A couple more from Alma

Here are a couple more images made at Alma, all these images used the HDR technique.

Alma Beach

This past Sunday I drove to Fundy park with my friend Rob to make some images and enjoy some conversation. It had been a couple of years since we last got out to photograph together.

When we got to Alma beach, the tide was out and we ventured forth and explored. It was a cold windy day, but before long the breeze seemed to settle and the cold didn't seem so cold after all. I think it was Andy Goldsworthy that said "Good art keeps you warm." on this day I would have to agree.


Low tide sky

Tatamagouche: HDR experiments

In my last post I made mention of a technique that I was trying out. The method is called High Dynamic Range (HDR) and it basically involves making a series of 3 or more images of the same scene using different exposures to capture a large range of tones in a scene. The images are then run through software where they are aligned and blended and then further adjusted into a single image with a wider tonal range than would normally be possible in a single exposure. The extreme brightness range of the sunrise was a great opportunity to try the technique out. I am fairly pleased with these first results and will experiment with this method more in the future.

These three images were made during the ways of seeing event in Tatamagouche. The first image is shown with it's 3 component images below.

Tatamagouche: Sunrise Serenity

On the Saturday morning of the Ways of Seeing event the group goes out for a dawn photo shoot. The sunrise this year was particularly beautiful.

I also tried a few HDR exposures during this photo shoot, an explaination of the technique and some results of that in an upcoming post.

On another note, I did actually sleep in between moonlight madness and sunrise serenity:)

Tatamagouche: Moonlight Madness

The 1st night of the Ways of Seeing Event after the program was finished for the evening Shannon and I went down the walking trail overlooking Tatamagouche Bay to bask in the light of the full moon. Mars was also quite visible that evening. We were joined shortly afterword by our friend Lawrence. After making some images, we enjoyed a spot o' tea and some snacks before calling it a night.

Here are a couple of images from that excursion.

Moonlight Over Tatamagouche Bay


Self Portrait Under Full Moon

Tatamagouche 2007

I have been fortunate enough to have been at Tatamagouche Centre twice this year; in August as a participant in the The Tatamagouche Model of Education, Design and Leadership: Level I, and once again this past weekend as a co-facilitator with Margot Metcalfe and Silver Frith for the Ways of Seeing: Photography for the Artist in Us event.

Both events were wonderful for similar and also for different reasons. I feel blessed this year to make so many connections with many great folk from many points on the compass.

Hummingbirds revisited

About this time last year I posted an image of a hummingbird made from my office window. This year the flowers are back and so are the hummingbirds. I leave my camera set up by the window and whenever I notice a little visitor in the window, if I am able, I will get up from my desk and make a few images. Here are 3 of my favorites thus far.

Recent Images

It has been a busy, busy June/July and my blogging has fallen a little behind.
This post is a collection of a few recent "blog -worthy" images. More will follow soon.

Youth Forum 07

Youth Forum 07 "Connected" was held recently, it was my second time there and it was just as awesome an experience as the first. I left this year's event full of hope, faith and energy. My mind, even a month later is still full of warm thoughts, memories and ideas.

Nest Story

Last Saturday morning my friend Chad and I were in the living room when He noticed a robin was building a nest in the apple tree directly in front of the living room window. We watched it for a few minutes make trip after trip with some bits and pieces and slowly the nest was forming.

Over the next few days I kept my camera nearby and made some images as the robin moved in and started keeping the eggs warm. The mama robin was there day in and day out and even had some pesky black-capped chickadees drop by for a visit.


Late Wednesday night there was a nasty thunder and lightning storm, Thursday morning I saw the nest was empty but hoped all was well...

but when I looked closer there were two busted eggs in the grass below the tree:(

I climbed the tree to look inside the nest in case there might have been another egg but, alas the nest was and still is empty.

Perhaps the mama will come back and try again...

Moth!

A friend of Nannette's folks found a huge cecropia moth that couldn't fly* and thought of Ben's love all things creepy, crawly and slimy from a conversation she once had with him. She brought the moth to Memere et Pepere and they couldn't wait to show it to Ben so they hopped in the car and brought it over. Ben took it with him for the last day of school, where it was quite a hit with his classmates.



After lunch that day we brought the moth to the backyard and set it free on a branch were it remained the rest of the day. In the morning it was gone, perhaps in search of a mate.

*Cool facts:

With a wingspan of 5 to 6 inches, the cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia) is the largest North American moth. It is a member of the family Saturniidae. Cecropia moths are often referred to as silkworm moths.

Although these moths are common throughout North America, you don't often see them because they fly only at night.

Cecropia moths do not live long (about two weeks) because the adult cecropia cannot eat. In fact, they don't even have a mouth or proboscis! The only purpose of the adult stage is to mate and lay eggs.

Males cecropia moths have been marked and are known to have flown over seven miles in search of the wind-born female pheromone scent plume.

Fernwood in Colour

The Family and I went for a day trip to visit my folks in PEI on Victoria Day. The first image was made during what seemed the only 30 seconds of sunlight from the whole weekend.

This second image was made about an hour later near the beach in the quieter, overcast light.