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..

Spring at Elk Island

The last time we've ventured to Elk Island National Park the world was covered in deep snow.. (Hunting for Bison at Elk Island). Now all this snow has melted and turned the land into one almost everlasting wetland.. There was no silence when we arrived there about a week ago in the evening. The music of frogs and mosquito buzzing, interrupted on occasion by a bird call or two was everywhere..  Thank Goodness for bug spray!!! If it wasn't for a heavy layer of it we would have been eaten alive!! But, we were rather well prepared, having a tube of the heavy stuff stashed inside our vehicle at all times :D.  And it was great because if we weren't prepared we would have missed all the sights we've seen: beavers going about their supper, lots of birds and a surprisingly beautiful sunset - which we didn't really expect due to the clouds gathering on the western horizon.  All in all, it was another wonderful trip, made better by the fact that when we started our drive we never planned to arrive at Elk Island.. It just happened ;D.. And, since today, the sky is rather heavy with dark clouds a little bit of colorful sunset and vibrant spring world will do us good, I think.. So enjoy! Kasia

Yup! Fall is here...

Summer is over. Not only by the calendar but you can see the colours changing almost in front of your eyes out there and turning the recently green world into a myriad of golds, yellows, oranges and reds.  Since the day was wonderfully sunny and warm yesterday we have pretty much spent it all outside on photo shoots.  First we've decided to check Elk Island for morning mists (which have never showed up, BTW), than I took a walk about the neighbourhood with my camera and then, towards the evening, we have taken off to check out the countryside again... Wherever we went the colours were there. In just a couple of weeks everything has changed... Let's start with a sunrise at Elk Island:

And here is a few shots from the city, which is also quickly changing it's colours:

The morning sun has highlighted everything beautifully bringing out the colours and shapes of fall  :).  And , as the day progressed towards the evening and we took a ride in the country, the evening sun has brought out the colours out even more..

Our luck held and we were given a beautiful sunset to enjoy as well, with a big sun on a hazy sky giving the world a beautiful glow..

As you can see, the signs of fall are everywhere. The gathering of birds that are already flying south, the colours of leaves and ripe fruit on the trees, the general feel of the world are all crying out: Fall is here!!!   I'm going to enjoy it as long as I can hoping, that the frost and winds won't come too early and cause the beautiful leaves to fall and leave the world naked and monochromatic again..

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.

Nature in the wild - Part 3

One of the reasons to go to Elk Island National Park is definitely the sunsets.  Every single one is different.  To challenge myself I decided to shoot them with different lenses.  Not only wide angle at 17mm, which I have to say is one of my favorites, but also at 200mm and in between.  Here are some, shot at different lengths.  Enjoy!

Nature in the wild - Part 2

Continuing the post from yesterday here are some of Elk Island National Park two legged, winged, inhabitants, and a little hint on what's coming up tomorrow.  Enjoy!

Edmonton in the Morning - Part 2

Being early for a meeting or photo shoot as the case may be, gave a me an opportunity to look around and notice little things that I would not have noticed.  I guess this is what photography is all about, to notice little things that in normal life we miss.  To take a breath and see the world around us. Enjoy.

Birds

Even though today was a cold cold morning of -4C, the spring in Edmonton Alberta is here. So today's post is about birds. Enjoy.

Canon 5D, ISO 50, 1/100 sec, f/5.6, 400mm

Canon 5D, ISO 50, 1/60 sec, f/5.6, 400mm

Canon 5D, ISO 100, 1/160 sec, f/5.6, 400mm