Wood Ducks arrive every spring like clockwork and last year was no exception. The reserve we go to has a good number of these ducks and the lake has many coves to catch a quiet moment 😊.
Tag Archives: Black and White Photography
LUPINES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I do enjoy walking alongside meadows. In June, lupines are a common sight and shine like gems in the grass.
RING-NECKED DUCKS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
These ducks arrive in late October and never swim close to shore. They bob around in the middle of the lake, just a bit too far out. Yet I thought the scene was still worth taking as it captured the mood of a late fall day.
UNDERSTATED (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The Canada Goose might not be Canada’s favourite export. They’re noisy, messy birds, and can be aggressive to both people and other geese when they feel threatened. However, they are quite elegant when you catch them in a pose like this.
A WALK IN THE PARK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Just a walk in the park, actually a photo from a walk I took at the Dominion Arboretum, located on 64 acres of land in the city of Ottawa. You can’t see an offshoot of the Rideau Canal because the vegetation was so thick it hid it. A spot I hope to return to soon.
TIMELY TOYS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
With most of us homebound, it struck me how much kids used to enjoy playing with toys like these. They just needed a bit of space and imagination. Nothing fancy, no screens in sight. I took the photo at a fair last year. I didn’t adjust the colour, the toys are a bit garish but that was part of their attraction.
SO FAR AWAY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I used to walk past this yard quite frequently. Although not exactly in my neighbourhood, certainly close enough in normal times. I like the wall art on the old brick wall that borders the garden. A bit of the old and new. I hope to return sometime this summer.
DUCK OUT OF WATER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I took a break from aiming at warblers high in the pine trees when I saw the wood duck. I don’t often see these birds on land and thought the background made for an interesting photo. (I don’t think anyone with me noticed the wood duck, as they had their eyes trained on the quick darting warblers.)
FROG THURSDAY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There’s a little pond in a wildlife garden we go to that has several resident leopard frogs. I always check the pond when we first get there and again when we leave. Most times the frogs hardly budge, so I can always take a few more photos.
FARM SCENE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Another scene from the countryside last summer. I love taking these walks, no hustle or bustle, just the buzz of insects and the sweet meadow smell with every step.
GREAT BLUE HERONS (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
The Great Blue Heron in the first photo was taken at our local reserve. I saw the second bird at a city park close to the river. The heron at the reserve was looking for lunch, while the second heron had already found his; the unlucky frog in his beak.
JUNE DRAGONFLIES (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
I took a lot of dragonfly photographs last June. They tend to emerge in bursts and you see them everywhere. I particularly like to watch them when they land on lily pads and turn slowly towards the sun. They look like mini helicopters.
LANEWAYS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
It’s fun to wander down some of the laneways in town. They often run several city blocks. I sometimes catch a glimpse of a garden, back stoop or garage and there’s always plenty of sun and greenery. The dogs in the backyards are friendly too, they rarely bark as I pass by.
OPEN DOORS (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
We visited one of Ottawa’s water filtration plants at a Doors Open event last summer. The Lemieux Island Water Purification Plant opened in 1932 and is a wonderful limestone structure with fine brass work and marble galleries. I’ve visited several times and can’t help but be impressed by the beauty of a building that houses a public utility.
COUNTRY ROAD (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
On a sunny day last fall, we parked the car and took a walk along an interesting back road. Ottawa is surrounded by fields and country roads and we’re fortunate to come across sights like these.
MONTREAL VIEW
Looking out the window, in an older section of Montreal, you can see a mix of low rise and taller buildings surrounded by a lot of greenery. Towards the back and centre of the frame, a nine story mural of Leonard Cohen, caught my attention. The mural is one of two in Montreal commemorating the life of Leonard Cohen; Montreal born, singer-songwriter, poet and author who died in 2016.
VIEW FROM A TRAIN
Staring at the countryside speeding past my window, I took a few photos with my cell phone. I’m not familiar with my phone camera, and I was a considerable distance from the farm but the countryside was beautiful and I wanted to capture what I saw.
ANTICIPATION (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The photograph was taken in late fall just before the first snowfall. The chickadee stopped for a moment but seemed on alert as he perched on the tree branch. Although the trees were bare, the bird and the forest floor provided nice dabs of colour on that grey November day.
CITY WALK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This building once housed a tavern built in 1909, it’s now a fine restaurant. Over a side door, it has retained a sign from a time when women required an escort to enter a bar. Another find on a walk through the city.
IN THE WIND (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I think the milkweed plant is its most beautiful in the fall. The pod stood out against the dry grasses and brought contrasting colour and texture to its surroundings.
