We missed the arrival of newly hatched chicks this year; there seemed to be fewer young and we weren’t around to see them when they hatched. So it was nice to come across this young family enjoying the cool water on a very hot day. The young still swim in tight formation at this stage but they’re old enough to no longer need a minder bringing up the rear.
Walking by this exterior wall I thought at first that someone had decided not to finish up the plastering. On giving it a second look I saw a skyline emerging from the surface. I’ll have to return to photograph the rest of the wall as the story continues along the brick. A hidden gem in an older part of town.
This photo was taken on a windy day, and gives the impression that there were fields of chives growing and not just the small patch I saw in the garden. This tasty plant produces such an attractive flower.
There’s something very appealing about these back porches. You get a feel for the people who live in these houses, from the flowers to the statuary to the pet’s water bowl. They reveal more about their occupants than the street view implies.
A few of my recent posts have had river based themes. As I walked by this scene what first caught my eye were the fungi on the fallen log. I had just seen some mushrooms further up the trail and I guess I was on the lookout. But taking in the surroundings, I was again struck by the stillness and the serenity of the scene, so very appealing.
The water is still high along the river. The winter thaw and runoff is a constant in Spring. This part of the province isn’t too badly effected this year although parts of the country are having a very hard time of it. This is about as close as we get to “swamp-like” conditions and like the other images from Hudson, Quebec I featured last week, I was struck by the tranquility of the scene.
These photographs were taken on the banks of the Ottawa River in Hudson, Quebec. We had stopped for lunch and took a short walk along the shoreline. I was struck by the quiet and stillness of the park and the dappled light, a place I will have to visit again.
This cliff side view of Canada’s Parliament Buildings is an impressive sight. The photo was taken on a brilliant spring day but I thought the Gothic Revival architecture lent itself to a black and white treatment. The Parliament Hill complex was rebuilt in 1916 after a fire raised the original to the ground, only the Library of Parliament (the building on the far right) survived the fire. After more than a century the buildings are in the process of being renovated but at this writing, you can still walk around the grounds, toss a ball on the lawn, even raise a protest sign!
Spring hadn’t quite arrived in this laneway yet. The homeowner was prepared for what ever came his way as you can see by the traffic cones, snow shovels and garden tools propped up again his shed. I liked the textures of the wood and plaster and worked in Tonality Pro to bring them out.
The shape and colour of these old fashioned hats reminded me of the fondant candy I enjoyed as a kid. There was nothing sweeter or better tasting I thought.
The antique market was below street level and the illumination was low. I raised my ISO to get some speed but still only shot at 1/80th of a second. I think the lighting added to the mood and worked quite well.
And now for a little change of pace, with the arrival of milder weather the painted turtles have returned to the surface after a long winter of hibernation. I spotted a few on the weekend and when I returned to the lake today there were even more about. Another welcome sign of the season.
It was a warm day in September and a street festival was going on in the neighbourhood. This women and her dog were taking a break from the heat. She was distracted by her phone but the dog’s attention was undivided. I love spotting people out with their pets enjoying the city and each other’s company and I always keep an eye out for scenes like this.
These are one of the first forest flowers of Spring. I took this photo in April last year when the weather was warmer. It’s always a pleasure to see these bright bursts of colour welcoming the season along. They usually keep company with snow drops and violets. I’ll check on their progress next time I visit the nature reserve.
I came across this rabbit as he was feeding on winter grass that was slowly coming back to life. We spotted each other at about the same time. As I was moving quietly and gave him plenty of space he watched me for a few moments and then went back to his meal. I took a few photos and then left him to it.
It was mid March last year when I took this photo. A long winter was drawing to a close and more people were out in the woods enjoying the milder weather and bearing gifts for the locals. This squirrel was enjoying the bounty and neither this photographer nor any competition was going to move him along.
The first chickadee has appeared on my blog before but in colour, I had not started working in black and white two years ago. I always liked the photo and thought it earned a second bow. The second photo was taken more recently. I chose to feature them together given the birds’ excellent acrobatic skills.
This scene could belong to a different era. The grainy look to the photo lends itself to this feeling. Taken in one of the city’s laneways, it was nice to see that the beautiful tree was left to grow, possibly offering a bit of shade to the kids shooting baskets today and in the past.
Both of these shots were taken in the city and combine developing interests of mine: street and black and white photography. An angle, a curve, the play of light, something left behind; the photographer pulls the various aspects together. The 60s feel of the commercial strip and the geometric design in the second photo lent themselves to black and white treatments.
There is a group of mallards that remain here all winter. They congregate along the river’s edge that stays clear of ice. People feed them and between that and the bit of vegetation they find they seem to do alright. A hardy lot these ducks!
I enjoy editing in Black and White, working with contrast and shadow. And then there’s the different tone and mood that is struck in b/w. These photos of ordinary looking buildings were taken in different neighbourhoods and were constructed several decades back. I liked the angles and textures in the first photo. The shadows created by the icicles and the bit of whimsy on the roof of the house caught my eye in the second.
