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

Photo of the Week 2017-11-20

There are very few weeks where I do not make a number of new images and have several to choose from for my 'Photo of the Week'. With the move off daylight saving time and fewer daylight hours, there is little time for photography before or after work. That leaves the weekend and when plans for work around the cottage consumed virtually all of the hours of decent weather ... I turned to the image library ...

A New Year Dawns

With winter not far off and the first snowfalls already threatening, a previously processed yet unreleased image from last winter, the First Light Challenge - New Year's Day to be precise, seemed an appropriate choice ... and the next First Light Challenge will be the 10th I've participated in. What will my image be? You'll have to wait and see ....

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 2015-01-05

Happy New Year and welcome to 2015

For the 8th time I went in search of first light, answering the call, meeting the challenge of a friend to capture an image at sunrise (first light) of the new year.

For the second year in a row, I was unable to take up the challenge in the company of like minded souls, few that they are. While Alan, Grant, Cathy and Tom, the biggest contingent to date, struck out for locations south (can you call Hamilton south?), I bundled up and walked a full 50m to the shoreline, set up the camera on the tripod and turned it back at the inviting warmth of the cottage and planted my feet to bolster against 50 km/h wind gusts to shield the camera.

My intention was to capture some of the feel from that cold blustery morning, so I used a long shutter speed to capture some of the movement in the trees. This shot was taken at 8:06 am, official sunrise.

"First Light" 2015

 ... and no that wasn't it. I actually stayed out for about an hour making more images, trying to capture the essence of this first day of 2015 arriving. Following that, it was a walk with Lynn, Cathy and the dogs along the road, somewhat more sheltered.

DJE