Farewell 2014
New adventures await ...
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| trails less travelled |
2014-12-28
2014-12-22
Merry Christmas ! - Photo of the Week 2014-12-22
MERRY CHRISTMAS and Happy Holiday Season !
The electronic version of this year's Christmas Card.
I individually craft my greeting cards. What do I mean by that? Well I layout and format the text and verse, if there is one. Each card is printed individually on archival paper stock cut and scored specifically for greeting cards. For printing the text I use my home office printer, then I reload the sheets individually into my Epson Professional Photo Printer and print the photo on each one myself. I set them out to dry before hand folding and there you have it.
It's something I choose to do rather than order my cards from printing service that uses automated processes. Each of my cards has a little of my personal touch.
Enjoy time with family, friends and loved ones over the holidays everyone.
DJE
I individually craft my greeting cards. What do I mean by that? Well I layout and format the text and verse, if there is one. Each card is printed individually on archival paper stock cut and scored specifically for greeting cards. For printing the text I use my home office printer, then I reload the sheets individually into my Epson Professional Photo Printer and print the photo on each one myself. I set them out to dry before hand folding and there you have it.
It's something I choose to do rather than order my cards from printing service that uses automated processes. Each of my cards has a little of my personal touch.
Enjoy time with family, friends and loved ones over the holidays everyone.
DJE
2014-12-15
Photo of the Week 2014-12-15
A chance meeting Saturday morning at the Tobermory Farmer's Market Christmas Sale led to some great intelligence for my wildlife photography. While there, I heard two people talking about the number of Snowy Owl's in the area. I interrupted the conversation, introduced myself and listened intently. Another person entered the conversation and the next thing you know I had a plan for Sunday morning.
I left the cottage in the dark before sunrise with the weather heavy. The morning light was very dull making it necessary to bump up the ISO for decent exposure settings but I was treated to a sighting within minutes of reaching my intended location. A male Snowy was perched on a fencepost a hundred or so metres out in a field so I pulled the vehicle over, grabbed a few quick images, then sat back and poured some hot tea from my thermos to wait.
Eventually he moved on to a utility pole, across a field and then courteously perched on a dead tree stump making for a perfect environmental portrait setting. Fortunately, I was able to get relatively close access from a local dead-end county road and make a number of images, but still from a fair distance.
I managed to see 2 other Snowy's in the same area, but distance and crappy light remained a challenge preventing me from making any better images.
I'm going to have fun getting to know these beauties this winter.
DJE
I left the cottage in the dark before sunrise with the weather heavy. The morning light was very dull making it necessary to bump up the ISO for decent exposure settings but I was treated to a sighting within minutes of reaching my intended location. A male Snowy was perched on a fencepost a hundred or so metres out in a field so I pulled the vehicle over, grabbed a few quick images, then sat back and poured some hot tea from my thermos to wait.
Eventually he moved on to a utility pole, across a field and then courteously perched on a dead tree stump making for a perfect environmental portrait setting. Fortunately, I was able to get relatively close access from a local dead-end county road and make a number of images, but still from a fair distance.
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| sitting pretty |
I'm going to have fun getting to know these beauties this winter.
DJE
2014-12-08
Photo of the Week 2014-12-08
The eyes of a Master ...
A portrait of Michelangelo sketched by Daniele da Volterra welcomes you on a video screen as you enter, Michelangelo: Quest for Genius at the AGO
I was immediately struck by the soulfulness that da Volterra had captured in Michelangelo's eyes.
My visit to Florence last year kindled a desire to learn more about Michelangelo. I'm currently reading "The Agony and the Ecstasy", the biographical novel by Irving Stone. So when I heard Michelangelo: Quest for Genius was on at the AGO, I immediately made plans to go.
The sketches by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni on exhibit offer some insight into the process of a master. It's really a "behind the scenes "look at his approach and the process that likely preceded the creation of his well known masterpieces.
Surprisingly, photography (no flash) was permitted in the exhibit and I had my little EOS M along for the occasion. I made a few photographs of the sketches on display, to go along with those from my visit to Florence as creative inspiration from the Master.
DJE
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| Michelangelo by Daniele da Volterra |
I was immediately struck by the soulfulness that da Volterra had captured in Michelangelo's eyes.
My visit to Florence last year kindled a desire to learn more about Michelangelo. I'm currently reading "The Agony and the Ecstasy", the biographical novel by Irving Stone. So when I heard Michelangelo: Quest for Genius was on at the AGO, I immediately made plans to go.
The sketches by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni on exhibit offer some insight into the process of a master. It's really a "behind the scenes "look at his approach and the process that likely preceded the creation of his well known masterpieces.
Surprisingly, photography (no flash) was permitted in the exhibit and I had my little EOS M along for the occasion. I made a few photographs of the sketches on display, to go along with those from my visit to Florence as creative inspiration from the Master.
2014-12-01
Photo of the Week 2014-12-01
It was BLAH weather at the cottage this weekend and I needed something a little different to stir the creative juices. I've been thinking about converting my Canon EOS M for infrared (IR) photography and decided to give it a whirl with some IR filters to see how it handled. Dull overcast days are not a good time to work with IR but hey, I needed to play around.
There's this little scene at the side of our cottage road that speaks to me every time I pass by so I decided to set up there for this little trial.
