London by night

without a tripod!

Part 2 of my all too brief adventure in London, England with the fabulous Ana Pogacar.

Arriving in London Wednesday evening, after four days of a busy tradeshow, we really didn't have much of an itinerary planned. We made a feeble attempt to look through guide books Wednesday night, but ended up winging it Thursday anyway. And it turned out wonderfully.

We left our hotel without tripods on Thursday. The decision was not to carry the extra weight since the weather forecast was for rain, feeling we could always return for them if need be. We scouted our evening shoot location before noon, and found there was a nice almost flat perimeter wall that we could set cameras on so the decision to go tripodless stood. The rain let up in the afternoon so the fight against raindrops on lenses ended.

We arrived back on the south side of the Thames near the London Eye around 5 p.m., and a thick fog was rolling in.

The streets were busy with tourists, buskers and business people alike.

As the skies darkened we took up our positions along the wall, and got our shots of Westminster Bridge, Big Ben and the Parliament buildings.

And then we tried a new sport - long exposures (hand held, remember) including moving objects.

Ana at work (that's her on the right hand edge):

We spent quite a lot of time trying for the perfect panning shot, all the while being repeatedly approached by the creepiest panhandlers ever!

And once we were each satisfied with our result, we moved on, walking back toward Trafalgar Square in search of our evening meal, which was derailed by a spontaneous decision to take in a play! A late, very (very) good meal at Cafe Fiori, and one last stop for shots at the National Gallery.

I am pleasantly surprised by how many 'good' shots I got, in such a short time and in such poor shooting conditions. It really is amazing how much better photography is with another photographer, and I can't wait for another opportunity to do this kind of thing! Day 2 and 3 yet to come!

Happy Easter!

Photowalk Thursday: Snowy Owls at Beaver Hill Lake

Beaverhill Lake Heritage Rangelands is another easy day trip east of Edmonton, just past Tofield, and we often combine it with a trip to Elk Island National Park. The lake is large but shallow in most places, the hiking trails  are flat and easy and  there's a bird observatory on site. This is a renowned birding location, especially during the spring and fall migrations.

It's also a great place to spot snowy owls in the winter! January and February 2012 were wonderful times to go birding, as the weather was mild AND there was a snowy owl population explosion! We found snowy owls all around the lake, spotting 7 different birds one day. We came across the same adult bird on the southwest edge of the park on two different days. He was a very, very cooperative model.

We also encountered a group of migrating hawks - these guys were actually on their way to the arctic for the summer already! They were not so cooperative for the camera. 

Did you know that male snowy owls start life with barred feathers, and as they age they lose the bars and become white? Females and juveniles have barred feathers. 

We also came across this beautiful Great Horned Owl while hiking the paths near the bird observatory. Notice how he's sharing his branch with a chickadee?

The secret to seeing birds when you are out for a nature walk or country drive is to look up! And watch for unusual shapes or colors on fence posts and telephone poles!

Tuesday Travelogue: Maui's East Side

Since winter has decided to stick around, I've decided to be distracted by a  few more views of marvelous Maui, beginning at Paia and traveling south.

Paia is the 'starting point' of the road to Hana, but we manage to do more than just stop here for road snacks. There are several nice boutiques and restaurants and it's pretty easy to while away several hours here. I mean, why rush? On our last visit we'd had a tip to eat at the Maui Flatbread Company, and were treated to some amazing thunderheads forming over the Iao Valley and the northern tip of the island.

Paia Bay from Lower Paia Park

On our 2011 trip, we started down the Road to Hana once again; we've started that trip previously, but the winding road had always gotten the best of our young children. Success at last!

Nua'ailua Bay

We stopped at both a Banana Bread and an Ice Cream (don't blink or you'll miss them!) stand on our way to  Wai'anapapa State Park, gorgeous views, black sand, and cave swimming.

The girl at the ice cream stand had advised us that it was perfectly fine to travel back to west Maui via the Piilani Highway (31) to  the Kula Highway, and so after stopping for lunch in Hana proper, we continued on through the most incredibly diverse bunch of ecosystems and spectacular scenery.

Haleakala ranchlands from Kalama Park Road

You can visit my Maui gallery for more great images. Keep watching this space on Tuesdays for more  travelogues!

Photowalk Thursday: Elk Island Park in the fall

Ever  wonder what to do with yourself in or near Edmonton? Edmonton offers lots of great festivals, interesting shopping, good dining and a picturesque river valley to explore and photograph. I'll take you on some of my favorite photo walks, season by season, within Edmonton or a couple hour drive thereof.

Elk Island National Park is one of my favorite places to spend a day with my hubby and my camera. It takes us less than 45 minutes from our home in the southwest corner of the city to reach the park, via the Anthony Henday. We head that direction every couple of months and always have a great walk along one of the many hiking trails. Spotting bison is almost a certainty, but finding other large mammals a little more difficult.

Last October we walked the Beaver Pond Trail, #7 on the map, in the late afternoon.

The trees had already lost their leaves, but there were plenty of great fall colors in the grasses around the ponds.

While driving through the park it's important to be on the lookout for wildlife, and to share the road with them. Bison (elk, deer, moose, coyotes) roam freely through the park. (Photo taken from within the car, with a telephoto lens. Bison shouldn't be approached.)

Astotin Lake is in the center of the park, and one of many great places for picnics. It's also a fantastic place for sunset photos.

We always have a great day at Elk Island exploring the paths season by season. What are you waiting for? Get in your car and drive!

These, and other great photos of Elk Island Park can be purchased from my store, www.windermerestudios.ca

Tuesday Travelogue: Maui

As winter creeps ever closer here in Edmonton, as the need for layers of clothes, down jackets, mitts and toques becomes a reality, I find myself thinking about beaches, warm tropical winds and spectacular sunsets.

Maui is one of my very favorite places to travel to. We first visited Maui in 1994, returned twice more in the next 6 years, and for reasons that escape me (economics, likely) not again until 2011. Like quite a lot of Canadians, Kihei has always been our home base.

That certainly doesn't stop us from exploring or me from doing my best to photograph the amazing views. We've been to the very northern

and southern tips,

 upcountry and to Heavenly Hana. It's all spectacular and very, very special. You can visit my Maui gallery for more great images. Keep watching this space on Tuesdays for more  travelogues!