Tag Archives: Evergreens

Photography

High Falls, Levack

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High_Falls_Levack_0307b

Last Sunday I took an early evening trip up to High Falls. I parked where the locals slide down the hill. There were a couple families having fun. It was a nice sunny day with moving clouds. The temperature was -8 C with some wind. Gathering up my gear, I trudged up the hill, located the path to the bridge and started a downhill journey that appeared to be slippery at times. The bridge soon appeared ahead and I was greeted to a display of streaking shadows and sunlight over the undulating snow bound river. It was very easy to notice the many shapes and forms that the wind had created in the snow. There were open areas of rushing water that cascaded between the snow and ice. As I walked to the middle of the bridge, I spotted something black moving across the white snow. It was a mink going from one open stretch of water to another.

The best photographing here is between 4 and 6 in late afternoon. At this time of day the shadows are becoming long. The sunlight is filtering through the trees to create an ever changing patterns with the sculptured snow forms. You can get tremendous depth with this type of scenario.

The trails were well beaten here. Near the end of my stay I took a trail that followed the river on its downward descent. I had just finished photographing from the bridge. As I walked the trail, I spotted some gold reflection in the water ahead of me. I walked off the trail about ten feet packing down the snow as I went. I found a spot to set up my tripod and Canon eos 7D. I set up for a vertical shot. I had some branches ahead that I had to remove in Photoshop. The main reason for the vertical was to eliminate as many branches as possible. At the same time I wanted to put in the foreground the beautifully formed snow with its curves and lighting. Vertical shots of flowing water seem to add to the direction of movement by the water coursing on its journey.

The golden reflection in the water creates a very unique aspect along with the blue on the snow and ice. Now I purposely left the blue coloring on the snow in the foreground. I feel it adds to the overall sense of the composition. You will not see the blue with the naked eye. The color blue is common in shade areas.   Correcting for blue snow can be as easy as selecting the “Shade” white balance setting on your camera before you begin shooting. You can also remove the blue cast in Photoshop and Lightroom by moving the blue saturation slider to the left. I love the effect of the blue in this composition. Thus I have taken artist licensing with this piece of work.

Well that is it for now. Join me and the Sudbury Art Club at the annual Spring Art Show. For more info check there website.

http://sudburyartclub.blogspot.ca/

I have updated my Fine Art Page with a new addition. So check it out

Until next time happy trails.

 

 

Photography, Poetry

Entrance To Killarney Lake

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KillarneyLake

It is late June.

The evening sun low

In the western sky

Sunlight filters through

The shoreline Pines

Pine pollen drifts on the quiet waters.

The La Cloche Mountains

Visible through the narrows

Clouds are scudding overhead

Moose tracks are visible

Along the muddy shoreline

Only hours old

A scene that greets

Many a portaging canoeist

As they journey into

The heart of the

White quartz La Cloche Range

Threading their laden canoes

Through narrow channels

Paddling gently to observe

The quiet evening beauty

Before emerging into the

A clear, sapphire lake

That is Killarney Lake

Set among Jack Pine hills

White quartz ridges rise

High on either side

Pink granite scattered haphazard

Along the rugged shorelines

A tranquil scene

Of turquoise blue waters

In the even stillness

Before the last rays

Of the setting sun

Spring is here now in the North Country. It is getting warmer. But the snow is deep.

Until next time happy trails.

Photography

River’s Curature

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Sudbury_0167

The above photo was captured on my short hike last Monday. The same river that flows out of Kelly Lake. This composition is about using the river’s curvature to create a composition. I love the effect of snow on the cedars and evergreens for added detail. That was one reason I added part of the evergreen in upper right hand corner. Last years vegetation adds contrast with the snow without being messy.

That is it for now. Thank you for stopping by. Until next time happy trails.

Photography

Capturing Waterfalls

5 Comments

BirchCreek_2037Work

Waterfalls are a unique blend of rushing water, rock structures and trees. The most common trees found near waterfalls are pine and cedar trees. Most notably in Northern Ontario. You can find pockets of broad leaf trees such as Maple, Oak, Poplar and Birch. In the Fall broad leaf trees can add a dash of color to your composition as shown above.