The first thing I experienced was extraordinarily long shutter speeds. I already know that using a non-converted camera with IR filters on the lens will require long shutter speeds in the range of 15-30 seconds to overcome the internal IR cut filter. But wow ... with the dull, overcast day and starting first with an 850nm filter I was 4 minutes f/5.6 ISO 3200 and I found lack sharpness to be an issue. I think it was mostly a focus shift issue and not being able to determine how much focus shift adjustment was required or at least not taking enough 4 minute exposures to get the right focus by trial and error. Now the 850nm filter really blocks a lot of light only allowing the longer wavelength IR to pass so I dropped down to the 720nm filter which would let in a smidgen more light overall.
With the 720nm filter, I still required a 2 minute exposure with f/5.6, ISO 1600 so the blustery wind played havoc with my subject, moving the spruce and cedar branches causing them to blur, but it can be an nice effect so I carried on and ended up with something interesting ... I think.
Working with an IR converted camera can be a lot more convenient depending on the particular camera type and features. A converted EOS M will show me the IR image on it's live view screen and should be able to focus without a recalibration since it uses the actual imaging sensor to focus, unlike my DSLR's which use a separate focus sensor. The "M" is also a nice compact package that will be easy to include in my kit along with the adapter that allows it to use all my EF mount lenses :-D
Now the only questions are which IR range to I get it converted to and which conversion service do I use .... hmmmmmm
DJE
There's this little scene at the side of our cottage road that speaks to me every time I pass by so I decided to set up there for this little trial.
The first thing I experienced was extraordinarily long shutter speeds. I already know that using a non-converted camera with IR filters on the lens will require long shutter speeds in the range of 15-30 seconds to overcome the internal IR cut filter. But wow ... with the dull, overcast day and starting first with an 850nm filter I was 4 minutes f/5.6 ISO 3200 and I found lack sharpness to be an issue. I think it was mostly a focus shift issue and not being able to determine how much focus shift adjustment was required or at least not taking enough 4 minute exposures to get the right focus by trial and error. Now the 850nm filter really blocks a lot of light only allowing the longer wavelength IR to pass so I dropped down to the 720nm filter which would let in a smidgen more light overall.
With the 720nm filter, I still required a 2 minute exposure with f/5.6, ISO 1600 so the blustery wind played havoc with my subject, moving the spruce and cedar branches causing them to blur, but it can be an nice effect so I carried on and ended up with something interesting ... I think.
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| I R Spruce Out of Rock |
Working with an IR converted camera can be a lot more convenient depending on the particular camera type and features. A converted EOS M will show me the IR image on it's live view screen and should be able to focus without a recalibration since it uses the actual imaging sensor to focus, unlike my DSLR's which use a separate focus sensor. The "M" is also a nice compact package that will be easy to include in my kit along with the adapter that allows it to use all my EF mount lenses :-D
Now the only questions are which IR range to I get it converted to and which conversion service do I use .... hmmmmmm
DJE
2014-11-24
Photo of the Week 2014-11-24
I read a lot about photography. I also listen to photography podcasts while driving for work. This provides quite a bit of information to take in and as you can imagine, a lot of it is repetitive, some contradictory, some garbage, some really useful. In a small portion I pick up some gems.
I was reminded of one of the gems recently, while going through my images selecting candidates for this year's Christmas card ... and then again a short wile after while I was reading an online article. It has slight variations, basically the suggestion is to go through your images some time after they were made. Some say not to look at your images for a few days, weeks or even months because the emotional attachment from the experience, holiday, event, etc. will fade and you will be able to look at the images more objectively. Others suggest that you should not bee too quick to purge those unfocused, slightly off, badly composed or exposed disappointments, that you should return to the photos sometime later. The thought here being that your processing skills or creative vision could change or improve and alter your opinion of a previously discounted image.
This was somewhat the case for me as I was reviewing images for the card. Here's the background from the time as I recall it today.
Almost a year ago, heading to the cottage with a couple of friends for a few days of winter photography, we were driving on Grey Rd 3 approaching Hwy 21. It had been dull and heavily overcast for our morning drive until the sun broke through and kissed the ice covered branches of the trees out across the field ... we stopped the car and scrambled to get our shots before the magic disappeared.
As luck would have it, I wasn't able to get into a position to compose and "hide" the utility lines running through the image. These kinds of visual disturbances in an image bother me. The light lasted only a minutes at best and the magic was gone. On my initial review of the files I was very unhappy that the lines were there and discounted the image as a candidate for any further consideration.
Roll the clock forward almost a year, and as I was scrolling through the image catalog I stopped and looked again. With different emotion, I decided that I could and would do something with it. Some quick Photoshop to touch up the upper wire (now gone) and a distant communications tower and I'm OK with this. One lower line is still there but not so much of a distracting intrusion as I once felt it was.
DJE
I was reminded of one of the gems recently, while going through my images selecting candidates for this year's Christmas card ... and then again a short wile after while I was reading an online article. It has slight variations, basically the suggestion is to go through your images some time after they were made. Some say not to look at your images for a few days, weeks or even months because the emotional attachment from the experience, holiday, event, etc. will fade and you will be able to look at the images more objectively. Others suggest that you should not bee too quick to purge those unfocused, slightly off, badly composed or exposed disappointments, that you should return to the photos sometime later. The thought here being that your processing skills or creative vision could change or improve and alter your opinion of a previously discounted image.
This was somewhat the case for me as I was reviewing images for the card. Here's the background from the time as I recall it today.
