The Sun is Setting
Some images from a late-summer (early-September) evening walk in Edmonton’s river valley – the shadows are longer, the paths are a bit darker and moodier, the white poplar tree trunks seem to jump out of the darkness.
Usually Colorific, but Not This Time
Autumn is famous as the season of glorious displays of color, but that doesn’t have to be all that intrigues a photographer at this time of year. Here are some black and white images of what has caught my eye this early October:
Strong Verticals
Especially on a wet fall day the strong contrast of tree trunks makes for a dramatic image.
Near and Far
Wet Corner
Reaching Upward
The autumn season is also when the river is at its lowest level, exposing sandbar “beaches” not normally seen. And those beaches reveal some interesting forms, very suited to black and white (or mostly monochromatic) presentation:
Sandy Beach
Waves in the Sand
Under the Bridge
Verticals and Horizontals
The above photos were all taken October 1st and 2nd (2016), in the river valley in Edmonton, Canada.
Paths – in Black and White
Here is a collection of photographs of paths, taken in Edmonton’s river valley and Mill Creek Ravine on 2016 April 9.
Path to the City
Pleasant Path
Light at the End of the Path
A Rooty Path
Bends Through the Spring Woods
Spring Arrives – in Black and White
Perhaps I should say “winter departs” – somehow spring doesn’t feel imminent until color returns to the landscape. While there was the bit of exposed green moss or grass and blue sky as I hiked Edmonton’s river valley, for the most part everything is a shade of grey or brown.
That said, here are 5 photos that “don’t need no stinking color” to look interesting:
Arrival
Ravine Path – Shady and Slippery
Slope and Sky
Nothing but Sticks
Spring Sky over a Late-winter Valley
These images were taken in Edmonton’s Dawson Park on 2016 March 25th.
Winter Nature – Black and White
Here are a few of my recent black and white photos showing Edmonton’s river valley in early January.
Path Through the Riverside Brush
Snow Covered Tangle
Patterns In and On (and the Edmonton Queen)
Up a Snowy Trail
Downtown Edmonton Over the Frozen North Saskatchewan River
Spring Sneaks In (Part 2)
Here are some more photos from Edmonton’s river valley on the first weekend of April, showing the transition to spring.
For the eyes starved of color over the months of winter, the faint golden glow of the uncovered grasses and the rosy haze of the Dogwood twigs in the distance, is a feast for the eyes.
Snowy Path
Rosy Haze
Path to the Blue Forest
Subtle Color
Melting Path
Photos in the Rain
You might think that rain and photography don’t mix – I did. First there is just the hassle of trying to keep your camera dry or your lens unspectled. Today I decided I was going out with my camera (Nikon D80) and just tucked it under my rain jacket, pulling it out only for a quick shot. I also mad a point of keeping the lens pointed down when not in use to minimize the possibility of raindrops striking it.
Perhaps a bigger deterrent to taking the camera out is the fear that there will not be anything to take a picture of. The environment looks very devoid of color – just grey and green everywhere. Also it is relatively dark so one is forced to resort to higher ISO and/or lower f-stops for handheld shots. Or….one couldchange their approach.
Today, that is what I did. I decided I would deliberately go with slow shutter speeds – like around 1/4 second! I wasn’t going to worry about holding the camera steady. In fact I was planning to deliberately move it during the exposure ( a technique I have been playing with recently). I thought this approach was quite successful. I captured a number of images that I was quite happy with. In fact, I think the camera motion added signifcantly to reinforcing the feeling of rain – the directionality and blurring.
Rainy Street
Stairs in the Rain
Forest in the Rain
Fence Posts in the Rain
Dawson Park in the Rain
Randall Talbot - Artist 