Tag Archives: Northern Ontario

Photography

Father and Daughter Canoe Trip

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Sunday morning I drove into the Meadowbrook Retirement Home parking lot were my daughter Maryjean works. MJ had just finished her last graveyard shift.We loaded her gear into my Ford Explorer and head for Bell Lake in Killarney Provincial Park.We stopped at Killarney Kanoes to pick up a rental canoe.We rented one of my favorites a Quebecor 17.

We had to carry the canoe and gear over to Johnny Lake and then embarked on our little one night adventure.After a short paddle we had to carry around a small beaver dam.The weather was great and the wind was light.All the campsites we passed were full.Had a beautiful view of Silver Peak.We arrived at the portage into our destination lake Ruth Roy Lake.

Ruth Roy is a beautiful lake with clear turquoise blue water. This is not a small lake with good rock structure along the shoreline.The La Cloche Mountains are on the North shoreline of Ruth Roy.We proceeded to haul the canoe and gear over the portage and were soon on our way again.

When we arrived I was attracted by the shoreline on the right.The above photo is a result of what I observed.The small rocky shoal in the shadows stood out and there was nice lighting also.

MJ and I arrived at the first campsite and we decided that this was a good site to be with a wonderful view overlooking the lake.The only island on this lake is located here.Once the tent was up and everything was unpacked we decided to explore the rest of the lake.Before heading out a young couple canoed past  us with there children heading for the next campsite.There are only two campsites available on this lake.

We launched the canoe and proceeded to explore the lake and enjoy the afternoon.We liesurely paddled around the lake noting other locations to photograph.Finally arriving back at camp we made supper and settled down to await the evening photographing.

I will write about this trip in 2 or 3 posts.So until next time happy trails

Photography

This and That

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This has been an uneventful week in terms of photographing. I spent a few days with my three youngest grand kids at the beach and we had a blast. With that said,the above photo is a pano taken last week looking West of  George Lake.This was quite late in the morning so I felt quite fortunate to capture this scene.You will notice the rock on the left looks like a prehistoric crab with a tail.The La Cloche Mountains in the background along with the deep blue skies and water create a pretty scenerio.

At the 34th La Cloche Art show I was fortunate to place 1st in photography and along with that all three of my photos were sold.So thank you very much to the folks who brought my work.So that is it for this week.I hope to be back out next week so until then happy trails

 

Photography

Along The Lakeshore

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I exited the apartment to beautiful clear skies with sparkling stars overhead.I picked up a Tim Horton’s coffee and bagel before heading South on Highway 69.Driving down the Killarney highway was uneventful other than two foxes.As I drove through Killarney Provincial Park at the main campground I noticed a few empty campsites along the way.I was told that there would be no campsites available during July and August so go figure.

I parked at the East end of the campgrounds on George Lake.There was wind gusting on the lake creating a ripple.I loaded up my camera gear and headed to A Y Jackson Lake.The first part of the trail is the hardest part as it is a fairly steep climb up,but after that it is a good go.

I arrived at A Y Jackson and to my surprise the lake was calm for the most part.The sun was now highlighting the trees on the hilltops so I got off a few shots.I continued along the trail going East and came upon Little Sheguiander Lake.I checked the campsite here and it was empty.By staying up on the ridges I was looking for different shooting angles.At one point I was checking out a location and when I turned to go back up the hill I noticed a doe standing not 30 feet from me.With ears forward and a alert look she eyed me for a moment and then bounded along the hillside before disappearing.

I captured the above photo in one of the locations I found.The problem here was that down in Little Sheguiander it was still heavy in shadow where as the upper part of the photo was quite bright from the early morning sun.By putting part of a rock face and a bent evergreen in the foreground to create depth with the La Cloche Mountains in the background you can create a very nice scenic.The reflections in the lake were right on along with the reddish orange of the rock faces.I shot this composition with a zoom setting of 28 mm to keep things tight and a shutter speed of 1/5 sec @ f22.

I continued along the hillside above the lake capturing more shots before making my way down to the George Lake shoreline. To my surprise I was able to get some really good shots as the water was fairly quiet.You had to shot between  the light wind gusts.I managed to get a really nice pano.

It was now 8:30 AM which in it self was remarkable in that the wind held off for the most part.I am usually finished photographing by 7:00 AM.By now canoes were gliding through the water heading to the portage at the East end of George Lake.The wind was picking up so I layed down on the flat rocks on the George Lake shoreline and had a nap.I awoke to the sound of water lapping up on the rocks and noted that the wind had picked up.

