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.

Final Winter Drive and More Fiona

 

  Boffins Club Gazebo in Winter HDR by Jay Scott on 500px

Optimistically I included in the title of this post the word final. The last couple of days of warm weather, bright sunshine and receding snow and ice has made a lot of people feel a lot better about the eventual spring. As Angie has cautiously pointed out, we certainly could get more snow and another good dose of winter but at least the next week of highs well above zero should mostly clear off the roads and start the shrinking of the snow banks around the city.

 

  Innovation Place Pine Cones by Jay Scott on 500px

This last photo drive was actually a photo walk/wheel as I braved about -10°C to actually get out of the van, make some photos even with a little auxiliary light and breathe the fresh air. It felt good to be out and it didn't even take all day for my legs to warm back up. What caught my attention most of all was how absolutely quiet it was. How much time have I spent in this exact spot enjoying the scenery, the sounds and smells of this place? A lot but almost all of it was in the spring, summer and fall when many of the nice water features and wildlife sounds are consistently impacted by the running of air conditioners on the roofs of all of the big buildings around the area. It was very refreshing to get out by myself, not see a single person and just smell the smells of winter and the pine nearby.

 

  Innovation Place Pine Cone by Jay Scott on 500px

In past years when I've wanted to get out and do some photos during the winter I've often shied away because of the great limitations I have of where I can get by vehicle, but especially by foot/chair. After finding what I had found this year I feel a little bit braver and have a few more ideas of where might be suitable, and safe, for me to go independently next winter. I'm not certain I want to think that far ahead as I have spring on the brain but getting out and just giving it a try got my wheels turning in my head.

My good friend, Paul, and his girls made good use of the pond-turned-rink this winter. The one time they were there entirely by themselves in the evening, spotlights on the ice and classical music playing overhead. If we get a nice warm evening next winter I would really like to have a photo shoot down there, by that ice with some people having a blast skating under the gazebo and around the island. If it isn't that warm we could fire up the fire pit they always have stocked with plenty of firewood and include that as part of the shoot.

Finally, what post would be complete without yet another of our lovely daughter? Her hair is coming in so nicely, so soft and fuzzy. I knew I had to make a creative photo out of those glistening golden-red strands. So, making the most of the smiles she had available to me we made a nice creative photo of her with some purple hair. I was reminded that this photo might be enough precedent for me to not be upset if she decides to die her hair purple when she is a little bit older. All I will need to do is to remind her how in style vibrantly colored hair was when this photo was made and that should squash her idea. :-)

 

  Fuzzy-Haired Daughter by Jay Scott on 500px

Second Winter Photo Drive

My second photo drive of the winter brought me to the University campus. It was not long before I realized that nothing on the actual University campus was going to be very photogenic from my available vantage points and there certainly was nowhere to quickly pull over to make a photo. It really is a busy city of its own when in session.

So, I made my way over to Innovation Place where I knew of a few spots that I could stay comfortably safe and warm in my van. Tucked away at the back of Downey Road, I found a place that I could pull up right next to some evergreens.

I'm not saying anything I photographed that day was a masterpiece but at least I got out, got some fresh air, found a peaceful place to just do what I love to do and make a few frames.

Finally, since I was not thrilled with what I had photographed already, I decided to try a few more abstracts. Love them, hate them, it doesn't matter. At least I gave it a try.

Winter Photo Drive

Most of my favorite work is done in a controlled environment, with auxiliary lighting and highly preplanned. Sometimes, though, you just need to get out, photograph what you can see and enjoy the process along with the satisfaction of using the technology at your hands to create something nice.

Unfortunately, much like the arbour above, I don't get to see much at this time of year, with this much snow. Even the roads plowed at the forestry farm were a little bit deep if you got just slightly off the cleared portions. I did leave the plowed parts, in the interest of getting the best angle possible, and was very grateful that I had my winter tires on the van this year. They sure can chew through a lot of snow.

