Superior Reflection

Following on from yesterdays driftwood art on the beach at Neys Provincial Park here is another shot from the beach of a really cool reflection in a nice calm inlet . There was actually quite a strong breeze and the surface of the lake was fairly choppy so it was somewhat of a surprise that this small inlet was so calm. It really is a lovely spot.

Driftwood Art

On the long drive back along the North Shore of Lake Superior we stopped off at Neys Provincial Park. During the Second World War the park was used as a prisoner of war camp for German prisoners. They worked in the logging camps and after the war many returned to this part of Canada with their families. I can understand why because it is such a lovely spot.

There is a beautiful stretch of sandy beach with lots of driftwood washed up along the shoreline. Apparently you are not supposed to remove any of the wood as it is part of the ecosystem within the provincial park. So of course I didn't take any souvenirs but we did create our own mini artwork recreating Stonehenge with wood. I think we did rather a good job.

CN Tower

In Toronto I did some of the touristy things like going up the CN Tower, it gave some spectacular views. Walking away afterwards I looked back and saw the glow behind it almost like a halo and thought it would make a good shot. I wasn't wrong.

Night on the Dock

This lovely scene was taken on the dock at Marie Louise Lake in the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. It was a dead calm evening and this was taken using a 30 second exposure. I hadn't been able to take my tripod on this trip as it is a bit too bulky. Instead I used a beanbag to keep my camera steady for such a long exposure. It was the first time I had used this set up and I am rather pleased with the result, the stars stand out really nicely and the warm glow to the left of the picture is from Thunder Bay.  I had hoped to get some clear shots of the milky way however there was a full moon and so there was too much light to get a clear view.

Episyrphus balteatus

There are apparently over 250 different species of hover fly in the UK. Lots look like and are often mistaken for bees or wasps. This little beauty is actually one of the most common varieties with very distinctive colourful bands. It was feeding on the nectar of this little flower growing on the wall in my garden, they are quite harmless and very beautiful.

Coming In To Land

Today I have taken a break from my #canadianadventure pictures and gone for something closer to home.

In front of my house we have a really spectacular lavender plant growing and as well as producing a bumper crop of fragrant seeds it is a big draw for various species of bees and butterflies right through the summer months. Even now when the flowers are past their best there are always loads of bees to be seen but it takes a great deal of patience to get a decent shot because they're always on the move. I was really pleased to catch this one just as it came in to land, even with a fast shutter the wings are still little more than a blur.

Heart Of Stone

Whenever I am out and about with my camera I look for nature's hearts and on the beach at Squaw Bay I found this heart shaped stone which when placed on a piece of driftwood looks really good.

Warning Sign

When I wrote the title for todays post I thought of the song by Talking Heads (or the excellent cover version by Local Natives). I wasn't thinking about that when I actually took the picture though.

This shot was taken down by the sailing club at Thunder Bay marina looking out into Lake Superior with the grain silos/elevators in the background. I had spotted an otter swimming just beyond these rocks and had walked around for a closer look. The otter had gone but I thought the view was great.

A Little Beauty

I have already posted one shot of this little gem, a ruby throated hummingbird and after all the effort to get the pictures I will post some more. I absolutely loved watching these little birds coming back to feed on the nectar of the Bee Balm, they are particularly attracted to red flowers and so the bee balm was a perfect food source, in fact it seemed like a plant that just kept giving as the hummingbirds kept coming back, day after day.

A Sleeping Giant

Today I have spent several hours editing and updating my new website and as much as I have enjoyed sorting through folders of photos and playing around with different layouts I am ready to put my computer to one side and take a break.

This would be a great spot to take a break, particularly on a sunny day as it was when this picture was taken. This is a view of the Sleeping Giant seen from Thunder Bay. The ship is a grain carrier coming in to the massive grain silos to collect its cargo and then sail through the great lakes and then who knows where.

Old Miners Cabin

Another early morning shot for today, this one shows an old miners cabin on the shore at Silver Islet. I shot this in black and white because I think it gives a sense of how old the place is. Silver Islet is known as a ghost town and is mostly holiday homes now. In camera the shot was slightly over exposed with the sky and lake being a little washed out. It gave the effect that I had originally wanted making this look like a really old photo but I decided to make a slight adjustment in lightroom to bring out some of the detail in the early morning sky.

