Leaning to the east, this small granary in Kneehill County near Trochu, has been buffeted by strong chinook winds from the west for many years and on this day it was about to get hit again. All the dark brooding clouds were just behind the leading edge of this new chinook which warmed the air to a balmy 17ºC. The warm wind made fairly quick work of the last remaining snow and all the small creeks were running strong with meltwater for the next few days as the water, following the law of gravity, rushed on the quickest route downhill towards the Red Deer River.
“Snow Eater” the Blackfoot call you.
Born of the sea,
Flowing inland
To warm the land,
Climb a mountain
And bestow
A benediction of rain
On the forest below.
Chill and dry
At the top.
Nearly touching the sky.
Warmed by the speed
Of your descent,
You blow through
The Clouds,
Carving an arch
High in the sky.
Your signature.
Then march
Across the foothills
Raising the temperature,
Melting ice and snow
As you go.
“Visual pollution is an aesthetic issue and refers to the impacts of pollution that impair one’s ability to enjoy a vista or view.” Wikipedia
During my lunch breaks at work, I like to go for a walk around downtown Red Deer to get some fresh air and feel the sun and wind on my face. It refreshes me, but not comparing even remotely to the kind of refreshment I get when I first breath in clean, fresh, cool mountain air when I travel into the Rocky Mountains, but it is certainly refreshing compared to the air in my office! The visual stimuli leave a lot to be desired in the downtown core. Visual pollution runs rampant and can almost be called embarrassing to think that after a hundred plus years of being incorporated as a town and city, that this is all the City of Red Deer could accomplish! It is, however, an interesting challenge to myself to find “beauty” amongst it all, a composition that exhibits balance and harmony or a complete lack of it. Maybe it’s the lighting and atmospheric conditions that help the situation. Whatever it is, I like to try and find it.
These two photographs were taken only a day or two apart from each other from virtually the same spot just down the back alley from work. You can see the same post on the left of the first photo and again on the far right of the second photo.
I took a walk through a small neighbourhood I haven’t spent much time in on my lunch break a few days ago. I came across this great old shed, and I was quite intrigued by the shadows playing on it’s walls and across the snow.
[ Leica M3, Zeiss ZM 50mm Planar, Lomography 400 Colour ]
It was almost as much fun finding how to type a ❤️ as it was to be out and about making images! Hahaha. Actually no, being out photographing is always more fun than working on my computer, I found this granary south of town in Red Deer County with a very vibrant ❤️ adorning it’s ribs.
[ Leica M3, Zeiss ZM 50mm Planar, Fuji Superia 400 ]
Sometimes just wandering around with a loose idea of a theme to shoot can be a lot of fun, and it forces me to search beyond the obvious. Many times I wouldn’t even think to make an image of these sorts of things, but I am really starting to enjoy photographing the ordinary or mundane. Keeping my eyes open for unique ways of seeing these type of images helps me also to understand a place I am visiting a bit deeper, but this could easily be the kind of things I walk past on my way to work every day as well.
Available as a print on my Etsy store.
[ Leica M3, Zeiss ZM 50mm Planar, Fuji Superia 400 Xtra ]
Yeah it’s dark pretty early now, although this was around 10pm or so. I felt restless and it was a beautiful evening, so I decided to go for a walk in the dark. Well, lo and behold I had a camera with me, so I decided to make a few nightie images. I was out for likely an hour or so wandering around the Lancaster neighbourhood of Red Deer. These are all handheld images at very high ISO ranging from 3200 – 10000.
[ Olympus E-M5, Panasonic 20mm f1.7 ]
The mountains of Ruckle Provincial Park on Saltspring Island loom on the horizon as we threaded our way through the gulf islands on our way between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay aboard Coastal Celebration. The light was soft and gorgeous on a bright overcast day. What a beautiful view!! I think I need to live out on the coast.
[ Sony RX100III ]
Last Saturday my wife, oldest son and I were in Drumheller for the funeral of the father to some good friends from back in high school days. What a fantastic man he was too!
We got into town a bit early and so we walked along main street for a couple of blocks and found the “Sports Room” entrance. Unfortunately the town feels pretty run down and almost uninviting. A real shame as the potential is huge!
Later in the evening we left before sunset as I don’t like driving central Alberta highways at night because of all the deer and moose. As we got near the small town of Carbon we found these silos glinting from the sun.
[Panasonic GF2, Panasonic 20mm]
– Wikipedia
[Panasonic GF2, Panasonic 20mm]
I was out early Sunday wandering around Camp TeePee Pole with my camera while my family was still sleeping in our cabin. It was overcast with a light rain falling, but I didn’t want to head back inside, so I headed off behind our cabin through some woods and on my way back came on to the backside of the wood shed. The ladder caught my eye as it appeared to glow in the early morning light. A beautiful Sunday morning capped off with a potluck breakfast and worship in the camp dining room.
[Sigma DP3 Merrill]
Collin J Örthner - Photographer 