Recently, I’ve been trying my hand at creating blurred, impressionistic-style images using Intentional Camera Movement, or ICM for short. Like all forms of photography, there’s been a learning curve involved but I’ve been getting some interesting results of late.
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Autumn is the most colorful and spectacular time of year in southwest Alberta. In early September, the mountains and foothills begin to transform from one season to the next. Within a couple of weeks, the surrounding landscape becomes illuminated in shades of red, yellow, orange, and gold. Bathed by the sun’s warm rays during the day, and chilled by freezing temperatures at night, the colors of autumn become more intense with each passing day. Continue reading
Prairie crocuses have always been one my favorite wildflowers. Not only do I enjoy looking for them in the outdoors this time of year, I also like photographing them. Continue reading
We live in a world filled with color. We are surrounded by color and see it everywhere. To borrow a few words from Louis Armstrong’s classic 1967 tune, “What a Wonderful World,” we see color in everything around us, whether it’s “trees of green, red roses too, skies of blue and clouds of white,” or in “the colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky.”
Life would be awfully dull and boring if we lived in a world where there was no color, and where everything could only be seen in black and white. Yet, there is something to be said about seeing things in black and white, particularly when it comes to photography.
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If you were to ask a dozen people to define what “Canada” means to them, you would likely get a dozen different responses. When I think of Canada, one of the first things I visualize in my mind is its vast and diverse landscape. Continue reading
Several weeks ago I posted a few photos here of wildflowers, including prairie crocuses and yellowbells. While they can still be seen at higher elevations, other flowers are starting to bloom in the mountains. Glacier lilies are one of my favorites. They are sometimes called yellow avalanche lilies because they like to grow at the edge of receding snowfields in spring.
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I enjoy photographing wildflowers this time of year. Prairie crocuses and yellowbells have been in bloom for at least a couple of weeks and I’ve been admiring them on some of my recent hikes and walks. It wasn’t until a couple of days ago, though, that I packed my camera gear along with the intention of taking a few pictures. Continue reading
The limber pine is one of the longest-lived trees in Alberta and can have a lifespan of more than 1,000 years. They can be found on rocky, wind-swept ridges throughout the Crowsnest Pass and surrounding area. Limber pines often become scraggly and stunted in appearance, particularly when exposed to the hurricane-strength winds this corner of the province is famous for. In some places, the relentless winds have caused these trees to grow at crazy angles, almost to the point where it looks like they will surely topple over the next time it blows really hard. Sometimes, they do.
The limber pine in the photograph above is located near Passburg in Crowsnest Pass. It’s growing in a spot that’s sheltered from the wind, near the crest of a hill. The tree is healthy and doing well; it’s growing straight and is full of strong branches and limbs. I can’t say how long it has been standing here, but suspect it has hundreds of years left to live before the tenacious, ever-persistent Crowsnest winds topple it to the ground.
I took this photo last week, after a snowfall. It seemed to lend itself best to a grayscale conversion, as the only color in the scene was a small amount of blue in the sky, near the top of the image, and above the tree-covered ridge in the distance. I liked the way the tree and its shadow contrasted against the snow-covered hillside, and the clouds rolling across the sky.
For the past couple of weeks, much of western Canada, including southern Alberta and Crowsnest Pass, has been under the influence of an Arctic air mass. It’s been bitterly cold, with temperatures well below normal. In some areas, the mercury has dropped to more than -30°C. With wind chills reaching -45°C, the weather has not been fit for man or beast. Continue reading
Robert Appleby photographing Crowsnest Mountain & the Seven Sisters,
with his buddy, Tucker, at his side
Last weekend I had the opportunity to get out with a friend, and local photographer, Robert Appleby. We’ve known each other for quite a few years, but it was the first time we’ve been out shooting photos together. Continue reading
