Tag Archives: Reflections

Photography

Catch The Light

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By catching the light you can create an almost three – dimensional look to your photo.By utilization of the rock structure and evergreen trees to create the effect.Look at the evergreen trees and you will see that they really stand out as the result of the lighting upon them.The shadows around the lighted branches create this wonderful effect.This photo was taken at day break so you had very calm water with lovely reflections adding to the depth you wanted.By being patient and watching what is happening around you,the landscape is ever-changing in terms of the lighting.As the sunrises the light patterns will change.In this particular scene the sun is casting a lovely beam of light on the left side of the photo to highlight the trees.Yet still maintaining shadows in the middle of the photo.In turn this is all reflected on to the water’s surface.

As the morning progresses the whole scene will be lit up and you will lose the balance of shadows and light.I think this is very important if you want to take your photography to the next level.To recognize the lighting before you along with the shadows.You must know the area you are photographing.The direction of lighting at that time of day.Be patient. These shots are not available everyday.But with persistence you will be rewarded.

I captured this scene last Spring on A Y Jackson Lake in Killarney Provincial Park.By setting my Canon 7d on a tripod I was able to capture a great many shots as the conditions changed by staying in the same setup. The above photo also consists to two photos joined together.

Well that is it for this week.I hope everyone had a great Christmas as my family had.I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving comments.So until next week 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

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

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
Photography

Daybreak Part 3

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From out of nowhere,a wandering wind

Dances here and there on the lake surface

Rippling the water,distorting the mirrored reflections

The mist has cleared,the spell is broken

The hills are ablaze in a coat of many colors

The doe has returned from whence she came

The wind has strengthened

The lake in turmoil

Thus ends a magical morning

A rare glimpse of Mother Earth’s enchantment

To stir the soul with peace and tranquility

To be cherished forever more

Let us preserve this valuable commodity given to us

That our children and grandchildren

May enjoy for years to come.

Thus ends my poem that I hope you can all enjoy.So until next time happy trails

Photography

Daybreak Part 2

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The Loon is calling for it’s mate, lost in the mist

The sun is now casting it’s first golden rays

The scattered islands emerge from their nightly vigil

The Four Sisters like sleeping giants

Emerge from the morning mist

Their rounded tops ablaze in red

To meet the dawning of a new day

Out of the mist comes the loon with a flash of wings

To greet the emerging day

With a swirl of wings,four small ducks

Alight among the islands to partake in a morning feed

A whitetail doe emerges from the forest

Ever watchful as she steps to the water’s edge

Dips her head to spate her thirst

When I had first paddled OSA Lake with my wife Maureen,we spotted four rounded rocky tops on the South side of the lake.I was quite taken with the view we had and I jokingly called them the Four Sisters.My wife just smiled and we have called these rock formations that are part of the La Cloche Mountain system by that name ever since.I am not aware as to whether they actually have a name.I am bound and determine to capture this scenic view but will have to wait another year.I captured them in outline but not in detail.

The above photo was taken from the same setup as the photo in the previous post.By waiting and being patient you will get a number of different lighting conditions as the morning progresses.It is quite remarkable to watch this happen while you sit spellbound and in awe of what is happening before you.

That is it for this post.So until next time happy Trails

Photography

Daybreak

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The surface of the lake is like an enchanted mirror

The lake is bathed in reflected images of the surrounding shorelines.

The sun has yet to crest the Eastern horizon

There is mist among the scattered islands

The isles appear as ghostly silhouettes,guardians of the lake

The La Cloche Mountains hidden behind a veil of mist

Awaiting the warmth of the morning light

From out of the mist,the lonely call of the Common Loon can be heard

I thought I would do something different this post.I am not a poet.I thought I would put down the above thoughts as they came to me while I viewed this photo in print.It was truly an enchanting morning in the wilderness on OSA Lake in Killarney Provincial Park.It took a four day and a five day trip into OSA to capture this photo along with others.

That is it for this post.Happy trails.

Photography

A Magic Moment in Time

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Paul Smith and I spent a lazy afternoon on the beach enjoying the beautiful warm weather as we waited for the evening photo shot.At this time of year with the days becoming shorter it is no longer a long wait.It is so enjoyable to sit by the water observing the lighting and ever changing conditions.Paul and I sat at one of the picnic tables.People were coming and going.In most cases we would chat with them.One Japanese gentleman approached us and we had a discussion on photography.

