HAPPY NEW YEAR ! - Photo of the Week 2024-01-01

 

' FIRST LIGHT 2024 '

"First Light" is a challenge laid down by a long time friend. The idea is to get outside and capture an image at sunrise on the first day of a new year. At least that's how I've understood it.

This New Year's Morning had me out to Dunks Bay on the east side of the Bruce Peninsula in search of any hint of sunrise that would penetrate the heavy low cloud cover over all that I could see of Dunks and the greater Georgian Bay from my beach vantage point at 8:05 AM.

While I did make a few lacklustre images there before packing the gear back into the truck, the real show was delayed and started as cloud began to break in one small section to the sky to the NE. Good luck was on my side this first day of 2024 and the break had moved over Hay Bay as I arrived back at our place. I headed back down to the shore and grabbed some more interesting images, albeit 20 min after official sunrise but that was how First Light 2024 rolled in for me.

 

DJE

Happy New Year 2021 !

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

 

2021 begins and for the 13th year the challenge of capturing an image at sunrise on the first day of the year is met.

On this day, no sunrise would make an appearance, the only light of note was the warm, welcoming light of the open cottage door ...

 

First Light 2021

I look forward to welcoming friends new and old over this threshold in the near future ... 

 

Stay Safe, Keep Well.

DJE

Happy New Year 2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Photographically, another year begins with the 'First Light Challenge' ... the 12th year I have taken up the camera and trekked out to capture my world at sunrise on the first day of a new year.

This year was a bit different, Lynn and Murphy accompanied me as I got up and out early on New Years Day to head into the village to make this panorama at 8:06 am, official sunrise here in Tobermory. It's been a few years since I've had the company Alan for the tradition he started and I welcomed having someone to share the experience with.

Tobermory Village at First Light of 2020

Wishing you and yours, health and happiness through another year.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2018-01-01

First Light 2018 - HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Another year, another 'First Light Challenge'. For this, THE 10th YEAR, I decided to stay a little closer to home (in this case the cottage) with coffee close at hand and the idea of creating a 360* panorama of the New Year Dawn scene that greeted me at first sunrise of 2018.

First Light 2018

The tradition, one that a dear friend kindly invited me to join him in 10 years ago, remains unbroken. An online chat with him early this morning bolstered my resolve to continue beyond this year despite ebbing enthusiasm for an early rise, to leave the warmth and indoor comfort, on the crisp cold morning of each new year, in the search for 'First Light'.

Tradition wears a snowy beard, romance is always young. John Greenleaf Whittier
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/tradition

Tradition wears a snowy beard, romance is always young. John Greenleaf Whittier
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/tradition

"Tradition wears a snowy beard, romance is always young."

John Greenleaf Whittier

Tradition wears a snowy beard, romance is always young. John Greenleaf Whittier
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_greenleaf_whittier_382299?src=t_tradition

Tradition wears a snowy beard, romance is always young. John Greenleaf Whittier
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_greenleaf_whittier_382299?src=t_tradition

Best Wishes to all for Health and Happiness throughout 2018

DJE

First Light 2017

Best Wishes for Health and Happiness in 2017

Those that have followed me for some time will know that it has become tradition to make an image at official sunrise on the first day of a new year. It started as a challenge from my good friend Alan Norsworthy, first I think to just get out of bed early on New Years Day, but also more ... to start the new year off on the right foot photographically.

It requires one to get up and out before really knowing what the morning will bring. It requires some measure of dedication to making images and, from me, some measure of planning to select a location and envision the photographic possibilities so that arriving on location in mostly dark, I can do final checks and get set up.

This year I selected the pier at Dyers Bay on the Bruce Peninsula, a location that would afford a look at the sun rising over Georgian Bay, should the cloud cover cooperate and actually provide that look. Indeed it did and another 'First Light Challenge' is in the bag.

