Natural landscapes: the warm and rocky beach
PACIFIC OCEAN COASTLINE, EL BALSAMAR RESORT, EL SALVADOR
This was a difficult photo to make presentable. The harsh, overhead sun made for very contrasty, shadowy conditions that required two intense rounds of Photoshop processing to mitigate.
But I think the work was worth it, especially as this sweet scene presents a summery contrast to the continuing cold, wintry conditions where I live in western Canada. Here’s another sublime scene from the same El Salvador beach: https://wp.me/p2ccTX-1q4.
Nikon D7100, tripod.
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Rural landscapes: the rapturous winter view
FENCE, FIELDS AND FOOTHILLS NEAR BLACK DIAMOND, ALBERTA
New snow, clinging to everything it touched, and morning sunshine made for a stunning day south of Calgary. I toured nameless roads until coming to the top of a ridge and discovering this incredible vista. I prefer the drama of black-and-white, but the curious can check out the colour version here: http://bit.ly/SnowyAlbertaVista. See the grazing cattle ‘way off in the distance?
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter
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Rural landscapes: along the winter fence
LONG-GONE FARMLAND, UNIONVILLE, ONTARIO
I plunged deep into the archives to find this scene, photographed on negative film ‘way back in the 1980s just north of Toronto (Canada’s largest city). These fields have long been replaced by a ritzy golf course, but I’ll always have this photo to remind me of how beautiful the area was.
Nikon FM2 film camera, tripod, polarizer
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Natural landscapes: the glowing blue of winter
ICE ON ABRAHAM LAKE, ALBERTA
This lake, a man-made creation in the Canadian Rockies, is a mecca for photographers because of the amazing ice and the even more amazing methane-caused ice bubbles. I have lots of ice bubble pictures (here’s one: https://wp.me/p2ccTX-tY), but the gigantic ice chunks also made for great photo opportunities.
Nikon D90, tripod, polarizing filter
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Rural landscapes: the road to winter wonderland
COUNTRY ROAD OFF THE COWBOY TRAIL, ALBERTA
The view was, as you can see, magnificent and I was all set up to make a photo when a truck pulled into the lane and parked for the next 20 minutes right where I didn’t want him to be. The light was shifting as clouds rolled this way and that, so I impatiently waited and hoped a strong wind wouldn’t arrive and blow the snow off the delicate branches.
Fortunately, all was still amazing when the truck left and I ecstatically recorded this astounding view of God’s winter glory in the Rocky Mountain foothills. 🙂
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky.
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Natural landscapes: the frosty & frigid river
BOW RIVER AND WINTER FOG, COCHRANE, ALBERTA
With long underwear, my heaviest winter boots & coat, toque and two pairs of gloves, I was able to stay outside in -25c temperatures long enough to record beautiful winter sunshine on an open part of this river in western Canada. Here’s another view of the Bow, photographed just a few minutes earlier: https://wp.me/p2ccTX-1sD.
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Natural landscapes: the peaceful pond
POND AND SURROUNDING SNOW, NEAR BRAGG CREEK, ALBERTA
When snow arrives on ponds that aren’t frozen over, I go on a picture hunt to find utterly silent and peaceful scenes like this. The overcast conditions actually accentuate the introspective mood far better than sunshine.
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky.
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Urban landscapes: lighting the architectural marvel
RYERSON UNIVERSITY STUDENT LEARNING CENTRE, TORONTO, ONTARIO
This extraordinary example of modern architecture, designed by the architectural team of Zeidler and Snøhetta, replaced a truly iconic piece of Toronto. Those of a certain age (like me) spent many hours in “Sam The Record Man” browsing the records and, later, CDs. It was wonderful.
Sam and almost all of his stores are long gone, but I sure loved capturing this new structure as dawn approached. Here’s another view I captured the same morning: https://wp.me/p2ccTX-Jf
Nikon D7100, tripod.
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Rural landscapes: abandoned in a somber landscape
OLD BUILDING IN THE WINTER FIELDS, NEAR CALGARY, ALBERTA
The lighting was quite dull, but something about this rugged old structure in an introspective winter landscape attracted my attention. Darkening the sky was key to making the picture work, since white, featurless skies tend to suck you eyes away from the rest of the photo.
Nikon D7100, tripod, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky.
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Natural landscapes: flowing through the frost
FRIGID DAY AT BIG HILL SPRINGS PROVINCIAL PARK, NEAR COCHRANE, ALBERTA
It was -25c that day, but signficant parts of this spring-fed creek remain open no matter what and that let me find sweet scenes like this to photograph.
It wasn’t a far walk from the warmth of my car, but I wore long underwear, my heaviest winter coat and boots, toque and two pairs of gloves to avoid the danger of frostbite.
Nikon D7100, tripod.