Almost a year ago, heading to the cottage with a couple of friends for a few days of winter photography, we were driving on Grey Rd 3 approaching Hwy 21. It had been dull and heavily overcast for our morning drive until the sun broke through and kissed the ice covered branches of the trees out across the field ... we stopped the car and scrambled to get our shots before the magic disappeared.
As luck would have it, I wasn't able to get into a position to compose and "hide" the utility lines running through the image. These kinds of visual disturbances in an image bother me. The light lasted only a minutes at best and the magic was gone. On my initial review of the files I was very unhappy that the lines were there and discounted the image as a candidate for any further consideration.
Roll the clock forward almost a year, and as I was scrolling through the image catalog I stopped and looked again. With different emotion, I decided that I could and would do something with it. Some quick Photoshop to touch up the upper wire (now gone) and a distant communications tower and I'm OK with this. One lower line is still there but not so much of a distracting intrusion as I once felt it was.
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| sun kissed |
2014-11-17
Photo of the Week 2014-11-17
This year, snow has come early where I live, even earlier and in greater amount to one of my favourite places in this province, the Bruce. Lynn and I were treated with a fresh covering of snow and crisp air when we arrived at the cottage late Friday night.
For me this does not mark the "end" of warmer weather, it marks the "start" of refreshing morning walks, invigorating hikes and quiet peaceful times at the cottage. As usual, I was up before daylight both Saturday and Sunday, putting on the coffee, opening blinds to be greeted by the darkened canvas that would slowly brighten to develop the scene outside. A light blanket of snow, swaying trees, blustery wind and the rough cold water of the bay stirred anticipation of an early morning walk down the road. While others might grab a blanket and settle in to a spot by the fire, or some even return to bed, I was eager to get out and make some images in the snow covered freshness of late fall.
Once Lynn had risen to join me and Murphy had clearly indicated he wanted to get out, we traded the warmth of the cottage for the gentle nip of dawn under heavy skies. Breathing deeply in the clean crispness of the air, we all silently acknowledged how we love to experience the change of seasons. I don't know what I would do if I were elsewhere on this orb, away from natures changing moods.
Though I was keen to make some images showing the first (for us) snow on the Bruce, it was a scene tucked away beside the road, were waters from fall rains still drained away, that pulled me to make an image in the bush.
DJE
For me this does not mark the "end" of warmer weather, it marks the "start" of refreshing morning walks, invigorating hikes and quiet peaceful times at the cottage. As usual, I was up before daylight both Saturday and Sunday, putting on the coffee, opening blinds to be greeted by the darkened canvas that would slowly brighten to develop the scene outside. A light blanket of snow, swaying trees, blustery wind and the rough cold water of the bay stirred anticipation of an early morning walk down the road. While others might grab a blanket and settle in to a spot by the fire, or some even return to bed, I was eager to get out and make some images in the snow covered freshness of late fall.
Once Lynn had risen to join me and Murphy had clearly indicated he wanted to get out, we traded the warmth of the cottage for the gentle nip of dawn under heavy skies. Breathing deeply in the clean crispness of the air, we all silently acknowledged how we love to experience the change of seasons. I don't know what I would do if I were elsewhere on this orb, away from natures changing moods.
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| in the bush |
Though I was keen to make some images showing the first (for us) snow on the Bruce, it was a scene tucked away beside the road, were waters from fall rains still drained away, that pulled me to make an image in the bush.
DJE
2014-11-10
Photo of the Week 2014-11-10
It's Movember !
... and Matt was home to visit his mother for her birthday with a furry addition. Since I've been wanting to work on my portrait lighting skills, I couldn't let him get away without grabbing a quick "one-light" portrait while he was here.
He had a running start with the moustache for Movember and everyone who's seen the image says he looks like a throwback to the '70's. Me too ... I think I can remember the 70`s ;-)
Since I was happy with the results of Matt`s portrait and the lighting gear was still out, I decided to document my Movember moustache progress as of day 7. The goal is to get to the end of the month without trimming any of the length. We'll see how I do .... scratch, scratch, scratch.
For the lighting setup, I used one light 45* off subject and slightly above eye level, feathered across the face with slight reflector fill from opposite side. Lighting styles can be the subject of much discussion and critique. A few years back I posted a self portrait made with one light and I received a number of suggestions for fill light, hair light, background light etc, etc, etc. All of which were valid, had I been looking for a different result.
Conventional wisdom says you should know the rules and be proficient with them before you decide to knowingly break them but I'm pleased with the results here. And I'm becoming fond of this style of lighting for headshots.
I'm always open to suggestions and help to improve my images, but I still find it interesting that most unsolicited "help" is offered without knowing what I was trying to accomplish. More often than not the suggestions are aligned with creating image according to some formula with little if any consideration for individual creativity or a different look.
DJE
... and Matt was home to visit his mother for her birthday with a furry addition. Since I've been wanting to work on my portrait lighting skills, I couldn't let him get away without grabbing a quick "one-light" portrait while he was here.
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| Mo Bro' Matt |
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| Mo Bro' Me - day 7 |
For the lighting setup, I used one light 45* off subject and slightly above eye level, feathered across the face with slight reflector fill from opposite side. Lighting styles can be the subject of much discussion and critique. A few years back I posted a self portrait made with one light and I received a number of suggestions for fill light, hair light, background light etc, etc, etc. All of which were valid, had I been looking for a different result.
