Category Archives: Photography

Photography

A Dog of A Stump

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As I am out photographing I am always on the lookout for something unique.Last June while camping on Killarney Provincial Park, Paul Smith and I were canoeing along the shoreline.The lake we were on was Killarney Lake.This is a large lake with clear turquoise blue water.We spotted a group of stumps along the shoreline in a little cove.I selected this particular one where the top of the stump was in the shape of a dog’s head.I set up the tripod and Canon 7D at the waters edge.By placing the stump in the foreground and the lens at f22 for depth I captured this composition.The water is so clear here that you can see the texture of the rocks underwater.

With an eye for detail you will be able to spot many such subjects such as this.Also bear in mind that it is the angle that you look that has a bearing on what you see.While that is it for this post.I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe one.I would like to thank everyone for coming for a visit.So until next time happy trails.

Photography

Late Summer Storm

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From out of the North

A cold wind blows

Churning the lake’s surface

Into a frothy turmoil

A Common Loon bobbing

On the surface of the lake

Paying no heed

Over the far horizon

Dark and ominous clouds appear

Soon to engulf the land

The sound of thunder

Off in the distance

Mother Earth’s warning

Of a storm fast approaching

The thunder rolls

Echoing through the mountains

Lighting flashes

Illuminating the landscape

In its momentary light

The rain dapples the lake’s surface

In endless patterns on the water

The rain falling steady now

To drench the landscape

The thunder rolls

The lightning flashes

As quickly as it came

The storm passes on

The sky is clearing itself

Of high scudding clouds

The sun has returned

To warm the land

The above photo was taken early one morning on O S A lake in Killarney Provincial Park.The early morning lighting and mist was great.I chose to create a panoramic view with the La Cloche Mountains.I also elected to create a black and white Image for effect.

Check out this blog by Danita Cahill who is a very talented lady.

http://miracahills.wordpress.com/

http://www.danitacahill.com/

Well that is it for this week.So until next time happy trails.

Photography

A Northern Spring

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The smell of the earth is upon the wind

As the sun’s rays warm the land

Mother Earth awakens

From her cold slumber

The lakes once covered in ice

From the long Northern winter

Now home to migrating waterfowl

Rollicking on the lakes surface

The loons have returned

To their northern haunts

The bare trees now budding out

Soon to be dressed in a coat of new leaves

A moose calf born the year past

Foraging in a swampy bay

Ever alert for the presence of danger

A Blue Heron stalks the shoreline

In search of its elusive prey.

Song birds in a variety of color

Fluttering among the flowering shrub

Voicing their songs for all to hear

The sound of running water

From the hills above

Rushing down to merge into the lake

The first of the Spring flowers

Blooming on the forest floor

Heralding the return of Spring

Spring in the North Country is a joyous time.When the weather warms,everything grows anew after a long cold winter.

The above scene was recorded last Spring on A Y Jackson Lake in Killarney Provincial Park.I was attracted by the bent Pine tree and the rock formation.It took me a couple of attempts to photograph this composition.For what ever reason the wind would channel into here and I would feel it on my face as I walked down a beaver trail to the lake shore. But as you see I did manage to capture the photo.

Please check out David Gadreau’s blog .David specializes in wedding and portrait photography

http://davidgadreauphotography.ca/

Well that is it for this week’s post.So until next time happy trails.

Photography

Carlyle Lake

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The above composition was taken last May.Paul Smith and I launched our canoe at the West end of Carlyle Lake.This lake is one of the lakes in Killarney Provincial Park that is easily accessible.It was a beautiful warm sunny Spring day.The wind was light.It made for a day of leisure canoeing and exploring Carlyle Lake.The forest for the most part grew down to the shoreline with little rock structure of interest.Using our GPS we paddled into a bay about half way up the lake on the North shoreline.Not finding any possible photo locations we paddled across the bay to a small lake that we had seen on the map.There was also a camping site available between Carlyle Lake and Terry Lake.

Paul heard running water up ahead and sure enough there was a small creek running down into Carlyle Lake from Terry Lake.Beaching the canoe we explored the layout between the two lakes and had a look at the small lake.This lake turned out to be a swampy type of lake. Being lunch time we grabbed our sandwiches and water.We found a nice shady spot beneath a large White Pine.These White Pine are common to this area.It is so nice to just lean back against these large trees and just relax as you munch on the sandwiches. It is an opportunity to lot around and study the land.The above scene caught my eye.I was intruded by the sun highlighting a grassy point across from us.My biggest problem would be wind.