Also just to follow up on my announcement the other day I now have my new website up and running showcasing some of my wildlife and nature shots so please check it out, you will find it here. I would love to know what you think so please leave a comment or contact me using the contact form on the final page of the site. Thank you.

Harbour at Dawn

So after the drama of yesterday's storm I have chosen something a little calmer for today. This shot shows the lighthouse at the entrance to the harbour at Thunder Bay. I had got up early so as to capture the sunrise and it paid off because it was a clear morning and the sky was a beautiful colour in the stillness and calm of dawn. I got some lovely shots and I think you will agree this is a good one.

Something Is Brewing

I posted a similar shot to this a few weeks ago, that picture was taken using my smart phone and I have a number of others taken using my camera, this is one of my favourite reminders of this phenomenal weather. It was so thrilling watching this storm approach over the Sleeping Giant and then sitting in the shelter of the tent as the rain hammered down. 

Today marks exactly two years since I started my blog and in that time I have posted pictures almost daily. In all I have posted 671 times only missing when I have been ill or on holiday without a good enough signal and I have been committed to keeping this going to share some of my favourite pictures. I have done it because I love taking photos but also because the feedback I receive has kept me going. Through this blog and social media I know that my pictures have been viewed many many thousands of times by friends and by strangers all around the world, in places I never imagined. For everyone who has ever taken the time to view my pictures and read my comments I am extremely grateful

If you have followed me for any length of time you will know that I have posted pictures from a range of different genres or styles demonstrating my overall enthusiasm for photography. Wherever I go I am looking for photo opportunities and while some might say I should try to enjoy the moment I feel that by looking for the image I am actually getting so much out of every day.

I am always looking for ways to improve my skills and I have decided that I need to develop a greater focus on one particular area of photography and so I am starting a new web page under my real name with an emphasis on Wildlife and Nature where I will be showcasing what I think are my best wildlife shots so far in searchable galleries, and of course I will be adding new pictures over time with a little more attention to the technical side of the the image rather than the story behind the shot (which is what this blog is about) and hopefully as I pay closer attention to this I will make big steps forward. 

I will continue to take pictures wherever I go, whenever I see something that catches my eye and I will continue to try different things from time to time and with that in mind I will continue to post daily pictures to this blog so I really hope that everyone who has supported me so far will continue to do so. I will post a link to the new site here once it is up and running and I hope that you will all stay with me on my journey to becoming a better photographer.

Squaw Bay

Today's picture is taken in the shadow of Mount McKay looking out across Squaw Bay towards Pie Island. Beyond the island is the border with the USA.

This land is part of the Fort William First Nation Reservation.

As you can see it was overcast on this particular day and there were a few spots of rain. The clouds were really low and the tops of the hills were enveloped in mist. I used a slow shutter speed to soften the motion in the water and I chose to take this shot in black and white because I felt it would add a little more atmosphere. I really like this picture and hope you do too.

Just For You, Deer

I am sticking with a wildlife shot for today and I hope you will agree this is a great shot of a female white tailed deer. 

As we drove through the Mission Marsh area of Thunder Bay we had been promised we would see some deer and sure enough we spotted a couple taking shelter from the rain under a few trees. We stopped the car and with the help of a few apples we managed to coax one a little closer, then before we knew it about eight more approached from their places hidden in the long grass. Although they came close they were appropriately wary but I was able to get some good shots. They have such gentle faces, beautiful eyes and lovely long lashes.

Ringed Plover

Keeping the wildlife theme going for a second day I have chosen this lovely shot of a Ringed Plover which I spotted on our first evening in Thunder Bay. We had gone up to a spot called Boulevard Lake, a pleasant recreation area on the outskirts of the city. It was a lovely calm evening and there were several people out, walking their dogs, playing disc golf or just out for an evening stroll. I nearly left my camera behind but seeing that the evening light was so good I figured there might be some good photo opportunities and I wasn't disappointed. I managed to get some good shots of some wading birds and a beautiful Blue Heron so keep coming back for more...

Gotta Love a Tree Hugger

While camping lake side in the provincial park we were visited by lots of critters on a daily basis including chipmunks, skunks and squirrels. During our stay we saw grey, black and red squirrels but by far the most friendly were the reds, like this one that let me get up close as he posed for this delightful portrait. He had been active around the site all week but had been quite difficult to photograph because he was so darned fast so patience was the key to getting this shot. 

I think that you will agree he is adorable.

