Kootenay Plains
i explored further than Windy Point and stopped at Preachers Point and though I took a photo with my zoom lens, i recognized the mountains that I had shot in the winter a couple of years ago. Ironicly , my friends were coming back from Vancouver and were in this same area the same day. We may have even passed each other!
Here are the photos from the winter when i was here at sunrise, obviously with a wider -angle lens.
I dropped into Two-O’Clock Creek, so named because the creekbed will flood with water from the run-off from the mountains in the afternoon. I noticed there are notices on the signs to submit ticks because Alberta health want to test them for evidence of Lyme disease. This is new to me so had me worried about more than bears. Thiss campground is a beautiful spot with an energy that draws me back ever since I first discovered it. i was thrilled to find a Western Tanager here although I apologise for the lousy shot.
i did some walking and stopped to say hello to the campground managers. See why i like this place so much?
The weather changed again and it FELT like snow was coming. up to then I was in a t-shirt and light jacket. The clouds rolled in and the mountains were almost covered completely. Time to go home.
A Nice Winter Vista
I like simple scenes that show the crispness of white snow and frost, preferring the cooler temperatures slightly below zero rather than the warmth with its slush and brown. The freezing cold temperature has its beauty too, with hoar frost, although I just can’t tolerate it for long. This shot was pleasing to me because of the frosted tips of the evergreens and the lines in the conifer in the late afternoon. It is a little static but I like the calm after so many windy days..
Sunset on Trees
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1/125 sec @f/5, ISO 500 shutter priority, 170mm
I like the reflected colours of the sunset on the trees, so warm against the backdrop of blue sky which is nice to see after so many cloudy days. It takes my mind off the icy streets, windrows and deep ruts that beckon then trap my wheels.
Snow Series 1
I like snow for the most part, especially when it is wind-blown and sculpts fine lines in the landscape. I don’t always like shovelling the stuff, especially when I am lazy however I always feel invigorated after the job is done. It has so many qualities: crusty, sharp, melting, fluffy, icy,pristine, dirty.
I thought that I would like to do a series about the different ways I see snow. First is snow in the context of a larger scene. I really don’t know where I am going with this, I was going to post a bunch of images at one time but I think that I can make a stronger statement by posting a single image. How many in the series? I don’t know, but I will try to remember to label them. Here is the first.
1/80 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200
30.5 Centimeters of Snow in One Week
In other words, that is 12 inches. I went out today on a very grey day to capture some images. Much warmer at -15 but that little bit of a breeze – br-r-r. But it is so pretty! Lots of people x-country skiing, walking their dogs and out for a stroll.
This is a stand of mostly spruce trees with some Tamaracks.
1/400 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400 at approximately 3 p.m.
1/60 sec @ f/10, ISO 400
Moments in the Season
There are so many wonderful colours this year due to heavy frosts, warm days and lack of wind so the leaves are brighter and staying longer. I have been playing with alternate ways of viewing and having fun.
Overwhelmed
Busy. Overwhelmed. Tired, even exhausted. Back soon, hopefully. Did take a walk in the dog park with my camera. Food for the soul.Love to you all…
Got to Love that Spring Green
I took this the other day and going back to see if the blossoms are out. I cropped this just so to bring out the beech or birch trees in the background.
Seasons of a Tree at Hawrelak Park
I love this park just southwest of the downtown area. I can come here and get my nature fix and let go of stress of schedules and rush. While I have taken literally thousands of photos of birds here, I also spend time photographing the scenery, usually at hours that are not overrun by people and the garbage that they leave lying around.
This is my favourite tree in the park at least one that I almost always see and look at, and photograph often. Here are are photos of the tree in the four seasons.I don’t even know what kind of tree it is, I think cherry. It is a favourite of many birds, especially the chickadees and waxwings.
It’s Spring! Ya-hooo!
