I’ve been experimenting with long exposures and photographing moving water (and chum salmon) down at the Puntledge. I don’t have the technique quite right yet and really need to get some neutral density filters so that I can get longer shutter speeds. It has been fun trying different things out and it’s forcing me to use my tripod (which I …
Nature Photography
A Few More Chums
A Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) and fall colours on the banks of the Puntledge River. The weather has been rather wet and dark over the last couple of weeks making photography challenging. Fortunately, the rain has brought a rise in the water levels of rivers emptying into the Courtenay River estuary (both the Tsolum River and the Puntledge River join …
Long Walk to Landslide Lake
Having recently done the ≈ 25 km hike to Moat Lake a couple of weekends ago, I felt that I was ready for the long slow hike up the Elk River Trail to Landslide Lake in Strathcona Provincial Park. I’d done the 11 km (one way) hike to the lake years ago (when I was in better shape and working as …
Over in the Meadow
A couple of weeks ago when I hiked out to Moat Lake, the fall colours were just starting to get interesting. This coming long weekend the display should be well along, and the rich reds of the blueberry leaves, the golden yellow of the Jeffrey’s shootingstar leaves, and the brilliant white-flowering rhododendrons should be spectacular. Paradise Meadows #1 The golden …
Moody Murray Meadows
One of my favourite places along the Kwai Lake loop in Strathcona Provincial Park is Murray Meadows. I love how the trail rises up (or descends down, depending on whether or not you’re going clockwise or counter-clockwise around the loop) from the open, wet sedge meadows and climbs up to Croteau Lake. That particular slope of meadow framed by tall sub-alpine …
Traveling Back in Time on the Trent River
Most people visit the Trent River looking for fossils, and with good reason. The Trent River cuts deep through the marine shale of the 80 million year old Haslam Formation and the layers of sedimentary rock make for good fossil hunting. I was more interested in visiting the Trent to search for photographic opportunities created by the work of water …
Wildflower Meadows on Mount Arrowsmith
While the yellow glacier lilies are truly spectacular, the route up to the saddle between Mount Arrowsmith and Mount Cokely is gorgeous as well. I was absolutely stunned by the sheer number of wildflowers and overwhelmed by the colour and variety of plants. It made for very slow going and, since Sandy McRuer and I didn’t have the pressure of …
Photographing Backyard Insects
I had a quiet day at home while Jocie and the kids were up at Black Creek so I experimented a little photographing backyard insects with my two macro lenses: the 105mm Micro Nikkor and a recently acquired 60 mm Micro Nikkor. I’ve used the 105mm for a couple of years now and am very happy with the results that …
Wildflowers on the Canyon View Trail
This is the time of year on Vancouver Island to get down to local riverside trails and check out the spring wildflower bloom. One of my favourite places to walk is the the Canyon View Trail in Campbell River. We usually start this moderate 6 km loop trail at the John Hart Generation Station and then walk downstream along the …
White Fawn Lilies at Pipers Lagoon Park
The white fawn lilies (Erythronium oregonum) at Pipers Lagoon Park in Nanaimo, British Columbia are in full bloom this week. Jocie and I were doing a bit of botanizing last week and were astounded by the display. White Fawn Lilies (Erythronium oregonum) cover the ground at Pipers Lagoon Park in Nanaimo. The dense carpets of white nodding heads and mottled …