Having finished eating I grabbed the tripod and Canon 7D.First I looked to see what I could put together with that beautiful point of grass.I then noticed the rocks that you see on the right.This rock had character and structure.I also used the White Pine growing off the right hand rock as a fill in plus the lighting on the branches was beautiful.You will also noticed spots of light on other shrubbery as well as on the rock itself.Boy this was sure creating a very interesting composition.But as I mention before, I had a problem with the wind.The wind was light but it would ripple here and there but would not calm down.Finally after what seemed like hours I did manage to get the above shot.One thing about a not real sharp reflection is that you get a nice painterly affect.

So by using the rock structure on the right as foreground leading into the photo along with the greenish reflection on the water, I created the above composition.I thought it was pretty good for a middle of the day.

This week I would like you to check out Blue Maple Photography by Brian K Mollenkopf.Brian is an excellent photographer

http://www.bluemaplephotography.com/

Well that is it for this week,so until next week happy trails

Photography

Sitting By The Campfire

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Sitting by a campfire on a quiet summer night

The lake is now calm

With hardly a ripple

The stars are twinkling in the far heavens

A shooting star with a trail of light

In the darkness of the night sky

The light of the moon

Casts a silvery path on the surface of the lake

Beyond the light of the blazing campfire

Moonlight filters through the forest

Creating ghostly shadows upon the forest floor

The night creatures stir

Their nightly foraging just begun

The sound of an owl not far off

I hope this little poem invokes memories of summers past where we all sat around a campfire by the lakeside.Enjoying peace and solitude.

I have created a gallery with a small collection of fine art prints for sale.They would make very good Christmas gifts for friends and family.If you like please check them out here

http://kenbennison.wordpress.com/blog/

While,that is it for this post.So until next time happy trails.

 

Photography

Painting With Frost

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This post is a continuation of the post A Frosty Morning with my daughter.As we drove North on the Westbranch we spotted Rough Grouse on the roadsides.They would disappear back into the woods fairly quickly.I guess you would too if you were constantly being hunting.We soon left the Wakanasin River behind and were now following a much smaller river that meandered back and forth across the road.All the bridges appeared to have been repaired this year.

Looking down an  embankment we saw the above scene and decided to investigate.Gear in hand we carefully made our way down the loose gravel that was still slippery from frost.I still managed to slip and slide down the last third of the embankment on my butt though.

Upon arrival by the creek bank I quickly surveyed the location for a setup.There still was no wind.The clouds were moving quickly.The sun would pop out every now and again.The frost was covering the vegetation nicely.The water was shallow and very clear.This created tremendous depth to the reflections.I choose two clumps of grass on the left to lead you into the picture as well as to add depth. There was a small clump that was different in shape that drew my attention.With that in mind I captured the above photo by waiting for the sun to come out.I had to be quick as the clouds were still moving very fast.When the sun did come out the frosted vegetation would light up.

There was some dead wood on the far shore that I found to be annoying.But at times there was nothing you can do.I purposely did not show a lot of forest in the background.This was to keep things simple as best as possible.You will notice the earth tone colors at the waterline of the plants.This adds a very nice contrast and gives added life.There is a lot of depth in the reflections caused by the clear water.The sun highlighted the evergreens in the background to add a nice touch. I shot this photo with a shutter speed of 0.5 seconds @ f22.

The air was now warming up and finishing up our shooting we headed back to the vehicle.The wind was now picking up with the cloud cover dispersing.We drove further North until we came to a small lake by the roadside.Here we pulled over,unloaded the camp chairs to relax and enjoy a cup of tea and a sandwich.

That is it for this post.I would like to thank all you good folks who commented,hit the like button or simply came for a visit.It is much appreciated.So until next time happy trails

Photography

Sunrise and Colorful Rocks

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This is a very interesting composition that I was able to capture on my last trip into OSA Lake in Killarney Provincial Park.The shore line had a colorful collection of rocks of various sizes and shapes.I just needed something to go with it.As you spend time in various locals you will discover locations that could produce a good shot.They just need something to complete the composition.