I have to change my tag from winter to spring and do not mind at all. I admit I forgot that it is the first day of Spring today but I was thinking how nice and warm and sunny it is, despite the snow. On the streets it is melting, however another snowstorm is expected tonight. I went skiing in the park and x-country conditions are excellent! The squirrels, which were hiding a few days ago, are very busy running about and chasing each other and I saw my first Canada Goose but couldn’t capture a shot. Life is good!
©Jane Chesebrough
Simple Things
Simple things stand out to me, not always, but often when I am in a relaxed mood or just walking, maybe even somewhat bored. I can be browsing in a store and it will be something simple that catches my eye and delights my heart far more than something grandiose.This time of the year with the bright lights and sometimes excessive decorations that I like to take photos of too, I particularly enjoy resting my eye on the simple composition that quiets me and gives me a breather from the high energy of the season.
© Jane Chesebrough
Legislature Grounds in the Daytime
The Alberta legislature grounds are beautiful all times of the year. Yesterday we went to the grounds to explore and see what is going on for the holiday season. It just so happened that the entertainment was starting yesterday, with choirs in the rotunda and the ceremony of turning on the lights. It was cold and we didn’t stay for the light ceremony but I will be sure to get to that later. The dome is totally covered in plastic as it undergoes a clean-up so I am happy that I have photos from other years. It is the 100th anniversary of the legislature so I find it ironic that it is coverd up at this time of year however the big deal was at the beginning of the year.The fact that the dome is covered up gives me the challenge to take photos of other things so here is what I saw:
The dome under wraps.
100 years Anniversary of the Alberta Legislature
Christmas Tree in the Square-Oh look! that’s my friend’ s shoulder.
The Mennorah
The Craft Shop -fantastic handiwork!
Decorations
Tree Lines
Berries and Lights
Heavy Laden Branches
All photos © Jane Chesebrough
Some Nice Oranges
You thought, perhaps, that I was talking about the fruit? No, I am still seeing the colours of the last remaining leaves around the city and rather than yellows and greens I am seeing the orange tones. And I am noticing the colour of orange in the reflections on the water from the setting sun around the city. This photo shows the rays of late afternoon sun as it hits the trees and bushes in the wood lot. I tried getting enough focus in the foreground without such a narrow depth of field that I lost too much emphasis in the background so I could still pull the composition together as a whole.
I have been extremely busy taking courses at a learning centre in preparation for job-hunting after being on emotional and mental health leave. I am sorry that I have not been able to keep up with your blogs or even mine for that matter, but have kept up to some of you without commenting.It has been an amazing opportunity to learn about myself, regretfully some of the learning has been about self care and not knowing when to stop. I feel pressured to keep working so hard because of the fear of losing my insurance benefits but have paid the price of my health and the bronchitis that has been holding on for weeks has now gone deeper into the lungs and turned into pneumonia. So I have brought things to a halt. Again.
I started a short-term dose on Prednisone to take down the inflammation in my lungs so have been a total insomniac.(Absolutely everything in my apartment is so well organized now!) I was hesitant to take antibiotics because of the drug-resistant bugs but now am taking antibiotics especially since taking having x-rays taken.
I am mending . I am growing . I am learning so much about Microsoft Word and resumes and references and cold calls and getting along with people and focusing on personal values and goals and problem-solving skills. You name it, it has been covered. Ha Ha! Maybe a little “wanting” in the category of setting limits and boundaries.
I am so grateful that Activia yoghurt has brought out the new flavour of Strawberry Rhubarb in the larger containers. That is just one of the amusing things that I am grateful for because I have been counting my blessings. I am grateful that I could take the time to get outdoors with my friends to grab images of the last bits of autumn colour.Enjoy.
©Jane Chesebrough
Enjoying the Temperatures
We have been blessed with warmer than usual weather this fall and I am still wearing shorts most days. The colours are great and starting to see the red of the bushes as well as the yellow aspens.Maybe I will find a red maple somewhere, must admit that I miss the glorious display of colours from the east, particularly Ontario where I grew up. I am lucky because I can appreciate the beauty wherever I am. The following was taken on my walk last weekend then added paint strokes in Corel Paintshop Photo Pro x3 . Thinking of all of you and wish you a joyful, nature-immersed weekend.