Conventional wisdom says you should know the rules and be proficient with them before you decide to knowingly break them but I'm pleased with the results here. And I'm becoming fond of this style of lighting for headshots.
I'm always open to suggestions and help to improve my images, but I still find it interesting that most unsolicited "help" is offered without knowing what I was trying to accomplish. More often than not the suggestions are aligned with creating image according to some formula with little if any consideration for individual creativity or a different look.
DJE
2014-11-03
Photo of the Week 2014-11-03
I got away to the cottage for a night to take care of a couple of things I wanted to get done in case the snow arrived early. One of those things was getting the snowblower that I had serviced in Ferndale. I made this trip solo to have room in the vehicle to pick it up on the way.
Tobermory and the cottage is a quiet place once Labour Day weekend is over, even more so after Thanksgiving has come and gone. This trip it was beyond quiet, with Lynn and Murphy at home, it was just me, alone with my thoughts.
On Sunday morning, those thoughts turned to the Photo of the Week and "what was I going to choose this week?" I poured another coffee and went to sit by the window in my favourite chair to give it some thought. After a while my mind wandered off ...
... and when it came back, I decided to try and capture what had just happened in an image.
DJE
Tobermory and the cottage is a quiet place once Labour Day weekend is over, even more so after Thanksgiving has come and gone. This trip it was beyond quiet, with Lynn and Murphy at home, it was just me, alone with my thoughts.
On Sunday morning, those thoughts turned to the Photo of the Week and "what was I going to choose this week?" I poured another coffee and went to sit by the window in my favourite chair to give it some thought. After a while my mind wandered off ...
... and when it came back, I decided to try and capture what had just happened in an image.
DJE
2014-10-27
Photo of the Week 2014-10-27
Sometimes it is the simple, every-day sights that bring the most pleasure.
Recently, after leaving the hotel on the last day of a business trip in SW Ontario, I was taken by the sight of the morning sky and stopped to sit and finish my coffee while it took it in ...
... and of course I had a camera with me.
DJE
Recently, after leaving the hotel on the last day of a business trip in SW Ontario, I was taken by the sight of the morning sky and stopped to sit and finish my coffee while it took it in ...
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| morning sky |
DJE
2014-10-20
Photo of the Week 2014-10-20
Early Sunday afternoon I took some time for a reflective walkabout on my way home from visiting with my mother. I've written about Scotsdale Farm before (see blog post 2012-03-12), but it had been a while since I last visited and this time I was doing a bit of reconnaissance for an upcoming photo session.
The weather had been overcast since leaving the house just after sunrise, but as I began my walk around the grounds, the sun started to push through breaking cloud cover and made the fall leaves glow. I wandered for a while, slipping back and forth between personal introspection and artistic reflection. The time passed quickly and while there and I had the good fortune of meeting Richard from the recently established Friends of Scotsdale Farm, who interrupted his chores to indulge me in a short chat.
This week's image was made along the main trail leading away from the barn and pond. It's a great place for a walk to clear your mind, in fall or any other season ...
DJE
The weather had been overcast since leaving the house just after sunrise, but as I began my walk around the grounds, the sun started to push through breaking cloud cover and made the fall leaves glow. I wandered for a while, slipping back and forth between personal introspection and artistic reflection. The time passed quickly and while there and I had the good fortune of meeting Richard from the recently established Friends of Scotsdale Farm, who interrupted his chores to indulge me in a short chat.
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| Scotsdale Fall Trail |
DJE
2014-10-13
Photo of the Week 2014-10-13
As we celebrate the Canadian Thanksgiving, autumn colours are near their peak. On the Bruce, that means a plethora of yellow and gold from the poplar, birch and aspen, mixed with the green of the cedar, spruce and tamarack that this still waiting to turn.
I've been looking forward to this time of year, waiting to make some artistic images using intentional camera movement. I had the golden-green landscape in mind, particularly a stand of birch or aspen with yellow leaves against the green of the cedars.
Below is one sample of what can be created with this technique. It has an abstract feeling, with sense of texture created from the light and movement of the individual leaves.
This image just might find it's way onto a canvas and ultimately one of our walls.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING !
DJE
I've been looking forward to this time of year, waiting to make some artistic images using intentional camera movement. I had the golden-green landscape in mind, particularly a stand of birch or aspen with yellow leaves against the green of the cedars.
Below is one sample of what can be created with this technique. It has an abstract feeling, with sense of texture created from the light and movement of the individual leaves.
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| aspen shift |
This image just might find it's way onto a canvas and ultimately one of our walls.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING !
DJE
2014-10-06
Photo of the week 2014-10-06
It had been a few weeks since I was last out walking the trails with the other "Amigos". The three of us had agreed on the area around Dundas for a photo walk followed by a visit to one of the locations on the studio tour taking place there this past weekend.
We set out in hope of fall colour and cooperative light and although the colours are not yet quite at their peak in this area, we found enough of interest to photograph. Oddly enough, on this outing the image that I worked hardest to capture was in B&W, made at a section of trail that descends to a bridge over Logies Creek and the Tews Falls lookout. Thick dark branches from several grand old maple trees overhang a rail fence and the trail at this point.
Turning a corner coming off a side trail, the scene came immediately into view, urging for a B&W rendition. I raised one camera and adjusted it for a B&W capture, then fired off a couple of frames. When I reviewed the images, they were severely overexposed yet gave an appealing effect. I checked the settings and found exposure compensation at +2 1/3 stops (walking with two cameras slung over my shoulders, sometimes the settings get been altered as I handle them to protect them or the controls bump and bang into my body). Generally liking the effect, I dialed back to +2 and continued to shoot the scene, eventually moving down the trail a bit to shoot backup and under the dark branches.
