Photo of the Week 2017-04-03

I've been reminiscing again ... going back through shots from my first trip to Killarney several years ago ... and knowing I need to go back. Soon ...

I've always liked something about the original capture for this image, but until my recent foray into false colour processing I wasn't able to process it and bring out the surreal quality that was there. All it took was a relaxing weekend at home, editing time, tunes and some post processing work to get a result I was satisfied with.

Chikanishing Moonrise

It can be difficult to visualize the final outcome with infrared captures. There is so much that can be done in post processing to alter the image recorded by the camera. In order to realize the full potential of this genre, I need to work with it much more, not just in post processing but out making capturing images of a wide range of subjects in a wide range of conditions.

I'm just getting started ...

DJE

Photo of the Week 2017-02-27

I'm eager to get out and shooting with my recently converted EOS M camera body. Winter conditions are not ideal for IR, so I spent some time this weekend looking through the limited number of shots made with a Canon G6 Point & Shoot that was converted a few years back.

Not only was it fun to be reminded of my initial exploits into IR, but also of a visit to one of the favourite places I have visited. Killarney ON is a place that found it's way into my heart and spirit, thankfully refusing to let go. The beauty of Killarney needs no enhancement ... but that's not to say one can't portray different interpretations through a variety of media and techniques. 

Chikanishing Trail, Killarney - An Infrared Interpretation

I feel the gentle pull of Killarney ...

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-02-01

I have mixed feelings when it comes to certain projects and challenges applied to creative pursuits. For those not familiar with the idea, the intent is to begin a project or participate in a challenge with the goal of pushing yourself out of a creative rut or to learn new elements of your craft. For example, in photographic terms, a "365 Project" is one that requires the participant to make and post one photo every day for a year, hence the 356 reference. A challenge could be to restrict the number of photos you make on a particular day, or to use only a fixed focal length lens for a period of time. There are countless other variations both that are touted frequently on social media and in photographic circles.

Why do I have mixed feelings about these? Well I think sometime they are perceived or expected to be the magic cure for what ails one creatively, be it the dreaded 'block', lack of variety, or some other affliction. I think they can work from time to time or be part of the solution, but in my experience they can also add to the frustration at times when you just really need to take a break. Other times they can be just what the creative doctor ordered and get you to try something new. They can open up a whole new creative world to experience or push you to learn a new skill or technique. The difficulty is knowing what is right at what time.

Recently a friend, Karen VonKnobloch, invited me to a 7 Day Nature Photography Challenge on Facebook. This challenge was not to go out and make new images, but to select images from your library and post one each day for a week. The challenge was 'thrown down' at a time when Karen knew I was searching for some additional activity and interaction with my photography. I was looking for the spark, to reignite the flame that I felt might be fading. She cleverly helped me find it in my own work. So here are my selections from the 7 Day Nature Challenge.

morning whispers

perched

falls in the clouds

Algonquin Winter Sunset

Winter Morning at Little Cove - III

Cold Dawn at Silver Falls

Autumn at 'the Crack'

During the 7 Days I was posting these images to FB, another friend suggested 7 Days of Tobermory ... and it spawned further ideas for 7 Days of Hay Bay and 7 Days of the Bruce, all subjects that stir my photographic passion. It seems in this case, the spark was in the challenge and the fuel for the fire in my own work.
DJE

Voices of the Land

I have been inspired by my recent Photography Workshop experience. Suffering the feeling of being "stuck" creatively ... I met a new friend and they helped me free myself.

voices on the shore

This image was captured as I explored  "Conscious Camera Work", an approach suggested by Doug Wilson during his Killarney Fall Photography Workshop 2012. I found an isolated place on the shore, sat down, set aside my camera, closed my eyes and meditated ... for a moment, a minute, or longer ...until an image spoke to me.

My profound thanks Doug. You have helped me allow myself to photograph what I sense, hear and feel.

DJE

This bucket is half full ...

I know, the "Bucket List" is all about the things you want to do and the places you want to go before you "kick the bucket" but what do you call it when you partially complete something on the list?

