Zoo 2014 - 8

No, the year in the title of this post is not incorrect. These photos were made in 2014. It just took me this long to dig them up as I was cleaning and sorting to make room for this year's shots.

It's not that so much was being missed by not sharing these but it would bother me if I didn't finish off the year, as it were.

I said before, but I certainly have become dependent upon lists. It may be the age, it may be the new baby, there may be other factors. Whatever the causes, neglecting posts like this are exactly what happens when I don't have itemized tasks.

The snow-like seeds in the air were lovely because they were combined with warm sunshine, not frosty wind chills.

The first blooms of the season always go too quickly. Thankfully they make room for the next round. This year we've noticed our lilies have popped up much earlier than usual. Maybe we will see their beauty before the end of August this year.

As you saw this winter, you can always count on the loveliness of pine trees to keep a bit of colour around, any time of year. I try not to neglect them during the warm seasons when they are overshadowed by the vibrant colors around them.

Kiwi in Red

 

  Kiwi in Red - Full by Jay Scott on 500px

I have no reason to believe that Kiwi has been neglected since Fiona arrived, though her behaviour might convince you otherwise. However, today's photo was for Kiwi and she knew it. She didn't pose quite as well as usual because her perch wasn't as comfortable as she's used to. But we got the shots and I hope she enjoyed the attention.

 

  Kiwi in Red - Headshot by Jay Scott on 500px

My biggest frustration was, once again, struggling not with the photo's execution, but with limited space, a wheelchair that just cannot hop over a precisely aligned lighting setup to tweak a setting and the other limitations not based on my photographic ability. As always, I was grateful for Angie's assistance with the photo and posing Kiwi as well as taking my van in for the seasonal inspection and winter tires.

Paul, Barb, Emma, Olivia and Bailey on Campus

 

  Autumn Session with Friends by Jay Scott on 500px

It was two years ago since I had the privilege of photographing this family of dear friends. The older I get the more often I ponder how time flies.

 

  Olivia by Jay Scott on 500px

So often I have quite a bit of commentary to add to posts full of photos but this time I think they will speak for themselves.

 

  Emma by Jay Scott on 500px

I cannot believe how much Emma has grown up in just the last little while. Braces off, become so much taller, and into that next phase of life where things change so much. This might be advanced age talking, but I don't remember middle school being quite as difficult with regards to appearance and popularity as it is for kids, now.

 

  Olivia by Jay Scott on 500px

We had already postponed the photos two times because of bad weather and someone being sick. Of course, I began getting my first cold in two years the night before our session. Today is the first day, 11 days after it's set in, that I feel almost normal. However, I was not going to let a little sore throat make us postpone the last possible warm day of the year for us to get these photos done outside.

 

  Paul and Barb by Jay Scott on 500px

I know that I missed a few of the shots I meant to get because of my sore throat and foggy head but I'm pretty sure that we still all had a good time and I know that I was happy with the results.

The above photo was a stretch for me. I don't do well with low contrast, washed out photos. Normally I can keep the flare under control but the light coming through that shrub was both beautiful and contrast destroying but it did make for a lovely setting at that time of day.

 

  Olivia by Jay Scott on 500px

Credit must go where credit is due. Without the skillful assistance of my friend and fellow photographer, Gerald Murray, I would not have been able to have added the extra edge that I did that day. He's also a very fun guy that adds a nice dose of comedy. Something I did not have that day.

 

  Emma by Jay Scott on 500px

I'm happy to say that I will be adding to my portfolio a few shots from our session together. I would still like to go back, get the shots I missed and do some more inside since we didn't really take the greatest advantage of the nice interior architecture of the University.

 

  Emma and Olivia by Jay Scott on 500px

 

  Emma and Bailey by Jay Scott on 500px

I was really happy when they arrived and saw that Bailey was with them. Of course, I have a soft spot for dogs and she is just the sweetest. If only we could get her to teach Kiwi how to greet people at the door with a friendly tail wagging and a closed bark-hole. :)

 

  Emma, Olivia and Bailey by Jay Scott on 500px

 

  Olivia and Bailey by Jay Scott on 500px

 

  Paul and Barb by Jay Scott on 500px

 

  Autumn Session with Friends by Jay Scott on 500px

It was really nice to have a photo session at the optimum time of day. The weather was so warm. How often do we get +20°C near the end of October? Even the breeze felt warm and in made for some of my favorite photos with the girls' hair blowing nicely in the breeze. I had it all timed out for when the sun would hit each building and be glinting through each corridor between the buildings and, in my opinion, we hit each location at the perfect time and I got exactly what I was looking for in regards to the natural light.

I look forward to doing many more with these dear friends.

The Prequel is Complete

This post has sat here incomplete for a few days because the rate at which time passes these days astonishes me. A day with only two or three things that I want to get done seems to fly by with maybe one or two being tackled. It's all good. Sleep has been a bit better the last few days, thanks in part to my mother-in-law. But there are days when I just can't believe how quickly it has come and gone.

