Long Beach - Landscape Photography

Long Beach... Here we come!

After a full day of traveling from Vancouver, we finally managed to get across to Vancouver Island.  Personally I though the trip across the island to the west coast is going to be relatively short and smooth.  I was wrong.  The nice smooth highways turned, narrow and winding very quickly, and that slowed us down considerably.   It would be a great place for some wonderful landscape photography, unfortunately the roads being so narrow, there was hardly any place to pull over.  This is the time where you soak up the landscape and store it, not on a digital memory card, but a biological memory card in your mind.  It's not easy, being presented with really spectacular British Columbia landscapes, and not being able to capture it with our cameras.  We also had our destination, and a search for a place to stay to consider, and the day was coming to an end.

Arrived

After a long and tiring drive across Vancouver Island, we have finally arrived at the west coast, and started searching for a place to stay.  Almost immediately we found a small bed & breakfast that was quite reasonably priced and very nice.  Still had some a couple of hours, before the sun went down into the ocean, so we drove around looking for a good spot for a beach landscape photography :) . Windy, sand blowing, and a little cold, the beach was far from what we expected.  I dared not the change lenses on the camera, and even though I didn't, I still ended up with a whole bunch of sensor spots on the Sony cameras.  Fuji X-Pro 1, faired a lot better.  No spots, even though it was blasted with beach sand just as bad as the Sony NEX cameras.  Interesting.  Here is what I managed to capture during the last hours of that long day.  Enjoy!

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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

Beautiful British Columbia - Part 6 - Travel Photography

Long Beach, one of the most known places in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island.  Quite a beautiful place, full of sand and driftwood. We have visited it one misty morning (with one short stop in the evening), taking a long walk, enjoying a breeze and the sound of waves.  Lot's of cool stuff to find and take pictures of! As beautiful in the morning as it is in the evening sun.. We were lucky to get a very good light both times (which is not always the case with travel photography) and here is a few pictures I have taken while visiting.  To check our previous post, just click on the following link: Beautiful British Columbia - Part 5 - Travel Photography. Kasia

When we were leaving the beach the second time, I could not resist taking picture of these shoes hanging on the wires.  It's funny, but I think I have seen such things everywhere I have visited.. What is it with people's need to leave them like that?!

To be continued..

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

Natural Jewels

It always amazes me how much a difference a little dew makes when we shoot macros.  One summer day I was watering my backyard and water spray was everywhere. I took my camera outside and decided to see what can be found around. One doesn't have to look far and wide to find treasures. In today's post there are only two types of plants: a grass - foxtail and goat's bird's seed head. As pretty as they can be regardless, you add a little water and they change into jeweled covered wonders, especially if you have a nice colorful background handy.  It is such a great pleasure to go back to the images of colorful summer plants!  I really hope you will find them as enjoyable as I do. Kasia

Elk Island Sunset - Landscape Photography

I have a confession to make... I love Elk Island National Park.  I love going there and getting lost in the silence of nature.  It's a perfect place for landscape photography, lifestyle, family photography, and of course wildlife photography.  It's not far from where I live, and makes a great trip if you want to just get away for a few hours. Of course sunsets at the Astotin Lake are always quite a sight.  Each is different, and each offers unique opportunities for really great images.  I have a lot of these in my library, and I never get bored looking at them.  Since our cold and white Canadian winter is in full swing, I thought adding a little color might brighten up the day.  So here is yet another sunset, at Elk Island.  Enjoy!

Sensual Portrait of a Girl in the Rain

This idea came from another photographer, and it didn't exactly go as planned :)  I don't mind.  I was there shooting just for the fun of it.  Location wasn't what the other photographer envisioned either.  The whole set up was going to be "sad girl in the rain".... it didn't rain that morning.  Since we needed water, and at the original location access to water was difficult, we changed it to my back yard.  We simulated the rain with a hose.... needless to say, my wife got almost as wet as the Girl in the Rain.  It was a cold morning as well, so this took a few tries, as the poor, brave Brittany faced the cold weather and cold water. I was shooting with both the Fuji X-Pro1 and the Sony NEX-7.  Today I only shoot with these two cameras.  They are both great for weddings, engagements, portraits , landscape .... you name it.  They are small, light, and portable, and don't attract too much attention.  I highly, highly recommend both of these cameras.  Here are some images from the session in the "rain", where sad, turned to sensual.  Enjoy!

Mac

Windowsill World of Plants

Mac has mentioned in his post that he needs some colour, being tired of the browns of the surrounding world.  I can relate! It is going to take us a few more weeks before we see anything green sticking out of the ground.. But, fear not! I can definitely help you there :).  You can always go and check out some of my previous posts with colourful flowers and greenery or take a look at these most recent ones.  Just the other day I was watering my own house plants and carelessly sprayed them with water. The result was rather eye-catching so, of course, I grabbed my camera and recorded the whole thing.  Take a look. Feast your eyes with some juicy colour and survive till our outside world turns green.  Enjoy! Kasia

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Windowsill world of plants 5

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Water Girls

This idea came from Randy Pond.  Then we expanded it, and found some willing souls that would allow themselves to be soaked.  It wasn't a very warm day, even though it was supposed to be summer, and the ladies braved the water, and cool temperatures.  Here are the results.  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 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.

Filtering Elk Island

It was a promising day, for a very nice sunset.  As everyone know sunsets are my weakness.  So I gathered the family, and off we went to Elk Island National Park.  This time I decided to change it up a little.  A while back I have gotten myself a set of Cokin filters. We were discussing them at length with a fellow photographer (whom I admire very much).  The main thing is that they are really hard to come by.  I think the company went bankrupt, and completely disappeared.  I haven't been able to find any pertinent news on the web at all about Cokin filters.  So as a little reminder I took them along, and here are the results.  Enjoy.

Stormy Elk Island

Weather forecast was predicting rain, and the low hanging clouds were promising just that.  Even though, I've decided to take a little trip to Elk Island.  Took my cameras of course, because you never know what you gonna get.  It is so peaceful there.  Here are some images from the trip.  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!