Paul and I met Michal Podwapinski on the beach later in the afternoon.Michal had just finished a 2 week hike around the park.We spent a pleasant couple hours as Michal talked about his 2 week hike.

By this time evening was approaching.Paul and I quickly got ourselves set up for the evening shot.I returned to the same location as the photo in the previous post.We had some nice clouds available plus color.What also was interesting was that as the sun dropped below the horizon there was a nice reddish tinge in the sky.This in turn caused the beautiful reddish glow on the rocks.You have to be quick with your set up in these conditions as that magic moment will only last a very short period of time.Again being in the right place and time.It is called a magic moment in time.You must be able to recognize these conditions and act upon it.I believe this is what separates the good photographers from the ordinary photographers.

This lighting probably lasted for all of about 15 to 20 minutes and then was gone.Paul and I finally decided to call it a day.We had succeeded in getting some wonderful photos on a extraordinary day.We enjoyed conversing with other people at the park that day.It was just one of those Fall days where everything fell in place and was just enjoyable to be there.

So until next time happy trails.

Photography

A Stroll on The Beach

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I picked up Paul Smith at 5:30 am.We arrived at George Lake in Killarney Provincial Park to a calm foggy morning.A photographer’s dream.The lighting was great,the colors were saturated along with the fog to create that mystic mood.The only thing missing was the fall colors.It seems that we may be a week or so from peak color.

At times the fog became too heavy.I strolled the beach looking for other opportunities.The rain started to fall quite heavy.At this time I met Roxanne Driedger who is an artist from Huntsville.I spent a nice half hour or so talking to Roxanne and her husband at there campsite.Thanks for the coffee folks.Roxanne is a very good artist and you can check out her portfollio at http://www.paintingsby roxanne.weebly.com

By now the rain had stopped,but the fog was very heavy.I set up for the above photo.It was just a case of waiting for the right moment and for the fog to ease off. I captured the above photo with its amazing lighting.The fog created an interesting window in the background that I truly love. This photo has a softness to it along with very good mood and peacefulness.

It was an incredible day as the wind was light and the lighting was exceptional.That is it for today.So until next time happy trails

Photography

My Lady and I

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Monday morning at 6:00 a.m. we loaded our Ford Explorer and head for Killarney Provincial Park.This was my wife Maureen’s first canoeing trip in 34 years.We were going into the Park for 5 days for an extended stay on David Lake. I have been looking forward to this trip for some time.We arrived at our destination Bell Lake, our jump off point.It was a beautiful morning with very calm water.We proceeded to load all of our gear into the canoe and were soon ready to launch.

We made good progress t to the first portage.Maureen and I carried our packs over the 745 m portage with a return trip to bring up the canoe.By this time Maureen was a little sore so we took a break before loading the canoe and moving on.After a short rest enjoying the scenery we head to the next portage of 200 m. Where upon we moved our gear over to David Lake.The wind was relatively calm making for excellent canoeing and we soon arrived at our campsite.Once camp was set up we proceeded to boil up a nice cup of coffee with a sandwich.

The conditions were not much good that evening for photographing as the wind never let up.At this time of year the temperature will drop by nightfall and become quite cool.With a warm fire going and a mug of hot chocolate in our hands it was a cosy evening.Maureen was stiff and sore by now but happy to be here.It was not long before we were both tired and ready for bed.

I awoke about 4 a.m. to heavy rain pounding on our tent along with thunder and lighting.The storm passed over rather quickly.We both rolled over and went back to sleep.I got up around 6 a.m. and quickly went back to bed as the wind was blowing fast moving cloud cover with a coolness in the air.

Tuesday turned out to be not a good day in terms of photographing.It was a cold windy day with heavy cloud coverWe had each brought a book with us to help pass the day.Maureen and I did a bit of canoeing that evening exploring along the lake shore.At this time of year it gets dark early.For us that meant early to bed and early to rise.

Wednesday morning dawned and I grabbed my photo equipment to see what I could come up with.There was still a slight breeze rippling the water but I managed to get the above shot.At this time of year there is mist on the water along with some fall colors.I believe that full fall color will not happen for another week.This area that I photographed is one of my favourite locations.I had about 15 minutes to shot and made the most of it.

That is it for now. I want to thank everyone for there nice comments it is much appreciated as I enjoy sharing my experiences and photos with everyone.I also would like to take this opportunity to say that my wife was doing great on this trip and has come through like a real trooper.So until next time happy trails.