Road Trip Part 2 - The B&W Images

As promised, here's a collection of images that take us into day two of my Ottawa Valley road trip. I know all three of you are anxiously awaiting them.... kidding! But seriously, even while fighting off a double ear infection the entire trip, and waiting out some very wet rainy weather, we managed to see a lot of sights as well as nature within the Madawaska River area, and the small town of Arnprior which truly charmed us during our stay.

I hope you enjoy! To see the images larger give a click over them. I shan't be rambling on as much this week as I have some deadlines to meet... but as always, if you have a comment or some feedback, I'd love to read it!
Have a good one folks! Keep an eye out for day three's installment!

"Untamed Shores"

"A Study in Sediment"

" St.John Chrysostom "  Arnprior

"Ye Olde Post Office"  Arnprior

Thankful for Ontario's Beauty

 " Autumn At Eels Lake"

1/125 sec @ F/5, ISO 160, 18mm fl, manual



Here in Canada it's Thanksgiving weekend already, so I thought I'd post images from my latest trip up to the Ottawa Valley area, where the color and beauty we explored for three days along all the old roads and highways was so inspirational. My husband and I loaded up the car with gear, snacks, coffee and tunes a couple weekends ago, and meandered our way 7hrs northeast up to where the Madawaska River finally meets with the Ottawa River... and along the way, we cruised back roads, boat launch trails, and even cemeteries. And everywhere we looked, there was a quiet wilderness begging to be captured.

Over the next few days I will be posting images that will give you a small taste of what it was like to explore this lovely and rural part of Ontario for a weekend, camera always in hand. And today I'll start with our first real stop, about halfway through our journey, at Eels Lake, up near the Kawarthas region.

 "Eels Lake Shoreline"

1/160 sec @ F/6.3, ISO 106, 18mm fl, manual



This particular area was shot quite close to the boat launch at Eels Lake. And if I have one tip for anyone out exploring this particular part of Ontario, up past the Kawarthas, Bancroft, all the way up to Renfrew or Ottawa itself along the smaller more scenic highways, it's this; some of the best and most rewarding "detours" you'll make along the way are anywhere along the road where you see a Boat Launch sign! These routes mean there are secluded and natural lakes ahead (secluded come autumn time anyways, lol) and you're sure to catch some pristine scenery in the lens. These roads are often remote enough that you may see deer, and other wildlife en route, and usually when you get to the end of the road there's a lovely place to stretch your legs or even picnic while you shoot. Of course, always make sure it is a public launch route, a private road can land you in trouble.



 "Rustic Eels Lake" B&W Conversion"

1/200 sec @ F/6.3, ISO 200, 18mm fl, manual

The above image I love because of all the textures that suddenly command your attention once converted to B&W. I often will take an image knowing that it's one I want to see in a monochromatic version, and this was one that I knew right away would suit perfectly. There will be more B&W images to follow in the next post, I'm excited to see what you think of them... the rocks and sediment along the shore were full of visual interest and character, and seemed to prove that we were treading on ground left quite in it's natural state... hard to find in the beaches and parks closer to my end of Ontario. The light was lovely and diffused due to fluffy clouds hanging low in the sky that day, so overall patterned metering was pretty much the norm as i shot, and all were handheld.



"Cove at Eels Lake Launch"

1/160 sec @ F/6.3, ISO 200, 18mm fl, Manual

Finally, the above image (a color version, landscape framing this time, as opposed to it's B&W partner) is a great example of how you can pull detail out of the sky AND the water below with the use of a circular polarizing filter. A polarizer cuts the light reflecting off the water, adding depth, and it deepens the sky, perfect for these low laying clouds. This was the perfect type of day to use my handy little filter, with the sun behind me late in the afternoon. I knelt low on the sand and made sure to compose so that the sky complimented the landscape, adding interest naturally.

This post pretty much exemplifies everything I love about landscape photography... adventuring into new territory, exploring the beauty available, and trying to capture it in such a way that the viewer is caught saying to themselves "oh, I need to GO there one day!" The wonder to be found a few hours from home inspires me, and makes me so thankful for things as simple as a humble little "boat launch" sign, for without it I never would have explored sweet little Eels Lake, or had images to hopefully inspire the rest of you to hop in the car with a loved one or pal one day, and just drive, to see what you can discover and become inspired by yourself!

Thanks for letting me ramble on! Have a great Thanksgiving one and all!

And feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you're thankful for lately :-)

"Autumn's Early Emergence"

"$4 Dollar Pumpkins"

Had to post this image to kick off September! Been listening to the news and weather reports and they are in agreement; fall is coming early to Ontario! So I thought I'd offer proof of just how true this is. This is a beautiful farm in the Pelham County Region. Stumbled upon it quite by accident yesterday, and was smitten with it's rural charm! And behold all the pumpkins already maturing! In fact, the experts are telling us that they're so early, we may not have any for Halloween, that they'll all be gone by then! Sheesh!