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Natural landscapes: the somber, silent shoreline
CLOUDY WINTER DAY NEAR DEEP RIVER, ONTARIO
Our visit to this village in eastern Ontario featured about one hour of sunshine in five days. I didn’t let that stop me from venturing out to find compelling landscapes. The introspective simplicity of this scene, along the shore of the semi-frozen Ottawa River, attracted me. As with so many cloudy winter days, there was almost no colour to be had, so I did away with it altogether.
Nikon D7100, tripod, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky.
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Rural landscapes: the frigid river
DEEP FREEZE FOG ON THE BOW RIVER, COCHRANE, ALBERTA
The temperature was crazy cold (-25c ) and most water was frozen over in the southern half of this western Canadian province, but I thought there might be a chance of open water west of Calgary, so I ventured to Cochrane and was rewarded with superb, epic winter conditions.
I wore long underwear, my heaviest winter coat, toque and two pairs of gloves to make this photo. And as you can see, it was absolutely worth the discomfort. 🙂
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter
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Natural landscapes: awesomeness from the mountain top
WINTER AT SUNSHINE MEADOWS, BANFF NATIONAL PARK, ALBERTA
In winter it’s a renowned ski destination, in summer it’s a hikers’ paradise. The fun thing about Sunshine Meadows is it straddles the border between the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. One of the ski lifts highlights this, with signs indicating when you’ve crossed into British Columbia and when you’ve crossed back. As you can see, the views are beyond spectacular – in colour or in monotone. I went for the latter to truly highlight the eye-popping drama. You can see the colour version here:http://bit.ly/SunshineMeadowsWinter.
Nikon D90, polarizing filter
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Urban landscapes: in the midst of epic silence
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, OTTAWA, ONTARIO
I photographed the exterior a year earlier, but it was too late in the day to get inside. I remedied that a few days ago and was absolutely gobsmacked at the stunning interior. The cathedral is the oldest and largest church in this city, which is Canada’s capital. It was designed a national historic site in 1990.
The main structure was completed in 1846 and the entire building was renovated and restored in the 1990s. Governor General Georges Vanier and Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier were given state funerals here.
One of the many things I like about cathedrals like this is they encourage silence and contemplative prayer, which are rarely found in our culture today.
Nikon D7100, tripod.
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Rural landscapes: the river and the fog
CROWSNEST RIVER AND RAILWAY BRIDGE, LUNDBRECK, ALBERTA
I went to photograph Lundbreck Falls, just downstream from this spot, in mysteriously foggy conditions. Once finished there, I wandered upstream and found this compelling composition. When photographing the falls, the railway bridge often seems to be a barely tolerated intrusion, but it’s key to making this photograph work.
There was barely any colour to be had, so this black-and-white treatment is my favourite. Nevertheless, you can see the scene in colour here: http://bit.ly/FoggyRiver.
Nikon D7100, tripod.
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Rural landscapes: welcome to the hay field
THE WINTER FIELDS NEAR CALGARY, ALBERTA
I was intrigued by the fence line and the tracks and how they lead your eyes into the golden hues of the hay field and the distant Canadian Rocky Mountains. A higher vantage point from the adjacent road gave me — and you — a great view of so much that is stunningly beautiful about this province.
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter
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Urban landscapes: the city sunrise
BOW RIVER AND SKYSCRAPERS, CALGARY, ALBERTA
I arrived and parked the car nearby just in time to capture this scene as sunrise was approaching. The Bow isn’t always this open in late December, so I was delighted with the photographic possibilities it offered.
Nikon D7100, tripod, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky and buildings.
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Urban landscapes: the gathering of structures
SKYSCRAPERS AT DUSK, CALGARY, ALBERTA
Capturing scenes like this is all about timing. First, it’s only possible during winter months, when darkness descends while most buildings are still fully illuminated. Second, it’s only possible during weekdays, since most lights in most buildings are off on weekends. Once you’ve met these qualifications, prepare to make loooong exposures.
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 epic winter clouds
THE VIEW FROM SKYLINE ROAD, NEAR PINCHER CREEK, ALBERTA
During my Christmas vacation, I was blessed to drive down to the deep south of this western Canadian province just two days after a significant snowfall. That snow, and this gobsmacking sky, made for many very pleasing compositions.
I’m in a black-and-white mood these days and, given the relative lack of colour in this scene — just blue, really — it was a no-brainer to show you the monotone photo (see the full-colour version here: http://bit.ly/AlbertaWinterRoad). BTW, that’s the Canadian Rockies on the horizon.
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter
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Natural landscapes: the winter badlands viewpoint
WINTER AT HORSETHIEF CANYON, DRUMHELLER, ALBERTA
Named after outlaws who hid their stolen livestock here more than 100 years ago, the edge of this canyon provides stunning (as you can see) views into the badlands below. I was blessed to be there with stunning lighting and just enough snow.
Nikon D7100, tripod, polarizing filter, graduated density (darkening) filter on the sky.
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