Photo of the Week 2022-01-17

WoW!

Are we really halfway through January already?

I've been waiting for the winter weather to arrive. The 'real' winter weather. You know the kind that everyone seems to bitch and moan about on social media. Cold, snowy, blowy winter weather is what I'm talkin' about! 

 

And I got what I wanted and it's time to put those fashionable "Canada Goose" coats that you started wearing in September to use for what they were really intended for you fragile fashionistas ... ROFL

With the temperature hovering around -20*C and wind gusts around 50kph out of the east, I knew it was time for a trip to to the 'other side' of the peninsula for some real winter photography ...

 

Yup -20*C

... so I broke out some of my winter kit. Let's talk about being properly prepared for being out in this weather for a couple of hours or more. You need the right gear. For this outing, mine consisted of a merino base layer and Columbia Omni-Heat winter pants along with my Columbia full-length insulated coat with Omni-Heat zip-in liner (It's not time for the Fjallraven parka ... I save that for 30 below LOL). I also had a CTR Howler winter beanie and large fleece neck-warmer. For my hands in weather like this when I need dexterity to operate camera controls, nothing and I do mean NOTHING beats my Heat 3 Mitt/Gloves (expensive, maybe, but I like them so much I bought a second pair with the removable/replaceable glove liners in case I wore out my first pair .... and I have not, not even close). Oh ya, and some polarized Oakleys.

 

Here I am kitted up ... after about an hour along the shore.

Here is what all the fuss was about ...

' winter shore '

' winter shore II '

' cozy bench '

These scenes are pure magic to encounter. They can be challenging to capture, but with proper gear and preparation you can stay warm and comfortable in real Canadian winter weather.

Added bonus ... I came back feeling fresh and truly alive!

 

DJE
 

Photo of the Week 2016-10-17

Recently, I was again reminded of how easy it is to get lazy with photography and let yourself rush through an outing, either because you are with someone who is not also photographing, or if you are being distracted by something else. If you let yourself get lazy and resort to just clicking and rushing onto the next thing, the resulting images can be good but  ... they could be better if you spend time working a location to find a compelling subject, capture that certain angle of view or wait for the light to be just right.

Such was the case while out for a short hike a few days ago with Lynn and Murphy. Both  these companions are normally very patient with me when I bring a camera along (... and I always bring a camera). After trekking out to Mermaid Cove, a picturesque little spot just outside the village of Tobermory, I had rather quickly grabbed a number of images showing the view out over the water. Being photographically lazy, I might have then said "let's go" so as not to press the patience of my companions. Instead I sat down to take in the scenery and peaceful sounds of wind and lapping water.

Lynn joined me on the bench and after a while, pointed me to a section shoreline commenting how she liked the moss and the natural path created by the rock ledge. The same area had caught my attention so I got up and spent some time working this little area along the shoreline. The sun was to the south, behind the trees, bathing this area in shade and a soft cool light that made the greens and yellows fresh and vibrant. 

I selected this composition from the the dozen or so I had made, as the best of the set.

yellow, green and rock XI

  DJE