Rural landscapes: still life in a wintery spring
SNOW ON THE WAGON WHEEL, NEAR COCHRANE, ALBERTA
This scene does seem like a still-life painting, doesn’t it? The touch of April snow (quite common on the Canadian prairies) added just what I needed to make a good subject even better.
I went for a very shallow depth of field to ensure the background would be a nice, vague wash of gentle colours.
Nikon D7100, tripod
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Natural landscapes: the beckoning spring
APRIL SUNRISE ON THE OTTAWA RIVER, PETAWAWA, ONTARIO
The mix of a breathtaking sky and the artistic curves of disappearing ice/snow made for a truly incredible morning in this military town on the Ontario/Quebec border. I have at least 10 photos from a one-kilometre section of shoreline that are absolute “keepers”. I always walk away from this kind of photographic experience praising the Maker of all. 🙂
Nikon D7100, tripod, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky.
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Rural landscapes: under the epic spring sky
ANCIENT PRAIRIE HOMESTEAD NEAR CARBON, ALBERTA
Early spring in much of Canada is mostly brown as the last of winter snow very reluctantly departs and summer growth is still weeks away. But there’s a charm in rustic and subtle scenes like this, especially when capped by a dramatic dark blue dome.
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter
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Natural landscapes: the fairytale roadside view
SNOWY CANYON NEAR BOW VALLEY PROVINCIAL PARK, ALBERTA
I was starting home after a very satisfying photo trip when I approached a bridge over a canyon. I’d driven over this bridge before without stopping but this time, as I inched across the bridge, I gazed in wonder at the gobsmacking view of snowy trees and shadows far below.
So I stopped the car, hauled out the photography equipment and made several photos, including this one. Often I’ll avoid capturing scenes like this in sunny weather because of the harsh shadows (especially in late winter-early spring, when the sun is so much higher in the sky), but those shadows helped make the canyon so photogenic.
Nikon D7100, tripod.
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Rural landscapes: walk this way to mountain glory
MOUNT YAMNUSKA, BOW VALLEY PROVINCIAL PARK, ALBERTA
It was a strange day. I drove deep into the Canadian Rockies to find good pictures, but no snow for several weeks meant lots of bland, grey-green forests that absolutely don’t make for good pictures. But coming into the mountains, I encountered the picturesque remains of an overnight snowfall. So I drove back to that area and was blessed to find incredible scenes like this.
As I made this picture, I knew I’d process a version with the fence and entry in colour, while the rest of the photo is turned into black-and-white. The result is striking, isn’t it? 🙂
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Urban landscape: the lights of early morning
VIVO RECREATION CENTRE, CALGARY, ALBERTA
I go to the gym in this facility – which includes a library, ice rink, basketball courts and swimming pool – twice a week and every time I go, I see again how photogenic it is. Finally, I got up before dawn one weekend and spent over an hour finding sweet architectural spots like this to photograph.
Nikon D7100, tripod.
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Urban landscapes: take a winter walk on this bridge
ELBOW RIVER PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, CALGARY, ALBERTA
Even this late in winter, snowy and cold conditions can make it seem like a January deep freeze. Nevertheless, I ventured out before sunrise to find this beautifully lit walkway over the frozen river just before it flows into the Bow River east of the downtown skyline.
Two things:
1. Given the dim illumination, a long exposure was needed to gather enough light into the camera.
2. I intentionally twisted the camera to tilt the horizon, because diagonal lines are often more visually dynamic.
Nikon D7100, 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, “Light and Lines: An Urban Landscape Portfolio”: http://bit.ly/LIGHTandLINES
Rural landscapes: the green coastline
ROCKY BEACH AND ANCIENT FARMLAND, DINGLE, IRELAND
This compelling scene dates back to 1993 during my second trip to Ireland and when I was still photographing on slide film. I was blessed to spend time in the nation’s southwest, where incredible scenes like this are common.
One thing about Ireland: upon arriving, I somehow felt the weight of so many centuries of often heartbreaking history. It comes back to me now as I look at these ageless strings of stone fences.
Pentax 6×7 film camera, tripod, polarizing filter
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Natural landscapes: where the ocean pounds the shore
ATLANTIC OCEAN SURF, CAPE SPEAR, NEWFOUNDLAND
Dark, cold and windy? Yes. But as you can see, that didn’t lessen the stark and stunning beauty of the easternmost point in North America. This is the first place on the continent to encounter sunrise and the first place to witness sunset.
There are two very picturesque lighthouses within walking distance of this spot. Here’s one of them: https://wp.me/p2ccTX-150.
Nikon D7100, 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, “MOMENTS OF LIGHT: Thirty Years of Photography”: http://bit.ly/JTNnMX
Natural landscapes: the arrival of spring?
LATE WINTER MELT, CASTLE WILDLAND PROVINCIAL PARK, ALBERTA
Spring is a fitful mistress in this western Canadian province. One day it’s 10c, the next day can easily be -10 with snow. In fact, the snowiest “winter” month in this part of Canada is March.
So all that said, this scene from late February certainly looks like the departure of winter. What you can’t see is the wind; Castle Wildland Provincial Park is in the deep southwest and that’s one of the windiest places in Canada.
I was very glad to have a tripod to compose this scene; I also boosted the “speed” of my exposures to ISO 400 (anyone with camera – not phone – experience will probably understand) to make sure my exposures wouldn’t be blurry from constant wind shaking the camera.
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 “BLUE SYMPHONY: Winter in the Canadian Rockies”: http://bit.ly/kFb3Xw