The title of the image will serve to remind how it was it came about.
DJE
We set out in hope of fall colour and cooperative light and although the colours are not yet quite at their peak in this area, we found enough of interest to photograph. Oddly enough, on this outing the image that I worked hardest to capture was in B&W, made at a section of trail that descends to a bridge over Logies Creek and the Tews Falls lookout. Thick dark branches from several grand old maple trees overhang a rail fence and the trail at this point.
Turning a corner coming off a side trail, the scene came immediately into view, urging for a B&W rendition. I raised one camera and adjusted it for a B&W capture, then fired off a couple of frames. When I reviewed the images, they were severely overexposed yet gave an appealing effect. I checked the settings and found exposure compensation at +2 1/3 stops (walking with two cameras slung over my shoulders, sometimes the settings get been altered as I handle them to protect them or the controls bump and bang into my body). Generally liking the effect, I dialed back to +2 and continued to shoot the scene, eventually moving down the trail a bit to shoot backup and under the dark branches.
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| serendipity |
DJE
2014-09-29
Photo of the Week 2014-09-29
... she said, "I think you should make one of those in the tall narrow ones you do."
... so I did :-)
DJE.
... so I did :-)
DJE.
2014-09-22
Photo of the Week 2014-09-22
On a rainy Sunday after shopping for groceries in Tobermory, Lynn wanted to take a trip to the lighthouse before returning to the cottage. With the wind out of the NE, waves were crashing up and onto the rock that normally provides a dry place to stand and admire the scenery. We stayed for a while and I made some images before getting back in the car. While driving to the cottage, Lynn suggested visiting another location to check out the waves after lunch ... and I'm glad she did.
The location I chose was Little Cove and as we approached the water, descending along the wide path we could hear the rhythm of the waves crashing on the shore slowly becoming louder until we left the protection of the trees and onto the cobble beach. Just as I had hoped for, the waves were coming in on a slight angle, crashing along the east shoreline.
I shot the scene both wide to get the overall feel and tight to isolate details of the breaking, crashing waves and there are a number that I am happy with. The image below, my choice for this week is not one that shows the spray thrust high above the steep rocky shore, but one that gives an overall sense of what it was like along the shoreline.
The waves coming in off Georgian Bay were
intensified as they were blown into the narrowing bay, reshaping, restricting, confining them. Once every several minutes, a few larger waves would push through the turmoil and make it to shore, either running well up the cobble beach or crashing into steep rock faces sending water high into the air.
Summer is just ending ... could the gales of November come early ?
DJE
The location I chose was Little Cove and as we approached the water, descending along the wide path we could hear the rhythm of the waves crashing on the shore slowly becoming louder until we left the protection of the trees and onto the cobble beach. Just as I had hoped for, the waves were coming in on a slight angle, crashing along the east shoreline.
I shot the scene both wide to get the overall feel and tight to isolate details of the breaking, crashing waves and there are a number that I am happy with. The image below, my choice for this week is not one that shows the spray thrust high above the steep rocky shore, but one that gives an overall sense of what it was like along the shoreline.
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| late summer storm |
Summer is just ending ... could the gales of November come early ?
DJE
2014-09-15
Photo of the week 2014-09-15
This weekend I had a great time having a couple of good friends join me at the cottage for a weekend of photography and sketching on the Bruce. Despite the forecast for questionable weather, the final decsion to go was made Thursday night and after work Friday we headed out, hopeful that there would be at least some time to get out and enjoy the scenery.
This week's image is a shot from our Sunday sunrise trip to Halfway Log Dump. I used the 5DIII with my new Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 to capture a wide angle view of sunrise, made from a low angle at water's edge.
The First Annual Fall Shoot & Sketch Weekend at the cottage is successfully in the history books.
DJE
This week's image is a shot from our Sunday sunrise trip to Halfway Log Dump. I used the 5DIII with my new Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 to capture a wide angle view of sunrise, made from a low angle at water's edge.
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| golden shores |
The First Annual Fall Shoot & Sketch Weekend at the cottage is successfully in the history books.
DJE
2014-09-08
Photo of the Week 2014-09-08
Time to dive into the library an pull out something from a year ago ...
It seems there was some unsettled weather blowing in off Lake Huron early last September too. This little inuksuk kept a vigilant watch.
DJE
It seems there was some unsettled weather blowing in off Lake Huron early last September too. This little inuksuk kept a vigilant watch.
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| Watching Whitecaps on Lake Huron |
DJE
2014-09-01
Photo of the Week 2014-09-01
The last night of the last long weekend of summer ...
About a month ago, I made a first attempt to photograph the night sky over Hay Bay, the Bruce Peninsula and Lake Huron from the shore at our cottage. Conditions were not ideal but seeing the Milky Way appear, lead by many stars as a we sat at the shore enjoying the embers of a campfire, motivated me to give it a go.
Since then, during a week of vacation, an opportunity under much more favourable conditions arose and I was able to make some decent images (blog post 2014-08-18). For that possibility, I had come equipped with a particular lens, with characteristics more suited to night sky photography. I'm not certain how much the improved results were due to the selection of equipment, opposed to the more favourable conditions ...
