On a walk by the river, I noticed the exposed roots of the old tree. They formed swirling patterns on the shoreline. They reminded me of the legs of some fantastic sea creature.
Tag Archives: Black and White
CALM (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The mallard pair found a quiet spot near shore. No other ducks, barely a breeze; a perfect moment.
ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU
I saw this Labrador Retriever one day on a walk. He wasn’t bothered by me or my camera, never so much as barked as I took a few shots. Too busy watching his owner at the foot of the driveway.
RIVER VIEW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There’s a spot on the river where the cormorants gather. The silhouetted bird was sharing the tree with four other birds. I wish I had a longer lens that day.
SIDEWALK VIEW-2 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I thought the little statue added some charm to this small yard. It looked as nicely weathered as the house beside it.
SECOND LOOK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I like scenes like these, just a bit quirky.
FLOWERS TELL A TALE (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
The first flower peeked out of the long grass, its stem bent by a recent rain. I thought the shadow added interest to the tiny flower below.
ANTICIPATION (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I imagine the basketball was left there as I took the photo around lunchtime. The same holds true for the bike.
NEIGHBOURHOOD FAVOURITE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This was taken in a garden of an old house in the neighbourhood. The garden is left to itself and it’s thriving. It begins the season with a few tulips, then on to lilacs, lilies of the valley and later in the summer, tiger lilies. There are plenty of wild flowers too including these Dame’s-Rockets. A neighbourhood favourite for bees as well.
DOWNTOWN SCENES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I liked the sign on the old apartment house. The blue design on the red brick caught my eye as well.
CURIOSITY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
You have to wonder what happened here. A pair of canvas shoes placed neatly at the curb, almost as though their owner was going to slip them back on.
ROBIN GOTHIC
I didn’t have a chance to change the exposure compensation as the robin landed close by. I took the photo and despite how dark it was I liked it. I made a few adjustments in Lightroom and Photoshop and this is the result.
NEIGHBOURHOOD FINDS (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
Walls and fences make for interesting subjects. I find the colours and textures appealing. Add some greenery to complete the picture.
MONDAY WALK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Under the current Covid stay at home orders staying close to home is what we’re doing. I’ve always enjoyed walking in our neighbourhood and this spring it’s like seeing everything for the first time.
ALL TUCKED IN (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I liked the shapes and swirls in this image, the water forming perfect circles around the little duckling.
LOOK, UP IN THE SKY… (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Walking down a neighbourhood street I happened to look up and saw this construction worker suspended in midair. I can’t begin to imagine what that must feel like.
PATIENT PAL
We walked past this Basset Hound on our way to the store and he hadn’t budged on our return. A study in patience.
HEADING HOME (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I like to capture the wake pattern as a duck races towards shore. Have to wonder what the hurry is 😏.
BY THE RIVERSIDE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
On this side of the reserve the river runs quickly. Threats to these mallard ducklings are fewer; the snapping turtles remain on the lake opposite and fewer hawks patrol the area. I came upon this family group on the river’s edge, two years ago. I hope to see similar scenes before too long.
GET CRACKING
During this unusual winter, I thought I’d try my hand at doing some studio work. Here is my first eggample 😊. Learning how to use flash: diffusing, blocking, reflecting and positioning it is a steep learning curve but fun too. Stay tuned for more…
FOREST DETAILS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There’s always something that catches my eye when I’m out for a walk. I liked the windblown leaf pattern on the forest floor and the sapling pushing upward. It was nice to see the mushrooms too.
FEMALE WOOD DUCKS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I often see female wood ducks on their own or in very small groups. They are not as gregarious as mallards but have a charm all their own.
PAINTED TURTLE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This lake has a fair number of resident turtles. As I scanned the water for birds, I noticed a painted turtle enjoying a swim. Now it and its mates are buried deep in the mud, hibernating until spring.
A WALK IN THE PARK
Someone had stamped down the path somewhat but we still got plenty of exercise making our way along. No need for a gym membership with conditions like these 😏.
HARBOUR VIEW (2)
Another early morning on the Maine coast. Plenty of time to photograph the harbour before the sun burns off the fog.
FAST FRIES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This casse-croûte (snack bar in English) promises you your fries quick! We discovered this place on a walk through a small Quebec town.
HARBOUR VIEW
A typical early morning scene on the Maine coast. We spent many summer holidays driving through this beautiful state. I hope to return again when things get back to normal.
ON A WALK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
A scene from a warm summer day. No better way to spend a sunny afternoon than camera in hand surrounded by sights like this.
OVERHEARD AT THE LAKE
When I took this photo I was focussed on the wood ducks. Looking at the image when I got home I thought the goose was part of the story too and a funny one at that.
BROWN CREEPER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This was a first for me and the only time I’ve ever seen a brown creeper, so it was pretty exciting. Their numbers are declining in the eastern part of North America, due to habitat loss, so I was particularly happy to see one. It’s called a brown creeper but I thought it looked more like it was hugging the tree as it foraged for insects.
CANADA GEESE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Canada Geese may have their detractors but on a lake in the fall they are among my favourite subjects. They’ve had their young and territory is no longer an issue so scenes like this are common. Ottawa is a city that includes a lot of rural land, so you don’t have to go too far to see them flying in their wonderful V formations (or echelons) as they head south.
THREE IN A ROW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I liked the look of this Halloween decoration, someone got very creative with their pumpkins this year.
LATE FALL (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
We are very lucky to live in a climate where we’re treated to the changing seasons. The trees are beginning to make dazzling displays. As colourful as they are right now, I find them interesting subjects and still beautiful as they begin to fade and show the effects of time.
THE ELPHIN (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The Elphin is an iconic 1960s apartment building in Ottawa. The building had all the amenities of the day, including a darkroom for camera enthusiasts. The Elphin with its namesake elf and look retains a charm lost by the modern glass towers nearby.
RAILWAY OSPREYS (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
There are quite a few abandoned railway bridges in the countryside. With the closure of many Mills, railroads were no longer needed to move goods. Some of the bridges have been reclaimed by Ospreys who build their nests and raise their young on them. When we noticed the nest on the first bridge, we stopped the car and waited to see what would happen. We didn’t have to wait long as an adult flew in to feed the young bird.
FLOATING (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I was looking at some Queen Anne’s Lace in the garden and saw this single flower off to the side. It seemed to be floating, suspended in mid air. A little garden gem.
GEESE, LOST AND FOUND (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I found this image on a memory card that was in a camera I hadn’t picked up in months. It was like finding something you had forgotten about in a coat pocket. The cooler days aren’t here yet but scenes like these are fast approaching.
UNDERCOVER (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
It’s been a very hot dry summer. After just a bit of rain, a few mushrooms are starting to appear. I spotted these two in deep shade. Even at ISO 1000 my depth of field was a bit narrow. This rather ordinary subject is always challenging fun.
OVER THE FENCE (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
A lot of old homes in my neighbourhood have wrought iron fences with flowers peaking through the gaps. The grass is always greener…
PATTERNS IN NATURE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I liked the crisp green and white of the leaves. Though each leaf is distinctive, together they form an interesting whole. A bit of controlled chaos.
