When Fall Met Summer - Landscape Photography And More..

I think it's time for some color, don't you? It's been so long since we've seen more than whites, blues, blacks and grays, so why not go back to late summer and beginning of fall, when all the world was covered in beautiful colors?  It's seems to me that Mother Nature gives us this opportunity, every year, to soak it all up in preparation for a monochromatic season that lasts too long.. Today, I would like to share photos from two trips of ours that took place just as the seasons were changing.. Last day of summer, first day of fall. Two sunsets in rural Alberta. A little bit of landscape photography, a bit of rural architecture and nature and, of course, a macro shot (one cannot admire the world without looking close at things, don't you think?) and all of it full of beautiful colors, complements of Mother Nature.  I am so very glad to have seen it all and have my memories recorded so that I can look at all this splendor when I'm feeling deprived of color. Hope it is as enjoyable to you as it is to me :D Kasia

Last day of summer 2013 .. 1

Last day of summer 2013 .. 3

Last day of summer 2013 .. 4

Day's end

When summer meets fall

How many layers ?

Last day of summer 2013 .. 5

Summer is leaving..

Another day, another sunset

Fall evening

Peaceful existence

On guard

Moment in time

The day has come to an end..

Solstice Sunrise in the Rockies - Landscape Photography

  It is truly a wonderful experience to welcome a new day in the mountains. We were lucky to be able to do just that during our recent trip to Banff National Park just before Christmas. The changing colors of the sky, reflected in little pools of open water at Vermilion Lakes made it all seem like the most exotic place, even though we have visited it so many times before.. Met a few photographers who, having the same idea, were already positioned in various places along the lakes capturing all those colors of a beautiful solstice morning.  Experiencing such natural splendor makes landscape photography even more enjoyable. Even though you are spending long time outside, in the cold, you are rewarded with such wonderful views that it is all worth it! I have managed to shoot a few close ups, too (can't really help myself, you know ;D) I have also been finally able to play with Sony NEX-6 and NEX-7 during this trip enjoying not having to drag my heave Canons along and must say, I do like the results. I hope you do, too ;D.

Kasia

Welcoming new day

Sharing the moment

Cold morning

A colony on ice

Lovely beginning

Colors of the morning

Welcome to the shortest day of the year

Rising sun

Marked by love

Far away..

Morning at Vermilion Lakes

Autumn at Elk Island

It's been a while since we last visited and posted something from Elk Island National Park (Spring at Elk Island).  We went for a short trip there to capture a sunrise a couple of weeks ago.  The sunrise was not very spectacular due to the thick layer of clouds, but soon after the sky started to clear a bit and we decided to stick around for a moment longer to go and check a few of our favorite places. We got lucky and spotted a few animals as well.  The thing about nature photography is that it really brings me a lot of pleasure to be able to capture some animals in their natural environment, but it also allows me to experience that environment. And if I'm lucky it is as spectacular as it was that day! Here is a few shots from that trip. I must say, I really like Elk Island dressed in fall colors ;D Kasia

The Wait Is Finally Over!

I am sure, you remember me mentioning a few times over the winter (Missing Summer Skies.. Part 1 and Missing Summer Skies.. Part 2) the fact that I have been missing the beauty of summer skies.  It's been such a long time, since we have had something interesting to look at during daytime hours as well as mornings and evening that when I saw what was happening outside yesterday I was up and about with the camera enjoying myself immensely.  The warm temperatures brought with it fluffy clouds yesterday afternoon and I took our puppy for a walk in a neighborhood off leash park hoping to capture some of them.  Oh, what a gorgeous walk it was!! I was hoping that the sky would cooperate during sunset as well and guess what! It did!! We didn't have much time to go in search of a location and decided to use "our" field close to the city. The melted snow left a huge puddle at the edge of this field and it happen to beautifully capture reflections of the sky, of which we took a great advantage ;D.  Here is a few shots of yesterday's beauty.  Hope you guys find it as enjoyable as did I! Kasia

Around Edmonton

I don't know about you, but I love going for walks around my town. Even if the weather isn't very warm I'll bundle up, take my family and walk to see what's new around.  Whether it is in the park or the Whyte Avenue, downtown or just closest neighbourhood there is always something new to find. Quite often I have my camera with me, 'cause you never know when the perfect opportunity arrises to take the picture. And yes, there are many a "Kodak moments" while we walk :). I thought I'd share with you a few of the pictures from around Edmonton. I hope you'll be inspired to take your family out and check out what's new in your neighbourhood as well. Who knows, maybe you'll even remember your camera and take a few pictures as well? Kasia

Golden Lake

Sometimes I like to challenge myself.  I know I'm going to, lets say, Elk Island National Park, in the evening.  That usually means a sunset photo session.  Now I only take one or two lenses, and none are wide angle.  I challenge myself to take a good image of the sunset, with a 90mm or a 400mm for example.  It's not easy having only a Canon 5D full frame with a 90mm tilt-shift lens, and a Panasonic G1, with a M42 ring adapter and a 400mm old Minolta lens. Yes the tilt-shift is a little easier to use, since it can quite easily create dreamy, partly focused images.  Still the focus length at 90mm is not really designed for landscape.  I would say the 400mm is more of a landscape lens than the 90mm.  Of course the having the big 400mm on a G1 micro 4/3 camera is not an easy thing to work with either.  The lens is manual focus only, and the Panasonic camera only a digital view finder to look through (or it's little screen), but when pointing the lens at the sun, everything becomes washed out.  Thus the challenge of it all.  Learning to work with the gear that you have.  Is it frustrating?  A little.  Many times I was wishing I brought my wide angle, but then I just narrowed my view, and captured what was available.  Enjoy.

Reflections of Calgary

Calgary downtown is full of glass.  This creates a lot of beautiful reflections.  Here are some examples.  Enjoy.