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I do so enjoy the cycle of nature, the coming and going of seasons, wildlife emerging and the arrival of their offspring, the leafing out of the trees and forest. Spring wildflowers emerging bring colour to freshen the landscape and I search in familiar places for those found in previous years.
As spring gave way to summer, I've been watching a spot along a familiar roadside for the return of the Blue Flag Iris. Driving along as we arrived for our stay, I noticed that it now fully emerged since our last visit and knew I would have only a short time to capture it in full bloom. Returning the next morning with my 5DIII and 150 Sigma Macro, I spent as much time as Murphy would allow, trying to get some decent shots of it.
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| Blue Flag Iris - I |
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| Blue Flag Iris - II |
I first found
this delicate little beauty on my morning walks up north where it was
there to greet me as we started our days ... but only for a short time
... until it's season is done.
DJE
My father always photographed flowers, the flowers in his own garden, the flowers during his travels, wherever he encountered them. So what better to do on Father's Day than pay a visit to a patch of Indian Paintbrush and spend time remembering the man that gave me so much ... including a love for photography.
Spring on the Bruce brings a unique array of wildflowers to brighten the landscape. Most well known are likely the Lady's Slipper Orchids. I've been studying these in books and online resources along with my cameras. A favourite that I look for every spring is the Indian Paintbrush.
I first saw these several years ago when Lynn and I would drive the roads of the peninsula exploring and looking for a property. As we made our way west along one stretch, I noticed a swath of brilliant orange-red in the roadside ditch and immediately stopped. I took out the camera (remember, you always need to have a camera with you, right) and got down on my hands and knees in the ditch, much like I did again this weekend, and made a number of images. Once back home, I researched online to find out what these strange colour topped stalks were and was introduced to the Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja affinis).
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| morning paintbrush |
This patch of paintbrush were along hay Bay Rd. on the way to Simpson Ave. and the cottage. I lost myself in creative pursuit and reflection, alone, down on my hands and knees, along a quiet road, and I swear someone's shadow kept getting in the shot.
DJE
A few weeks back I posted 'a walk through the trees', an image made of a favourite trail running off the cottage road. It's not long and it's easy to access. I often shoot the section just at the start as you enter off Simpson Ave. I shoot it under different light and through all 4 seasons.
Recently I decided to make images at various locations as I walked down the trail one misty morning with Murphy alongside. I felt the resulting series of images went well enough together to make a nice set and I decided to present them together as a multi-tych collage.
"In
the woods, we return to reason and faith. There I feel that nothing can befall
me in life, - no disgrace, no calamity (leaving me my eyes), which nature
cannot repair."
- Ralph
Waldo Emerson -
DJE
What do you do when when it's just another version of a scene you've captured before ...
... as Friday night reminded me yet again, you go and photograph it again, because there is always something different. It's always worth another go. Your frame of mind will be different, your vision will be different, conditions will be different and sometimes ... your luck will be different. That's right, your luck !
I'm a firm believer that the harder you work, the more you try, the luckier you will be. It applies to literally everything. So, photographically speaking, even when you have shot the scene before, go back and capture it again, see just what might be different or how you can improve on your image from the last time
Case in point, my sunset image made in Tobermory this past Friday night. Heading up Hwy 6, as we got close to the cottage, the sun was dropping quickly, it was closing in on 9 pm. I thought to myself, "you got some sunset images from the village a couple of weeks ago, how would sunset shots tonight be any different tonight". I know, right? Well, we wouldn't make the cottage in time to get the kayaks out and get on the water for a sunset paddle anyway, so I decided to make the short detour into the village just to have a look.
Now I won't try to tell you that I had any idea I would get something like this, but the harder you try ... and as luck would have it, I got something quite different.
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| matchstick sunset |
Part of making good photographs is being ready with your camera gear, knowing what conditions to plan for, were to go, and just getting out to that spot to shoot ... and then sometimes, every now and then, it all comes together and luck adds the final touch.
Serendipity Rocks !
DJE