It was time to head out so I made my way up the hillside till I picked up the trail and headed back to the parking lot.Along the way I  stopped and chatted with two families with young children before continuing on.It was an excellent morning shot having picked up a number of good shots.It is always nice when Mother Nature co-operates and allows you to photograph her beauty.So until next time happy trails

 

Photography

Sunday Morning Hike

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4:00 A.M. Sunday morning,the streets are quiet and dark.I pick up my Tim Horton’s coffee,exit the city and drive South on a mainly empty highway.I turned off onto the Killarney road passing the usual assortment of wildlife along the way.The coffee sure tasted good.

I parked in my usual parking spot.I gathered up my camera gear and picked up the East trail to A Y Jackson. Due to the rain we had received in the past few days the rocks tended to be wet in spots.In the lower areas I encountered mud and water. I arrived at A Y Jackson shortly but kept on walking to Little sheguiandah Lake.The wind was once again a problem so I did not bother photographing.

I wanted to check out Wagon Road Lake so off I went.After a short hike I came upon Wagon Road Lake.To my surprise it looked swampy.I had studied the map earlier and I observed rock outcroppings on the far shore. Following the trail around the lake I would walk towards the lake looking for shooting locations.the East end of the lake was more open and I was able to get a nice panorama.

I continued walking on the trail and came upon a beaver dam that the trail crossed. Once I got across I entered a nice campsite and proceeded to photograph.There are two campsites available on this lake. I was now 8:30 A.M and the wind was holding off here..I also encountered nice side lighting as is evident in the above photo.What attracted me to this scene was the rock shapes as they reflect into the water,with a stately pine tree standing on the rock.I added the deadheads to give depth and interest.The color in the photo was beautiful and the side lighting really had a nice effect.You do not come across these type of opportunities very often so it is nice to be able to create this type of composition.

It was not long before the wind picked up and the sunlight was getting stronger.In affect losing the soft lighting.On my way in I had notice white lilies opening up so I went to check them out.It was now starting to get warm.I head back up the trail back to the main campgrounds to call it a day.It was an enjoyable morning.The bugs were not much of a problem.I was tired as I headed home so after arriving back at my son’s apartment I had a short nap.

i called my wife to let her know I was back and told her I would take her out for coffee.So until next time, happy trails.

Photography

Cave Lake,Killarney Provincial Park

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The Monday past I stopped in at the Killarney Provincial Park office to book a campsite at Topaz Lake.My partner was sick, so seeing that I was already packed and ready to go I decided to venture alone.It is about a four hour hike to Topaz Lake. I had full gear and did not know what kind of shape I was in.I picked up the trail at the South end of George Lake and proceeded to hike into the interior.This is a well used and defined trail.

Paul Smith and I had previously hiked into Lumsden Lake so I was familiar with this part of the trail.It was a hot day around 28 C and the bugs were about.The going was pretty good so far and in a short while I came upon Acid Lake.The hiking trail traversed around the lake for a distance before heading North.

Acid Lake is a pretty lake and I will camp here in the future.The backdrop of the La Cloche Mountains coming down to the far shore line is pleasing.As I was resting on the rocks along the shoreline a pair of Loons came to investigate me.The Loons must have a nest here somewhere.

I was now starting to feel the effects of the heat and the weight of my pack as I hiked along the trail.The trail was getting more rugged with more and more up and downs.My legs were also starting to feel like rubber.The biggest problem was that I was not in shape for doing this type of hiking.I hiked for another hour and finally came to the conclusion that I was not going to make it to Topaz Lake.I checked my GPS and noted that Cave Lake was just ahead.I figured that I had better stop off here and pitch the tent.I still had another hour of walking and I new that was too far.It would have to wait another day.

I followed the signs into Cave Lake.This trail had fallen trees on it so there were a couple detours to be taken here.When I arrive at Cave Lake I immediately set up the tent and crawled inside to have a nap.After a short rest I explored my surrounding I was quite surprised at what was around me.There would be photo opportunities here.There was a island at the bottom end of the lake.The La Cloche mountains came down to the shoreline heavy covered with forest.There was a sparse showing of white rock to be seen.At the East end of the lake was some rock formations that looked good.It was at the West end that there was large rock formations that appear in the above panoramic. I set up the stove and boiled water for tea and heated my supper.There is something about being in a place like this sitting on a rock overlooking a wilderness lake.It is a great feeling.

The evening shooting was not good as the wind was not co-operating very well and the blackflies were bad.I returned to the tent and had a peaceful sleep that night.I awoke about five the next morning and was able to get a number of shots.I must tell you I was feeling the effects of yesterday as my legs were stiff and sore.

The above panoramic was taken that morning.It consists of three overlapping photos.I created depth by placing the foreground to the right and leading the eye into the depth of the lake with the placement of the island.The island was now lit by the morning sun.I set the zoom to 85 mm and the shutter speed was 2.5 sec @f22

By seven I had everything packed and ready to go.The misquitoes were bad that morning and I wanted to get out early while it was still cool.I also realized that there would be a lot of  uphill walking to Acid Lake. An hour later I came to Acid Lake where I took a half hour break.I was already feeling the physical effects from yesterday.Once again the loons appeared to check me out.

