Rural landscapes: ready for harvest

GRAIN STORAGE BINS NEAR DRUMHELLER, ALBERTA

A seemingly plain picture, but what intrigued me was seeing the fence post between the bins. I went low to push the post higher and increase its profile, then made sure the sky was dark enough to keep you eyes from wandering out of the picture.
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky.

Click on the picture for a larger view.

Want to buy this picture? Email me and I’ll make it happen! (fdking@hotmail.com).

Check out my coffeetable book, “Bring on the Light: Forty years of photography”: https://bit.ly/BringOnTheLight

Natural landscapes: opening up to spring

OLDMAN RIVER,
NEAR LUNDBRECK, ALBERTA

I loved the patterns of open water and rugged ice, so I spent time wandering all over the place making pictures like this. Just had to make sure I didn’t get too close to the edge, where the ice was likely a lot thinner. 🙂
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter

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Want to buy this picture? Email me and I’ll make it happen! (fdking@hotmail.com).

Check out my coffeetable book, “Frank King’s Southern Alberta“: http://bit.ly/1oUzd4A

Rural landscapes: the ponds of spring

PRAIRIE LANDSCAPE NEAR DRUMHELLER, ALBERTA

There is no bad time to photograph the awe-inspiring prairies of western Canada. In spring, I like to capture scenes like this, where the brown fields glow under an epic, endless sky. Melting snow creates all kinds of ponds, some that disappear in summer but others provide important resting stops for migrating birds and nesting for larger creatures like geese.
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter

Click on the picture for a larger view.

Want to buy this picture? Email me and I’ll make it happen! (fdking@hotmail.com).

Check out my coffeetable book, “Bring on the Light: Forty years of photography”: https://bit.ly/BringOnTheLight

Rural landscapes: under the early spring sky

GLENBOW STORE AND POST OFFICE,
GLENBOW RANCH PROVINCIAL PARK, NEAR COCHRANE, ALBERTA

Ever since this provincial park opened in 2008, it’s been a go-to favourite for photography in all seasons. This ancient structure operated in the town of Glenbow from 1909 until 1918 serving the people of Glenbow and surrounding area.
The building itself consisted of a relocated farmhouse and extension to meet the needs of a growing town. After the store closed, the building was used as a granary until the floor collapsed, after which the building was abandoned.
The building’s importance to the settlement of the area in the early twentieth century, as well as to the quarry that provided sandstone for several important buildings in Alberta, contribute to its value as a historic resource. (Source: University of Calgary)
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky.

Click/tap on the picture for a larger view.

Want to buy this picture? Email me and I’ll make it happen! (fdking@hotmail.com).

Check out my coffeetable book, “MOMENTS OF LIGHT: Thirty Years of Photography”: http://bit.ly/JTNnMX

Rural landscapes: under the dramatic spring sky

CRUMBLING FARM BUILDINGS, SHARPLES, ALBERTA

This abandoned community is a photographer’s paradise, with an ancient grain elevator and several other very photogenic old buildings. I spent several hours taking it all in and exploring the creative possibilities, while the clouds created superb skies. Even as I made colour exposures (you can see the colour version here: https://bit.ly/SharplesShacks), I knew this scene would also be a great black-and-white photo. Was I right?
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky.

Click/tap on the picture for a larger view.

Want to buy this picture? Email me and I’ll make it happen! (fdking@hotmail.com).

Check out my coffeetable book, “MOMENTS OF LIGHT: Thirty Years of Photography”: http://bit.ly/JTNnMX

Natural landscapes: Irish green on St. Patrick’s Day

FUCHSIA GROWING AT AVONDALE HOUSE, COUNTY WICKLOW, IRELAND

I went back into the archives and found this beauty from my 1993 trip to Ireland. This island is my spiritual home and I’ve become a student of the republic’s 1916-23 revolutionary period that led to the Ireland we know today. I forgot that I visited Avondale (the home of renowned Irish parliamentarian Charles Stewart Parnell), but the title of this jpeg restored my happy memories. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Nikon FM2 film camera, tripod

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Want to buy this picture? Email me and I’ll make it happen! (fdking@hotmail.com).

Check out my coffeetable book, “IRELAND: Visions of Light”: http://bit.ly/IrelandVisionsOfLight

Rural landscapes: the beautiful, distant landscape

FROSTY GROVES OF TREES, NEAR CALGARY, ALBERTA

I made this photograph in January, but it could just as easily happen in March on the Canadian prairies, which are 300 metres above sea level and, so, prone to dramatic swings in climate.
I did a colour version (which you can see here: https://bit.ly/AlbertaFrostyTrees), but even when I made the picture I knew it would also make a dramatic monotone jpeg. I really like the muted lighting and how your eyes can wonder through each snowy field.
Nikon D7100, 70-300 mm. zoom lens, tripod.

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Want to buy this picture? Email me and I’ll make it happen! (fdking@hotmail.com).

Check out my coffeetable book, “Frank King’s Southern Alberta“: http://bit.ly/1oUzd4A

Natural landscapes: the sweet mountain dawn

SUNRISE AND POLICEMAN’S CREEK, CANMORE, ALBERTA

This wonderful scene looks like a preview of spring in the Canadian Rockies, but it was actually photographed during a warm stretch in January. Spring is usually very late to arrive at this high altitude and for that reason, it tends to give way to summer much faster than lower altitudes. Either way, I love all the seasons here and try to remember while I can visit any weekend I like, some people save all their lives just to experience this place once.
Nikon D7100, tripod, enhancing filter, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky

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Want to buy this picture? Email me and I’ll make it happen! (fdking@hotmail.com).

Check out my coffeetable book “BLUE SYMPHONY: Winter in the Canadian Rockies”: http://bit.ly/kFb3Xw

Rural landscapes: outstanding in its field

TREE GROVE IN WINTER,
NEAR TURNER VALLEY, ALBERTA

Driving over the crest of a hill, I spotted this group of trees and immediately knew there would be compelling photos to be had. I spent the next half-hour exploring vertical and horizontal (here’s a horizontal view: https://bit.ly/TurnerValleyTrees) compositions from a hillside road that afforded perfect views.
What I like about this scene is it’s the opposite of a postcard picture. It’s subtle and encourages thought and meditation. It would also work well as a black-and-white picture.
Nikon D7100, tripod, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky

Click/tap on the picture for a larger view.

Want to buy this picture? Email me and I’ll make it happen! (fdking@hotmail.com).

Check out my coffeetable book, “MOMENTS OF LIGHT: Thirty Years of Photography”: http://bit.ly/JTNnMX

Rural landscapes: a glimpse of farming history

BAR U RANCH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, NEAR LONGVIEW, ALBERTA

Founded in 1882 as the Northwest Cattle Company, the Bar U was one of the first and most enduring of the large corporate ranches established in southern Alberta. Among its owners were two founders of the Calgary Stampede – George Lane and Senator Patrick Burns.
I’ve found it’s a great spot to learn the ranching history of this country, especially what happened after fencing came in and radically changed the work of cowboys. It doesn’t hurt that the ranch still has a great collection of colourful buildings within sight of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Nikon D7100, tripod, tripod, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky

Click on the picture for a larger view.

Want to buy this picture? Email me and I’ll make it happen! (fdking@hotmail.com).

Check out my coffeetable book, “Frank King’s Southern Alberta“: http://bit.ly/1oUzd4A

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