Location Taken: Banff, Alberta
Time Taken: June 2010
Photo? Phooooto? Pho-to.
Sheep.
Wild sheep, on side of road. Being highly uncooperative with posing for photo.
Ow. Uncooperative far too large a word for current brain ability. Ow.
Sheep. Think of sheep.
Location Taken: Agawa Bay, Ontario
Time Taken: June 2010
When I’m traveling, camping my way across the world one state park at a time, I frequently see people who seem to do this all the time.
There’s the RVs set up with furniture all around, a signpost out front, and a dish for TV hanging off the side. And the old folk who have a comfortable setup and look like they’re just here to enjoy the slow movement of time, sitting on the beach watching the sun set. Then there’s the active young adults, with their sporty campsites and athletic gear neatly arranged all around.
I wonder about the lives these people live, what adventures and deep mysteries they have embarked upon. And I often think how pleasant it must be to live this modern life of a nomad.
I’m sure it has its downsides too. Some days I think they would worth it.
Somehow, I suspect if internet ever becomes truly ubiquitous, even in the most remote corners, I might just join the wanderers. See what life is like without location tying you down.
Location Taken: Wawa, Ontario
Time Taken: June 2010
No wonder I’ve been feeling less than creative these past few days! I’ve been fighting off a cold!
…Which, of course, means I now solidly have a cold. Otherwise I still wouldn’t have a clue.
Ah well, time to post a pretty picture of a decorative coniferous bush and call it a day.
I’d say it’s as scratchy as my sinuses are now, but this is the tip of the branch, in that soft green stage of life. If you’ve ever paid attention to a pine tree, you’d have noticed that the new growth is very different from the tough needles that make up most of the foliage. It’s noticeably lighter in color, and is soft and delicate.
I love touching that new growth. It’s a very pleasant softness, somewhat between the soft hair behind the ears on a puppy and the delicate fuzz of a peach.
Location Taken: Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta
Time Taken: June 2010
Siiigh. Lake Louise is beautiful. One of the most spectacularly gorgeous lakes in the world. And yet, it’s not the best lake I’ve ever seen.
I think the best lake was one I just caught a glimpse of through the trees while driving past. I don’t know it’s name or anything about it. And it was so long ago I don’t even recall where it was.
It doesn’t matter, though. If I returned and actually visited that nameless lake, it wouldn’t be anything special, just another large puddle.
So what made it so interesting in the first place? The thrill of discovering unknown beauty in an unlikely place. My particular sense of pleasure is highly tied into discovering new things, and seeing a glimpse of something special means a whole lot to me.
That’s a large part of why Lake Louise didn’t really excite me that much. It was a known beauty in a likely place.
I have this problem with all the well-known awesome places. It’s why I have little interest in visiting Yosemite, even with the magnificent scenery there. I know about it already, and if I visit, I will be merely confirming what I already knew. In the best case scenario it’ll be “Yup, that’s pretty all right.” and in the worst, I’ll be disappointed.
I’d much rather visit the lesser-known spots, where I don’t know what I’m getting into. That’s where nature can surprise me.
Location Taken: Near Banff, Alberta
Time Taken: June 2010
Sometimes the weather really is annoying for photographers.
For instance, this photo would be spectacular if the light wasn’t blurred out by the clouds. The composition, focus, everything else just works, but it’s all grayed out. That flat area of single-colored sky doesn’t help at all.
But if it was a clear day, or a less cloudy one for that matter, you’d lose two of the elements that make this photo compelling.
The misty cloud against the mountain, which draws the attention so well, it would burn off quickly in the sunlight.
And that intricate interplay of lights and darks on the road itself would fade as well. That’s caused by a thin layer of water, after all, which would also dry up fast in the sun. You’d be trading one flat gray plain for another.
This is the sort of thing that drives people to photoshop their pieces, isn’t it…
