View allAll Photos Tagged Lseries
Woodland photography can be very challenging, I worked on this composition for over an hour. It was a fun experience and it took a long time for the right light to show, but it was also most rewarding. My original vision did not pan out, and this one is as much about the forest as that golden tree.
It was my primary focus of attention standing out from all the green. And, still present so very late in Autumn. There was even a small amount of yellow between the "V" of secondary trees that was noticed while traipsing around in the woods.
The VanDusen Gardens is world renown for the display of various plant, trees, and flowers. Although it is still early in the season for many to be at full bloom, this display was close to the various British sports cars and quite colorful.
The new growth found on the ends of coniferous trees, is often a much lighter hue of green than its older sibling. Add a little highlight to that same branch and the color stands out even more.
We spent some time in Kamloops where the Hoodoo's are of great interest. This is also a place where the sage brush grows looking gnarly, and ancient. At this time of day the contrasting colors are strong with deep greens and momentarily touched with a golden crested mountain. Here nature is dry, hot, and alive as it battles the challenging elements.
Prior to sunset, clouds line up and a rocky basin or depression, combine to generate an image against a deep blue sky.
The water falls in Cliff Gilker Park rushes down toward a golden bed of stones. Surrounded by a dark green forest, it appears secluded. However, once tourism season begins, it is a very popular destination. An absolutely beautiful place, it also provides numerous treks through an old and lush forest.
I am beginning to sound like a tourism director, but it is a wonderful place.
Third in my string of photos from our Kayaking trip. One of our members crossed my path, temporarily bathing in the rays of golden, sunsetting light. Moments later, the sun was down and we enjoyed the colors that filled the sky. We then congregated to devour a much needed delicious snack, provided by the "leader of our pack".
I have now shot this tree long before sunset, at sunset and after, and over a 3 day period. This one was taken when the sun sat on the horizon and the warm light was most intense. The grasses appear red instead of blonde as they do in the noon day light.
The color in the tree is lost after the sun sets so only a little setting light is caught in the clouds. As well, the arching cloud in the sky best illustrates the Chinook that is taking place. That is when we have warm winds off the Rocky Mountains that lift the clouds off the horizon leaving a distinctive "arch" of cloud across the sky.
Sitting on a lone bench in the Cove and resting, I caught myself contemplating. "Let the image come to me I thought". No visualizing, just know that out there is a photo, I just have to see it. The sun was quite low in the sky, and one could feel its warmth. That short time before evening when it is replaced with the cooler temperature. Colors change hue for a short time and the opportunity to capture them becomes fleeting.
Right across the Cove from where I was sitting, a small tree made its presence known because its background fell into shade. The light was intense, the reflection somewhat still, and with the passing moments, the shadowed area grew darker. Here was the photo I could not see, but was looking right at me. Without getting up, I set up my tripod, switched lens' and captured the moment. It really is so often about the light, even when you have a good composition.
"I find that if I just sit down and think... The solution presents itself." Quote is from Sean Connery in Indians Jones and the last Crusade.
We went to Garden Bay to visit some friends and enjoy a drive along the coast. When we finished visiting it was getting late. There are no lights on the main road and it is laden with curves. We decided it would be safer to leave given the available light. On the way out we passed the small lake and I just had to pull over to get a few shots. The light on the tiny island added to the mystery of the photo and the final result rendered a most pleasing image.
Strangely enough, this one reminded me of a very old commercial. It had both Larry Bird and Michael Jordan competing with bank shots to out do each other. Competing with circus like shots, "off the floor, off the score board, over the rafter, off the window, nothing but net". The commercial was a huge success for McDonald's as they would play to watch the other eat a Big Mac, should either miss their called shot.
This one was a real challenge because of where I had to position the camera to get the desired shot. I wanted that fallen tree arching into the scene, the waterfalls stretching out across the bottom, and the various horizontal trees to the top right.
There you go, "nothing but net".
An evening on the beach and a few concentrated colors line the horizon. The ocean is calm and a long exposure helps smooth it out. That little ripple in the mid ground helps glue this one together. It also serves to balance the image with the weight the separate foreground rocks add.
I have often contended that the most important element of a successful photo is light. Frankly, without it, we have black. However, others contend that composition is the most important element to a top notch photo. Rather, I would suggest that an ideal composition is the most challenging component to any image. Of course the third of the three elements is exposure.
