and thicken. From town, I could see the thin gray clouds start to thicken and take on strong structures and definition. So, I headed back to the cottage to retrieve my camera and head across the road to the beach.
This is what greeted me. A solid wall of black cloud with clearly defined shear zones. The wonder of Lake Huron is that it is so big and scenes like this may be taking place at a fairly long distance. As I stood and watched, a secondary dark cloud formed at the frontal boundary and began to roll like a wave against the other cloud at this ‘transition’ line. It was very dramatic and I was happy to be able to capture it while staying dry. This cloud movement went on for a long time over the water before it gradually moved to shore and started to rain. All the while, many people carried on watching the drama unfold in front of them and still swimming in the surf caused by the storm.
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-300mm @ 86mm
1/60 sec @ f/10, ISO 280
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A very pleasant day in Old Montreal.
In my 50 some years growing up in Canada, I missed this marvel of culture. I know it has existed in various iterations and many of my friend s have enjoyed this cultural gem in my absence. I discovered Old Montreal a few years ago, while visiting with cousins and long to return whenever I get the chance, especially on recent business trips.
Montreal has a gorgeous “Old Town” near the port of area Montreal known as “Vieux Port Montreal”. This area is known for its European look and feel (and some rather fine restaurants).
This particular photo was made in late May. The day was unusually hot for the time of year and Betty and I spent some time touring around and enjoying the atmosphere, before sitting down for a wonderful dinner at a local steak house. The nice thing about May is the soft light at the end of the day and how it filters down the narrow streets.
This was a fairly complex photo in that it was significantly underexposed to avoid blowing out all the details in the sky and background buildings. I spent a bit of time dodging and adjusting shadows in Adobe RAW to bring out the details in the foreground to capture the interactions of the people in the street, which was an important part of this composition.
In the end, I was pleased with the details I was able to recover for the shadows to recreate the scene as I saw it that warm, late spring day, a few months back.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200mm @ 70mm
1/200 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 250
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This is a VERY recent photo I made this past weekend during a family event near Ancaster, Ontario.
As usual, I had my camera along to capture those family moments, but I found my kids had that pretty much covered off. Yes, my children like photography too. I had visited this location many times before and had photographed it many times, and so, was having a hard time figuring out what I might photograph that had not already been done. Photographer’s block?
After dinner, I walked out into the nearby corn field looking for opportunities. Last Sunday was a hot, somewhat humid day, typical of southern Ontario this time of year. The forecast called for a chance of showers, but as the day progressed, the showers never materialized. But, some beautiful clouds formed. As I walked the field I was struck by the appearance of this particular cloud in the distance. It had the making of a potential rain storm. It was big, billowy, and white, with the appearance of cotton balls. What set this cloud apart was the contrast of dark portions in the foreground against and white clouds within the same structure, against a deep blue blue sky. All this floating over fields of corn and a few trees.
I made the photo and when I got to my iMac to process the image I found it required very little work. I boosted the contrast a touch to get the ‘look’ of the cloud as I remembered it. Then, I just desaturated the whole thing and sharpened it a touch. The result is the attached image. For me, it really portrays the scene as I saw it, with a bit of extra drama for the black and white treatment. Overall, I am very pleased with this photo and hope you enjoy it too.
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-300mm @ 70mm
1/400 sec @ f/10, ISO 250
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Another favourite photo and a venture into street photography for me. This photo was made last year at Toronto’s annual Buskerfest.
I was walking the street, knowing there would be some interesting scenes to photograph. The street was extremely busy and it became difficult to get a shot that was not full of distractions. I like to isolate my subject as much as possible. Off the main venue, Toronto’s Yonge Street, which is closed to traffic for Buskerfest, there were several people sitting and chatting, including this woman, who was searching through her purse for something. For her, it was a break from the busy crowds and a chance to sit and have a smoke.
Originally, I had titled this image “Old Lady at Buskerfest”, but on further reflection, I can’t tell if she is really that old. I don’t know her story, but the photo makes me want to know more. For now, it remains a moment in someone’s life, captured in a single image.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 @185 mm
1/60 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 200
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This remains one of my favourite photos. Partially because it was just a chance, unplanned, opportunity and secondly due to the sense of serenity it instills in me.