This past weekend I attended The Creative Landscape - Fall 2012 photography workshop lead by Doug Wilson. Part of my reason for wanting taking this workshop was to return to the La Cloche Mountain area in fall and photograph more of it's beauty. An unexpected  windfall was learning, after signing up, that part of the workshop would include a visit to Grace Lake. Members of the Group of Seven found inspiration on its shores and surrounding peaks and while planning last year's fall trip to Killarney Provincial Park, Grace Lake was added to my list of must visit locations. In particular I wanted to visit Carmichael Rock were Franklin Carmichael sat and painted the surrounding landscape.

Amongst our workshop group there was some question as to the exact location of Carmichael's vantage point and once we arrived at Grace Lake it became apparent that this would not be the day I experienced the iconic view. More planning and time dedicated solely to the pursuit of this would be required. However, our guide for this outing, Mark Murton of Charlton Lake Camp, and Lynda, Doug's wife who had accompanied him on the workshop, both took time while the rest of us were busy photographing, to scale an adjacent ridge overlooking the lake. When I heard this I decided to do it myself, but by this time I had only 40 min to get up and back down before our planned departure which would not leave much time to enjoy the view from the top.

I set out at a brisk pace through the low bush and was quickly greeted by the sharp incline at the base of the white La Cloche quartzite ridge. After a while of climbing I was on the first exposed outcrop and paused to catch my breath and enjoy the view. Standing there in the quiet and gentle wind I heard th-thump, th-thump, th-thump, th-thump and realized that it was the sound of my own heart ... exertion or exhilaration, likely both, had it pumping strongly.

The final climb to the top required a fair bit of picking my way and switching back across the fractured rock surface until I was there ... and what a view !

A View of Grace Lake

The peak off to the right in the photo is where Carmichael Rock is located. 

Is it any wonder this landscape has inspired so many over the years? This view, although not from Carmichael Rock, is a view of Grace Lake, my view.

... and as far as my "bucket list" goes, this bucket is half full.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2011-10-24

Sunrise at Lighthouse Lake


On the final day in Killarney, we decided against hiking the Chikanishing Trail because of an ailing knee belonging to my travel companion. There was enough else yet to see and photograph so we headed back to the area near the lighthouse in the town of Killarney.

A section of Lighthouse Lake near the car park was particularly interesting with pines along the shoreline and several contrasting areas showing fall colour. As I walked out onto a rock point jutting into the lake, the sun starting to break over some pines to illuminate trees along the west shore. I sat listening to the sounds of morning and waited for the sun to rise enough to reach the red leaves and made my image, or images to be more precise.

In order to show detail in both the shaded foreground and brightly lit shoreline in the distance, I resorted to High Dynamic Range processing. The image above is the product of 3 exposures (-2,0,+2) processed in Photoshop CS5 with NIK HDR Efex Pro. I think it conveys the morning scene quite well.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2011-10-10

This week I found it more difficult to pick a "photo of the week" with Canadian Thanksgiving and the spectacular local fall colours competing with my recent trip to Killarney Provincial Park and my library of images.

Why my library of images? Because I have been going through all the digital images and scans I have going back to 2002 as I prepare for a Photo Show 'n Sale with some fellow local photographers during the Guelph Studio Tour, Oct 14,15,16. Our group has arranged for a room in Dublin United Church, Guelph to show our work concurrent with the studio tour. I've been busy reviewing the library, preparing images for printing and burning through ink and paper to get ready for the show. It's always great to go back through the library and see what I have, where I've been photographically.

This aside, I simply cannot choose anything other than a Killarney image for this week. I've been planning for my trip to this location for almost two years and ...
... WOW, what a place. My main goal was to make the day-hike to "The Crack" and capture some sweeping landscape vistas of the quartzite white LaCloche mountain canvas painted with fall colours.

Autumn arrives at "The Crack"


I can hardly leave you with just one image from "The Crack" ...

This from the trail across the quartzite as we came out of the forest and had our destination in sight.
almost there


This showing the mystical white rock that makes the place very special.
cracked view


This at the edge of "The Crack" that you climb to get to the top, the view is the reward for your efforts.
Guardians


In my mind, I'm still there ...
takin' it all in...


DJE