It is also the case that without all three one may have simply achieved a great shot. Taking the time to create the best we can, regardless of the discipline is a worthy endeavour. In this case, the last light of day practically trips over the ocean waves because the sun is low in the sky. And, it touches the routes of an otherwise uninteresting washed ashore tree trunk. Light is king. Regardless, without it, I can not see.
A polarizing filter catches the various colors reflecting in the windows of the Deloitte Touche building. Diversely angled edges burn bright contrasting their lack of color, further enhancing the basic shapes that form the building. Perhaps this illustrates the building blocks of accounting, considering the purpose of the company itself.
The Lichen on this rock appeared plugged in with vivid colors as the sun was setting over one of the Trail Islands. There is a tiny bit of sea water frozen in the middle of the black puddle that looks to be swallowing the island beyond.
The colors were magnificent at this moment, even highlighting the grasses and coloring them orange, and then it was gone.
We had returned to St John's, NL for the end of our trip before the trip home. This evening shoot almost caught us off guard. Fog generally occurs in the morning but one just never knows when on the east coast. Only a very high ridge remained out of the fog and I stood on the side of the highway to get this shot. It led down to the coastal area where we were looking for our next subject; yes, a lighthouse.
One of the many bridges in Kamloops on a sunny blue sky day. The melting snow on the shoreline tends to mirror the fluffy clouds that are directed toward the center of the bridge.
When a rather large dog arrived on the scene, it was time for this family to "go-go". I use this title because the lead vocalist of the 1980"s all female rock group Belinda Carlisle, recently came out of retirement to cut a new album. Among my favourite voices, when she sang, many would listen. And in this almost violent departure, just like Belinda, it was time for change.
Through the trees and looking out, we see Isle Capri. Beyond is Vancouver Island and then the ocean.
On this day, the sky appeared to be filled with popcorn so I beetled on over to a familiar spot. I wanted to combine an old rusted truck that had served as a subject in the past, with those popped kernels over head. The contrast was too much to pass on, and the resulting image was a good deal of fun to create.
Roberts Creek Provincial Park delivered some very pleasant colors just after sunset. The pink clouds against the super blue sky, sat over the horizon and complimented the meandering shoreline.
Among my most favourite of places is Nicola Valley. Located between Merritt and Kamloops there is a highway used by few and filled with such delights any landscape photographer would enjoy. The highway through it adds time to our travels and runs parallel to a much faster route. However, it is a sight that delivers exquisite opportunities regardless of the time of year. In this shot, we simply stopped for a brief moment so I grabbed my camera for a quick and pleasing afternoon shot, while the family rearranged items. The colors are vivid and nature supplies so many that capturing them means leaving out so much.
Strangely enough, but I believe it is the lack of symmetry that makes this shot successful. Neither the placement of the setting sun, nor the rocks or reflecting "footy" print are centered. Everything is proportionally off and although there is balance, nothing is what might otherwise be expected.
As for the title, perhaps you remember a movie from 1989 titled, Major League. It included a star filled cast including, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Rene Russo, and as the announcer, Bob Uecker. I figured with the "World Serious", about to begin, a baseball analogy might be appropriate.
I did not want to let another day go by without adding this Pender Harbour delight. The sun was positioned in a way that lit a few key elements while leaving the trees in shadow creating separation. I framed this one to include the reflections and waited for the Kayakers to cross into the shot.
I wanted to work with this donut in the snow one more time, but from a different angle. This has the forest across Trout Lake in the background with the reflections touching the frosted area instead of the snow.
As well, the rock and log within the donut are much more prominent making them more crucial to the success of the photo. And finally, although it is a winter shot, there is warmth to be found in the colors of the forest such as the subtle reds.
For a brief period of time, Autumn denuded trees along the Bow river shimmer like silver bells on a Christmas tree. Like the Horse Tail in Yosemite or the red Maple leaves of Northern Ontario's Autumn, this moment takes shape and lasts for a few brief days. If the day is overcast as many are during this period, the chance encounter waits another year. However, like most who have lived in their location for a while, one gets to know the terrain and can capitalize on the moment.
The afternoon low level sun rays penetrate the riverbed trees, while a background hill throws the forest into shade. Gnarled tree trunks are blackened and the thin branches catch the afternoon sunlight for just a brief time. The ground grasses appear to be on fire as they turn brown preparing for their winter respite. And, for just a brief time, a unique opportunity presents itself.