Granted, there have been a lot of days with scheduled appointments and things to do and when you are timing an outing around a baby's schedule it may not take longer to complete but it may need to be hurried up to leave sooner or postponed to leave a bit later. Thankfully few things trump just trying to live life with the occasional event or outing but I must admit that it felt really good to make a photo for my project the other day just feel a little bit like the routine we knew as normal a few weeks ago.

The prequel I spoke of in the title of this post is the series of photos we did throughout Angie's pregnancy. You've seen most of them but this is the complete version including a final shot of mother and child. Each individual photo can be clicked on to see in a much higher resolution so that you can enjoy the time, effort and quality I attempted to put into each image.

I think I will take the opportunity to go to bed early tonight to get as much good sleep as possible. I will have some more interesting, unique photos for you in a few days.

Day 4 - We're Home

At times, overwhelmed. But home, beginning a new phase, establishing new routines (to the extent a baby lets you) and better than trapped in that dim room. The help of the great nurses was very much appreciated and will be missed, but everyone needs to grow up and move on in independence. We are very grateful for our large support system and all they've already done for us.

 

  Day 4 - Home by Jay Scott on 500px

Day 2

Fiona's Birthday

We are ecstatic to announce the arrival of our daughter, Fiona Lily, born August 20, 2014, weighing 9lbs 6oz and 20 inches long, having a voice that commands respect.

Much, much, more to come...

Perfect Poser

 

  Yellow Dragonfly by Jay Scott on 500px

I'm quite happy to see the number of dragonflies that have been in our backyard for over a month, now. Combined with the hotter, drier weather, they have done a fine job keeping the mosquitoes at bay. I haven't seen any specifically eating wasps, but the nest under our deck that I will get dad to take care of when they come up (as of the writing of this our baby has yet to arrive so I'm assuming they are not here), probably has had its population reduced thanks to the dragonflies.

I always find it intriguing to see how they go through cycles. Early in the season you will see the lovely light-blue colored damselflies which often move to the deeper orange and fuzzier looking dragonflies before some of the turquoise and huge black ones emerge. I don't recall seeing this many of the yellow ones pictured above as I have this year. Maybe the food supply is better or maybe the weather is just right for them. Either way, they are a beautiful and harmless insect that takes care of all the other pests. I think the only reason to not wish the extinction of mosquitoes and wasps is that they are food for dragonflies.

Maybe we should put some money into researching other food supplies for dragonflies and technology for the near extinction of mosquitoes and wasps, at least in the city where they are of little help in pollinating crops.

Here's hoping the next photos I have to share our of our baby.

The Beautiful Brief Lilies

 

  Backyard Pink Lilies by Jay Scott on 500px

As the days continue on, and summer begins to show the signs of its age, the lilies having come in their stunning, short-lived, glory, the birth of our baby draws nearer. We've said to ourselves that there's no point in not living life as usual until the time comes. Staying at home constantly thinking, worrying and being anxious about it does no one any good and, honestly, I'm pretty proud of how well we've done at just carrying on. It's exciting, it's a degree of scary and it's the biggest thing in my life since getting married and building a house. All good things in the process of building a life and the life of a family.

At times we feel comfortably prepared, knowing that there will be an uncertain degree of improvisation, then other times, while just living life, Angie's tummy bumps in the back of the head (sometimes she still isn't aware of how far it sticks out, or so she tells me) and we realize that the time is coming very soon. Today we both agreed that the length of time a woman is pregnant is just about right. Too much shorter and it wouldn't be enough time to let it sink in and prepare, too much longer and the discomfort and growing anxiousness would be difficult.

 

  Orange Backyard Lilies by Jay Scott on 500px

At this moment my biggest concern revolves around a factor I cannot control but believe that with the proper assertiveness I should be able to exercise some degree of influence. That concern is with my care. Being on a regular schedule like I am is best for my health and pushing the limits has significant negative consequences. Add to that a Home Care office that I have a rapidly diminishing faith in and you can see the source of my concern. I do have faith in God and hope that he will have his hands on the perfect timing of everything, including my routine, so that I have the pleasure of witnessing our child's birth without pushing my well-being beyond what is healthy. It would not be the first time that I counted on him to influence those at the Home Care who have the ability to make my life easier.

I will trust Angie's judgment far more than my own, as I'm just a casual observer, but I wonder if today's photo at 39 weeks isn't the last of this series. I suppose we will see soon enough!

Kiwi's Haircut, Summer Disappearing and Our New Addition Getting Closer

 

  Kiwi, Watching Out the Window? No! by Jay Scott on 500px

It has been a little bit busy around here, lately, hasn't it? I guess there has been a small gap in the shooting and baby preparations so I've had time to process photos and post. Summer is passing by s quickly despite my best efforts to make the most of every day and opportunity.