... but, the results impressed me enough to do some further research on gear and technique in the effort to improve my night sky images more. My research led to an online discussion of lenses and which were recommended for the brand of camera I use. Never needing much of a push to acquire new gear, I picked up a ultra-wide FF lens, the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8, a focal length not already covered by something in my kit.
As luck would have it, the next visit to the cottage looked as though it would offer only cloudy night skies and the Rokinon would see use just for landscape and trial images as I became familiar with it's manual focus and manual aperture control. Well luck changed and on the final night, the sun set through clearing skies and by 9:00 pm the first star was visible. I started to gather the equipment I would need and waited for the night to darken.
The challenge on this attempt, a waxing crescent moon throwing a tremendous amount of light over the bay and into the surrounding sky. At this particular point in the lunar cycle, the moon is just slightly west of the Milky Way when looking south across the bay. After making a number of exposures of just the sky, I decided to try a series that would include some of the surrounding landscape, water etc. I ended up including the moon and it's reflection on the bay. It required a fair bit of processing to get the look I wanted and I'm still not totally satisfied, but here it is ...
I can can see spending many more nights working to capture the night sky at various locations on "the Bruce."
DJE
About a month ago, I made a first attempt to photograph the night sky over Hay Bay, the Bruce Peninsula and Lake Huron from the shore at our cottage. Conditions were not ideal but seeing the Milky Way appear, lead by many stars as a we sat at the shore enjoying the embers of a campfire, motivated me to give it a go.
Since then, during a week of vacation, an opportunity under much more favourable conditions arose and I was able to make some decent images (blog post 2014-08-18). For that possibility, I had come equipped with a particular lens, with characteristics more suited to night sky photography. I'm not certain how much the improved results were due to the selection of equipment, opposed to the more favourable conditions ...
... but, the results impressed me enough to do some further research on gear and technique in the effort to improve my night sky images more. My research led to an online discussion of lenses and which were recommended for the brand of camera I use. Never needing much of a push to acquire new gear, I picked up a ultra-wide FF lens, the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8, a focal length not already covered by something in my kit.
As luck would have it, the next visit to the cottage looked as though it would offer only cloudy night skies and the Rokinon would see use just for landscape and trial images as I became familiar with it's manual focus and manual aperture control. Well luck changed and on the final night, the sun set through clearing skies and by 9:00 pm the first star was visible. I started to gather the equipment I would need and waited for the night to darken.
The challenge on this attempt, a waxing crescent moon throwing a tremendous amount of light over the bay and into the surrounding sky. At this particular point in the lunar cycle, the moon is just slightly west of the Milky Way when looking south across the bay. After making a number of exposures of just the sky, I decided to try a series that would include some of the surrounding landscape, water etc. I ended up including the moon and it's reflection on the bay. It required a fair bit of processing to get the look I wanted and I'm still not totally satisfied, but here it is ...
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| August Moon & Milky Way |
DJE
2014-08-25
Photo of the Week 2014-08-25
A little bit of photography, some sketching, much relaxin' and a lot of family time ...
... just back from a week on "the Bruce".
It was a great week and both Jordan and Matthew were able to join Lynn and I for at least a couple of "whole family" days at the cottage. Schedules being what they are, it can be difficult to coordinate.
The week was also special because Friday, August 22 was the first anniversary of our plunge into cottage ownership. We've managed to get a lot of use out of it these past 12 months. The week was the third vacation week Lynn and I have spent there and we manage to get there about every other weekend on average, a bit less in winter but still a weekend or two a month.
Last week's blog post showcased some dramatic night sky images from our shoreline on the Sunday night. Today I present a simple, minimalistic, yet (to me) deeply meaningful image.
Without going into the details, the boys had been disappointed by initial, highly anticipated plans for the day getting scuttled. So they set out "to make the best" of things and took the canoe for a paddle to explore the shoreline out around the point at Bonnet Island and into China Cove on a very still, foggy day. They had been gone quite a while when I grabbed a camera and a book and headed down to a chair at the shore. I wanted to get an image of them as they paddled back.
The fog had been rolling in and out all day, never really clearing and sometimes obscuring nearly everything. Half an hour passed when I started to hear voices off in the distance and they slowly came into view around the point. I listened without being able to make out the words, knowing they were enjoying the time together. I picked up the camera and began to make some images of them off in the distance, crossing the mouth of the bay, just open foggy Lake Huron waters in the background.
Something in me stirs when I watch my sons enjoying time together.
DJE
... just back from a week on "the Bruce".
It was a great week and both Jordan and Matthew were able to join Lynn and I for at least a couple of "whole family" days at the cottage. Schedules being what they are, it can be difficult to coordinate.
The week was also special because Friday, August 22 was the first anniversary of our plunge into cottage ownership. We've managed to get a lot of use out of it these past 12 months. The week was the third vacation week Lynn and I have spent there and we manage to get there about every other weekend on average, a bit less in winter but still a weekend or two a month.
Last week's blog post showcased some dramatic night sky images from our shoreline on the Sunday night. Today I present a simple, minimalistic, yet (to me) deeply meaningful image.
Without going into the details, the boys had been disappointed by initial, highly anticipated plans for the day getting scuttled. So they set out "to make the best" of things and took the canoe for a paddle to explore the shoreline out around the point at Bonnet Island and into China Cove on a very still, foggy day. They had been gone quite a while when I grabbed a camera and a book and headed down to a chair at the shore. I wanted to get an image of them as they paddled back.
