Wednesday, January 31, 2007

End of January Already?


My, my, my, what a start to a new year. It is unbelievable the rate at which time flies. So far, 2007 has brought both intense joy and pain, hard work and a dream come true. If this is any indication of what the year is going to be like, I'm going to have to hang on to my hat. (Or should I say "heart"?) This blog entry is a bit of a cheat. I'm doing my best to avoid being hounded first thing in the morning by my most loyal blog fan, Tom, who gives me s**t if he doesn't see a weekly entry. I guess everyone needs a conscience, including me. I'm reaching back to my trip to Whistler in September for this image from Joffre Lakes. I had it all ready to go with my October 1st entry, but somehow it was so different from the other images that it didn't fit. This was taken late in the day, just before the sun dipped behind the mountains. The shadow had already cast itself across the crystalline water and the glowing teal lake turned dark and filled with reflection. As the shadows crept in from all sides, this one ghost of a tree grasped at the last light of the day. The next moment, it was plunged into darkness until the dawn of the new day. I suppose it is no coincidence that I choose this image tonight, as I reflect on the past few months and at the same time force myself to look to the future. I have some wonderful photography news that I am going to save for my next entry - it must be paired with brighter images and a brighter mood. And, I want to keep Tom in suspense! On that note, I am going to say "good night" with the last image on the way to the parking lot at Joffre Lakes.....




.... see you next week.


Wednesday, January 24, 2007

The Glory of a Tree



Trees are one of my favourites subjects to photograph. They don't blink, twitch or talk just as the shutter is tripped! Even when jostled by the wind, a little creativity can go a long way with a tree. Joking aside, I love to photograph trees because each one is distinct. As every picture tells a story, I think that each tree has a story too. This tree grows in Winfield, a lovely community just north of Kelowna. Surrounded by orchards, mountains and open spaces, it cut an impressive figure as we walked down the road. The first time I saw this tree, on Boxing Day, I stopped and made several images. The very next day, we had just enough snow to coat the trunk and thicker branches. As I drove up to the tree, just before dusk, I couldn't help but smile. Nature had taken care of highlighting the intricate branches of this willow as it slept.

Monday, January 08, 2007

Winter Wonderland



Happy New Year! Today is my first day back from Christmas vacation and what a wonderful break it was. I had a chance to get out of town over New Years and the south Okanagan was beautiful. It is rare for Osoyoos, Canada's desert to have snow, but this is what we saw as we ascended on Highway 3, headed to the Kootenays. It is difficult not to think of climate change when a desert region has snow and my Toronto friends and family have yet to wear boots or clear off the car (or so they tell me). Nonetheless, the light dusting of snow over Osoyoos is a beautiful sight.
What I like the most about these images is the way the snow provides a delicate outline to the roads, the vineyards and the mountains. In the summer, the colour palate is full of yellow and green - in striking contrast to the muted details here. I will definitely be returning to photograph this vista throughout the year.