The Island

The Island

This was taken at Elk Island National Park in Alberta Canada shortly after sunset. This is Astotin Lake and the islands name is High Island. I had hoped to get here before the sun went down but the road was blocked for a considerable amount of time with large herds of buffalo. I took many photos of the buffalo as I drove by but sadly none of the photos turned out any good. I guess I need practice taking pictures and driving at the same time. It was really interesting seeing that many buffalo so close and I intend to go back really soon to photograph the buffalo again.

I find the island interesting because it almost looks like the bones of a fish. Elk Island National Park is a very interesting place and if you are ever in the area take the time to check it out. You can camp, picnic or even go canoeing on the many lakes in the area. The buffalo are protected so there is also many of them to see.

Chaos Surrounds You

Chaos Surrounds You

I am sure many of you have heard the saying "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Well the same principle can apply when you are surrounded by chaos. When everything around you seems to be going at a frantic pace, take a moment, take a deep breath, gather your thoughts and make something out of that chaos. Chaos is an opportunity for you to show yourself and/or others what you are made of. Some people need more order in life than others and that in it's own is a measure of who you are. Some people can see chaos and just let it be and others can't. Neither way is right or wrong. Others can see chaos and turn it into something beautiful. Just like there are artists, lawyers, doctors, teachers and all the other professions it is the same with chaos. People should learn to appreciate how others deal with it just as they appreciate others for what type of work they do.

This image is of stormclouds surrounding the moon. Due to the settings which I took the photos at the moon actually looks like the sun. I had to bring up the exposure in order to capture the amazing color that is in the sky surrounding the moon. This was processed with the intent of being artistic. It was an awesome site and the storm that followed was very intense. I am going to be investing in gear that will permit me to shoot in storms and other bad weather because it creates great opportunity to make some cool photos.

Don't know what chaos is? Check this out. Warning explicit lyrics.

Korn - Chaos Lives In Everything Featuring Skrillex 

 

Don't Play With Fire

Don't Play With Fire

This is smoke photographed in a studio setting. The smoke was created using incense and photographed with an off camera flash to the right of the camera.

I am posting this because today our city was covered in a blanket of smoke caused by forest fires that are raging out of control to the north west. Many of those fires started from some serious thunderstorms we have had over that last little while but there is always at least one that was started as a result of someone being careless with either fire or a cigarette. The single moment of tossing a cigarette butt out the window of a moving vehicle or carelessly tossing a butt into a wooded area while walking or hiking caused millions of dollars in damage. Not to mention it endangers the lives of residents in the area as well as the men and women that go out to fight that fire. If you have ever had to fight a forest fire, which I know most people have not, I will tell you it is not a pleasant experience. I seriously feel the pain of those out there sacrificing for the rest of us. The temperatures have been around 30 Celsius most of this week. Those fighting the fires are equipped with a large amount of protective gear that is hot to wear on a cool day. Add the temperature of a sunny day to the heat produced by a blazing fire and our firefighters are cooking inside that protective gear. Now add to that having to carry equipment to fight the fire, packing it into hard to reach areas and then busting their butts to try to put out a blaze. Men and women that fight forest fires are some of the toughest and bravest people out their and we owe it to them to be more careful with campfires, matches, cook stoves, cigarettes and anything else that can possibly ignite a fire.

To all of you firefighters out there. In Canada, the USA and the rest of the world you have my thanks for your hard and determined effort.

Midas Touch

Midas Touch


This type of photo is quickly becoming my favorite to do. I love the color that the golden hour creates and I like it even more in the morning. It is going to be a difficult transition for me because I am not what you would call a morning person. My original intent was to photograph the sunrise on the other side of the lake. When I was driving on that side there was an amazing morning mist covering the lake. It looked awesome. However I could not find a spot to photograph it from as everything was private property. It got rather frustrating so I went back to the spot I was at last night were I took From the Reeds. By this time the sun had already come up and most of the mist on the lake was gone. If you look closely you can still see some.


Print available here:  http://smu.gs/Nfe569

 Dawn Breaks

This was taken a bit later. This is facing north as the sun was rising in the east.  The area where I was standing was very spongy. I wanted to try get closer to the lake but I was afraid I would lose a shoe. There was already someones thong and running shoe sucked into the spongy grass so I didn't feel like adding to the collection.

From the Reeds

It was looking to be a pretty dull sunset tonight. I decided to head out anyway and scout out a lake that was close to town and try find a good spot for the sunrise for Saturday morning. When I got out to the lake the sky was full of color as the sun had already gone down. I braved walking into the marsh to set up the tripod. I had to be quick because I was getting swarmed with mosquitoes. Those little suckers were starving. I was fresh meat and they hadn't eaten in days. I got the camera set up. Fired off 9 shots as I swatted mosquitoes off of me. Grabbed the camera and got out of there.

Canada Day Fireworks 2012

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Canda Day 2012 in Edmonton, AB. Here are several shots that I took of the fireworks that were shot off downtown by the high level bridge. I sat on a hill in Victoria Park with my friend Karl, his wife and daughter. There was a very large crowd this year and I don't think they were disappointed this time around. It was a pretty decent display with a wide array of colors and firework types. There was fuzzy streamers and winding snakes. Flashy sparklers and big poppers. We saw speeders and slow winders. Twisties and swirlies. 

There was white ones, blue ones and green. Bright red, yellow and varying ones in between. 


It was a good show and this was my first time photographing fireworks. It was really fun and I can't wait for my next chance to try. 


I made up those firework types just in case you were wondering. Dr. Suess seemed to possess my mind for a moment there. 




I hope you enjoy the photos and if you don't mind I would like some feedback on which one or ones you like the most. They are all numbered so if you state in the comments which photos you prefer it would be greatly appreciated.

Twin Forks

I was walking home on my way from photographing fireworks for the Canada Day celebration. All of a sudden the western sky was lit up so bright. A huge thunder storm was taking place. I set up the camera and tripod and decided to try and capture some lightning. It wasn't going so well. After all this was the first time I even attempted this. A man walked by and offered some advice. He asked if I managed to capture any yet and I said yes just a little one. He then said "You have to be fast". I chuckled in my head. I am not lightning fast. Anyways there was many a flash of lightning and each time I was too slow. It was getting a bit frustrating. Then all of a sudden the upper sky lit up. I pressed and held my remote release and then these two huge bolts forked out of the clouds. It was pretty awesome to see and even more awesome to see that I had captured it with my camera. Fireworks and lightning in the same day is pretty special. Then again it was a special day. Happy Birthday Canada. 

Fireworks pictures to follow.