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“A dragonfly can spend up to several years underwater until it is strong enough to surface, shed its skin and evolve into this beautiful creature. Then it flies free among us but only for a very brief period of up to 2 months before it dies” – Unknown I spent quite a bit of time searching for the actual name of this species, with not much luck. There are some 5,000 species… Read More
“The human body may need to receive sunlight through the tree canopy in order to be in a healthy state. I call this light “Interference Green Light” and it may be the top thing that you need to be receiving in order to be in good health and free of pain.” ― Steven Magee I don’t know how true the quote is, but I know I need my ‘green’ time. To walk… Read More
“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” ― Mahatma Gandhi This is my very first attempt at macro photography. Simple image of bleeding hearts in my garden. I love the shape of the flower and the components that make it what it is. The blossom… Read More
“Butterflies are self propelled flowers.” ― Robert A. Heinlein Butterflies are summer to me and I just love the Robert Heinlein quote above. As the air warms, I see more and more of them darting around on the air. They seem to come in all sizes and colours and tend to be a bit elusive when it comes time to photograph them. They sit wonderfully still, till it’s time to release the… Read More
“Daisies, simple and sweet. Daisies are the way to win my heart.” ― Patrick Rothfuss As the quote above says, “Daisies, simple and sweet”. Daisies abound at this time of year. They seem as commonplace as dandelions, yet there is a beautiful simplicity to them that sets them apart from their meadow companions. Perhaps hearkening back to childhood, when I would pick bunches for my grandmother on my way home from school. They… Read More
“Despite its dark veins, the transparency of dragonfly’s wings assures me of a pure, innocent world” ― Munia Khan Ah, warm weather walks. As plants grow taller and spread across the forest floors, their insect companions abound and show in ever increasing displays of colour and variety. Some are tougher to photograph than others. This female emerald jewelwing, with her distinctive black body and white wing spots, is fairly common around here, but they… Read More
Vintage – a repost from awhile back. Here’s the original post “Sir Henry’s Phone” which appeared back in September 2015. Nikon D300 Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 95mm 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, 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
“Laughing in the face of danger doesn’t negate the fear, it simply enables you to smile at it.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich I really wanted to title this “Get off my land!” but, “Alarm!” won out. This is very typical behaviour for male red winged blackbirds, especially during nesting season. They are very protective of their shoreline nests. The female will also join in with rapid chirps and tail fanning, but the male… Read More
“The world is a beautiful place, you just don’t see it all the time.” ― Phil Mitchell I generally go to Lynde Shores to photograph birds or make lakeshore images. When I approached the viewing platform, I saw a bunch of ducks taking off and surveyed several trees filled with noisy, smelly, cormorants. As I stood there, movement from the corner of my eye attracted my attention. Here’s what I saw: a yearling fawn,… Read More
“Our green valleys will be greener once we fully grasp the infinite vitality of the green!” ― Mehmet Murat Ildan Despite the clouds of mosquitoes that call this forest home, I enjoyed, with the help of a good bug repellent, observing all the fresh new growth emerging from the brown litter of last year’s leaves. There is still a lot of brown showing interspersed with rapidly expanding carpets of foliage, like the Oak… Read More
“Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it.” ― Patrick Süskind As the days warm, aromatic flowers prevail, attracting bees and insects with their sweet perfumes. Pollinated flowers give way to fruits and… Read More
“Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don’t they should, for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers.” ― Ray Bradbury Spring flowering shrubs and all their awesome scents are now on. It’s good to see so many bees out and about, including this carpenter bee, one of many enjoying the fragrant flowers of a local Russian Olive. The ornamental trees were planted along walking trails… Read More
“Therefore, a search for God’s will should begin on your knees. He will meet you there. Remember that Jesus promised, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).” ― James Dobson I made this image the same day as my last post of teh Munk School of Global Affairs. The two building as quite close together on Toronto’s Bloor… Read More
“Do stuff. Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration’s shove or society’s kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others.” ― Susan Sontag Another day, another plant found and identified. With the heat this past weekend, many plants blossomed early and the mosquitoes that accompany them were more than plentiful. I do tend to stay out of the deep woods this time… Read More
And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” – Mark 1:7-8 Existing light photography offers its challenges and rewards. This wonderful statue of St. John the Baptist, in New York’s St. Patrick’s cathedral is a good… Read More