Speaking of snow, it was a nice day when I made these photos but there was something ominous in the forecast. After this little photo drive I met some friends for a meeting of the minds. It was at Moka Coffee Bar in Briarwood. Paul and I each parked in the handicapped spots in front of Shoppers Drug Mart, about a 75 meter wheel on cleared sidewalks to get to the shop. By the time we were done our meeting the snow was coming down heavy and the wind was blowing hard. The last 20 meters was blocked by deep snow banks thanks to a gap in the buildings and the wind whistling through. We plowed as far as we could, got stuck, but thankfully a nice little old lady, using a walker herself, was inside the drugstore, saw us struggling and sent the staff out to help.

Normally I'm not too concerned about getting too cold, being that close to my vehicle, but my thumb actually hurt for a few hours afterward because it got wet from pushing while we were stuck in that brisk wind for just a few minutes. I got pushed to the van and let my ramp down only to realize that it settled on yet another snow bank and, because of my wet rims, couldn't get up onto it. Once I was on my hill climbers would have made sure any progress I made was not lost. The one employee popped back out and got me onto the ramp. Otherwise I might've been a bit of a quad-sickle.

It was nice to just get out and photograph whatever I can find without too much forethought. I decided to do that again following week but, surprise, surprise, we got another huge dump of snow that started just hours after I was done shooting on my second winter photo drive.

Those photos will be coming soon. I hope spring is not too far behind because I'm feeling that ready-to-be-done feeling with this winter.

Five Months, Already

 

  Five Months by Jay Scott on 500px

Difficult to believe. Even more difficult to think I'd put together a three-light setup for her on this chilly day. Must pretend to enjoy winter a little bit. I'm sure she'll enjoy going for a ride in daddy's sleigh once she can sit up independently. It won't be long at the rate she's progressing.

Frosty Apples For Ma

My mom has wanted me to make a photo of frosty berries or apples for a long time. Finally all of the conditions came together for me to be able to make a few nice shots today when I got home from some business. The early morning fog made for the hoarfrost, the wind had not blown it away, yet, it was not too far into the winter that the apples were shriveled or ugly looking, and it was in a location that I could easily get to. Though, the excuse could be made that the teleconverter I have been coveting would have made an even stronger, closer photo than these. Angie supports the purchase but perhaps I will wait a little longer to see if it's the right idea. There have been more than a few instances lately where it would be great to have more reach and that seems to say to me that this purchase would be justified.

 

  Frosty Thunderchild Crabapples 2 by Jay Scott on 500px

First, I will complete a few more shoots, think about it a little bit longer and maybe save a little bit of money from Christmas to go with birthday money to make my decision. One of my doctors believes that it would be better for my neck than the 200-400mm f/4 alternative, and be better for my mental well-being if I had that extra technology at my disposal. Unfortunately, Dr. Branimir Gjetvaj is not a medical doctor but one of genetics and ecology and an acquaintance who also knows his way around a camera so a bit of the weight behind his purchase opinion is lost there since his background isn't so much concerned directly with my health. Today, though, I was told that because of the number of times I have recently wanted more reach, in addition to giving my disabled self every advantage I can, I would be wise to consider this. Of course, neither of these guys are the ones swiping the plastic for the purchase. :-)

 

  Frosty Thunderchild Crabapples 1 by Jay Scott on 500px

It Has to End, Doesn't It?

What a winter, eh? I don't know exactly how bad it has been around the rest of the northern hemisphere. I know that England had some uncharacteristic amount of snow earlier this year. But I do know that Saskatchewan, specifically Saskatoon and Regina, has received unbelievable amounts of snow.

When my parents were up at our place in Saskatoon in December for Christmas dad blew the snow off the deck for us (more so for Kiwi) and blew a four foot swath around the perimeter of our lawn along the driveway and sidewalk onto the center of our lawn/snow pile. What we had for snow when he did that was about the same amount as we had all of last winter. That said, last winter was exceptionally easy on us. That swath has been filled up and piled more than twice as high as it was before he blew it back in December. There's little more to say so I will let today's photos do the talking.

