Stars

This amazes me!

Prairie Night

Long Exposures

I didn't think we saw them. Still, I took some long exposures, just in case. My feet were poorly prepared for the dropping temperature, so we packed up my gear and drove off.

Once I saw the images on my computer, I was surprised to see that the Northern Lights had shown up, even if only for a little bit. Sometimes a long exposure will show more than the naked eye.

Even though we don't always see things, it doesn't mean they aren't there.

Stop and See

This was a good reminder for me to stop and see.

Stop for a minute, maybe a few, and see the beauty.

Beach

Life and Loss

Happy and sad hold hands.

Askew

Sometimes something is just a little off. More and more, I like that.

Sky High

Autumn Crossing

Sunflowers

Juxtaposition

The definition of juxtaposition is to place side by side for comparison or contrast. Here, the clouds and the tree are placed near one another for exactly this reason. We immediately compare the two. Are they alike? Or different?

Including just the two subject matters with only negative space to separate them moves our minds to find a way to make them fit. So how do they fit? By shape or contrast? Perhaps the answer is yes.

I decided to take this image into photoshop to add a layer of colour and texture over-top. As a result the contrast in the "colour" of the subject matter (black vs white) is accentuated but so is the comparison of form. Interestingly, the colour of the cloud, or non-colour, is echoed in the lights of the tree, encouraging our mind to again compare and see how they fit alongside each other and together.

I used f/5 and a shutter speed of 1/1250.

We long to make things fit and if they do not, we tend to find a way to exclude. Rather than looking deeper for similarities or including the differences, if it takes too much work, we might just give up.

Images such as this can challenge my default thinking patterns.

Moonlit Pass

This shot was taken near Oakville, Manitoba. It was a beautiful late autumn day. Many leaves had already found their way to the ground. The grasses were dry and the fields were mostly stubble.

Though pleased with the initial colours and tones in the daytime capture, changing this up in Lightroom also changed the entire mood of the image. Adding a moonlit preset brought a mystery to this scene that wasn't there initially.

Stories are woven. Imaginations soar. We play and explore.

Double Up

I shot at f/6.3 and 1/400 with a focal length of 52. I deepened the yellow in the building's brick-work in processing and changed up the hue of the blue just a touch. Increasing the contrast drew attention to the strong lines of the architecture and also to the shading differences from window to window.

Sun Paints Chicago

Reflecting

Storm Rolled In

The storm clouds literally rolled in as we drove along on the highway. Soon we found ourselves in heavy rain and high winds. The lightening brightened up the skies momentarily but mostly it was pretty dark and visibility was not good. Traffic slowed considerably; some stopped alongside the road. It didn't take long, maybe twenty minutes, until we reached the end of the storm's strength and the sun shone brightly again.

With the low light of the stormy sky ahead, I chose to use a large aperture to allow for as much light as possible at a shutter speed of 1/60. I couldn't slow my shutter speed seeing as I was in a moving vehicle while shooting.

To gain a little more brightness I bumped up my ISO to 200. I tend to shy away from increasing my ISO above the 100 standard because I am not a fan of the grainy result. In processing I reduced the noise as best I could without losing too much clarity.

Fields and Water and a Big Prairie Sky

I am thankful for our big prairie sky that blankets our golden fields and shimmering lakes. How beautiful!

Today I will share an important tip when taking these kinds of images: be sure your horizon is straight! Always, always, unless you're going for a particularly artsy shot, make sure your horizon is level. There is nothing more distracting than seeing a beautiful landscape photo with the horizon askew. When I started out in photography I paid no attention to this and the result was telling. Shots are improved immediately when we pay attention to the horizon.

Supermoon

When I realized that it was the night of the Supermoon, I looked out my window and there it was. I grabbed my camera and husband and we ran out to the tracks to get some shots. Of course, not having my tripod was a problem. I captured what I could and enjoyed what I couldn't.

Once home I checked back at the sky a little while later and noticed the moon had moved above the clouds. From my livingroom window I took another few shots with my camera mounted on my tripod. These turned out better but without the landscape around the moon to show the increased size of the moon (or appearance of), it could be any full moon. Even so, the moon is beautiful.

Upward

Focused, she moves upward.

The negative space in this image helps me to show the focus and drive of this goose. It is as though nothing else matters, only her destination.

Had there been other things in this image, like high-rises or trees, it may not have had the same impact as it does now.

I am inspired by the determination I imagine this goose has. It encourages me to block out the clutter and distractions and focus on my goals, allowing the noise to blend quietly into the background while I move forward, upward.

Outside In

Walking by the Manitoba Theatre for Young People at The Forks in Winnipeg, this window's reflection caught my eye. The sky was most certainly inside this theatre!

The sky showing through the window seemed just right with all the potential and promise packed into this venue.

Take the time to gaze into the windows as you carry on with your day today. What do you see? Look again. Look closer. Imagine.