13 Months Old and a Photo Walk

 

  One Month - 4 by Jay Scott on 500px

A lot has changed, hasn't it?

 

  13 Months - 2 by Jay Scott on 500px

Not just her above average height, but comprehension. Not that I had a great idea of a child's development, but she constantly surprises me with how much she understands. Just this morning I fed her breakfast and kept her entertained while Angie was out at an appointment. We had to make a few trades to get her to give me her bottle of milk when she was done. After she was done being very cooperative about letting me wipe her face and hands, I had to trade her a toy for the washcloth but she really seemed understand. I feel like she knows about my limitations and is okay with when I tell her something has to be the way it has to be. I also understand that she's far too young to have full control of her emotions. But I understand how a friend, also a quadriplegic, has done so well with her children and how they simply understand the way things have to be because of their mother's limitations.

Friends of ours, Joel and Lindsay, who I have always admired, demonstrated a great way to reason with their children to the extent of the child's ability to comprehend. I always wanted to be a parent like them because of their calm demeanor and the way that there kids responded calmly to talking. All this is prefaced by understanding that kids will be kids and if they are tired or hungry a lot of that negotiation will be ineffective. I reiterate that I'm constantly impressed by Fiona's ability to understand which toy or book we asked her to bring us or what we are asking of her.

 

  13 Months by Jay Scott on 500px

This past Saturday was the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk and it was a rainy day in Saskatoon. We were pretty impressed with how many people actually came out considering the rain. I wasn't going to miss it but I did do all of my shooting from inside the van. Those soft and greasy paths around the park and zoo would have been a nightmare for me and I'm confident I made the right decision.

 

  Worldwide Photo Walk 1 by Jay Scott on 500px

That meant it was time for some creative lighting, pulling my van up right under any interesting trees and digging deep into some macro shots to produce something interesting. All things considered, I think I did a pretty good job for shooting an hour and a half from my van in the rain.

 

  Worldwide Photo Walk 2 by Jay Scott on 500px

I don't know if it's my favorite, but a long exposure abstract was definitely an opportunity on a dark day like this to try to make something interesting and artsy.

 

  Worldwide Photo Walk 5 by Jay Scott on 500px

 

  Worldwide Photo Walk 3 by Jay Scott on 500px

 

  Worldwide Photo Walk 4 by Jay Scott on 500px

This was an accidental discovery. A misfire on my part made for a frame where I noticed the light for my flashes peak into the leaves, yet needing a nice shadow on others. It happened to just fall on the still-green leaves while the turned ones were in shadow.

 

  Worldwide Photo Walk 6 by Jay Scott on 500px

 

  Worldwide Photo Walk 7 by Jay Scott on 500px

Afterwards we all headed over to Rock Creek & and Grill where we had a meal together and concluded our day. Things like this need to happen more often and I have tried this summer to increase the numbers. I will do so again next year and maybe a few prizes will bring out more people.

Now, I am working on wrapping up the accessible home tour from this summer. We may shoot one more home but I have only one shoot that process and that it to be delivered. After that will be something pretty big, pretty wild and pretty excited. It's coming together nicely and the best clues about it will be if you take a peek at my Instagram feed.

Who knows, maybe I will find a niche in our city and become known for something pretty cool, if I can execute it properly.

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.

Oh, Autumn.

 

  Robin Smith Memorial Garden HDR by Jay Scott on 500px

You're so lovely. But today is our likely last day above 25 and one of the last days that our house will get warmer without help from our furnace. Enjoy the weather and the beauty while it's easy to get out and enjoy it without a 20 minute clothing application process. That said, I'm planning on trying to find more locations to safely shoot from my van this winter. Try to stay safely warm, but still make something interesting. One shot in particular, I have in mind. I'll let you know if it gets made.

 

  Robin Smith Memorial Garden Double Exposure by Jay Scott on 500px

Above I was trying to continue with the abstract by making a double exposure of the tree in the photo below and the path in the top photo. Like it? Hate it? Let me know.

 

  Robin Smith Memorial Garden in Full Autumn Beauty by Jay Scott on 500px

It was a very comfy day for Fiona's first-of-many trips to the Forestry Farm.

Sunset at the Saskatoon Zoo

It has been my intention for some time to go to the zoo at sunset with the plan to make a photograph off of the dock overlooking the pond. I'm not talking about the fishing pond but the one tucked way off in the corner that most people don't know about. Unfortunately, the path leading to it is made of a very fine clay or gravel and not very wheelchair friendly unless we have had a long stretch of heat. In addition to that, the access to the dock was down a pretty sharp drop that was manageable without a camera bag on my lap but with that bag, and possibly a tripod, it was going to be something I would need a hand with.

I knew that they had rebuilt the dock, and the photos I saw online looked really good, but I had no idea what a beautiful job they had done re-landscaping it so that getting onto the dock was as smooth of a transition as there is. The path leading to it is still very soft after it had rained but before our trip there last Wednesday we had had weeks of significant heat and I trusted that the path would be dry. Irony defined, there was a bit of a rain shower a few hours before we went. I did not believe it enough rain to make the path impassable. Despite the heat, it was still a bit soft but nothing I couldn't manage.

 

  Zoo Pond HDR 1 by Jay Scott on 500px

The above photo was a simple HDR made through some trees while still on the path leading to the dock. It seemed a nice vantage point and Bruce made an HDR portrait of me while I was making mine of the pond. We were waiting for the light to be right so at this point we were just playing though I have no problem with the photo I made. It was nice that both Bruce and I have our typical techniques but it was nice to learn something from each other that we can both incorporate in our toolkit for the times that what we've learned is appropriate.

