A Constantly Changing Canvas

Sometimes the weather forecast doesn’t look promising for photography, but I’ve learned you should still follow through on your plan because unique conditions might develop. It had rained for a few days and the forecast was for a mix of sun and cloud in the afternoon. I was hoping for a beautiful sunset with fresh snow on the mountains, but it never materialized. What caught my eye was the fog or mist moving through the trees on the side of a mountain. It’s a scene I like to photograph because it’s constantly changing by the minute. Sometimes I’ll see some fog or mist moving through trees that I really want to photograph, but by the time I’ve set up my camera to compose the image the scene is gone. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

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Happy New Year

May every day of 2025 bring you a new reason to smile and be thankful. The best year is yet to come! Click on the photo to see a larger version.

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Mount Slesse Sunrise

This mountain which is 8,002 feet high is located in the Cascade mountains just north of the US-Canada border. The name means ‘fang’ in the Halkomelem language and it was first climbed in 1927. However, it’s most famous for its Northeast Buttress which was climbed in 1963.

On December 9, 1956, Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810 on a scheduled flight from Vancouver to Calgary encountered severe icing and turbulence. The pilots climbed to 19,200 feet and then they experienced a fire warning indication light in engine number two. They contacted Vancouver Air Traffic Control and requested a flight path that would return them to the Vancouver airport. Instead of turning left they turned right into the mountains. The Canadair North Star plane crashed on the upper slopes of the mountain, killing all 62 people on board. Among the victims were five professional Canadian football players on their way home from the annual Shrine Game between the East and West all-stars in Vancouver. At the time, it was one of the deadliest airline crashes. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

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Six Degrees of Separation

This time of year I look forward to photographing Bald Eagles ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ) who gather to feed on salmon that have reached the end of their life cycle. I came across six Bald Eagles in a tree and I had to wait patiently for just the right moment when they were all looking in my direction. Click on one of the polaroid images and then use your left and right keys to scroll through the gallery. Comments are always welcome.

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Red-tailed Hawk

At sunset I spent some time photographing a juvenile Red tailed-Hawk ( Buteo jamaicensis ) hunting for small animals. With the sun just above the horizon it created this beautiful golden sidelight. The buteo’s eyes were fixed on the ground looking for any movement. Then it would attack in a slow and controlled dive. Click on one of the Polaroid images and then use the left and right keys to scroll through the gallery. Comments are always welcome.

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Rust Never Sleeps

This small cemetery had a beautiful wrought iron gate. What made me stop was the colour of the rust on the gate. Have a fun and safe Hallowe’en everyone. Click on the image to see a larger version.

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And It Was All Yellow

The Thanksgiving long weekend is a great time to photograph the trees turning brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red. I love the light and colours at this time of the year. The air is so crisp and it’s a joy to be outside with my camera all day. My intention was to get there early in the morning when there would be little wind. The calm conditions would allow for nice reflections in the mountain lake. Please click on an image to see a larger version and comments are always welcome.

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The Antiheroes of Our Ecosystems

I was quite surprised to come across three Turkey Vultures ( Catharses aura ) when I was out for a walk with my camera and telephoto lens. When you see these raptors in the distance you know they are Turkey Vultures because their wings are raised in a V and when soaring they make wobbly circles. They sometimes fly low to the ground to pick up the scent of dead animals and also use updrafts to carry them into the sky.

The Turkey Vulture eats carrion or fresh carcasses which they find by using their keen sense of smell. Their stomach acid is extremely acidic which allows them to digest just about anything. By taking care of carcasses the Turkey Vultures provide an essential service by preventing diseases that would spread from rotting flesh.

They have a featherless red head and a hooked pale bill. Some would say they are not the most attractive bird when seen up close, but they have evolved with traits that make them unique. Please click on a photo to see a larger version.

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Bike the Night

This evening was Bike the Night in Vancouver which was a HUB cycling event. I tried to find a good location for photography. I experimented with different settings for ISO, exposure time, and depth of field. This is a photo of a cyclist who had decorated their bike with lights. With the rider being slightly blurred it conveys a sense of motion. Click on the image to see a larger version.

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Green Bokeh

This Bald Eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ) was perched at the top of a small pine tree. It didn’t look like it was very comfortable as it struggled to maintain its balance. By using a lens aperture of f/5.6 I created a nice bokeh. This aesthetic quality is the blur or out-of-focus part in the background. It was midday when I took the photo, the light was very harsh, and for that reason I usually don’t take photos at this time of day. However, I do like the green background created by the other trees. Click on the image to see a larger version.

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