Posted on

Banff National Park

This is a rock face that rises about a mile out of Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park. I was in awe at the size and mass as this towered over me. Years ago I used to rock climb and so when I see something like this I instinctively start planning an imaginary route. My camera has a full frame sensor and the resolution of this is such that I can zoom in on my screen to work out the details of the route. It’s always good to have one or two alternates in case the climb turns up something I didn’t expect. In any case, (still) in my mind I’m now on the summit munching a chocolate bar and enjoying the view before I head back down.

This is a rock face that rises about a mile out of Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park. I was in awe at the size and mass as this towered over me. Years ago I used to rock climb and so when I see something like this I instinctively start planning an imaginary route. My camera has a full frame sensor and the resolution of this is such that I can zoom in on my screen to work out the details of the route. It's always good to have one or two alternates in case the climb turns up something I didn't expect. In any case, (still) in my mind I'm now on the summit munching a chocolate bar and enjoying the view before I head back down.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

Posted on

Robinson Preserve Dusk

Robinson Preserve is in Bradenton Florida and serves as a sanctuary for all manner of migratory birds and waterfowl, not to mention eagles, osprey and all manner of critters. I like taking photos at dusk however the park closes at 6:00pm this time of year and they insist you get out. That gives me about 20 minutes after sunset to get my butt out of the park, which at over 600 acres is easier said than done when on foot. So I strap on my camera, lenses and tripod, ride my bike to a spot, shoot a scene (like this), quickly ride back, throw everything in the back of the minivan and drive out just as the electric gates are closing. I’m a little crazy, I know. Also, the critters know very well when it’s closing time because as I ride back to my car I hear them all coming out and scampering about their evening routines. I get the sense that as soon as the last human leaves it’s one big critter party until the first light of day. Just one more thing I’ll never really know for sure.

This is a view of Robinson Preserve at dusk. Robinson Preserve is in Bradenton Florida and serves as a sanctuary for all manner of migratory birds and waterfowl, not to mention eagles, osprey and all manner of critters. I like taking photos at dusk however the park closes at 6:00pm this time of year and they insist you get out. That gives me about 20 minutes after sunset to get my butt out of the park, which at over 600 acres is easier said than done when on foot. So I strap on my camera, lenses and tripod, ride my bike to a spot, shoot a scene (like this), quickly ride back, throw everything in the back of the minivan and drive out just as the electric gates are closing. I'm a little crazy, I know. Also, the critters know very well when it's closing time because as I ride back to my car I hear them all coming out and scampering about their evening routines. I get the sense that as soon as the last human leaves it's one big critter party until the first light of day. Just one more thing I'll never really know for sure.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

Posted on

Fishing Pier

This is one of the many fishing piers at Emerson Point State Park in Palmetto Florida. The water is crystal clear so it’s common to see the fish swim by. In any case, I’m no fisherman and so living here in Florida I’m like a fish out of water. Bad pun, I know. I’m one of the three people in Florida that doesn’t fish. Kinda like Facebook, until last year I wasn’t on Facebook, that changed however and now the only thing left for me to do is get a fishing pole. Ain’t gonna happen.

This is one of the many fishing piers at Emerson Point State Park in Palmetto Florida. The water is crystal clear so it's common to see the fish swim by. In any case, I'm no fisherman and so living here in Florida I'm like a fish out of water. Bad pun, I know. I'm one of the three people in Florida that doesn't fish. Kinda like Facebook, until last year I wasn't on Facebook, that changed however and now the only thing left for me to do is get a fishing pole. Ain't gonna happen.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

Posted on

Pond in Autumn

Back when autumn was still autumn I took this shot of a pond at the entrance to Stanley Park in Vancouver. Everyone was out taking pictures and there was a general feeling of urgency as we all wanted to capture the fall colors before they disappeared. At home in Florida we don’t really get colors like this so I was doubly stoked and walked around snapping shots for hours until the last light of the day. I’ve still got a few left from that day so I’ll post them from time to time even though autumn is long gone. See, I’m still stoked.

Back when autumn was still autumn I took this shot of a pond at the entrance to Stanley Park in Vancouver. Everyone was out taking pictures and there was a general feeling of urgency as we all wanted to capture the fall colors before they disappeared. At home in Florida we don't really get colors like this so I was doubly stoked and walked around snapping shots for hours until the last light of the day. I've still got a few left from that day so I'll post them from time to time even though autumn is long gone. See, I'm still stoked.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

Posted on

Pond at Dusk

This was taken at a pond at Emerson Point state park near my home. This and a couple of other nearby ponds are hangouts for migratory birds. I’m not a birder and I don’t know a lot about each species, but they’re still fun to watch in their natural habitat. There’s all kinds of wildlife in and around this pond, I’ve seen Raccoons, Armadillos, Turtles, Osprey and Eagles. So there you go, I’m no birder, but apparently I’m Daniel Boone.

This was taken at a pond at Emerson Point state park near my home in Manatee County Florida. This and a couple of other nearby ponds are hangouts for migratory birds. Now I'm not a birder and I don't know a lot about each species, but they're still fun to watch in their natural habitat. There's all kinds of wildlife in and around this pond, I've seen Raccoons, Armadillos, Turtles, Osprey and Eagles. So there you go, I'm no birder, but apparently I'm Daniel Boone.

Follow link to obtain a print of this photo.

Posted on

Edith Cavell Meadows

This was taken from Edith Cavell Meadows in Jasper National Park. It’s hard for a photo to convey the proper perspective but the peak is about another thousand meters above my position. From the top are a couple of glaciers running down the slopes and like everything in the Canadian Rockies, scales are quite large and hard to convey. For this I set my camera down on some rocks to capture a bit of the moraine in the foreground. In any case, Edith Cavell was a nurse during WWI who was credited with saving the lives of soldiers on both sides and then executed by Germany. This great peak is a monument to her courage and humanity.