I was back at the truck by ten that morning.My legs were pretty stiff and sore though.All in all it was a pretty good little adventure and I enjoyed myself immensely.I just need to get in better shape.So until next time happy trails.


Photography

An Evening on Sheguiandah Lake

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Last Sunday we had a noon birthday party for my 4 year old grandson Kelan.It was a small family gathering and after it being such a nice afternoon I decided to pack my camera equipment and head for Killarney Provincial Park for some evening shooting.

Most of the weekend campers had gone home by now.There was a sprinkling of campers here and there. My goal this evening was to hike into Little Sheguiandah Lake that Paul Smith and I had canoed into a couple of times from George Lake.This lake was only a short hike from A.Y. Jackson Lake.

I hiked into the campsite on Little  Sheguiandah Lake and set up my gear for the evening shooting.The campsite is located near the back end of this lake offering an excellent view of the lake.There was a slight wind blowing off and on but with patenice I should succeed in getting some photos.I shot from various locations at hand.I had to wait at times for the water to calm down so that I had reflections in the water.I wore my bug jacket this evening as the bugs were bad.I even lost a few pictures due to bugs flying in front of the lense.

Little Sheguiandah has great rock structure along its shorelines making for excellent compositions under the right lighting conditions.The above photo was taken with a zoom setting  of 65 mm and the shutter speed set to 0.3 sec @ f22.This is looking at Little Shaglander from were you can bring your canoe in to the lake from George Lake.I always like to get photos of the La Cloche Mountains in the background.

The yellow pollen from the pine trees is now increasing and can be observed along shorelines now.This does not look good in a photo.I had a good evening of shooting and of course it is always the peace and quiet that one gets from being in these locations. So until next time happy trails.

Photography

On the Third Try at A.Y. Jackson

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I have changed my blog layout to better show my photos.This meant changing the theme from the previous theme that I was using.The unfortunate part was that each post allows only one photo.So continuing from the previous post I will discuss the above panoramic that I had taken on the previous trip.

Killarney Provincial Park was created due to the efforts of The Group of Seven.A Y Jackson Lake was named after one of the Group of Seven’s artist A.Y. Jackson.When I had first arrived at this location I saw great photographic potential here.I also realized that the best shooting would be early morning due to the sun’s path in relationship to the lake.The La Cloche’s white quartzite cliffs in the background would give a dramatic affect to the panoramic.

I made a couple early morning excursions to A.Y.Jackson Lake but found the conditions not to my liking.The lighting was off and there was wind.I finally succeeded on the third try one morning were by the sky was cloudy and the wind calm.I knew I was in luck when I when I drove into the parking space at George Lake.The reflections were beautiful.A short hike brought me to A.Y.Jackson Lake and I was treated to an amazing scene before me. I set my tripod up on top of a rock and proceeded to take four overlapping photos.What really helped make this panoramic was the fog in the La Cloche Mountains.

I set the zoom at 65 mm and the shutter speed was set to 30 sec @ f22.That finishes this post for this week.So until next time happy trails.

Photography

Finally The Pay Off

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I woke up last Friday morning at 4:00 a.m. to a cloudy morning.It had rained that night.I loaded my photo gear and headed to Killarney Provincial Park.My destination was A.Y. Jackson Lake. The two previous trips had been unsuccessful.The road into Killarney was foggy at times and I had to slow down once for a deer crossing the road.I pulled into the parking lot on George Lake and before me were mirror images on the lake.I knew I had the possibility of some good shooting.I prayed that the wind would hold off.I quickly loaded my gear and hiked into Jackson Lake,being careful of slippery rocks.

I have to tell to that upon arrival at Jackson Lake I was treated to a spectacle that every photographer wants to see.My goal had been to get a panoramic on this lake.Well I will tell you it was before my eyes.We will discuss this later.There was fog on the La Cloche Mountains and later that morning the sun came out off and on.The above photo is a result of sun coming out and lighting up certain areas.It was a matter of watching and being ready.For the above photo I set the zoom at 44 mm  and the shutter speed was set to 1/4 sec @22

The highlight of the morning was being able to finally get a panoramic of Jackson Lake with the La Cloche Mountains in the background.The fog in the mountains really made this photo along with the wonderful lighting.