Anyway, this pumpkin stall with the gorgeous home in the background seemed like the ideal way to herald in the approaching fall season. And as no one seemed put out that a photo buddy and I were happily snapping away at this lovely scene, we also made sure we bought some of the lovely produce to take home with us as a thank you for their graciousness. And really who could resist such wonderful charming bounty? Wouldn't be a photo day in the country without it.

So here's the low down on the stats for this image for all you photo buffs out there. Late morning light/partial shade was available, used 1/200 sec.@ F/9, ISO 200, 24mm fl. 18-55mm kit zoom, center-weighted metering, handheld, Nikon D80.

So, I gladly welcome Autumn with all it's color, textures, charm, and beauty! And gosh, even the memories associated with pumpkin picking, jumping in the piles of leaves soon to follow, and the arrival of comfort food are delightful things to think on!

So thanks for letting me ramble on! Feel free to leave me a comment on your favorite fall memory, and get ready to enjoy all that Autumn has to offer!

"Dundurn Part II"

"The Grand Ol' Girl"

(1/60 sec @ F/11, ISO 100, 18mm fl, wide zoom Nikkor lens, tripod)

So, as promised, here is part 2 of my wanderings around the Dundurn Castle estate. Looking at the photo essay I've gotten out of this series of images, I've decided I still lean towards interesting elements of design, historic details, and architectural discoveries when I look through the lens... all well and good because they showcase the care and craftsmanship that went into such a fabulous property. But as usual, I've not gotten a single image with any action, people, tourists, gardeners, and what have you. So that shall be my next project for this location, when I next visit with my camera!

For the image above, since you really feel the passing of time when photographing this national historic site, I've used a "daguerreotype" filter in this images final edit. Much richer than a simple B&W conversion, I love to use this effect on older architecture.

"Rooftop Sentries"

(1/60 sec @ F/11, ISO 100, 135mm fl, 55-200 Telephoto zoom)

This next image above is another angle of the Castle Tower's rooftop, which is lined on all four sides with these quirky dove cotes. The intensity of the setting sun light really lit up the repetitious shapes nicely, showcasing them well.

"The Hive"

( 1/25 sec @ F/11, ISO 100, 200mm fl, 55-200 mm zoom, tripod)

This last image was a surprise (and could have been a nasty one had I not seen it in time).

These miniature crab apple trees are scattered along the back of the property, and I narrowly missed walking right underneath this busy hive trying to get a shot of some of the stonework at the back of the castle. I shot this from about 6 feet away, using my telezoom to compress all the branches surrounding the hive into the shot, and obviously to get as close as comfortably possible. My family bravely stood another few feet behind me, confident that if I disturbed the inhabitants within, that it'd be "first come, first served".

In the end, I really liked how the fruit and colors of the various leaves mingles with the day's last light. There's even a bee or two flitting in and out. To see each low res. image slightly enlarged simply click on the image. And as always, respect the rights of the photographer.

Next week, I have some images to post via a new toy I bought for my Nikon!

So stay tuned, and as always, thanks for letting me ramble on! Have a good one!

The Pursuit of Dundurn

"Dusk's Door"

Image shot at 1/125 sec @ F/11, ISO 100, 22mm fl

As many of you know, I've been very busy working for the city of Hamilton documenting the public gardens and parks for the duration of three seasons. Wonderful work, but has left me with with less time to pursue my other love, which is photographing the city period. So I thought I would post a few results from a few evenings ago, when I wandered the property of Hamilton's historic Dundurn Castle. I needed to photograph something just for the sake of photography in and of itself. Anyone else get like that? No looming deadline, no client to please, just you and your camera?

Dundurn and I have a love affair. I've captured it over the last couple years in every season, at every time of day, from various angles. It's the home of one of Canada's first Premiers,

Sir Allan MacNab, who later went on to become Prime Minister, and was built in 1835. The history oozes out of every regal pillar, tower, and rooftop. I even have my own bit of personal history with Dundurn! I grew up performing Scottish Highland Dancing on this property, competing in contests and performing to bagpipes!

The image above shows part of the cottage on the grounds, a mini-dundurn if you will. I simply loved the way the setting sun was bathing the tiny structure in it's last light.

"Tower Details - Dovecotes"

image shot at 1/40 sec @ F/11, ISO 100, 45mm fl, evening light, tripod

This image was taken looking up at the tower that welcomes you to the castle proper. I love the pattern, the design elements, the way the light shows the lovely golden colour of each dovecote. I can imagine the pigeons and doves dwelling on the rooftops. The flurry of wings as they all landed for the night.

" Sunsets Warm Welcome"

image taken at 1/200 sec @ F/9, ISO 100, 20 mm fl, tripod, evening light

This last image is of the castle's tiny replica cottage. I was smitten with the subtle raking sunset light coming through the clouds. I also liked the worn path leading to the door of the charming abandoned building. For a split second I thought about asking someone to approach it in the shot... but I loved that in the midst of the city's bustle, this looked so untouched, solitary. So I chose to capture it as it was.

I hope to post a few more images, overall compositions of the entire castle, perhaps a few older faves too that display Dundurn in different seasons. And I will continue shooting this beautiful property all year long.

So thanks for reading along with my rambling, and let me know if you enjoy the post!

Have a good one folks.