It is a matter of waiting and as you can see from the photo above it is sunrise.So with the sun coming up and the rocky shore line in the foreground I was able to complete the scene.The early morning light gives the rocks the warm colors and the golden reflections tie in the photo front to back.As I said previously I keep these various locations in the back of my mind and return time and again till I get what I want.You will also note that there is an interesting cloud pattern that developed as I took this photo.

The shot was taken with a shutter speed of 1/10 sec @ f22.I set up my tripod and Canon 7d and just waited for the right moment before taken a number of exposures.

Well that is it for this post.So until next time happy trails.

Photography

A frosty Morning

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My daughter Maryjean and I headed West on Highway 17 towards Webbwood.We made a quick stop for gas and a Tim Horton’s coffee before continuing on.We drove through Webbwood and turned North  on the Agnew Lake road.The temperature was hovering around the -7 C mark.It was a bit nippy at the moment.We arrived at the Westbranch turnoff.The truck was now travelling on a gravel road that is well maintained.

This wilderness area provides timber and recreation for many people.There is good fishing in many of the lakes and rivers with good good campsite choices. This is also a popular area for hunting as a number of hunters drove past us. We observed a few hunters in the bush.With that in mind we agreed to stick to the main road.It would be safer. As we proceeded North the ponds were frozen over with ice.That was not a good sign. We soon reached the Wakonasin River.The scene before us was like entering a magical fairyland.The bare birch trees were covered in a coating of frost.The shoreline tag alders were heavily coated in frost.A bland late Fall scene turned into something spectacular.I am very much familiar with this location as well as many others along the Westbranch Road.

By using the clump of Spruce trees to create depth and being darker to add contrast I composed the above shot.I put the hill in the background to close off the scene,but  all of a sudden the sun peeked over the horizon and lit up the hill and trees in a golden yellow.This was an added bonus to an already great composition.

Maryjean and I continued photographing for a bit longer.There was more of the river to explore so we packed up our gear and headed up the road.We were already happy with the success we had  and we had just started.A great start to the day.One of the greatest things about going out photographing is that you never know what you will come upon.

While that is it for today so until next time happy trails.

Photography

Song of The Land

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The lake surface is ruffled

By the wind that whispers in my ear

The La Cloche Mountains Covered in mist

As I dip my paddle

Into the translucent waters

A raven in a tall skeleton of a  birch tree

Voices his displeasure at my intrusion

With each stroke of the paddle

The canoe glides  through the waters

A common loon quietly appears

Her baby astride her back

Soon to be lost in the distance

As I paddle my canoe in the morning stillness

The mist is lifting

The La Cloche Mountains now visable

Covered in the warm glow of early morning sunlight

The isles appear ahead

Just now emerging from the darkness of night

A flock of ducks skim the water’s surface

To disappear in a nearby bay

The sun is up

The sky is blue

Bringing forth a new day

As I listen to the song of the land

Photography

Evening Solitude

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As I sit under a gnarled old pine tree
By the shores of a wilderness lake
Tea in hand,enjoying the even solitude
The water itself a living torquise blue,perfectly clear
As it caresses the rocky shoreline
The wind is but a murmur among the trees
The La Cloche Mountains are ablaze in the colors of Fall
The shoreline is dotted here and there
With yellow,orange and red
The mountain sides are bathed in a warm glow
As the sun descends the Western horizon
The moon has risen over the lake ever so faint
The stars are twinkling ever so faintly
The air is clear and crisp, a sign of Fall
I sip my tea in this enchanted world
By a wilderness lake in the far North
The lighting is no longer harsh
But with a warmth to stir the heart
The shadows are lengthing,the rocks are aglow
This is the magical moment before darkness descends
The changing of the seasons full upon us
Darkness unfolds all around me
The path of the moon is now upon the surface of the lake
The stars are bright
It is now nighttime on a far wilderness lake
Far away in the distant, the call of a lone wolf is heard

Many of you would be able visualize with the above scenario
if you spend any time camping.Most evenings are a time of relaxation
and enjoying the vista that surrounds you.
A nice cup of tea,coffee or hot chocolate adds to the enjoyment.
The above photo is a good example of one of those quiet,peaceful evenings.
The La Cloche Mountains are covered with Fall color.
The water is calm.What better place to be but on a wilderness lake.
In this case OSA Lake in Killarney Provincial Park.
So that is it for this week.Happy Trails