This was taken from Edith Cavell Meadows in Jasper National Park. It's hard for a photo to convey the proper perspective but the peak is about another thousand meters above my position. From the top are a couple of glaciers running down the slopes and like everything in the Canadian Rockies, scales are quite large and hard to convey. For this I set my camera down on some rocks to capture a bit of the moraine in the foreground. In any case, Edith Cavell was a nurse during WWI who was credited with saving the lives of soldiers on both sides and then executed by Germany. This great peak is a monument to her courage and humanity.

Follow link to obtain a print of this photo.

Posted on

Garden Hideaway

It’s nice to have a little hideaway where you can go to get away from it all, if just for a bit. A break now and again to fill up on your own thoughts and musings and not those of everyone and everything around you. I get that when I ride my bike or walk the dogs. For some, this little garden under a bridge in the middle of a large bustling city. I happened upon this and almost walked by when I realized what it was, a little garden hideaway. And when I entered, even though I was only steps from the street it seemed somehow quiet, somehow peaceful and the feeling stayed with me for a while after I left. I don’t know how that’s possible, but it is, and it’s good enough for me.

It's nice to have a little hideaway where you can go to get away from it all, if just for a bit. A break now and again to fill up on our own thoughts and musings and not those of everyone and everything around us. I get that when I ride my bike or walk the dogs. For some, this little garden under a bridge in the middle of a large bustling city. I happened upon this and almost walked by when I realized what it was, a little garden hideaway. And when I entered, even though I was only steps from the street it seemed somehow quiet, somehow peaceful and the feeling stayed with me for a while after I left. I don't know how that's possible, but it is and it's good enough for me.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

Posted on

Saint Lucia Rain Forest

was in Saint Lucia recently and traveled up a mountain to a rainforest. I stopped at a shop along the way for some refreshments and then walked up a little path behind the food stand where I captured this stream in and amongst the lush vegetation. The rainforest are a source of water for the residents of the island and I found it a nice place to sit in the shade to escape the heat. We could use a rainforest or two near my home of Florida, but until that happens we’ll continue to use tiki bars for shade and refreshment.

was in Saint Lucia recently and traveled up a mountain to a rainforest. I stopped at a shop along the way for some refreshments and then walked up a little path behind the food stand where I captured this stream in and amongst the lush vegetation. The rainforest are a source of water for the residents of the island and I found it a nice place to sit in the shade to escape the heat. We could use a rainforest or two near my home of Florida, but until that happens we'll continue to use tiki bars for shade and refreshment.

Follow link to obtain a print of this photo.

Posted on

Harvest Leaves

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States. When I was seven years old in grade school we would create autumn leaves from construction paper to commemorate Thanksgiving. Also I remember drawing a picture of a turkey that my grandmother kept at the cottage and which remained on the wall for years. These little things and many others have ingrained in my mind that the end of November is the harvest season, full of leaves and color. In actuality it seems that harvest season should be over by the end of November. For instance in Canada Thanksgiving is held at the beginning of October, to me that seems closer to harvest season than the end of November. I have no idea where I’m going with all this other than these autumn leaves reminded me of Thanksgiving and so I thought I’d post this picture today. For my friends in the U.S., Happy Thanksgiving. For the rest of you, get back to work, two more days until the weekend. 😉

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States. When I was seven years old in grade school we would create autumn leaves from construction paper to commemorate Thanksgiving. Also I remember drawing a picture of a turkey that my grandmother kept at the cottage and which remained on the wall for years. These little things and many others have ingrained in my mind that the end of November is the harvest season, full of leaves and color. In actuality it seems that harvest season should be over by the end of November. For instance in Canada Thanksgiving is held at the beginning of October, to me that seems closer to harvest season than the end of November. I have no idea where I'm going with all this other than these autumn leaves reminded me of Thanksgiving and so I thought I'd post this picture today. For my friends in the U.S., Happy Thanksgiving. For the rest of you, get back to work, two more days until the weekend. ;-)

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

Posted on

Beach Dunes

In Bradenton Beach Florida we have nice sunsets, and even when we don’t there’s always something to take a picture of. I thought a shot from about four feet inside these dunes would be nice and so started to set up my camera. Bad idea. Turns out the plants in these dunes produce a prickly burr that’s as sharp as any I’ve ever seen. So I figured as long as I didn’t move around I’d be okay. Wrong again. It seemed like the burrs started attacking me and attached themselves to my sandals, t-shirt, legs and shorts. So I finished the shot quickly and walked to my car in darkness where I began detaching the burrs one by one which took about 20 minutes. They were even attached to the bottom of my sandals. As far as natural defenses go, those dunes mean business. A couple of days later near the lifeguard stand I found a sign that indicated this is a “Blue Beach” which means a high degree if environmental awareness and protection is practiced here and, …the dunes are off-limits. I think I learned my lesson. Dunes 1, Me 0.

In Bradenton Beach Florida we have nice sunsets, and even when we don't there's always something to take a picture of. I thought a shot from about four feet inside these dunes would be nice and so started to set up my camera. Bad idea. Turns out the plants in these dunes produce a prickly burr that's as sharp as any I've ever seen. So I figured as long as I didn't move around I'd be okay. Wrong again. It seemed like the burrs started attacking me and attached themselves to my sandals, t-shirt, legs and shorts. So I finished the shot quickly and walked to my car in darkness where I began detaching the burrs one by one which took about 20 minutes. They were even attached to the bottom of my sandals. As far as natural defenses go, those dunes mean business. A couple of days later near the lifeguard stand I found a sign that indicated this is a

Follow link to obtain a link to this photo.