First Light 2017

DJE

First Light 2016

For me, 'First Light' started when a friend laid down the challenge to get out together and capture a photograph at official sunrise on the first day of a new year. Over the time since that first light in 2008, we've managed to get out together 5 of 9 years and the remaining 4 we've gone out on our own, wherever we were. For me, recently, that has been in Tobermory, as we're up at the cottage for some winter holidays

On New Year's Day, up in the dark hours before dawn, a quick coffee (or two), location selected, gear prepared and bundled up, I headed out with the idea of capturing the Tobermory Lighthouse at Big Tub at the moment of sunrise 2016-01-01. I arrived at the location and stepped out of the car into the cold morning wind, snow whipping violently about. I knew there would be no "sun" in the "sunrise" again this year. There really hasn't been for any of the years since 2008, though in 2012 it was close.

This year, decided to try a different 'look' and selected my 8mm fisheye on the 7DII. The unique perspective of the "fisheye" lens was a challenge and wasn't quite able to set up for the composition I had envisioned, but time was running out and I had to get set. 8:06 am quickly approaching. After positioning the tripod and locking down the camera, I had a few minutes to spare ... and then blizzard conditions hit. The lens and I quickly became covered in snow falling in the lee of the cedars at water's edge.

With a quick shake of the head, wipe of the lens ... "click" it was done. Another "first light" challenge was in the books.

seeking the light

DJE

Photo of the Week 2014-01-06

An annual event, the "First Light Challenge", initiated by a friend several years ago, had me out of a warm bed at the cottage and in -15*C (-25*C windchill) at 7:00 am heading for the exposed platform of the lookout tower 20m in the air at the Fathom Five Marine National Park Visitor's Centre in Tobermory. The object of his challenge is to make an image at precisely sunrise on the first day of the new year.

I knew it would be a tad on the chilly side, so I was bundled up in my winter coat, pants and gloves with balaclava, hat and hood up (I should have made a selfie). I had chosen the lookout tower hoping that there may be a break in the clouds, enough to show some hint of sunrise at 8:06 am. I began my climb of the tower in the relative shelter of adjacent cedars and quickly reached an elevation where there was no hiding from the driving wind. Eyes watering and being very careful not to miss step, I negotiated the frozen creaking metal grate stairs and was in position with 20 minutes to spare.

I set up the 5DIII on tripod and made some images of the surrounding views with both it and the 7D handeld, preparing for the final shot. I had in mind to capture a sweeping wide angle landscape from the high vantage point but without the bright sun and colour of sunrise as a focal point, I changed to a shot of the distant shores of Dunks and Little Dunks Bays with the mist coming of the relatively warm waters of Georgian Bay sweeping over the shore and forest at exactly 8:06 am, January 1, 2014.

First Light 2014 - Tobermory, ON

After the challenge shot, I gathered up my gear, carefully tread back down the tower to the car and headed for another location to capture some more images. Below is a serise of shots from the outing. Enjoy !

Tobermory 2014-01-01

My Perch for "Fiirst Light" 2014-01-01

Waves at mouth of Big Tub

Cold New Year Waters

 

Big Tub Light

Big Tub Light in Mist

Winter Shores

All my very best wishes for a safe, happy and healthy 2014.
DJE

First Light 2012

... again, the challenge, "First Light" of the New year.

First Light 2012


Shot for our annual "First Light Challenge". This year 3 of us went out in Guelph to capture the first light of 2012. It was tough sluggin' since sunrise at 7:54 am was masked by a thick blanket of cloud throwing only cold blue diffused light over everything. After walking away from this bridge to shoot nearby, I noticed a small break in the cloud on the horizon and returned to scurry back down the riverbank to compose this shot with the light under the bridge ... shot at 8:09 am, just after official sunrise.

Thanks to Allan England (no relation that I know of) and his images on flickr for reminding me that Ultra-Wide rocks. I grabbed my EF-S 10-22 to take with me on this mornings outing and used it for this image.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012 !!

DJE