Recent Projects

I took this photo for my friend Edwin who is an architect living in England.  While he and his wife were in Canada in the late 1970's he was on the design team that produced this downtown Edmonton icon, the Canadian Western Bank building.

Canon 5DII with Canon 17mm TSE lens.  ISO 100, f/11 @ 1/250 sec.

The Road Home

We have a painting hanging in our house created by our friend and artist Derrill Shuttleworth.  It was made from a series of photos he took from the car window around Pincher Creek, Alberta while his wife drove.  I was thinking of that painting as we drove home from Waterton and I made this photo as we cruised down the highway.  iPhone image capture.

As we drove along we commented on what a spectacular place Alberta is - and how lucky we are to live here.

Waterton

This photo is dedicated to our friends Deb and Pete who suggested we make this summer trip to Waterton.  Their boat, their vehicle, their idea to go.  The weather was superb and it was a very memorable trip with two amazing old friends.

Inner harbour at Waterton.  Canon G11 capture edited in Oloneo Photo Engine.

Waterton

Here is a dock side photo made with the iPhone Hipstamatic.  I like photos with foreground interest.  It's tough to frame the photo with any degree of precision using this app but I'm happy with how this turned out.  That is my buddy Pete preparing his boat for departure.  We christened the boat this day; she shall be known from this day forward as  D'Alikat; an acronym for Pete's wife Deb and his daughers Alison and Kate.

....and to all who sail in her....

Waterton

The iPhone Hipstamatic is loaded with variables each one of which, when implemented, will yield a totally different result.  Here is a photo of Waterton Lake looking south from the Prince of Wales hotel taken with this amazing tool.

Waterton

Many photographers who sell stock photos will tell you that photos of docks are big sellers.  This one, recorded with the iPhone Hipstamatic app, is one of my favourite photos of the trip to Waterton.

Waterton

The Prince of Wales Hotel has a real Swiss Alps feel to it.  In the lobby hangs this enormous chandelier.  I had to really crank up the ISO setting on the G11 for this photo but I rather like the grainy look that results from it.

Waterton

After a warm day of boating and there's nothing to beat an icy Gin and Tonic; even better if it is taken at the bar of a hotel like the Prince of Wales in Waterton.

Canon G11 in macro mode.

Wateron

At the Goat Haunt border crossing there is a small interpretive pavilion.  On this day there was a series of antlers and horns on display.  As evidenced by the broad antler beyond, this once belonged to a moose.

Waterton

Wildlife is all around you in Waterton.  This gal was taking in the shade against a residents garage.  One night we saw a big horn sheep 'stampede' on one of the town's two main roads.  It is not uncommon to have bears or cougars in the townsite.

Waterton

This photo was made near the Goat Haunt border crossing.  I took the photo from the underside of this giant plant - I have no idea what species this is.  The sun was bright yielding a nice backlit effect.  Black and white conversion made with Oloneo Photo Engine.  Canon 40D with Canon 24-105 lens @ 70mm; ISO 400,  F8, 1/1000 sec.

Waterton

Here's another example of some macro photography; wild flowers at the Goat Haunt Border crossing.

Waterton

I don't have a macro lens and I sometimes think of getting one.  The Canon 24-105 lens does allow for some close focusing though.  In this case it was attached to my Canon 40D.

Waterton

Because Waterton and Glacier form the International Peace Park visitors are encourged to post their own mission statement indicating what they are prepared to do for world peace.  Some are profound and others...well, not so much.

Waterton

Waterton National Park is the Canadian half of the International Peace Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/354/).  South of the 49th is Glacier National Park in Montana.  Half way down the lake there is a small dock with the appropriate survey markers indicating the Canada/USA border.  If you continue to the south end of the lake you will be met by US border patrol/customs officers at the Goat Haunt border crossing.  If you you only want to explore the immediate area you are free to do so, but if you want to stroll down the various trails and foot paths you'll need your passport.  As you can see, very strict protocols and procedures are in place at Goat Haunt.

Waterton

There's only one gas station in Waterton and that too is privately operated - no Esso or Petro Canada around these parts.  Instead you will have to fuel up at Pat's; where you can also rent bicycles, buy a fishing permit or perhaps a can of bear spray.  Or maybe you'd like to limit your wildlife experience to a ride on 'thunder'; the coin operated pony in the lower right.

Pat's has a decidedly retro look to it which I opted to capture with the iPhone Hipstamatic for the 1960s feel.

Waterton

Waterton has many virtues attributable at least in part to the fact that is has no through road meaning that it is a true destination.  It's also a long way from a major city - 3 hours to Calgary and 6.5 hours from Edmonton.  Main street has no chain stores; in fact the closest thing I noticed to a chain store in the whole of the park was a sign saying that the Prince of Wales Hotel serves Starbucks coffee.

Waterton

We've just returned from a trip to Waterton with friends.  This was not a photo journey but there are a few shots from the trip to share.


On the docks at Waterton with the Prince of Wales Hotel  beyond.  RAW file capture made with the venerable Canon G11, ISO 100, 1/320 sec at F8.

Retro Living

My objective with this photo was to give it that '60s old photo look.  So the colours are a little washed out and I've shifted things a little to the yellow end of the spectrum.  Looks great printed with a classis 1968 white border.

Retro Living

The main subject in the photo shoot was the car, but any vehicle that has been in one family for over forty years is part of the family, so a family portrait was called for.

Retro Living

Here's Ross alongside his father's car.  Black and white conversion made in Oloneo Photo Engine for the dripping wet look.

Retro Living

The Beaumont was sold only in Canada, hence the subtle maple leaf insignia.  There's a similar motif on the steering wheel.  

Retro Living

Our friend Ross inherited his father's 1968 Chevrolet Beaumont and I was asked to take some photos of her.

The Beaumont was built by General Motors of Canada between 1966 and 1969.  Ross's dad owned it since new; the car has very low mileage and has been completely refurbished; new paint, new convertible roof, wheels and tires etc.

Canon 5DII with the Canon 24-105 lens @ 40mm.  ISO 100, f11 at 1/125 sec.

Recent Projects

Here's the last of the series of photos of this south Edmonton High School.

Recent Projects

This is a composite of three differently exposed images.  One shot was exposed for the outdoors - with white balace set for daylight and two other shots exposed for the interior with the white balance set to auto.  With the approach you have to be pay close attention in the blending process so that the image looks natural in the end.

Recent Projects

Here is an entrance detail photo of this south Edmonton high school.

Recent Projects

Here's an interior photo of this soon to open high school.

Recent Projects

The 17mm tilt shift lens allows me to take this type of straight on elevation photo even when there is not room to get far enough back from the building.  For this photo I had the camera positioned tight up against a fence.  There was a road on the other side of the fence.  I could have taken a single photo photo that would be similar to this from across or even on the road, but the fence would have been in the shot.  This is a composite of 2 photos - the left and right side - merged together in Photoshop.

Recent Projects

This new high school in south Edmonton will open it's doors to students in the autumn of 2012.

Recent Projects

This modest little office building is part of a much larger complex in northeast Edmonton.

Recent Projects

Car dealerships look great right after a rainfall; everything just shimmers like a brand new car.