Saturday, May 26, 2007

Cottage Time, and the Return of Summer

Ontario weather is just kooky. 350 kilometers north of my house in Hamilton, lies the cottage. I rarely go up north in May, due to the fact that it is about three weeks behind Hamilton, weather-wise. It is cold, and damp. I also rarely venture north in may due to the dreaded black fly.

"The Black flies, the little Black flies"
" Always the black fly no matter where you go"
" I'll die with the black fly a Pickin' my bones"
"In North Ontario, In North Ontario"
-
Wade Hemsworth,.


The Black fly is about the size of a grape seed. But they don't come in ones and twos..... they come by the hundreds.... sometimes thousands... Oh yea.... THEY BITE!!! And they are always around, everywhere..... for about three weeks. Then like magic...... POOF...... they are gone until next spring. That, is the only downside the spring in the North country.

The upside? Trilliums!

The trillium is a wild perennial flower the grows across Ontario. In fact, it is the provincial flower. I have seen a lot of trilliums......

The Trillium

This year... there were millions of them. As far back into the woods you could see them. Everywhere. White, Pink, Purple, Violet..... millions of them. Along every road, highway, and forest.


More Trilliums



The other upsides...... the shear beauty of a forest and a lake on a spring evening.



Manitouwabing Sunset in HDR




See ya in a few weeks.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Fun with Film

Wow... a month has gone by.

I was down at the docks last weekend shooting with film because I am working on a black and white assignment for the club. There are all sorts of interesting objects and subjects down near the lake.....


HMCS Hieda



Boats at the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club






The Steam Museum



Water Playground near Pier 4



Oh... Alright.... Here is a color image done utilizing what is called "North Light"..