Last week in Vancouver I stopped at Ambleside Park on my way back to the hotel. It was late but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to get the full moon behind the bridge. I climbed down a rock and concrete barrier in total darkness to get my camera down close to the still waters of the bay. I started shooting and saw a ship approach the bridge. Perfect; a bridge, a moon, a ship; elements for a composition. From the ship’s bow I couldn’t tell how big it was as it slowly approached head on, then it turned slightly to head out to sea. It went under the bridge and I began to see it’s profile, much bigger than I thought. As it came alongside I realized it was some type of a super-massive cargo ship, maybe seven hundred feet or longer. I watched in stunned awe as it passed slowly in the night with the low sound of the engines, hardly breaking a wake. Hardly. About a minute later the glassy still water started to move and large low frequency waves began to wash on shore. In effect a mini tsunami. The sound of the wave breaking along the entire length of the shore broke the silence as I grabbed my tripod and jumped for higher ground. Let’s just say I was a little lucky. Perhaps there was no harm, but I left there a little shaken from the ordeal and wondering if I had let my enthusiasm overpower my better judgement.
End of the Rainbow
Can you keep a secret? I think I may have discovered the end of the rainbow. I’ll be going back to find the pot of gold, but at least I know where it is. Well, actually I have no idea where this is, other than somewhere in Mount Aspiring National Park close to Mount Earnslaw in New Zealand. Flying through the southern range we experienced microclimates at every elevation and terrain. When we started in the morning up at elevation it was ten or fifteen degrees below freezing (with the helicopter doors off by the way). By the time we got back four hours later it was in the seventies. I was so busy concentrating on my camera settings that I forgot I had this image until last night when browsing through. Anyway, don’t tell anyone.
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White Egret Sundown
White Egrets are common where I live in central Florida. They can be about four feet tall and every inch of grace. Sure they prefer the water but they also forage on land. Yesterday morning as I was about to pull into the driveway I noticed a White Egret standing there looking for something in the bushes, probably a lizard. I didn’t want to scare him off so I waited in the street for about five minutes until he finished. As he sauntered onto the grass he looked back at me as I pulled into the driveway and got out of the car. He kept a little distance without flying off and I just kind of marveled and such a beautiful bird. I think this is not so uncommon in Florida, although I wasn’t raised here so for me it’s a treat. And that’s my Great White Egret story for the day.
Little Cottage In Arrowtown
This little cottage is behind Arrowtown at the entrance to the park. Not sure if it’s used by rangers but it seemed cozy enough. Everywhere we looked there was an overabundance of colors.
Cypress Point
A friend of mine suggested Cypress Point as a possible place to get a good view of the city. He passed me a link that listed it as one of Vancouver’s “free” attractions. Bingo, I’m sold. So anyway, I looked it up on Google maps and headed on my way, the second exit on the highway, no problem. Somehow I ended up in a residential neighborhood and all over hell’s half acre for a half an hour before I found myself back where I started. I got back on the highway and “three” stops later I found the right exit. Sheesh. This is Cypress Point which overlooks Vancouver and the Lions Gate Bridge. Worth the drive, just remember, the third exit.
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Lifeguard Stand
A little while back I captured this at Coquina Beach near my home just as the sun was setting behind the lifeguard stand. Used to be lifeguard stands were an elevated chair, now it seems they’re little condos on the beach. Can’t say that I blame them, sitting up there all day, at the beach, I’m sure it’s hard. Okay, I’m being a little sarcastic, just a little.
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Glow in the Forest
A little over a week ago I got a little lost on my way to Half Moon Bay, but lost in a good way. No schedule, headed for the ocean, just taking it all in. I came upon this tree around a bend and knew I had come to the right place. There is a lot of good energy in this forest.
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Roadside Sunset
A few weeks back I was driving in Sarasota near my home and the sky starting putting on an unusual display of colors and shapes. Lucky for me I had a camera. In Florida we’re heading into summer which means the beginning of the rainy season. Of course it’s great for agriculture and gardens, but also it’s good for photography because we’re more likely to get crazy clouds in the sky. A few of the local TV stations post photos of sunsets sent in by viewers each day. So it seems to me there is an army of people out there with camera in hand looking at the clouds and sky. Count me among them.
Reflections of Another Land
Late one afternoon we hung around a residential area which was surrounded by mountains on all sides. The sun sank and cast a red glow on the nearby mountains and the day passed from one phase to the other. At this time of transition the light can play tricks with your eyes. Such is the magic of New Zealand.
Shannon Falls Creek
I arrived in Vancouver this afternoon and decided to drive up the coast to see what I could see. As it’s spring here in British Columbia there’s quite a bit of runoff from the mountains. I captured this creek just below Shannon Falls.