Jasper in June with Fuji X-Pro1 - The last part.

We got a little lucky this time around in Jasper National Park.  We did manage to see a bear, which is usually rare for us, plus some possessed molting mountain goats.  Both great opportunities to try out my 200mm f4 Pentax lens.  I find that even though the lenses are manual, it gives me a lot more creative freedom on a great camera.  The 200mm lens is really easy to focus, smooth, and light, making it perfect for hand holding.  Here are some wildlife images from the park, shot with the 200mm.  The last set of images are of an amazing sunset we encountered on our way back from Jasper.  A perfect ending to a perfect trip.  Enjoy!

Jasper in June with Fuji X-Pro1 - part 2

Continuing from my previous post of testing Fuji X-Pro1 with old Pentax lenses, here are some more landscapes from our quick trip to Jasper National Park.  We decided  to visit a few new places that time, places that we never visited before.  These images are from Edith Cavell mountain area and trails.  I was using a Pentax 200mm f4 and 30-70mm f2.8 zoom primarily.  Focusing was quite easy, and fast, and it was quite a pleasure to use.  They bring a bit of nostalgic feeling to taking images, and glass does not age as quickly as the camera bodies, so even if some of these lenses were made over 30 years ago, they are still as good as the day they were made.  Enjoy!

Jasper in June with Fuji X-Pro1

I think the most exciting thing about the Fuji X-Pro1 camera is the simple ability to mix and match lenses.  Yes Fuji was kind enough to release the camera with three very good lenses, but when switching from my main Canon cameras I started to miss some of the glass I had for my Canon.  Since I already had an old Pentax Me Super 35mm SLR, and a few good Pentax lenses, I decided to try it on the Fuji.  I got the Kippon adapter and went to town.... actually the mountains :)  What better place to test out the longer reaching telephoto lenses, than the beautiful landscapes of Jasper National Park.  I have to say, that I wasn't disappointed.  The electronic view finder is very bright and quite easy to see if the object is in focus.  During that whole trip I think I used the Fuji lens once or twice, as I do not own anything wider than 28mm in the Pentax line.  Here are some examples. Enjoy!

Last Jasper postcards this year...

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The year is coming to a close, and although I am planning visiting Jasper National Park, and the mountains in the winter, it will have to wait until the new year.  What a great way to start a fresh new Adobe Lightroom catalog, with new winterscapes from the Rocky Mountains.  I will try.  So here are the last of the postcards from Jasper National Park taken in the fall of 2011.  Enjoy!

More postcards from Jasper

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That was a bit of a break, but you know how it is... life sometimes gets in the way.  I just wanted to share more postcards from lovely Jasper National Park, taken in October.  Enjoy!

Fifth set of Jasper Postcards

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As you can see I took a lot of photographs in Jasper.  One single day, started at 5am when we left our house.  It was hard not to snap away.  Gorgeous day, with beauty of fall colors, mountains and blue skies.  Enjoy!

Fall leafs in Jasper

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Last time I was in Jasper, the fall was in full swing.  That morning when me and my family arrived, it was a little frosty.  It was most evident on the colorful leaves.  I have borrowed the macro lens from my wife, tried to capture it.  Here are the results. Enjoy!

Tilt-Shifting Postcards from Jasper

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Along with my micro 4/3 camera I brought along my Canon 1D and my 90mm tilt-shift lens.  I always like the view through that lens.  It's always something different.  Some will scoff at it's use in landscape photography, but I really like the effects it can produce.  So here is a bit of fall in the Rockies through a tilt-shift.  Enjoy!

Second Postcards from Jasper

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Fall in the Rockies is truly spectacular.  As you can see.  This was the first time we went to Patricia and Pyramid lakes.  Both are quite a sight.  I brought only two cameras with me, a micro 4/3 and my 1D with a tilt-shift.  These are all done with a micro 4/3 camera. Enjoy!

First Postcards from Jasper

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Jasper is a magical place.  I finally had a chance to edit the pictures that I took on our last day excursion to the mountains.  It was a good couple of months, but the wedding, family, boudoir images take precedence over anything personal.  I hope you enjoy these, as they are a perfect example how wonderful fall is in the rockies.  Enjoy!

Jasper - Day 3

Last day of a wonderful vacation, we decided to drive down to the Columbia Icefields. On the way there we stopped at Athabasca Falls. We did not encounter any wildlife along the way, but the scenery was absolutely spectacular.

Since we were playing proper tourists we decided to go full tilt and take the ride to the glacier.  Unfortunately it is a short trip, and there were millions of people.  So image wise it was a crap shoot.  I guess you pay the price when you are a tourist.

So this was a tiring, but absolutely wonderful vacation.  It just made me realize how much I love the mountains.  I will have to go back there sooner than once a year.  Will have to make the time.

Jasper - Day 2

The second day of vacation did not wake up happy.  The sky was full of clouds, promising rain again, but being intrepid explorers we started our day with the decision to check the Jasper Gondola.  On the way there we met a few natives. Unfortunately Whistler mountain, which is the top station of the Jasper Gondola, was enveloped in low clouds.  So we decided to finally visit Maligne Canyon.

We passed it on numerous occasions, but for some reason we never turned in.  Always going to Maligne Lake and then stoping for longer hike around the Medicine Lake.  On the way to those lakes we were greeted by a nice family of black bears.  They were very kind, and cooperative, even though there were about 10 cars and a tour bus parked near by.

At the Medicine lake we went for a little hike on the shores of the lake.  I did manage to get my kids wet in the numerous streams crossing the path around the lake, so we had to make our hike a little short.

On the way back the clouds started to break up, and the sun finally started to show it's face.  So we decided to return to the Jasper Gondola, and try again with the ascend of the Whistler mountain.

We returned to the hotel, a little wet, and very tired, but with huge grins.  Another great day at the Jasper National Park.

Jasper - Day 1

Well it's been almost a month since I posted anything.   A lot of different reason piled up on top of each other.  Finally though I managed to find some time to actually take some, very needed, time off.  So packed up the family, and off we went to the mountains.  I have been there for a long while and I was missing the sight of rugged peaks. The first day we spent mostly in Hinton, which is located about 40Km east of the Jasper National Park entrance.  A good friend told me about the Beaver Walk, located in Hinton.  When we got there it started to drizzle, which very soon turned into a heavy rain.

We got completely soaked.  I guess it was a good test for the cameras, which worked very well all through the rain.  After we got to the hotel, and dried up a little I could not resist going out to see if I can catch a glimpse of the quite spectacular sunset.  I did manage to catch a very nice Mr. Elk who was eating supper at the side of the road.  Completely ignoring 6 or so cars parked on the side of the road, and people snapping pictures of him.  Yes I joined the herd of sheep, but since I had a longer lens I didn't have to fight for space on the side of the road.  This was a great finish to a busy, wet day.

Of frozen ragged peaks

So after a short lived break of blue, the gray heavy clouds rolled back in.  The world turned black and white again, and it was time to bid adieu.  Time to take final frames, and head for home.  It was a wonderful trip.  A trip that we will have to repeat again...

Of blue skies and snow

Because of the strong winds, the sun finally came out.  Basking the splendour of the scenery in warm colours.  The forests became green, the sky blue, and the snow sparkling virgin white.  The ragged peaks raised high with parting clouds looked over their domain.  It did not last though, as the clouds returned, and the world turned black and white yet again.... but that I will leave for the next post.  So enjoy the colour, while it lasts.

This time I have uploaded a larger resolution files into the post as an experiment.  So if you click on the pictures you should see them in higher resolution.