Photo of the Week 2021-09-27

Several years ago I began photographing a particular stand of trees. In a farm field along the road just north of the Keady intersection, they stood along the crest of a rise with the sky as background. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shortly after making my first image I had the idea to capture the scene, in different conditions, from different angles. The collection set of images became the "Keady Trees" (you can view the set via the hyper-link below).

Along the way, the building sheltering behind was removed and one tree took on a lean. Earlier this year, in winter, I was shocked to see that they all had been cut down.

 

 

All that remained was a pile of brush and root remnants that was burned in the spring ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With their demise I decided to review what I had documented, process some additional images and wrap up the series with one final look ...

' Gone '

 

DJE

 

 

 

The set on Flickr ...

 

 

 

Photo of the Week 2021-04-12

 

On our recent first visit to the farm with Matt & Claire, they led us on a walk around the fields. As we entered the bush and wetland area at the back of the fields, there was a rail fence separating the field from a path into the woods. It just called out to be photographed.

 

Rail Fence

Sometimes it's the simpler things, the regular, the familiar, that make fine subjects to photograph. These log rails amongst the tall dormant field grass presented an interesting leading line into the darkness of the woods beyond.

 

It was a lovely walkabout as we were shown around the property. There were early signs of spring all along the way. I'd like to go back, soon, to capture the wildflowers, gardens and fields of wheat as they emerge.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2020-11-02

 

November has arrived, colours have faded and leaves are fallen. Soon scenes like this will be blanketed in white ...

 

Fall Farmhouse

 

While processing this image, I decided to try several different techniques. Here are the results in a collage ...

 

 

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-01-04

Spending a week at the cottage over the Christmas and New Year holidays offers a lot of opportunity for photo outings ... it also offers lots of opportunity to sit and read, drink, nap ... eat, nap ... read, drink, eat, nap ... I think you get the idea. Such are the holidays  :-)

So mid week, I thought I better get out for a morning drive and actually do some photography. In search of Snowy Owls specifically, but as always, eyes open for anything to photograph, I followed the now familiar side-roads. In areas where I had spotted them last year, I scanned the fields and fence lines to see if "Snowy' had returned. Searching across the fresh fallen snow for two or three hours, I came up empty. It's difficult to say if the owls have decided not to return to this area or if I just missed them on this day.

Not wanting to turn back without tripping the shutter, I began to look more at the winter scenes of the surrounding fields and forests. Following some yet unexplored roads, west of the main highway, the disappointment of not finding 'Snowy' melted away and my perception changed, time seemed to slow down and all but the scenes in from of me faded away.


At some point I came across a farm with some interesting fence lines in the field and I got out intending to work some trial compositions. While I was getting my cameras ready I heard the sound of a horse neighing and turned around to see three beauties all looking at me across a field. They continued to neigh and whinny off and on for several minutes, all the time keeping an eye on me. They never approached or shifted their position, as I find sometimes horses will. They simply stopped and stared.

equine three

DJE

Photo of the Week 2015-09-07

Again, I find an image while browsing through my library looking for something else ...

field of dreams

I made this image about a year ago, during a morning drive along back roads on the  Bruce Peninsula. Two blue chairs in the middle of the field caught my eye as a passed by. I smiled to myself, wondering who would occupy them. I stopped and backed up to get a decent point of view, then used a telephoto zoom to get tight framing and compressed perspective.

Then after downloading to my library catalogue the image just sat on my hard drive waiting to be rediscovered.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2013-07-01

HAPPY CANADA DAY !

Almost every day on my way to or from work, I pass empty fields where industrial buildings will soon stand. Not so long ago these open areas were just bare earth shaped and sculpted by heavy equipment in preparation for construction. Over time they have become naturally populated with field grass and wildflowers. In the morning they are dew laden and glisten in the rising sun. In the evening, it is the setting sun that provides a warm back light on these same grasses and wildflowers.

Every time I pass by I promise to stop and make some images ... finally, this weekend I made good on that promise and made some time to wander around, capturing some of the details bathed in warm evening light.

DJE

Emma

I'm not sure if it's the hot dry weather we've been having around Southern Ontario lately but there seems to be an abundance of Queen Anne's Lace around. Everywhere I look it's growing in small roadside patches, empty lots or whole fields. Seeing so much if it planted an idea in my mind for a photograph, but I would need a willing model and a young girl at that. Fortunately a friend on Lynn's has a lovely daughter and was gracious enough to agree to let me photograph her.

Not only did I want to follow thorough and create images based on a concept, I also wanted to set out with a location, model and specific purpose in mind to get the experience. Here are some results.

 I'm very grateful to Marcy and Matt for their permission to post a few images from the session ... and my special thanks to Miss Emma for helping me out.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2012-07-23

I've photographed at this location on the Grand River on several occasions and even sold a large framed print of one of the images. The spot has a quality that comes alive particularly when the sun rises over the trees on the north-east bank of the river. 

morning sun floods the field

We arrived around 6:00 am and after capturing the mist hanging over the river, I moved across the bridge and to the edge of the field just as the sunlight was flooding over the landscape. I moved off of the gravel road and into the field to place one of the larger mist larger spider webs in the foreground of this image. I know one of my companions on this trip snapped a shot of me behind the "No Trespassing" sign. It will no doubt make it to the interwebs at some point ... I will plead guilty.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2011-10-03

mistical beast


I've written about this at least one before, and it is worth repeating again ... "the best camera, is the one that you have with you".

...no camera, no image ... that is why I travel virtually everywhere with a camera. Oh sure there are cameras in just about every cell phone available today but I'm talking about something a little better. Cell phone cameras a fine for the casual photographer and may even do in a pinch for those who are more serious. I travel with a G12 close at hand the majority of the time and I get some seriously high quality images with this high end "point & shoot".

... case in point, I was on my way to the second stop of my work day on Friday morning. It was a misty early fall morning with the rising sun obscured by a dense layer of fog gently moving through the low lying fields and ravines. Turning onto a local concession road, I noticed some horses on the side of a hill with the sun pushing through the fog behind them the scene was too good to pass by. A few moments later I was back on my way and looking forward to the evening when I could download the images and enjoy what I had captured ... "mistical beast" is my favourite of the bunch.

An interesting background note is that following my photo outing last week where I also captured images in the mist, my companion on that day remarked that he had always wanted to find a white horse in a misty field ... guess I scooped him.

DJE