The unplanned aspect of this photo was that I was travelling to the Yosemite Valley proper, with the intention of photographing some of Yosemite’s grand waterfalls. On the trip in, I happened to glance over my shoulder into one of the many steep ravines that the road crosses. I noticed a small cascade and pulled the car over to have a closer look.
As I descended into the gully, I was greeted by this gorgeous scene of Alder Creek flowing over and around the moss-covered boulders. I was especially drawn to the water flowing lightly across the round boulder in the foreground.
I find myself going back to this image time and again when I need to wind down. As a photographer, I’m finding more often, that these chance encounters, with my natural surroundings, provide more satisfying and unique images than some of the grand vistas.
I hope you enjoy it too.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200mm @ 70mm
0.4sec @ f/6.3, ISO 200
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Another visit to High Falls, the outlet of Baptiste Lake and the beginning of the York River. I keep trying to imagine the waterfall as it would have been before the dam was built above it. That would have been a sight to behold. As I noted in an earlier post, the dam was built to protect the town of Bancroft, some 5 miles down river, from being flooded in the spring (it still happens, but to a lesser extent).
This was simply an opportunity to do a hand-held time exposure of the water spraying out between the logs. My maximum shake free exposure with my Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 is 1/8 of a second. It still amazes me just how good the Vibration Reduction technology is these days. I closed the aperture a bit on this to keep everything in focus.
I liked the way the spillway naturally framed the image, the texture and colour of the wood, and how the spray stood out against the dark background. I may have to try this as a black and white at some time as well. There is something calming in images with soft flowing water that I really enjoy in this busy world.
Nikon D300
Tamron 70-200mm @ 90 mm
1/10 sec @ f/14, ISO 250
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A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending the weekend with family and friends at Ontario’s Sauble Beach, on Lake Huron. It began as a wonderful hot summer day splashing in the surf and playing hours of volleyball. The forecast was for thunderstorms late in the day. We watched across the water as the sky gradually darkened. The storm approached over the lake like a black wall, slowly creeping our way.
I took this as a wonderful opportunity to get some powerful storm photographs. As I stood on the shore making photos of the storm, I was struck by just how bright the circling seagulls were, in strong contrast to the dark skies.
This one kept circling me at just the right distance to make some good images. I’m really pleased at how it turned out. The biggest challenge was trying to keep him focused and framed properly.
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-300 mm @ 210 mm
1/60 sec @ f/10.0, ISO 450
Another early morning image. It’s the time of year when nights get cool and the mornings are damp and misty. Dew clings to everything and the low rising sun lights up the world in silvers and golds. Spider webs that go unnoticed during the day shine with water droplets that appear like silver threads.
I noticed this web in a tree near our camper and the light was just right to reveal the fine details of this particular spider’s work. The curves and arches in the web really jump out, though it appears this web may be in need of some work.
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-300mm @210mm
1/60 sec @ f/9, ISO 800
A classic scene to those of us who spend time in the north.
After a cool night, the waters of the lake are warmer than the surrounding air and a thick fog forms. As the sun rises higher in the sky the fog begins to rise higher and higher to eventually form small clouds. The small clouds eventually join together to form larger clouds. It’s a fascinating process to watch. I often look up at summer clouds and wonder what lake that cloud came from.
Last Sunday was no exception. The warming sun played across the lake as mist swirled and rose higher and higher. The warm glow of the rising sun shone on the distant shoreline in golden hues.
For me, it’s such a calming scene and I could spend day after day watching each new day dawning, just like this.
I hope you enjoy the view.
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-300mm @ 240mmm
1/160 sec @ f/6.3 ISO 2500
I can’t turn it off. I see patterns and photos everywhere. Last weekend I was volunteering at A Place for the Arts in Bancroft, looked out the back window and saw these beautiful patterns in the sand in the back parking area.
There had just been a big storm with torrential downpours the day before (which seems to be the norm for Bancroft lately). The deluge of rain created a wide band of water in the parking lot, sorting the sand and making these wonderful patterns.
It may not seem interesting to some, but I thought you’d enjoy this artwork that nature creates, on a fairly regular basis for those who take the time to notice and appreciate it.