As they would say on Monty Python, "And now for something completely different." A kayak in my foreground. We had a different experience from the usual out floating about on the ocean water. Or rather, an inlet to the ocean. Some colored evening light, an island, and a kayak combine, illustrating a very different perspective. Meaning the shot is of land from water, rather than the usual water from land. And this, while one of the fellow kayakers from our group drifts on by in front of the island.
A rather turbulent looking and somewhat elongated cloud, skirts the surface of the ocean and touches the crest of Pender Island. Above and behind, the swift moving higher clouds also reveal a warm light. Just another pleasant day in Sechelt with some new discoveries including a lone duck.
From my vantage point in False Creek, this one building seemed to be the center of attention. It was the only one without a flat top, it lay between bouncing sailing masts, and stood framed by two highlights. One green and the other golden. Moving to the left or right eliminated the highlights so I quickly set up the tripod and captured the unique moment.
If you are an advocate of the color green, then this one should satiate the appetite. I was deep into the forest looking for a composition when this posed as an opportunity. Ferns galore in the foreground, mid-ground trees to frame the background, and very pleasant even light that helped avoid dark shadows.
Being a fan of many sports, the trees reminded me of the uprights in a football game. And, since the game is played on green, it was a fun experience imagining it playing out in front of me.
"Run", I thought. "Run faster". All to catch this tugboat as it quickly travelled toward the setting sun. I was out of place for the shot, but find tugboats, and their hard working crews of interest. The shot follows the guideline of thirds, and turned out interesting enough, romanticizing the crew speeding off into the sunset. Do you know who is considered responsible for discovering "The Rule of Thirds"? If you said Leonardo De Vinci, you would be right.
Or rather, it was he who recognized the importance of subject placement. The guideline had otherwise always been there. In his art, he recognized that where those lines intersect, are the 4 points of tension in his art. So, it you want tension in your work of art, say thanks to Leonardo, he is certainly one worth following.
On the same evening as the previous post, this opportunity crossed my path as well. The light began to skirt across the sky catching the edge of a cloud. As it knifed along, I changed lens opting for a telephoto in order to snag a tighter composition.
"The smell of saltwater fills the air as fishing boats ebb and flow in the harbour. A bald eagle surveys the landscape from just offshore, while on the ground, a bustling main street is alive with the sound of merchants and commerce. You’ve just stepped foot in the historic fishing village of Steveston, and right away, you’ll realize why it’s one of Richmond’s most popular destinations."
From the BC Tourism Guide
A sunlit evening with a few silhouettes over the reservoir. It is still winter here and my angle catches an icy trail leading to a cluster of trees. A very cold night but one that has a sky filled with color.
Its that time again, when the Canola fields are ready for harvesting. The blankets of yellow are fantastic and sometimes go on for miles. This one is pleasantly interrupted with lines of green, a fence and violet colored weeds.
When composing this shot, I wanted to capture the streak of color angled across the sky, appearing over the cove.
A Spring time tree fronts one of the many islands that dot the landscape, and new buds are barely evident. However, the two distinctly different subjects support each other as mother nature awakens from her seasonal slumber.
Soon this area will fill with both the life of nature and those who will travel as tourists. For now, it remains a quiet and serene location that offers a peaceful respite for a trekker and his lunch.
A very good friend of mine enjoys sailing. I do too. But he loves sailing, and often scoffs at others who head for harbour when the weather turns foul. He can sometimes be heard saying, "that is the time when he likes to go out". He built his own 40' sailboat and constructed it to withstand the worst ocean going weather mother nature can deliver. My point is, the same way he enjoys sailing, I enjoy photography.
Often, creating images in rather inclement weather, can illicit a more attracting result. What is to be done when the colors of morning and evening are not present? What about a less violent atmosphere? Perhaps that is where the next challenge lies? There is enjoyment to be found creating when none of the typical elements are present. That might also be one area that draws us closer as a community to this endeavour.
In the creation of this shot, I made sure to have light at the bottom of the image. That way it appears that the cool water is flowing into a hotter area. When the self professed experts inform us of compositional guidelines, like not having the eyes leave the image, or in this case flow out the bottom. That is when it is time to push the limits, follow your own path, and do something different.