I proceed to capture a number of great shots this morning and by 9:00 a.m. the shooting was over as the wind finally picked up.I was tired but happy with a card full of great shots.You have to make many trips into these areas to get the shots you want and persistence does pay off. The Pano is below for your viewing.Be sure to click on the photo to see it fully.I am off on a two day trip into Killarney Provincial.So until next time happy trails

Photography

The Continuing Adventures in Killarney Provincial Park

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The other day I was phoning around to the various canoe rental locations in hope of buying a good used canoe at a reasonable price.On making contact with Killarney Outfitters I was told that they had a couple of Souris River Canoes Quetico 17 available.

I picked up my partner Paul Smith and we headed for Killarney to have a look at the canoes and do a evening shot while we were down there.Upon arrival at Killarney Outfitters,we were met by Ted East and we inspected the canoes for sale.We made arrangement to take out one of the Quetico 17s on George Lake in Killarney Provincial Park.

We proceeded to load the canoe with our gear and headed up the lake.The Quetico weighs in at only 44 pounds being made out of Kevlar. The canoe handled like a charm and was quite stable.

We paddled half way up the lake and sited a likely photographic location.Paul and I unloaded our photographic equipment and I set up for the shot you see above.It was still too early in the day for good lighting.One of the problems that kept occuring was a slight gusting of wind that caused a small ripple on the water making it hard to get good reflections on the water.I waited about four hours before I got the shot I wanted and it so happen to be the last one that I took after the sun went down.Towards late evening the Blackflies appeared around us but they did not seem in the mood to bite.

The above photo was taken with a zoom setting of  90 mm and the shutter speed was at 3.2 sec @ f22.

To pass the time waiting to get the right conditions to take my shot I am always looking for other potential shots.To my right was a rock cliff full of color and edges.But what made it unique was the small Juniper bush growing there.I got as close as I possibly could and composed the above shot.There is just a touch of sunlight on the bush to add some character.The black stain on the rocks is caused by the water flowing down from up above.This photo has a story to tell.It is about a small Juniper bush surviving on a cliff face made possible by the running water and the ledge that it is growing .To create this story I chose to keep  the Juniper small in size.This allowed me to create a relationship of the plant with its environment.The rocks create a very good color to offset the green Juniper along with the rugged cliff face.It  also shows how small the bush is in relationship to the cliff face.The black stain indicates that the Juniper get the water it needs along with sunlight that is required to survive in its environment.I used a small amount of water on the bottom left to show where the running water ends its journey. All in all a life of survival.

I shot the above photo with a zoom setting of 135 and the shutter speed set to 1/6 sec @ f11

For more info on the Quetico 17 go to this website.

http://www.sourisriver.com/quetico_17.html

The Killarney Outfitters can be found here.

http://www.killarneyoutfitters.com/

Well I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed writing it.So until next time happy trails.

Photography

A Spring day at Killarney Provincil Park

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I drove into Paul Smith’s yard and told him he had three choices,stay home and do his own thing,Go photographing Sandhill Cranes or go to Killarney.It did not take Paul long to make up his mind.Killarney it was.We both enjoyed a cup of coffee before hitting the road to Killarney.This was not a well planned trip as we did not pack any lunch or water.It was a spur of the moment adventure.

The sky was cloudy with a light breeze,but there was no rain in the forecast.I drove into the Killarney Provincial Park parking lot.We proceeded to walk into the office and store where Paul conversed with a park official whom he knew.He showed us where to go to get good scenic views on George Lake and off we went.I drove through the camping area down to the beach area and parked.I noticed that there was a few campers here.

We noticed a rock outcrop in a small bay and headed in that direction.I fell in love with the parallel lines the rocks made into the water and if you count you will find there are eight points projecting into the bay.I set up my camera and tripod to capture the angle that you see and I also photo tight.I did not want to show broad leaf trees as they are still bare at this time.The wind was very light so it was a matter of waiting for a calm moment to capture some reflection in the water.I probably spent an hour and a half in this set up as the lighting kept changing.I shot the above photo with a zoom setting of 70 mm, the shutter speed set to 1/6 sec @ f22,I was able to capture this pleasing composition.

Walking along the beach I noticed two rocks positioned one ahead of the other in front of a point of land.The water was calm and the reflection was perfect.I took three shots here to create a panoramic. I also kept things tight here as there was swathes of leafless trees in the background.I shot this series of photos with a zoom setting of 100 mm nd the shutter speed set at 0.3 sec @ f22.

As I scanned the far shoreline I noticed this beautiful rock reflecting into the water.But what really caught my eye was the clump of birches also reflecting into the water.I put the two elements together in this photo by adjusting the position of the camera and tripod  and came up with this composition.Unfortunately there is a dock in front of the rock,but I can live with it.

The Poplar are now in flower while the Maple and Oaks have a reddish tinge to them now.It will not be long until Spring will be in full swing.Please check out my good friend Jan Winther’s new photographic blog.I am sure you will enjoy it.

http://imagesbyjw.com/

So until next time,happy trails.