About Five Minutes
Yesterday when I was out persuing the woodpeckers I stopped at one tree where one was knocking on the trunk and was amazed at how fast he could break the surface and how deep he could make the hole in such a short space of time. This took about five minutes. This is not to show great pictures but to tell the story of boring a hole in a tree.
Just Resting Today
I went into my files todayand picked this image that was taken last year in Edmonton’s river valley. The original was in colour but I was inspired to try it in black and white and I think that it works well.
Lights One Way or Another
I wanted to take photos of a couple of trees on a street that were wrapped in lights but perplexed about how to photograph them: with the street and building signs,zoom in and eliminate some, abstract them? So I tried a couple of approaches: which do you prefer?
Dancing Trees
©Jane Chesebrough
I got to the park just before the sun was about to disappear beneath the horizon but I managed to get a few shots. There was just a slight breeze but it was bone-chilling – my glasses kept fogging up and couldn’t see a thing and my fingers were freezing and even the camera was a little slow. I was feeling like it was minus 20.But I liked this group of trees that I shot and it seemed to me that they were dancing in the last glimmer of light before the sun set.
Once home, the local weather station reported that it was -19 celsius but, (don’t you love this), feels like -28 celsius. Hot chocolate and flannel pajama weather.LOL
Looks Like it’s here to Stay
- ©Jane Chesebrough
Winter is like swimming, you just got to get into it. So I got my layers of heavier clothes on and went out in the outdoors with the camera to get some photos of the snow. It was late in the day because I had so many errands to do-one of the important ones was to buy an extension cord for my block heater. It is supposed to be windy and the wind chill will drop the temperature low enough to freeze my car battery so it is time to plug it in.I chose this photo because there is some shadow under the trees and the snow of course with some remaining color from fall leaves.I did crop out some of the top because the sky was over-exposed and a distraction from the branches.1/13 of a second at f5.6 ISO 200 47 mm
Bark Texture
©Jane Chesebrough
I haven’t been out much lately but have been reading other people’s work and looking at photos and while realizing a need to practise the basics of photography and elements of design, I have been inspired to push the envelope and explore more ways of expressing myself through the medium of photography.So off I go…
Signs of Spring
©Jane Chesebrough
©Jane Chesebrough
©Jane Chesebrough
Thoroughly enjoying getting out for walks in the somewhat warmer weather after a snowfall last week that dumped about 10 cm on us. I actually went for my last cross-country ski of the season that day (I hope). It is good to see promises of spring with the melting of snow and new growth and re-acquainting myself with the curious creatures of the forest. Ah, yes!
Creative Design: Line
©Jane Chesebrough
©Jane Chesebrough
©Jane Chesebrough
©Jane Chesebrough
©Jane Chesebrough
I just started a course in Creative Design and our first assignment was to submit 3 photos on the topic of “line”. Decided to have some fun and the pictures show what I came up with.Shot everything in manual mode except for auto focus.
Working in Manual Mode
©Jane Chesebrough
I am taking an introductory course on Digital SLR Photography. Using auto focus except when conditions require that I use manual focus. I am really enjoying this. I definitely do not have a mathematical thinking mind for calculating ,stops, especially in thirds, but I am “getting it’ a bit at a time. We have been using working exposure and going to proper exposure. My brain was on overload. All I can say is, thank God for histograms.And appreciate reviewing what the latter means. I kept forgetting which side was light and which was dark. I figured out a way to remember: left/ dark and right/ light. Same number of letters.Sounds simple but when you are a beginner and still new to the language of photography and still interpreting as you go…wow, it is overwhelming!Did I say I am loving the process?! And we never stop learning!
My Heartsong 