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-300mm @ 135mm
1/60 sec @ f/9.0 ISO1000
You really never know what you will come across in your day. This past weekend I drove to High Falls, the source of Bancroft’s York River and the terminus of Baptiste Lake. The dam there was built to prevent flooding of the town of Bancroft in the spring and features a beautiful, complex waterfall below the dam. There is a bit of a pool of water immediately above those falls.
That particular day i was surprised to find a family of ducks standing on the rocks and swimming in the fast moving water. Every now and then one of the ducks would venture into the faster moving currents. Some would be nearly swept over the edge, only to fly away at the last moment. It was interesting to watch and I was surprised that none ever got overtaken by the current. There must have been food in the water because the duck could have moved a few yards up river into calm water.
This particular fellow seemed to be contemplating his next move, standing right next to the fast flowing current. Eventually he made his choice and flew over the current to a calmer section.
Nikon D300
Tamron 700-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm
1/13 sec @ f/14.0, ISO 250
The city of Kingston, Ontario was a military outpost for many years. The War of 1812, between America and Britain (Upper Canada), caused to be built many fortifications. Among them Fort Henry and supporting structures such as several Martello Towers which still stand today, beautifully preserved.
I had the opportunity this summer to tour one of these amazing structures, which at one time held about 20 soldiers to be on watch for, and repel, any attacks from America over Lake Ontario and the adjoining shoreline. The tower also contains a 35 pound cannon which rotates 360 degrees.
I was particularly taken with the amazing stonework and especially this winding staircase which come down from the upper cannon level to the main floor. I like the way the light shines up the stairs and reflects off the stonework.
iPhone 5S
1/120 sec @ f/2.2, ISO 320
I find interesting pattern everywhere. It’s something I can’t turn off, nor would I want to. Last week, during a trip to Montreal, I looked out my hotel window which faced an office tower cross the street.It would seem that different companies have varied tastes in lighting and this building went from bright warm lighting, to a cooler ‘sunlight’ style light, to dimmed lights.
The unfortunate thing was that the hotel windows were quite dirty and I was not able to sharpen the image beyond this. I had my Nikon DSLR with me but those shots were not much better than the iPhone. So, here it is. From a distance, people think this is a contact sheet and then they look closer. Every window seems like its own little world and no two are exactly alike. I hope you enjoy it.
iPhone 5S
A simple photo of three columns at Place d’Armes in Old Montreal. The building is directly across the square from the well known Notre-Dame Basilica. I simply enjoyed the form and details of the columns. I’m not sure if this would be street photography, urban, or architectural. Technically, it’s travel photography, though I did not travel far.
What I also find interesting is the fine details that emerge from the photo, not visible in the viewfinder. I did not notice the meshing to keep pigeons off the scroll-work or the bolts stick from the fluting. Yes, thats what the official name of the carved out part of the column is. Something new I learned today. I also learned that the top of this type of column is a Corinthian Capital. Amazing what you can learn when you look at details and want to know more. I feel so enriched 🙂
Nikon D300
Nikor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 165 mm
1/60 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 250
One of my favourite places to visit in the Bancroft area is Egan Chute, on the York River. It’s the first of a series of three chutes within a fairly short distance. It is amazing to watch the volume of the York River be compressed as it races through the narrow and steep chute area. The water this spring was surprisingly high and the right channel, which is often just a trickle, was in full flow. In the summer, as the water level subsides, the chute becomes a series of fans, with a faster, central channel still dominating. If you like this image, I will be posting more to my Facebook page later this week. Ed Lehming Photography
iPhone 5s
It’ the first long weekend of the summer. Victoria Day, here in Canada. For many, this is the start of cottage season, camping season, times in the outdoors. It’s the time of black flies and mosquitoes. But for me, it’s the time to just unwind. There is something about being on the water or near the water that creates serenity for me. I can sit for hours on the shore or in a canoe just being near water. The clouds are ever changing, ever moving. The day progresses from foggy mornings, to warm afternoons, and ends with beautiful sunsets. I watch wildlife in action on the shores and in the water. Dragonflies flit and fly like crazed helicopters among the shore plants and bullfrogs share their voices in and ongoing evening chorus. Yes, another start. Time to get out there and enjoy it.
iphone5S
Ed Lehming Photography 
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