“Imagine having a city full of things that no other city had.” ― Bill Bryson Old meets new in this view of Toronto’s Front Street, near the St. Lawrence Market. The area reminds me of Europe, with it’s old buildings and storefronts. It’s sad to think that much of Toronto looked like this till the wave of “Urban Renewal” in the 70’s demolished most of the old buildings to make room for…parking lots!… Read More
“Life is not made up of minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years, but of moments. You must experience each one before you can appreciate it.” ― Sarah Ban Breathnach As with its yellow blossoms, many people mistake the coltsfoot seed heads for those of the dandelion. That is, until you take the time to look closer. I’m finding more and more that people are just not taking the time to actively participate… Read More
“The first problem of living is to minimize friction with the crowds that surround you on all sides.” ― Isaac Asimov I wanted to capture the hustle and bustle of this Montreal intersection with an experimental long exposure. It was interesting to look back on it and see the woman in the foreground moving quickly across the frame, while the car is stopped. This was also an experiment in light where I was… Read More
“Humans are pattern-seeking story-telling animals, and we are quite adept at telling stories about patterns, whether they exist or not.” ― Michael Shermer OISE is the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, part of the University of Toronto. This is where people study to be ‘educators’ or ‘teachers’ as we know them. It is also where trends in education are studied and public policy, regarding education in Ontario, originates. I have several friends who… Read More
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” ― Aristotle Art is everywhere. Sometimes, in the most surprising places, and with unexpected elements. Case in point, this algal bloom on a local pond. It looks a bit like a satellite image of some tropical forest and smells just like a horse stable. In fact, I was wondering if the local trail riding association… Read More
Walking along Toronto’s Bloor Street West, I came across these wonderful doors. The Munk Institute is part of the University of Toronto campus and I’ve admired them often, as I walked past. Today the light was just right. Much to my surprise, I had never noticed the details in the stonework above the door and topping the pillars. Have a closer look. Interestingly, many of the compositional elements that enhance this image are subconscious when I make the… Read More
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” — Rainer Maria Rilke A final visit to the magnolias of Edwards Gardens in Toronto, at least for this year. I so enjoyed my day of walking the grounds and enjoying all the wonderful flowering trees. This is a great time of year. There are splashes of pinks, purples, whites, and purple among the new foliage in… Read More
“Most European nations identify themselves with eagles or lions, with some predator or creature of the air, ascendant and belligerent. I would like to visit the country which adopts the groundhog as its mascot, somewhere peaceful, some place that curls against the secrets of the earth, a little Belgium of the imagination, tables piled high with cakes, the Sunday bells ringing (not too loudly), the light falling on rolling hillocks studded with… Read More
“The columbine and iris bowed down to make way for bolder sprays of red valerian, and a mingled profusion of clustered Canterbury bells and sweet william, pale blues and pinks intertwined, danced at the feet of more stately spears of deep-purple foxglove and monkshood.” ― Susanna Kearsley On the trend of pinks and pastels, yet another beautiful native spring flower, the Wild Columbine (aquilegia canadensis), is found on rocky outcrops in the Bancroft,… Read More
“Spring returns, resplendent in pinks and white. Trees and shrubs glow in the sun, bedecked in bright blossoms and pale green leaves. The world awakens; the eternal cycle repeats. – Ed Lehming As I mentioned in my last post, I have not been to this botanical gardens since I was a young child. It was so nice to see all the blossoming trees. I was especially surprised to see redbuds, since I… Read More
“You saw a fluttering fan before her face and magnolia blooms and sleepy lakes under the moonlight when she walked.” — Zora Neale Hurston The last time I visited Edwards Gardens in Toronto I must have been about 6 years old. It used to be a favoured destination for my family, as both my father and grandmother were avid gardeners. I vaguely recall the place, remembering only the amazing patches of colour … Read More
“Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.” ― G.K. Chesterton The St. Lawrence Market in Toronto is marvelous for its sights, sounds, and smells. It hearkens back to markets of old, with vendors selling their wares in the hustle and bustle of a busy market. When thinking of a title for this image I was going to call it “Everything Comes with a Price”, as I found the large… Read More
Morrice Hall, McGill University, Montreal. Yes, I have a thing for large old doors. So, I am drawn to Universities, public offices, and cathedrals for my material. Nikon D300 Nikor 24-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ 28mm 1/160 sec; f/6.3; ISO 200 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
“If you want a happy ending, it just depends on where you close the book!” ― Orson Welles A final image of trilliums for the season. This has been a fine year for them. Moderately warm days brought on a slow bloom and cool nights preserved the delicate blossoms. As I roamed the forest a few days ago, I could not help but make a few more images to look back on… Read More
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