WHIMSY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
A toy shop in Montreal. Walking along a street with not a chain store in sight, I stopped to admire the window and smiled as I took the photograph.
TOP TO BOTTOM (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Tall buildings and architectural features aren’t my usual photo subjects. But it’s nice to try new things with my photography which are as much a part of my environment as the woods I love to walk. The sky peering through the towers is still a nod to nature.
The powerful base of The Old Union Station, (now the Senate of Canada), a building I walk by often is impressive for its form and detail.
COUNTRY CALM (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
A weathered barn in a field of wild flowers. One of the pleasures of a country drive. I’m fortunate that the city I live in encompasses a lot of rural farmland, a short drive from the concrete and high rises.
FINE COMPANY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
As I was leaving a store, this sight greeted me across the street. This lot was pretty relaxed but I still was impressed at the way the dog walker handled all the dogs at once.
I grew up with a West Highland Terrier and can never resist stopping to have a look at one or take a photo if my camera is handy.
CHICKADEE
This might look a typical winter scene but it was actually taken last April. There was more snow on the ground then than we have right now, though not for long I imagine. Chickadees are here throughout the winter, brightening our walks along the trails.
GOTHIC REVIVAL (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This building, an example of the Gothic Revival Style, was the former Ottawa Teachers’ College. It is now part of the Ottawa City Hall Complex. It’s an eclectic mix of styles that reminds us of our past.
I think the black and white photo complements the building’s style but I’ve included the colour version as well.
FALL COLLECTION – 4 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This photo was taken in late October. I liked the contrasting shapes and colours of the flowers and leaves. There’s something very appealing about these fading flowers, beauty in their imperfection.
LAST SUMMER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
On a drive last summer, we passed a group of horses grazing in a field. A mare stopped to nurse her foal and glanced our way as I took the photo.
LATE OCTOBER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Since I took this photo, we’ve had snow, freezing rain and a week of -C temperatures. The weather has moderated a bit but scenes like this are over until next year. Thank goodness for my photo catalogues where I can retrieve sights like these.
BALANCING ACT
Many birds balance on one leg to reduce heat loss. Although it looks kind of comical it’s quite effective. Another photo of a wood duck with attractive fall background.
SENTRY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
If cats could bark, this one would have. He watched us intently as we stopped to photograph the house. He was as much a fixture of the house as its very solid looking foundation.
GREAT BLUE HERON (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
We didn’t see many Great Blue Herons this year and they tended to fish at quite a distance. I had to crop the photo but was rewarded by some pretty spectacular reflections and lighting.
FLOWER POWER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
With the temperature in the minus single digits today, I thought some summer cheer was in order. I had taken this photo shortly after a rain and the flowers practically shone. They appear to have an old fashioned quality which I like as well.
FALL COLLECTION – 3 (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
The way the sun hit the lime coloured leaf reminded me of holiday lights. As I continued my walk I came upon these rich purple berries (which the birds will enjoy in the cold months ahead). Both photos required little cropping, I just moved around a bit to get a pleasing composition.
CANADA GOOSE
The goose was at quite a distance and I tried to position myself to get a clean view of it. I shot down a narrow tree lined pathway so there were a few unwanted shadows in the frame, most of which I removed. There were no colourful reflections at this spot but the vegetation added some interest to the water.
AROUND TOWN (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
These photos were taken on a recent walk through town. Both scenes were colourful given the fall colours but I thought the weathered fence and old house in the second photo were at their best in black and white.
LAST OF THE SUMMER FLOWERS – 3 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
These were taken earlier in the month. Most of our wildflowers have gone to seed but a few still remain, including these hardy wild sunflowers. We’ve only had a few nights that have dipped below the freezing mark and the days have been mostly sunny so the flowers might last a bit longer.
THIS OLD HOUSE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Like most urban centres, Ottawa is going through a transformation. The old wooden house is flush against a modern apartment unit. The new structure is not a high-rise like some buildings going up and is quite attractive but it changes the feel of the neighbourhood and with it raises the question of what we’re losing as a result.
FALL COLLECTION – 1 (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
The leaves are almost at their peak now. Sun or cloud, the woods are ablaze with colour. Walking along the paths, I’ve been selecting small portions of the landscape that have stood out for me. Their shapes, patterns and colours make for nice compositions. Black and white works well too.
STATELY GIANT (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Another photo from the Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa that we visited earlier in the summer. This one tree stood out. Its outstretched branches were welcoming and I couldn’t help but be impressed by its size and age. The black and white emphasized the tree’s texture and detail and the shadow cast on the grass.