 

In an effort to think about warm sunny places I thought I would take the palm tree-like succulents and see if I could not make a macro shot with some warm light to help us frozen Saskatchewanians think of the warmer days ahead. It wouldn't be so bad if temperatures were normal and the snow pile was reducing but here in Saskatoon we are expected to get 7-14 cm of snow by tomorrow evening. Our temperature this morning was -21. The normal is -8 with a normal high of +1. We should be having a very nice, slow, melt that would result in few to no flooded basements. But, I guess being grumpy about it does not help anything but I do not deny how it is impacting almost everyone I know.

Finally, same setup, different focal point. A number of years ago when we went to the West Edmonton Mall there was an artist there by the name of the Sandman. He did the most amazing work putting sand in jars creating pieces like the one we have had decorating our half wall since we purchased one. He uses the various colors of sand and little small funnels to create his piece one little layer at a time. Talk about the ability to imagine the completed piece in his mind before he even starts. I have been meaning to photograph it for a long time but never bothered. Perhaps in the future I will show you the silhouetted, snow-covered, mountain range and birds flying in front of the setting sun on the opposite side.

Warm thoughts. Warm thoughts. Warm thoughts.

Eleven Days and a Whole Lot of Snow

I knew that my camera had been sitting on the desk beside me for a while now but I had no idea, until I checked the date on the photos still on it, that it had been 11 days. That is a long time ago without making a photograph.

It was time to post something new but I really had little to nothing new or exciting to post for a few good reasons. I have received recent print orders that required my attention and took some time to get in order, printed and delivered. Angie and I have had a few days of not feeling spectacular and now I think I am getting the cold that she is just getting over. Three mornings last week were spent at the track getting much-needed exercise to help kick the "blahs" caused by the remarkable amount of snow and cold that we have already received this year. (The above photo was taken early this afternoon and as you can see we have more snow on our deck already than we did all of last winter.) But beyond that I have been feeling like I have been carrying on on a plateau, photographically speaking.

I have been spending a lot more time reading material that I have read in the past to see how much more I can absorb, purchasing new material to dig deep into to see what else I can incorporate into my abilities and really wanting to spend these inopportune times for shooting to learn, instead.

I can hardly complain about wanting the next big piece of equipment to help me improve my photography because I have great equipment and I know that equipment only makes a photographer better when they have maximized their effectiveness with what they already have. I know that one of the best ways to get better is to simply use what you have and shoot, experimenting and trying new techniques as you go. However, as much as I have had the desire to go out somewhere and photograph in a completely unplanned way, the opportunities and locations have not been ideal. Therefore my alternative has been to attempt to increase my skills through study.

It's not that I haven't made a few nice photos recently. It was a few weeks ago that I did some more staff photos for our church, my favorite being directly above. But as much as I have been enjoying the projects I have been working on and the places I have been able to use my camera to help, I feel like my style has reached a standstill. So many photos have the same perspective, similar setups and similar restrictions. Our dining room has made an excellent place to arrange my photos but it has also added some limitations. That is where I need to take the other options available to me and start using them such as the posing platform my dad so expertly constructed for me and was used for my very popular nuts and bolts photo from last year.

Nuts and Bolts by Jay Scott

What really encouraged this post, or at least made me take the time to put it together properly, was the amount of interaction I have had with a lot of other photographers online lately. Nothing generates traffic to your website like someone who has a lot of followers referencing you for referring their followers to your site. I do not know how much traffic will be directed here in the next little while from those recent interactions but I thought it might be nice to have something fresh for them to look at as well as have something new for my regular visitors to see.

Just a few more gifts to buy and my Christmas shopping is done so I cannot use that as an excuse for not posting new material. Hopefully this cold does not latch on and I will have the energy to continue producing something worthy of sharing in this space.