Photo of the Week 2013-01-28

Sunday morning began just like most other Sundays, I was up at 5:00 am, made coffee, sat and read in the living room for a bit before heading downstairs to the PC to work on some images. After a while, I heard Lynn up and she came down and asked when I wanted to go for our hike. I'd been away at an out of town hockey tournament Friday and Saturday and had promised her we would go for a hike when I was back. Obviously she was not going to let me forget ;-)

Since Murphy needed his morning walk, we decided to go as soon as we could be ready. Driving south of Guelph, we could see a hoar frost covering everything and backlit with the morning sun. I was hopeful we could reach the location I had in mind before the sun would rise too high. Lynn had no idea where we going until I pulled up to park on the road beside the sign at the entrance to Fletcher Creek.

cold blue dawn

As we entered the preserve, I was immediately struck by the magical feel with the sun backlighting all the branches and grasses. I began looking for a spot were the sun was streaming over the cedars to illuminate an area otherwise surrounded by dark and found this ... mission accomplished.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2013-01-21

New locations stimulate my photographic vision. There is nothing like something fresh, something new to explore, to spark creative energies.

Recent conversations with another photographer in our group led to a discussion about Fletcher Creek Ecological Preserve and after an initial reconnaissance last weekend, I returned on Saturday morning with a couple of companions. Here, a leisurely walk of more than 2 kilometers each way on the main trail leads you through Savannah-like open areas, swamps, cedar and hardwood forests adjacent to a rehabilitated limestone quarry.

Roughly half way along the trail from the parking area, a small stream, cold and crystal clear exits from a wetland fed by springs just a short distance north. As my companions explored the other side of the trail, I was drawn to the sound of fresh running water and the cool glow of the jewel like ice formations in the shade at the edge of the forest.
 

the beginning

From quiet beginnings this stream forms the headwaters of Spencer Creek which flows south to join Cootes Paradise and eventually Lake Ontario. There will be more visits to Fletcher Creek, may the "newness" fade slowly ... very slowly.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2013-01-14

I'm finding that a significant portion of the images making the cut from my recent outings are those made with a longer focal length. This allows me to isolate an element or portion of the scene that I see before me. A good example is this image made at Ragged Falls during my recent trip to Algonquin Park and the surrounding area.

This falls is long and cascading with access at various levels possible providing you exercise caution and work your way slowly over the terrain. For this image, I managed to get down a level or two from the top of the falls and use a medium telephoto zoom lens to shoot back across one of the small pools of tea coloured water.

Running Ragged

I find it intriguing how creating landscape images this way results in an intimate and incomplete presentation of the scene, allowing the viewer to use their imagination to complete the picture in their mind's eye.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2013-01-07

There are some that tell me that I have a "knack" or "an eye" for making images, that I see things differently, find interesting in the everyday ...

While this may be true, just as importantly, as I seek to advance my photography I spend more time looking, listening and feeling what is around me. Many of my images will show scenes and details in nature but there are also those from more urban settings and of friends and family. Whether it's flickering light through a winter forest, the sparkle in an eye, the rustling of fall leaves, friendly laughter or the warmth of the sun's rays, to an increasing  degree I am successfully opening up to my surroundings and allowing myself to respond by capturing what it is that moves me.

As I progress on this journey, I am learning to listen not only with my ears, but with my eyes, my heart and my soul. The things that I hear move me deeply.   

just walk and listen ...

" the earth has music for those who listen " 
                                     William Shakespeare

DJE

First Light 2013

For the 5th year, I took part in a photo challenge to capture "First Light" of the new year. "First Light" being at or as close to official sunrise as possible regardless of whether the sun is actually visible. The idea was floated by a good friend not long after we had met through the on line photo community. He had been going solo in past years and invited me along. I'm glad he did.

The first year was a little rough because I had been out celebrating with friends in the neighbourhood and got home late (or early depending on how you look at it). I managed to rise for the occasion and realized that I was in no shape to drive anywhere so I just walked down the street in a blizzard until something representing "First Light" caught my eye. In subsequent years I have planned better and refrained from over celebrating.

This year, we decided to meet on the UofG Campus and see what we could capture.

Johnston Rising to First Light

Another year, another tradition. Capturing First Light at the invitation of a friend. This year, UofG Johnston Hall Clock Tower at Sunrise, 7:54 am. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE !
I wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Safe 2013. 

DJE