The height of a waterfalls can vary as to location. The color of the rocks are different from location to location. At this particular waterfalls the rock formation is basically black to grey. Other waterfalls you will fine granite that is a reddish color. By photographing in the Fall you can offset bland rock color with orange and red from the Fall leaf color. This particular shot was taken late evening to eliminate harsh lighting. Take a look at  the Pine in the upper part of photo that partially overhangs the waterfalls. You will notice the beam of light catching some of the branches. You can pick up sunlight on the upper part of the falls. This adds a nice touch to the composition.

By putting the red Maple on the right hand side of the photo, I am able to create some depth. I try to shoot waterfalls at an angle to give more of a dimensional look as appose to shooting direct on. Shooting a waterfalls dead on will give you a more flat look.

Now for the flowing water. You want to give the water life in your photo. By shooting later in the evening you also achieve lower shutter speeds. When processing the work you want to be able to bring detail to the water. Give it life and action. I accomplish this by setting my shutter speed  between 1/10, 1/8, 1/6, 1/4 range. Whatever works at the time. Remember as the evening wears on the light becomes less and less. My f- stop is constant at f22. A good tripod is a must, along with a polarizing filter. One other point is that the volume of water coming over the drop. If their is too much water, most of the rock structure will be underwater. Totally different affect. Myself I prefer as much exposed rock as possible. That means that I pick my times to go during the course of the year.

Well that is it for now. Until next time happy trails.

Photography

Sand River

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Sand_River_1109

The above photo was captured when Maureen and I traveled up to Wawa for our three day canoe trip into Treebe Lake at the Northern  edge of Lake Superior Provincial Park. We stopped at the parking lot by the Sand River for a break. This river has some interesting rock structures to work with in a composition.

The day was cloudy so the lighting was even. It had rained the previous day and night. Thus I had nice color and detail to work with. There was not much for Fall color here as the cedar and evergreens predominated. There is a trail that follows along the river. As you walk here, you are above the river. With the sky being bland I showed only a spot of the sky in the background. My interest was in the rock structure on this river. So I put the broken boulders in the foreground for depth. The cliff edges are for lead in as your eye traverses the river. There is wonderful amounts of lichen covering these rocks to give better contrast.

Well that is it for this week. Spring is not far off now. So until next time, happy trails.

Photography

When The Mood Is Right

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CameronFalls224

For the type of photographic work that I do, I am reliant on Mother Natures many moods. When everything comes together it sure is a treat. The right lighting, calmness of the wind and also the view that is presented before you. The above composition was located at the bottom of Cameron Falls on the Aux Sauble River North of Massey. The sun was now below the horizon. Darkness was descending quite rapidly. The color and detail of the surrounding rocks was immaculate. The rock structure in the background created a canyon effect. This in turn added immensely to the depth of the photo. With a slow shutter speed I was able to show the water flow of the river. I placed a small part of a rock structure in the foreground that emphasized my theory of flow in flow out. I had to be quick as time was important here with darkness coming on fast.

On of the coolest things is to be standing there and watch as the changing lighting effects your surrounds. The colors take on a more vibrant look. Detail becomes more pronounced.  Then there is total darkness as if a switch has been pulled. The golden moment of light. Thank you Mother Nature.

While that is it for now. Until next time happy trails

Photography

The Power Of Rock

18 Comments

BassfinLake_2491

One of my favorite lakes last year was Bassfin Lake on Matagamasi Lake Road. This lake has unique rock structures along its shoreline that makes for great photographing. The rock formations are quite colorful in that you have pink and a very strong reddish color. If you wait until dusk that reddish color really stands out. The above photo was taken in a back bay on the West end of the Bassfin Lake. The wind had now calmed down with the approach of dusk.

