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Father's Day, a day when it feels very appropriate to talk about photography, since it was my father that introduced me to it, way back when ...
Going through the collection of family photos, of which I now have the privilege to be custodian, it proved a bit of a challenge to find a suitable one of my dad to scan and post. Dad was always the one behind the camera, I mean ALWAYS. On a rare occasion, he might hand the camera to someone or set it up for a "selfie but there are not a lot of prints of him that have survived compared to his vacation photos and of course those of my mother, his favourite subject (I posted one that he took of her for Mother's Day).
I chose an oldie, but I've always liked this one, the style, the strut, John, a young man who I would later gratefully know as Dad.
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| John |
(If you're listening Dad) Thanks for getting me started, teaching me the basics and buying me that first (second and third) camera ... and thanks for a whole lot more ...
DJE
While there have been periods where I have struggled and thought I would never make another good image, so far I've been able to work through them. I'm usually able to find inspiration in a location or in a subject from a weekend outing to produce an image for this weekly blog post. If not, there is always my library of images to turn to. Writing for the blog on the other hand is different. I cannot say that the writing comes easy ... ever. Sometimes it's easier, but never really easy ... so this week, lacking something insightful to say, I have just a little on the background to the photograph I've chosen.
Lynn and I had been planning another day trip to one of my favourite places in Ontario, the Bruce Peninsula. With a forecast that looked promising we left early in the morning and as it turned out, the closer we got to the Bruce, the better the weather became. After stopping briefly in Hope Bay and Barrow Bay on the east, we arrived at Lion's head and decided to stretch our legs. Walking down to the beach, I pointed out the harbour lighthouse and mentioned to Lynn that it was the subject of one of my photos in last year's calendar and suggested that we pick up something to eat at the local grocery for a picnic at the marina facilities where we could look out over Georgian Bay.
As we sat and enjoyed lunch under clear skies, we watched and I made a number of images of some sailboats just off the harbour entrance and along the escarpment bluff. For the one below, I zoomed in with the lens on my 7D to isolate just one boat keeping the clouds and horizon dominant in the frame, creating a feeling of isolation. I softened the skies and water in post processing to create a serene effect
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| still sailing |
Later as we made our way along one of the country roads to the west side, I noticed some wildflowers at the roadside and stopped to make a few images. For these, I used processing to give them a slight painterly effect.
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| roadside painting |
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| Blue-eyed Grass |
Enjoy your week.
DJE
Where to go and what to do ...
Spring weather has been unsettled to say the least, and plans for the weekend were dependent on a forecast that kept changing and as experience has taught, is unreliable. With an 80% chance of rain staring us in the face, Lynn and I made the call on Friday to cancel a Saturday outing to the Bruce Peninsula.
My fall back photo outing plan was to join friends Alan and Patrick on a trek to show Patrick one of the local trails he had not seen. That plan too was slightly altered when morning brought traces of lingering mist and turned our photo thoughts to moody river scenes ... but again plans changed as the mist quickly disappeared and we settled in to battle the mosquitoes along the Eramosa River section or the Royal Recreation Trail.
We walked, no, strolled along the riverside trails, off the main path. Time passed unnoticed amongst conversation of yes photography, but also life, family and nature. Along the trail we encountered a toad, wild garlic mustard, Tamarack, Manitoba Maple, Giant Hogweed and geese with their goslings.
Of course there was the light ... photography is all about the light. It's always about the light. When the light is right, it stops a photographer in their tracks and commands them to take notice. It distracts and dominates. It speaks, it whispers it shouts, until it has their attention.
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| leafen glow |
The glow on the fresh green leaves (that reminded Patrick of basil) reached out and grabbed me as I passed. It drew me in, literally into the area off the trail to catch the satin like texture of the glowing leaves ... and into a swam of mosquitoes (thank-you Deet).
DJE