Certainly there are a few more nonessential things left to do but we both feel like we are as prepared as we can be, for the things we have some degree of control over. I have a few picture frames to paint, yet. There is a minor bit of decorating to be done but, like I said, that is not essential. The feeling I have is like that of the approaching winter. By that I mean in preparing while there are minimal restrictions. Every late summer and autumn I find myself trying to get done every last thing I can that is most easily accomplished before there is snow on the ground. What usually ends up happening is that the snow does not interfere nearly as much as I think it does but each year I find myself in preparation mode before the weather adds its additional challenges to everyday life.

Kiwi has had a recent haircut, as shown by the photo above. Next week will be my turn along with a trip for physiotherapy. The thing is, this baby could take up to a month to arrive which would actually be quite a bit of time in the scheme of things. Wow! Every time I say those words it seems a bit surreal. I have moments of complete acceptance of all of the good things about come our way, along with the uncertainty of the changes. Then I have moments like right now when I can't quite believe it, yet.

Angie's friend was commenting on thinking about taking their new son for swimming lessons in the fall but said that maybe she would wait until spring and they could do it together. That was a big reality check for Angie when she thought, "we're going to have a baby!" It's not just about the pregnancy. It's about the rest of our lives. Today, in fact, as I was making my way down the street to make a photo for Challenging Reality, I was thinking how helpful it would've been to have had a little helper for either a push or to carry a piece of gear. I know that won't be for at least a few years but I look forward to the opportunity to teach what I know and have been taught, as well as reap the benefits of a little helper.

I'm sure that our current little helper, pictured above, might have a few jealousy issues. But there's almost no reason she can't be involved in all of our activities. There will be plenty of attention for her and plenty of delicious droppings of food from little hands learning their dexterity. That won't be for a little while, but it will probably be more interesting to our food-driven dog than my lap has been the last while.

I will add to the photo below, as we have additional shots and as time permits. However, with it being as close as it is there is much more reason to post promptly because we just don't know when the last post and last progress photo will be!

Zoo 2014 - 7

We all know how quickly the summer passes us by but as I look back at these photos, most of which were made six weeks ago, it still felt so much like spring. Now, after today's visit to the flower gardens, it definitely has that progression to it. There are still a number of the small, delicate flowers but they are clearly transitioning into the heartier ones that deal best with the heat of July and August.

The petite little daylilies were as vibrant and nice as ever but the taller lilies had begun blooming, already. When that starts happening you know there are fewer and fewer types of blooms left to show off their beauty before they are gone and the leaves begin draining of their green to make way for the colours hidden by chlorophyll.

Our lawn has clearly slowed down its growth and does not look quite as rich as it did a few weeks ago. A few of our other plants that are a bit younger are always a little bit behind the average. That's fine with me because we get to enjoy them just a little bit longer in our yard and any day now the first of our lilies will open. I look forward to photographing the red and the tiger lilies.

One of the main purposes of this earlier trip to the zoo was to scout for what was our upcoming photo session. I snuck into some back areas of the zoo that are seldom visited by patrons because of the unexciting exhibits back there when I caught some movement of the corner my eye. My first thought was, "Wait a minute! That animal's not in a cage." It was just a rabbit but a playful one which let me shoot for five minutes and came within two feet of me. It was foraging in one of the areas I had great hopes for for our session. Unfortunately, a week of rain turned that beautiful green strip you see in the bottom photo to a swamp.

Now, as a significant storm rolled through Saskatoon a few hours ago, a second wave is hitting us. I hope that the tennis ball sized hail seen in Alberta and parts of western Saskatchewan stay away from us. So far it's just been rain and a little bit of wind but I've heard about places between here and Kindersley that have had windows destroyed and crops wiped out. The Southeast part of the province already took enough of a beating with excessive water this spring and I really hope that we are able to make it through this summer without damage.

Zoo 2014 - 6

It's been a while since I posted about my trips to the zoo. There have been a few more since I last wrote about it but, already, I find myself finding it less exciting than it was earlier in the year. I've tried changing on my style and techniques to experiment, learn a little bit and see if I can't create something different than I have already. Sometimes it works, sometimes you learn from failure and sometimes you see the same thing you saw the last time through. At least we are in the season when as one type of flower finishes blooming another begins.

As I write this we have had more than double our usual rainfall and it shows in the mosquitoes. The swarm that flew into my van when I chose my first location for this week's Challenging Reality post was enough to make me squirm. I closed the door as quickly as the electronics were close it and chose somewhere not as interesting but without lot more pavement and far fewer 'skeeters.

Before our unexpected monsoon season there is just a nice amount of water to create a reflection with the light and grass to play among in the meditation garden.

The light in this next photo is definitely not something I would want to be doing portraits in but if you are looking for sharp contrast with bright colors the light near noon is what you are asking for. When else can you find ridiculous bright highlights with incredibly dark shadows? It may not be the best or portraiture but it has a beauty and character all of its own.