The fog had been rolling in and out all day, never really clearing and sometimes obscuring nearly everything. Half an hour passed when I started to hear voices off in the distance and they slowly came into view around the point. I listened without being able to make out the words, knowing they were enjoying the time together. I picked up the camera and began to make some images of them off in the distance, crossing the mouth of the bay, just open foggy Lake Huron waters in the background.
Something in me stirs when I watch my sons enjoying time together.
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| together |
2014-08-18
Photo of the Week 2014-08-18
... one bazillion and one, one bazillion and two, one bazillion and ...
On a cool summer evening, Lynn, Jordan and I built a shoreside campfire. For the first while we sat and listened to the crackle of some free cedar kindling, kindly provided by a neighbour. We watched as smoke drifted up and out over the bay until the main wood caught.
Sun had dipped below the horizon when Jordan picked up his acoustic guitar and began to play. First, his own composition, a piece he is working on for me. I intend to use a recording of it as background music for a yet to be created slide show of my fine art images, and perhaps even a studio open house at some point. I love listening to J play anytime, and it's something else when it's beside a campfire.
Lynn was leaning back in one of the "Bruce Chairs" (others might call them Muskoka or Adirondack chairs, but to me they are my "Bruce Chairs"), pointing out the stars as they made their nightly appearance. One, two, three ...
Soon the sky was full of stars, planets, satellites and a few meteors .... and ohhhhh that MIlky Way.
Forget counting ! It turned out to be a wonderful night for watching stars, and for photographing the Milky Way.
DJE
On a cool summer evening, Lynn, Jordan and I built a shoreside campfire. For the first while we sat and listened to the crackle of some free cedar kindling, kindly provided by a neighbour. We watched as smoke drifted up and out over the bay until the main wood caught.
Sun had dipped below the horizon when Jordan picked up his acoustic guitar and began to play. First, his own composition, a piece he is working on for me. I intend to use a recording of it as background music for a yet to be created slide show of my fine art images, and perhaps even a studio open house at some point. I love listening to J play anytime, and it's something else when it's beside a campfire.
Lynn was leaning back in one of the "Bruce Chairs" (others might call them Muskoka or Adirondack chairs, but to me they are my "Bruce Chairs"), pointing out the stars as they made their nightly appearance. One, two, three ...
Soon the sky was full of stars, planets, satellites and a few meteors .... and ohhhhh that MIlky Way.
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| cosmic canvas I |
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| cosmic canvas II |
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| cosmic canvas III |
Forget counting ! It turned out to be a wonderful night for watching stars, and for photographing the Milky Way.
DJE
2014-08-11
Photo of the Week 2014-08-11
As a photographic exercise, I spent a couple of hours or more early Sunday morning along the shoreline immediately in front of our cottage. I was simply looking around, capturing the light from the rising sun as it washed over the landscape.
Sometimes I sat, sometimes I stood, sometimes I knelt, just taking it all in and getting different points of view. At first the air was still and carried only the sounds of gulls and terns. Then the rumble of a large passing sailboat, under power, headed out on Lake Huron off Cape Hurd. Gradually the sounds of neighbouring cottagers rising to begin their day could be heard travelling over the still water of the bay, a door closing here, voices over there. This was the background music as my eyes continued to sweep over the terrain, picking out details like grass glistening with dew in the low angle of sunlight, reflections on still water, shadows on the textured rock.
I lost myself and lost track of time for a while. How wonderful. What a way to start my day. There are images to be found in any scene, just let yourself get lost in the process.
DJE
Sometimes I sat, sometimes I stood, sometimes I knelt, just taking it all in and getting different points of view. At first the air was still and carried only the sounds of gulls and terns. Then the rumble of a large passing sailboat, under power, headed out on Lake Huron off Cape Hurd. Gradually the sounds of neighbouring cottagers rising to begin their day could be heard travelling over the still water of the bay, a door closing here, voices over there. This was the background music as my eyes continued to sweep over the terrain, picking out details like grass glistening with dew in the low angle of sunlight, reflections on still water, shadows on the textured rock.
I lost myself and lost track of time for a while. How wonderful. What a way to start my day. There are images to be found in any scene, just let yourself get lost in the process.
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| the ground at my feet morning, in the light of rising sun, near water's edge |
DJE
2014-08-04
Photo of the Week 2014-08-04
Sunset, Moonrise, One Milky Way, Three Meteors and a Bazillion Stars !
There are techniques that can be used to make the Milky Way more prominent in night sky photographs but for my first attempt I chose an approach that would convey a more realistic presentation of what my eyes saw on a clear night, from the shore at our cottage on Hay Bay.
The Bruce Peninsula is a Dark Sky Preserve and I've been meaning to take advantage of my time there to make night sky images. The challenge is that I like morning light, I mean really early morning light, and in order to photograph then it requires that I'm out f bed and heading to a location before or close to sunrise ... 6:00am and earlier these days. With my body's alarm clock set for early rise it's difficult to get past 10:00 pm and I'd definitely need to do that if I was going to capture the Milky Way in the night sky. This required a mid day nap, and what better to do on the August long weekend at the cottage than grab an hour or so in the afternoon for just that.
So in the evening, well rested, armed with a shore-side fire and coffee complete with hooch, I waited until the sun went down ...
and the moon went up ...
... then the stars came out !