I was situated on a small rock island. I set the tripod up low to the ground. The reason for this was to eliminate the expanse of water before me. I wanted to show the detail of the rock in front of me. The angle of this rock drops from top to bottom. By doing this I am able to tie in the composition with the reflections on the water. There is a bit of sparse vegetation to break up the rock color. The other thing is the beautiful rusty red colored rock that makes this unique. There is just enough sky to give a hint of dusk. So with my Canon 7D, I captured this lovely composition.

I live in a country of rock, trees and water. It is just wonderful to be a part of it and to be able to capture these special moments. While that is it for now. Thank you for stopping by. My hope is that I can give you peace of mind when you observe my work. So until next time happy trails.

Photography

A Quiet Place To Be

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DavidLake_12x44a

This is a scene I captured at David Lake, Killarney Provincial Park. The clouds were fast moving here. The wind was kicking up a fuss here and there. It was one of those trips where  photographing was very sporadic. On the left is a point of land that I placed to the left of my composition. A small rock outcrop in the front adds a sense of depth. Two rock islands with vegetation in the middle ground. Then in the background is the far shore that is just starting to show Fall colors. The sun is rising at the far left corner.

There is a touch of mist on the lake’s surface for added affect. The reflections tie in the composition nicely. This is a place where one could sit on a rock by the shore and enjoy a morning coffee. At the same time absorbing the surrounding landscape.  A few minutes later the wind picked up and the effect was gone.

Well that is it for now. Until next time happy trails.

Photography

Ice And Rock

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GrundyProPark_ClearLake_0097

This composition was taken on my last trip into Grundy Provincial Park. Maureen and I had walked in from the main gate. The hike to Clear Lake that afternoon was very enjoyable. The temperature was warm enough to be comfortable. Clear Lake had ice forming on the surface here and there. The above location was  the South shoreline of Clear Lake. The rock structure along here was unique for its patterns. The vegetation was a rustic color. The ice had patterns. The ice in the foreground had blue reflection from the sky.

2014 3rdAnnual “Seasons” Art Competition

http://www.lightspacetime.com/seasons-art-exhibition-january-2014/

The gallery received 399 entries from 13 different countries from around the world, including Australia, Canada, France, Hungary, India, Italy, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Ukraine.  In addition, the gallery received entries from 31 different states.

My placings as follows.

Overall Winning Artists Category – The overall winning artist’s category consists of the 10 Best Entries received from the Painting & Other and Photography & Digital categories.

4th place finish.

The Photography & Digital Category

2nd place finish

Special recognition

Happy New Year to everyone. Until next time happy trails.

Photography

Clear Lake, Grundy Provincial Park

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GrundyProPark_ClearLake_0069

With a quick lunch yesterday, Maureen and I head down to Grundy Provincial Park to continue exploring. The temperature was 3 Celsius as we started our hike. I stopped in at the visitor building to let the people in the office know we where here. After a brief chat we went on our way down the main road. We soon turned off onto the road leading to Clear Lake. You can see Clear Lake from the highway. Maureen remarked how quiet it was as we walked. It is not often that you get a park all to yourself. One thing that I was impressed with is the large spacious campsites that are here.

Upon arrival at Clear Lake, I was soon set up and photographing along the shoreline. The South end of Clear Lake offers some good locations to photograph. There was thin ice to be found on the lake surface. The above composition was one of captures that day. I was attracted by the two clumps of Juniper bushes that were now a rustic reddish color. The stump against the rock was unique. I had two small rocks for the foreground. The ice gives a sense of time. The lovely textures of the rock  point adds to the overall effect. It was one of those days were the sunlight was diffused due to the type of cloud cover that day.

At this time of year I do not think that there is an evening to speak of. I am basically now photographing late afternoon to get the good lighting. With a good hike ahead of us, it was time to head back to the vehicle. We arrived back just as it was getting dark. Grundy is about an hours drive from Sudbury.

We arrived home feeling good after an afternoon of fresh air. There was a nice hot stew awaiting us. A great end to an excellent day. Until next time happy trails.