Red squirrels are shyer than grey squirrels except in winter when food is scarce. They watch you closely as you walk along hoping for a snack. I had nothing with me that day and felt kind of badly as I did my rounds. Someone ahead of me had left a trail of seeds and nuts though and it wasn’t long before the squirrel was eating his fill.
As the snow keeps falling and entering week two of near arctic temperatures, I thought some spring flowers might be in order. I remember taking these shots back in May, happy to be out with my camera again and enjoying the signs of spring all around.
I caught this mallard as she cautiously made her way along the frozen surface. Her footing was tricky as was the light on that November afternoon. The low sun brought colour and depth to the ice but darkened the bird. I made some contrast and exposure adjustments in Photoshop which balanced out the shot.
My last post featured a winter scene taken in early March 2017. The photo of the cardinal was taken later that month and you can see that the landscape has taken on a very early Spring feel – no snow, a lot of sunshine and the welcome burst of colour the bird brings to the scene. We’re in the midst of a deep freeze right now but if and when it warms up a bit we’ll take a walk through the woods to see what’s about.
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.
A perfect summer day; sunny and green and the dragonflies were there for the taking. I took these handheld with my Nikon 70-200mm lens (I’m not one for carrying multiple lenses when I’m out for the day). I love this lens for nature photography like this. It’s a great all around lens.
The calendar indicates it’s still fall but it sure looks like winter in the first photo. The second shot was taken in the same location in mid-Spring. It’s tough going for these little guys right now. I hope their stockpiles of food hold out, augmented by kindly passersby.
There is a lot of beautiful countryside not far from Ottawa but it’s rare to get a good vantage point to do landscape photography. There are more highways than gravel roads so it’s difficult to stop the car, get out and set up the shot. I took this photograph last year so I can’t remember exactly where it was was taken. If I could, I’d go back again. The scene was lovely, and it had all the elements of fall in the countryside (minus the cows 🙂 ).
Another set of photographs when fall was bursting with colour. The first photo was taken through the trees. I like the contrast of the dark wood and the leaves against the brilliant blue of the sky. I also spotted this one leaf that had been perfectly placed by the wind. It dressed up an already colourful tree trunk.
These photographs were taken late last month when the leaves were at their peak. The trees were late to change this year and as a result there is still nice colour to enjoy. The reflection in the second photograph was so spectacular that other than a minimal crop and a bit of contrast adjustment, the photo was as taken. I was hoping to photograph birds the day I took these so I had my 70-200mm lens with me. Although not ideal for landscape shots, at 70mm I was pretty pleased with the results.
There’s something about mushrooms and fungi I like! Their curious shapes and colours; their sudden appearance or development over time. In these two examples they were growing in poorly lit areas. In the first photo, exposing for the mushroom brought it to life and gave the background a dark, eerie look. A high ISO in the second allowed me to capture the scene you see here. I wish I had had more opportunities for shots like these, maybe next year.
With so many birds and insects gone for the season, but temperatures still warm enough to enjoy photography, I cast about for different subjects that interest me. As the landscape changes and the colours begin to fade, familiar flowers and trees take on a different appearance. Here are two examples, I will feature more in the coming days.
The early part of October was very mild so the trees have been slow to turn colour although they’re catching up now that the colder weather has arrived. These two photographs were taken mid month as the leaves began to change. As I walk along the trails I look for the sun to direct its light on a solitary leaf or a small grouping as it does in these photos.
I’m partial to mallards no matter the season. In the fall with the changing colours as a backdrop they hold their own against any and all! This photo was taken at our favourite reserve that was reopened after a bad storm a month ago. The damage was quite severe but the majority of trees survived and make their contribution evident in this photograph.
Wildflowers are fading and no longer quite perfect. I think I might just prefer them now, their colours more muted and their edges not as sharp. The first photo is soft focus and it was the field rather than a particular flower that I chose to capture. The Queen Anne’s Lace has a beautiful woven pattern which is what I focussed on in the second.
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.
These female wood ducks were taking a break from the group, pausing on fallen tree trunks just off shore. Wood ducks are less boisterous than the more common mallards and though striking in appearance remain quite quiet as you pass by. As the season progresses they seem to be less shy and will often remain still long enough for me to take a lot of photos.
There are some interesting laneways in the downtown that make for interesting walks in the summertime. Gardens spring up on balconies and even wild flowers push through the pavement. These two gatekeepers kept a watchful eye on me as I made my way down the lane.
There’s a fallen tree at the entrance to the reserve that is a favourite hangout for the local ducks. This male wood duck seemed to have taken possession of it when I saw him. I’m not sure if he was moulting or immature as he wasn’t in full colour, but a handsome fellow by all accounts.
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.)
In late summer wildflowers begin to show some wear but collectively their colours paint a wonderful palette, they don’t go quietly into fall! These flowers were growing in great bunches along the roadside and we stopped a while to enjoy them.