You often see dogs hanging their heads out of a car window but this was a first for me. It was a mild February day and owner and dog were enjoying it to the fullest. I was shooting with my 35mm lens so I didn’t think I’d get the shot I wanted. I only noticed the mural when I got home and viewed the image on my computer. A lucky choice of lens after all!
The city landscape is constantly changing. People move in and out of neighbourhoods. Businesses open and close. A lot of older neighbourhoods are undergoing gentrification often losing the character that made them what they were. I wonder if this vacant store and the building behind it, already surrounded by high rises, will remain or will be turned into just more concrete towers. I prefer the black and white version of the photograph and include the colour for comparison.
Like many kids growing up, I loved The “Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame. This gentle looking meadow vole reminded me of this childhood favourite. We stood and watched as it munched its way along the lakefront, not giving us a second look. We were lucky to see one as they’re mainly active at night.
I haven’t done much people photography or taken many city scenes, things I want to do more of when the weather turns more agreeable. I do love nature photography but the urban landscape is very interesting as well. This photo was taken from across the street, with a wide angle lens, If these two gentlemen had seen me I might have smiled and sought their compliance, as it happened they were too deep in conversation to glance in my direction.
I enjoy turning off a city street when I notice a laneway. A few of the city’s older commercial/residential neighbourhoods have some interesting lanes to explore. The chair under the No Parking sign looked out of place in this setting. Perhaps it was placed there years ago but it looked as though it was still used by someone…
I can’t resist a shot like this. Every dog seems to strike the same pose when waiting for its owner to emerge from a shop. It sits and stares towards the shop with a singular concentration. A bit expectant, a bit anxious and full of longing.
Time for a little flower power. We’re supposed to see a warming trend at the end of the week and I hope to get out with my camera. The weather has just been too cold for my camera and I can’t take photos wearing heavy mittens😏. Until then…
The chickadee is another all-weather bird here in our forests. To survive the cold winters they remain in flocks to search for food. These flocks are known collectively as a banditry of chickadees, which makes sense as they appear to be wearing masks. They are fearless and adaptable little birds, always a pleasure to see and hear on the trails.
We came upon this cottontail in a less travelled area of the park. They usually freeze in place when they see us (which this one did) or run away. The rabbit must have been pretty pleased with this patch of grass because he held his ground. We took a few photographs and then left him to his lunch.
I took this photo in March 2017, the tail end of winter. The snow on the pond had frozen and thawed many times and no longer had the pristine look of new snow. The two Canada Geese had made an early reappearance and as they look towards the shoreline with its bare trees and snow cover you can imagine their regret. This being Canada though, shortly after I took this photo the snow started to melt and other spring migrants began to return.
I’m not sure who spotted who first but this duck was there for the taking. I believe it’s an American Black Duck although I’ve never noticed one with such a striking blue patch before. I was struck by his cool, calm and collected expression!
A bit more summer on display. I aways enjoy these butterflies with their delicate tones. I thought a black and treatment might be interesting to try. Unlike many butterflies, cabbage whites tend to linger a little longer on their perches making them easier subjects to photograph.
Just off a downtown thoroughfare we came upon this quiet courtyard adjacent to a coffee shop and an apartment building. As we sat and sipped our coffee, this corner was a pleasant break from the busy street just metres away. The city offers many spaces like this, on foot and with a camera at the ready, just waiting to be discovered.
This giant inflatable jellyfish is suspended inside a glass lantern in the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, a spectacular looking building in the Gothic Revival style. The museum completed in 1912 has undergone several renovations, the latest between 2004-2010.
The contrasting architectural styles and this extraordinary creature made for an interesting afternoon and the black and white version adds a bit more drama to the photograph.
This photo is the exterior of a popular butcher shop in my neighbourhood. The colour version is vibrant, however I think the detail of the structure is more distinct and engaging in black and white. It’s an interesting experience to work a photo in both colour and black and white. MacPhun Tonality CK was used to create the monochrome version you see here.
I liked this small piece of street art I came across on a recent drive in the countryside. We had stopped for a coffee in a small town and as we walked around this caught my eye. The artist’s humour struck a chord (I’m not known for my great sense of direction either.)
I took a walk in my neighbourhood and saw more evidence of spring. More birds chirping, crocus wearing their colours, tulips coming up and one brave daffodil in bloom (it’s still in the single digits celsius most mornings). Today’s flowers were taken around this time last year, so they are another nod to the season that’s slowly approaching.
This photograph was taken in Montreal just off St. Lawrence Boulevard. This area of the city has plenty of street art; the play of light and shadow makes for interesting photography. I used Macphun’s Tonality Pro to convert the photo to Black and White. My main interest was the B&W version and working with contrast, detail, and tones.
Spring sunshine and temperatures are slow to return this year. Green shoots are slowly pushing their way through the soil and I’ve seen a few blackbirds and robins at the reserve but no nest building yet. Instead of trudging through the snow melt on the trails, I took a walk in a neighbourhood not far from where I live. I liked the display in the shop window and took this photo. Another shot that lends itself to black and white.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 