flowers

Can't Wait For Spring!

Can't Wait For Spring!

It’s still winter on the prairies but there are signs that spring is around the corner. I have heard some geese flying by, the sun is nice and warm and snow is melting fast after a fall. I am looking forward to the spring colors. Over the years, I have been taking as many spring shots as possible, just to feast my eyes with the rich color and gorgeous light.

Devonian Botanical Gardens In Summer Splendor

Devonian Botanical Gardens In Summer Splendor

The last weekend of summer is already upon us.. It's rather disgusting how fast this summer went!! I am so happy I was able to take my camera here and there and record some of the beautiful flowers before they are all gone and winter sets in.

Not Another Canola Shot! - Landscape Photography And More..

I don't know about you guys, but we have seen so many photographs with canola fields over the years that we have been reluctant to shoot them ourselves. One evening, however, when we were traveling Alberta back roads we have encountered one such field, with beautiful clouds painted by setting sun that we could not resist stopping and taking pictures... I could not resist a few close ups, as well... So we have done our part to add to canola landscape photography... Shame on us! But, just look at the pictures.  Wasn't it a beautiful evening?! Kasia

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Beautiful British Columbia - Part 4 - Travel Photography

After a day of hiking around Vancouver (see Beautiful British Columbia - Part 3 - Travel Photography - our visit to Lynn Valley) we've decided to do a bit less walking and took a drive to the Horseshoe Bay to explore it a bit and search for a location for a sunset.  We've stopped at a few places along the way and ended up staying for a few hours on a little rocky beach. Don't ask me where these shots were taken, because after a while I completely lost any idea of where we were.. The tide was still pretty low, when we've arrived and it allowed me to take my macro lens and take a closer look at some barnacles and seaweed as well as the surrounding views.  The unfortunate thing about travel photography is that we can't always wait for a better light, having limited time at a certain location. But even with that in mind, using a bit of a different angle one can manage to get a few lovely shots. Here is a few of those from that outing.. Kasia

To be continued..

 

Before Planting Season

The weather is finally warm enough that I can start thinking of what to plant in my garden. It's going to be a couple more weeks before I will be brave enough to do so - there is always a possibility of frost and I have had an unfortunate accident a few years back, when I rushed things through and lost almost all new plants to a morning frost.. So, I will wait with planting, but nothing stops me from visiting our neighborhood nursery and doing a little "window shopping" before I can actually purchase things. With that in mind, a few days ago, I have taken my camera with me and had a great time taking pictures of all those wonderfully colorful flowers all just waiting for me to take home :D.  I caught a few early insects as well, not mentioning a guarding cat that was enjoying a bit of a nap on one of the shelves, when I rudely interrupted his rest. A cute thing, allowed me to take a picture and then wondered away, in search, I think, of a quieter spot..  I don't know about you, guys, but I can't wait to plant things and watch them grow and bloom in a myriad of colors for my enjoyment all summer long!! Happy gardening guys!! :D Kasia

 

The Beginning..

As I have mentioned in my post Things to Come, spring has been very slow to start this year. We all are rather tired of grays, dirty snow and cold, and long for things to change.  It is rather late, but finally, after almost 6 months the snow has finally melted off my flower beds and lawn and I can see growing things starting to come out, particularly in one, sheltered spot by my house.  First there were the tulips, sticking out shyly, followed quickly by delphinium foliage and then, I have seen some buds on the trees in the neighborhood getting nice and fat and finally my crocuses started to bloom.  I was so very happy to see them!!! I'm also very lucky because in most places in our city there has been no signs of spring yet except for an occasional, very rare pussy willow.. So here it is, for all of us in central and norther Alberta, a little color with renewed hope that soon our world will turn green again. :D Kasia

 

Things to Come

Spring is taking its sweet time to come this year.  Things are barely starting to move along and I am waiting very impatiently for the Nature to fully wake up and start working on the colors.. Good thing I was able to take quite a few shots of the blooming trees and buzzing bees (and other insects finding refuge among those blooms, as well as little droplets of water hiding among foliage - you know, I cannot resist these ;D) last year so that I can look at them now in order to help me survive till such time comes again.. I would like to share some of these with you now in hope, they will bring you as much pleasure as they bring me. Enjoy! :D Kasia

 

Wishing for Things to Start Blooming Again..

I have been horribly envious of people living in parts of the world with milder climates, because they have flowers blooming already.. I see all these current pictures all over the net and I wish I was able to go out with my camera and take pictures of new things growing.. Alas, it's not going to happen any time soon yet, for me, anyway.  Fortunately, I have saved a lot of images I took last spring and can now enjoy processing them.  To me tulips and spring are very closely linked, thus any time I see them they bring to mind warm weather and sunshine.  So here they are, my spring shots of gorgeous tulips up close.  Hope they'll be cheering you all up, as they do me! :) Kasia

 

Macro Nature in the Morning

I've been really testing myself lately with manual lenses, and small cameras.  For manual lenses I really prefer using my Sony NEX-7 over the Fuji X-Pro1.  Why?  There is only one reason... and the reason is focus peaking.  Sony has this function of showing, the photographer, what is in focus by highlighting the edges of the object in focus.  This makes manual focusing so much quicker and easier.  The other day, my wife and me, decided to visit a local garden in the morning.  Of course this was before the current cold and snowy weather we are experiencing.  I took with me the Sony NEX-7 and my Vivitar Series 1 70-210 lens.  What is really cool about that lens, it's a macro lens as well.  A little button press, and it switches from a regular telephoto zoom, to a macro.  I really wanted to test how well the macro feature will work with the focus peaking function of the Sony camera.  I was pleasantly impressed.  A little bit of practice, anticipation where your subject may be, and all worked out quite beautifully.  Here are some shots from that morning.  I hope they at least brighten your November day.  Enjoy! Mac

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Sunrise at the Meadow

We woke up this morning before the sun was up and decided to go out for a short photo trip.  We were too late to drive far away from the city so we've decided to go to a nearby field and see what will happen... The landscape was not very appealing and there was no clouds to make the sky look interesting so I decided to concentrate on something else.  Here is a few shots fresh from the press.  Enjoy! :D

Aren't sunrises beautiful?! ;D

Kasia