Superior Stack

On a walk along the short trail to see a rock formation known as the Sea Lion we stopped off at a lovely little cove and had some fun skimming stones and climbing on the rocks. At one point there is a rock wall adorned with pebbles each with the names of previous visitors scratched onto them. I left my own memento and then built this stack of stones on the edge of the lake. 

I took a number of pictures with different backdrops because from different angle it looked good fitting into the landscape. 

I have chosen this one for today because in most of the other shots the stack forms part of the landscape but here it is the focus of the image.

We Have Lift Off!

Just recently I have been posting just one picture per day but the subject for today deserves the full sequence. 

These pictures of the cormorant taking to the air were shot from a canoe in the middle of Marie Louise Lake. I love the sequence and I love the water droplets falling from the wings in the first shot and the splashes in the others. I am slightly disappointed that the pictures aren't as sharp as I had hoped but I really needed a set up with a much faster shutter speed to freeze the action, however I was actually set up for a Bald Eagle which was sat up in a dead birch tree on the island in the background. But although I didn't get the perfect shot I am still happy and I have learned so much from this trip so in the future I can do much better.

Intrepid Adventurer

I thought long and hard before posting this picture as I tend not to post images of my family but although this is a picture of my daughter she can't be identified from this shot so I decided it was OK to use it. 

It is one of my favourite photos from the trip for a number of reasons. I love the sunburst and its reflection, I love the colours, I love the stillness of the water, I love the view of the Sleeping Giant and the reflection of the treeline on the far shore. I think it is a fantastic image.

Most of all though I love it because this was such a special moment. Setting off in the late evening to explore the lake we approached the island and we saw a family of otters swimming off to the reed beds and later a family of Loons, we experienced complete calm and it was wonderful bonding experience, creating some wonderful memories. 

As we paddled back to camp the sun had dipped below the horizon and we returned in the dark guided in by torchlight. It was such a wonderful evening and sharing my love for the outdoors with my daughter is a moment from the trip that will always be precious to me. And on a day when I remember my father and the many things we did together it seems fitting to share a picture that sums up in part why I love being a dad.

I'm Watching, Always Watching...

I've mentioned bucket list items several times in my blogs in the past with puffins and hummingbirds and if I really did have one this beautiful bird would be up near the top of the list. 

I first saw a Bald Eagle in Utah a few years ago with my daughter and about six months later I saw a lovely juvenile eagle at a raptor centre in North Wales, since then I have been really keen to see another one in the wild and it was certainly high on my expectations for my Canadian adventure.

On the drive from Toronto to Thunder Bay I say a number of Turkey Vultures and a couple of Bald Eagles flying quite high but these were not photo opportunities.

This beauty was spotted while visiting Kakabeka Falls, initially it was perched high on an old tree on the far side of the gorge and I watched through my binoculars as it took off to go hunting. 

As we walked around the cliff top path we came to a viewing platform to get a good view of the falls which are a truly spectacular sight. Looking downstream however we were able to catch a glimpse of the eagle perched on a branch around 20 - 30 feet away. It was really hard to see as it was sheltered by the branches and to get a good view it was necessary to lay on the decking and peer through the railings. That was no good for getting a clear photo though and to do that I had to stand on the inner railings and lean out as far as possible. With the heavy 150-600mm lens it was really difficult to hold it steady while keeping my balance at the same time, I didn't want to lose my camera or end up at the bottom of the gorge. Difficult as it was I am quite pleased with how the shots turned out.

In the first shot the eagle is looking intently at something in the river below although I don't think he was looking for food since it had not long eaten.

In the second shot he was looking directly at me and I think I have captured his piercing gaze. He clearly wasn't disturbed by our presence because he spent some time in this spot as we watched while he preened his feathers, but always keeping his eye on us.

Barely a Ripple

I had stopped here at Surprise Lake just on the way in to Silver Islet on my early morning cycle ride/photo expedition. I had taken a few shots of the lake with the trees reflected in the calm water and I was about to set of when this guy pulled up in his car, casually got out and walked into the lake and began to fish. I was so impressed by how calmly he set about his business and how he left barely a ripple as he cast his fly. I watched for a little while until he caught a lake trout and then I left him to it. It was such a calm and quiet morning, after this I stood and watched a downy woodpecker and a small flock of cedar waxwings in the trees by the shore and I was so glad that I had made the effort to get up and out by myself. 