DJE
The Bruce Peninsula is a Dark Sky Preserve and I've been meaning to take advantage of my time there to make night sky images. The challenge is that I like morning light, I mean really early morning light, and in order to photograph then it requires that I'm out f bed and heading to a location before or close to sunrise ... 6:00am and earlier these days. With my body's alarm clock set for early rise it's difficult to get past 10:00 pm and I'd definitely need to do that if I was going to capture the Milky Way in the night sky. This required a mid day nap, and what better to do on the August long weekend at the cottage than grab an hour or so in the afternoon for just that.
So in the evening, well rested, armed with a shore-side fire and coffee complete with hooch, I waited until the sun went down ...
and the moon went up ...
... then the stars came out !
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| Milky Way 2014-08-01 |
DJE
2014-07-28
Photo of the Week 2014-07-28
Recently, after sharing a video lamenting the loss of many farms and the associated barns that dot the rural landscape, Alan suggested an outing to a couple of local abandoned barns to capture them before they too are gone. As long as I have known him, Alan has been drawn to abandoned farm locations and has many images depicting such scenes.
One our earliest outings together took place over 6 years ago at the then abandoned McWilliams farm near my home. Over the next couple of years, we enjoyed a few visits there and watched as the barn deteriorated further until ... after vandals torched the house, equipment moved in and demolished all structures. The site is now a vacant lot in a new industrial subdivision, the image of the barn lives on in memory and some of our photographs..
With pangs of regret for not having visited McWilliams more, our planned visit to other structures still standing, perhaps not for long, had stirred something in me. We, three, managed to visit only one of the intended locations on this outing, a place known to some as "Studio 32". We spent time leisurely sketching, walking, photographing and capturing the scene, each in our own way. Initially, I moved off to a spot to get a different view and after completing a couple of sketches, stopped to analyze precisely what it what was that had drawn me to that spot. A small area of the scene I had just sketched included the remnants of an old fence, it's line leading away and eventually to the side of the barn.
I see myself getting back to making time for sketching when I go on my photography outings.
DJE
One our earliest outings together took place over 6 years ago at the then abandoned McWilliams farm near my home. Over the next couple of years, we enjoyed a few visits there and watched as the barn deteriorated further until ... after vandals torched the house, equipment moved in and demolished all structures. The site is now a vacant lot in a new industrial subdivision, the image of the barn lives on in memory and some of our photographs..
With pangs of regret for not having visited McWilliams more, our planned visit to other structures still standing, perhaps not for long, had stirred something in me. We, three, managed to visit only one of the intended locations on this outing, a place known to some as "Studio 32". We spent time leisurely sketching, walking, photographing and capturing the scene, each in our own way. Initially, I moved off to a spot to get a different view and after completing a couple of sketches, stopped to analyze precisely what it what was that had drawn me to that spot. A small area of the scene I had just sketched included the remnants of an old fence, it's line leading away and eventually to the side of the barn.
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| fence to the barn |
DJE
2014-07-21
Photo of the Week 2014-07-21
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." - John Muir
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| awakening V |
I know I do ...
DJE
2014-07-13
Photo of the Week 2014-07-14
"Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. " - John Muir
I find the more I "break away" the more I desire to "break away". A weekend on 'the Bruce', a hike on local trails, vacation at the cottage or in this case a morning walk through Fletcher Creek Environmental Preserve, all serve to cleanse my spirit, each in a different way.
This weekend was set aside to take care of some overdue chores around the house so the invitation of a friend to join him on a walk through the trails at Fletcher Creek was welcome and certainly provided the necessary "break away".
I stopped along the way to let scenes like this wash over me, and administer their cleansing.
DJE
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| nature's heart |
This weekend was set aside to take care of some overdue chores around the house so the invitation of a friend to join him on a walk through the trails at Fletcher Creek was welcome and certainly provided the necessary "break away".
I stopped along the way to let scenes like this wash over me, and administer their cleansing.
DJE
2014-07-07
Photo of the Week 2014-07-07
Spending a week of vacation up on the Bruce Peninsula always rejuvenates the soul and quiets the mind.
This past week, Lynn and I enjoyed the company of visiting friends and family for a few days. Between the visits, there was time to introduce ourselves to kayaking and of course some photography for me, but not as much as you might think. I first had to update my display at Upper deck Gallery with some appropriate seasonal work since everyone (except me) had seen enough of winter. Then I had to hang a number of framed prints to complete my installation running through July at Ancient Cedars Cafe.
Sean from Ancient Cedars is a photographer and of course we had already talked photography on a few occasions, he had also graciously offered to lend me a favourite lens of his, the Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX DG, to use during the week. So images hung and lens in hand, day-one was nearing it's close and we prepared for our first visitors.
I managed to make some images of visiting little ones Emma and Logan over the next couple of days. After saying goodbye on Tuesday, the next morning had me out for a visit at Singing Sands to experience the otherworldly feeling of walking out on the beach into the waves of thick fog rolling in off Lake Huron. You can see one of my images from the outing here on my Photography FB page or my flickr photostream.
My favourite image of the week came a couple of days later when I returned to Halfway Log Dump looking to explore the shore north of where the trail exits the woods to the grand shoreline of Georgian Bay. Mid-day sun is not normally optimum for photography, but the Caribbean blue waters of Georgian Bay can be stunning under sunlight and clear blue skies. I had success at this location recently and decided to return and expand on the "Hues of Blue" series showcased in a previous blog post. After all, one of those images sold from Ancient Cedars and simply has to be replaced with something new in the series.
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DJE
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