Icebergs in fog
April 19, 2010     0 comments

I haven't done any black and whte photography since selling my darkroom equipment about ten years ago. However, when I made this image in Newfoundland a few years ago I knew it would make a lovely black and white image. The original scene had very little colour in it - it was a typically gray, foggy, Newfoundland day. It wasn't until last year that I got around to making the B&W conversion using Adobe Lightroom software. The image was awarded an "Honorable Mention" in this year's international Black & White Spider Awards. That's inspired me to convert more images to black and white. Stay tuned for more.
Red foxes, Prince Edward Island National Park
February 02, 2010     0 comments

I've been following this group of young red foxes since last summer when I discovered them in Prince Edward Island National Park. Sadly, they spent the summer begging for food from obliging tourists on the main park road. I wondered how they would fair once the tourist season ended and they had to fend for themselves. In February I discovered all three of the foxes roadside again. I suspect someone is still feeding them (it is not me!) for they approached the car as soon as I slowed down. They are actually very difficult to photograph because they prefer pavement to their more natural surroundings. I decided to park the car and observe. Once they determined there were no handouts coming their way, they ignored me and two of them began an intense game of chase, ending with this sparring match. I was lucky to catch a few frames.
Rainbow and bison, Waterton Lakes National Park
September 21, 2009     0 comments

A spectacular early morning storm broke over Alberta's Waterton Lakes National Park during my visit late last summer. The mountains were completely obscured by dense black clouds, so when this rainbow appeared, I knew I had to find some other foreground. I drove into the bison paddock and found these two fellows grazing in the rain. This was a challenege to photograph. It was raining too heavily to set up a tripod outside, so I tried to photograph from the car. However, the wind drove the rain into my vehicle, soaking me and my gear. I had to take a few shots and then wipe the water off my lens before resuming, repeating the process several times before the rainbow finally faded and the moment passed. The vehicle was shuddering in the wind, but I was able to hold the camera steady thanks to Canon's image stabilizer lens.
iceberg, Fogo Island, Newfoundland & Labrador
May 20, 2009     0 comments

I’ve been photographing icebergs in Newfoundland & Labrador for many years. They are both beautiful and challenging to photograph. I’ve often found an iceberg during the day that I am convinced will look great in evening light, only to discover upon my return that the iceberg has drifted on, rolled over, or broken up. On this occasion, the icebergs were plentiful, but they were quite far offshore. I had to hire a boat. A year earlier, I canceled a boat when clouds threatened to obscure the sun, only to have the most beautiful evening light appear through the clouds a few hours later. A missed opportunity! I resolved not to let that happen again, so on this evening, with clouds threatening, I took a chance and hired a fisherman to take me out to the ‘bergs. I was rewarded with sweet light and beautiful clouds. Of the many images I made that evening, this is one of my favorites. Notice the seagull sitting atop the 'berg.
Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick, Canada
April 20, 2009     0 comments

On a foggy June evening I arrived at Seal Cove harbour, stepped out of my car and this scene unfolded before me. I knew I didn’t have time to set up a tripod, so I braced myself and my camera against some rocks just as the boy reached over the side of the dory. I managed one frame before the moment passed. It is a nostalgic image, reminding me of my own childhood summers spent in Nova Scotia, fishing with my father, when I too reached over the side of a boat to touch the water and wonder.