This was also one of the few spots on the Sibley Peninsula while camping that I was able to get a phone signal and I took a moment to call loved ones back home. It is funny that as much as I was having fun being by myself it was also nice to share the moment.

At Silver Islet

A couple of week ago I posted a photo, taken using my phone, of the front of the old store at Silver Islet and gave a very brief history of the once thriving mining town here. I really loved visiting the area although it is no longer a bustling mining community it has a very special feel to the place and was probably my favourite spot that we visited during the whole trip. 

I liked it so much that one morning while camping in the provincial park I got up early, borrowed a bike and set off on my own for the ten mile round trip to take some photos before other people started arriving. It was warm and the air was quite still so I managed to get some nice shots of the small harbour, a small lake and the islands just off the shore as well as the many interesting buildings which have stood for many years against the harsh weather conditions in this area. I will of course be coming back to share some of these pictures with you and I look forward to doing so. 

This photo is a rear view of the old store taken from the jetty, it involved a bit of scrambling to get to this spot as the jetty itself was fenced off but it was worth the effort, for this and the several other shots I took from here.

This isolated community as I say had a special feeling to it and I could easily see myself settling here in a cabin facing out into the bay. 

Indian Pipe

After a couple of days without posting I wasn't sure what to share today until Facebook came to the rescue. Well it was the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park facebook page (Which is definitely worth a look, both the page and the park!) because they posted a photo of an unusual little plant which I recognised as one I had photographed while on a walk along the trail to Middlebrun Bay which is in the park on the shore of Lake Superior. I was unsure what the plant was (although one of my friends had identified it from my description the following day, but I've been asleep since then and had completely forgotten) so I asked the page administrator what it is and was very quickly reminded that it is known as Indian Pipe or Monotropa unifora. It apparently draws its nutrients from the plants around it in order to survive and grow.

It is only a very small plant growing close to the ground and this specimen was growing just off the main trail. I think it is quite eye catching and a lovely little thing and definitely worth sharing. I hope you agree.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

I have been so excited to share some pictures of the beautiful hummingbirds that during the first week of my trip were regular visitors to the garden. 

They were very skittish and incredibly difficult to shoot, possibly wary of my lens which I have decided needs to be camouflaged for wildlife photography (more of that on another day).  Difficult as they were to shoot I think that patience and perseverance paid off. This is definitely one of the better shots but I have some more that I am just as pleased with. I had thought of putting several up today but I want to spread them out so will share some more in the future.

This is a female Ruby Throated Hummingbird, lining up for a feed from the Bee Balm which seemed to be its favourite food source in the garden. I really miss sitting out and watching these little beauties, they were just so mesmerising. They were definitely an item on my bucket list of creatures I have always wanted to see. They didn't disappoint, I hope you agree.

Looking Down On Front Street W

So today I have spent pretty much the whole day in bed suffering with the dizziness and nausea of vertigo and so I decided what better image to post on my blog than a view from the CN Tower, looking down from 117 storeys (342m/1,122') at the buildings of Front St W and St Johns.

Being so far up and on such a clear day the view all around were spectacular but I particularly liked this one as I captured the shadow of the tower itself dwarfing everything below.

Footprints

This holiday wasn't about beaches and sunbathing but the shores of Lake Superior are dotted with little coves and sandy beaches.

On advice from our friends who have driven the north shore route many times we stopped at Pancake Bay Provincial Park. Pulling in we were greeted by a young man who advised that there is a fee for day visitors to the park that would be refundable if we left within 30 minutes. I explained that I was just stopping to take a few pictures and he very kindly waived the fee.

Walking through the treeline I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a wide sweeping sandy beach and the clear water lapping against the shore. I took a couple of shots and then I couldn't resist paddling briefly. The water was cold, but not as cold as expected and as I walked away I turned to see my footprints slowly washed away by the waves. I took this picture as a reminder that I was there, it wasn't a dream.

Flying High

Stood here looking across the St Marys River towards the USA a french speaking couple asked if I knew what the building on the far side was. At the time I had no idea, there was a large old sailing ship moored nearby and I wondered if it had a military function. There is also a large freighter and so I wondered if together it was a maritime museum. 

It turns out that the freighter the SS Valley Camp is a museum but the building is actually St Marys Falls Hydro Power Plant. The river has been diverted from above the locks via the Edison Sault Electric Company Canal.

However it wasn't the building that caught my attention I was really more interested in the way the early evening sunlight lit up the fountain giving it a warm glow.