I liked the pattern the mallard formed in the water and the duck’s intensity at it steamed forward. There might be more exotic birds that visit the Ottawa area but nothing matches the mallard for its exuberance and personality.
I always associate painted turtles with lazy summer afternoons. They are either basking in the sun or going for a quiet swim. You feel yourself slowing down in their company. No better way than that to enjoy summer!
I took this photograph last August. We haven’t had as many opportunities to visit our favourite reserve this summer and the birds are keeping themselves scarce when we do go. Last year was a good year so old friends are putting in an appearance.
At the reserve we go to most often, mallards are well represented. They are very sociable, and always available for a photograph. I find them the most amusing of ducks, in this case the duck looks like its been up to something, or maybe it’s just me.
This hover fly flew into the frame just as I was composing my photograph, a nice addition to the shot. On these brilliant summer days I enjoy walking along the meadows’ edges with the the riot of colour and buzzing of insects laid out for the taking.
The first Egret shot was taken last summer, the bird was on the lookout for lunch. I took the second photo last fall, it appears the egret found the vine a tasty snack. I usually like to have a variety of subjects on my blog. This year my schedule and the birds putting in an appearance haven’t always coincided. Luckily as I have a good number of bird photographs that have yet to appear on my blog I’ll be featuring some from time to time.
I do like poppies and was happy to see them among the other flowers in the field. They have a colour and delicacy that always attracts the eye. I decided against a tight crop and chose to show them as an element of the whole.
I came across this wood duck chick as it was about to slip into the water. It reminded me of a child building up it’s courage to jump into the deep end of a pool. The duckling seemed to wear a triumphant expression when he finally did.
This yellow wildflower in a field of green embodies summer to me. It grew on its own with no competition for my attention. The second flower was in a garden hedge. It had just rained, a constant this summer, and it stood out nicely against the green.
This bird is one of my favourites. A frequent visitor to my blog, the nuthatch’s alert and friendly manner makes for a great subject. I thought the background colour did a nice job of framing the bird.
Like many herons, the Black-crowned night heron can stalk its prey for longer than I have the patience to watch. With a catch or not they make for excellent subjects, as they stand so still allowing me to take many photographs. This spot on the lake is always a popular fishing spot, and the lighting always adds interest to the scene.
Two different wildflowers that I really like. The first photo is of pink trilliums. They are less common than the white variety but they tend to grow in bunches which more than makes up for their scarcity. The second photograph is of bladder campions, considered a weed in North America but not to this photographer!
I haven’t been out as often as I’d like with my camera but seeing and photographing this beauty, made up for some missed opportunities. Trilliums are the official flower of Ontario yet I never come across them in great numbers. Their growing period is a short one, this trillium looked like it was celebrating the season.
Taking a walk downtown on a rare sunny afternoon in May, I hoped to see some things of interest to photograph. I had borrowed a wide angle lens (12-24mm) and was trying to get a feel for it. The sharp lines and colour attracted me in both of these photographs.
Canada will be celebrating its 150th Birthday on July 1. There is a multi-year plan to renovate many Federal buildings in Ottawa. You can just see some scaffolding in the reflection of the Parliament Buildings in the first photo. The fencing covered in colourful posters dressed up another construction site and made for an interesting composition.
All the familiar favourites are returning to the reserve. We’ve had a few sightings of Black-crowned Night Herons; never two at once, so I’m no sure if there’s one individual or more. We came across this one in a quiet cove. We watched as he starred at the water never shifting his gaze. He caught a fish so quickly that I missed the shot and only caught him with his back to me as he flew off with a large catfish dangling from his mouth.
As is often the case, spring arrives slowly to my part of the country, the temperature going from very cool to very warm within days. The woodlands remain quiet, but gradually the birds return and the trees and other vegetation begin to bud and then suddenly burst with colour and sweet smells. These flowers were just budding last week, now there’s so much that catches my eye, it’s hard to chose what to photograph. The perfect dilemma!
We returned to the Tulip Festival for a second time on a hot sunny day this week. Many of the flowers were at their peak although not all as you can see in the first photo. The tulips are selected in such a way that there are continuous blooms throughout the three week span of the festival. I plan to get back once more before it ends, the riot of colour is hard to resist.
The photo has an unusual composition that I like. The chickadee to the right of the photo and the leaves to the left provide balance. No Rule of Thirds here or the usual negative space in front of the bird. Some rules are meant to be broken!
I came across the first image when I was looking for some Canada Geese photographs for a recent post. I haven’t taken many birds in flight and hadn’t remembered taking this one. The geese were beginning their fall migration so if you pointed your camera towards the sky there were a lot of opportunities to try and capture them. My 300mm lens at F 5.6 worked in my favour and I was pretty pleased with the result.
The Great Blue Heron was on a fishing expedition and landed shortly after I took this photo. Always a favourite subject of mine on land or in the air.
BELINDA GROVER PHOTOGRAPHY 