Seeing the lovely covering of seaweed and algae on the water, it seemed like a good time to continue my attempt at some abstract work. Like it, or hate it, I thought it was an interesting texture and contrasty subject.

 

  Zoo Pond Algae by Jay Scott on 500px

The first HDR landscape photo was facing east, this next one was facing north. If you click on the link below each photo that takes you to 500px, you can see the pinpoint location of where I was. From that you could see on Google Earth the aerial view of where we were, both for if you want to visit there yourself at some point or just to see the vantage point we had.

 

  Zoo Pond HDR 2 by Jay Scott on 500px

This next photo was facing south, overlooking a lot of the algae that was the subject for the abstract photo above.

I will admit that I had envisioned the dock facing a different direction. The winding path, combined by the 90° turn onto the dock had me turned around from which direction I was facing. The sky was still cooperative but I have other ideas for what I would like to see of a photo made on the dock with different weather conditions.

The operational hours of the zoo change based on the time of year. About the time of year that sunset is a convenient time of day is about the time of year that they back their hours off to closing at 7 PM, instead of 9 PM. That means for a few weeks each year you can be in the zoo after sunset. Right now is that time and I hope that I will have another opportunity to be there after sunset to try some twilight shots. However, as of the time of this posting, I expect to be photographing our baby and have little concern for scenery. It will come back, and I'm not going to give up great outings and opportunities but I have a feeling that there's going to be a captivating new little family member that will have the majority of attention of me and my camera for a long time.

 

  Zoo Pond HDR 3 by Jay Scott on 500px

Finally, and I know if this is not something everybody enjoys, is the piece I was most happy with. I've always wanted the opportunity to have some ethereal and moody photos shot after sunset. My ideas are numerous but my evening schedules, hatred of insects and lack of great places that are wheelchair friendly often dominate my motivation. I guess that's all the more reason to try little harder but I am quite pleased with the emotion my final photo from last Wednesday evokes. I would love to hear your feedback, whether it gives you the creeps, you love it, hate it, or whatever emotion it raises in you. I think the old ragged dock would've worked better, but whattayagonnado?

 

  Saskatoon Zoo After Dark by Jay Scott on 500px

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.

Abstract Shooting

 

  Abstract Long Exposure 2 by Jay Scott on 500px

Love it or hate it, here is my first attempt at something a little more abstract. Taking a page from David duChemin, I tried my hand at some intentionally out of focus, long exposure, shots to see what I could make out of them. Hard to believe that the photo above was made in the exact same spot, at the same time of year, as the one below. The top one was nothing more than a camera, lens and experimentation while the one below this was a combination of multiple light stands, flashes, radio triggers, much experience and meticulous tweaking to get it looking exactly as I wanted.

 

  Forestry Farm Thunderchild Crab Apple - 1 by Jay Scott on 500px

The photo below this was made no more than 10 meters away from the first photo, just chosen because of the delicate spring shade of green nearby and the hint of pink that entered the frame near the end from a similar, deeper coloured, tree.

 

  Abstract Long Exposure 1 by Jay Scott on 500px

I know that the comment section is pretty quiet in this space, but I know you are out there reading. I'd love to know what you think of this abstract style. It's just my first attempt, but it wasn't unenjoyable. We will see where my experimentation goes.

Zoo 2014 - 4

This is the final post from this trip to the zoo. I had another since then, but will add to that in a few weeks after we get to the lovely spring blossoms on the fruit trees are in Saskatoon. Those will be in my next post in a few days.

First, we start with a nice action series of a duck taking off. I love this time of year when the waterfowl is so active and you get a lot of good action shots of them taking off and landing, as you might've seen in my last post with some landings and saber rattling.

I don't know what it is, but the kids always seem most interested in the farm animals. I suppose it's no different than when I encountered a rabbit in my last visit. I looked over and saw an animal not in a cage and wasn't sure what I was seeing. Then, they proceeded to hop no more than 4 feet away from me. I suppose the cages take away the fascination even more than a young child watching their mother feed a simple chicken.

I'm always cautious when photographing people and their children. There are a lot of people who are opposed to having their photo taken, and I understand and respect that. However, these people were really friendly and more concerned that they were blocking my way than anything. I whispered back but they were not and asked if I could take a picture. Of course, they said yes. The caged animals will be there for a long time. It's the unique moments like this that I love to sit and enjoy, especially with our own little one on their way. Maybe I'll be feeding the chickens to the enjoyment of our child in a year or less.

It was getting pretty hot and just as I was leaving the zoo I spotted a peacock hiding under the bushes, getting some shade. It was a very nice and peaceful way to end that visit to the zoo. Both arriving and leaving I was just a few feet away from a nice peacock.

Zoo 2014 - 3

Continuing from my previous post, here are some more of the photos from the same trip to the zoo.

This peacock had much nicer plumage than the one from my previous post, but was not as cooperative as the first one. Still, stood still long enough for one nice portrait.

I have been surprised at how nonaggressive the geese have been this year. Most years you get within 30 feet of them and they're hissing like a snake about to attack. This year, even with the gaggle of 15 goslings, they were particularly calm. Maybe it's because there were far fewer noisy children chasing and disrupting their children. Still, cute and fluffy as they get.

Finally, is the date that draws near while the tummy grows larger. Look at the spurt on those last few photos! You can click on the image to enlarge it and get a better side to side scroll view of Angie's progress.

The next post will wrap up this visit to the zoo and the post following that will look at the amazing, beautiful blooming for trees Saskatoon was blessed with this year. There are going to be a lot of crabapples and berries covering the ground this fall.