Project 365 ~ Day 91

The end of the summer...

The house across has a beautiful big tree in the front yard. And it's leaves are turning. Ah - life in the north... We DO have 4 seasons - we do! Early winter, winter, late winter, and roadwork.

Photo taken August 30, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 90

On Guard!

This is how a sheltie and a pomchi guard the house. Beware - the pomchi is very fierce!

Photo taken August 29, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 89

How to NOT burn down the house...

Use numbers instead of 50 individual candles! Yep - I turned 50. Don't feel any more wise than I did on August 27... So we'll see how this goes...

And thanks to my family and friends for putting up with me setting up the tripod and making them wait to sing Happy Birthday! Used the remote and set shutter at .5 seconds. I like how the candles are glowing just a bit...

Photo taken August 28, 2009

Project365 ~ Day 88

Faking the Moon.

B&W treatment on the setting moon, which was actually quite brown from the earth's admosphere. The b&w allows you to see the craters better. Taken with my new (to me) Sigma 80-400.

Photo taken August 27, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 87

Lazy River.

The East Pine River outside Chetwynd, BC was really low this late in the summer. It was slow and peaceful, and I wanted to spend the afternoon reading at it's edge instead of working... Oh, well.

Photo taken August 26, 2009

Project365 ~ Day 86

Harvest.

I really liked the contrast between the dark red combine and the greens and golds of the landscape. This was taken at about 7:30 in the evening, just before sundown.

Photo taken August 25, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 85

Reflection.

Late afternoon at Radar Lake outside Dawson Creek BC.

Photo taken August 24, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 84

"Bring me Solo and the Wookiee."

Some things are self explanatory.

Photo taken August 23, 2009.

Project 365 ~ Day 83

Dressage Test.

My wife is an avid horsewoman, and has been horse crazy since she was little. She has a beautiful Morgan mare - Argo, but doesn't get to show much due to the fact that we don't have a horse trailer so she can't travel to shows. So she was really excited to ride in the yearly local schooling show. She ribboned in three classes, including bettering last year's score on her dressage test! Yeah, Xena! I'm really proud of her.

Photo taken August 22, 2009.

Project 365 ~ Day 82

The Overseers.

I'm always somewhat surprised when I see seagulls scavenging around town, as I live about 1200 kilometres from the coast. But here they were, overseeing the local mall parking lot.

This was my first shot with my new (to me) Sigma 80-400. It's the biggest and heaviest lens I own and will take some getting used to. So the softness I atribute to user error, and not the lens itself! OS will only go so far, and this was handheld. I'm excited to see what kinds of images I might get after some practice.

Photo taken August 21, 2009.

Project 365 ~ Day 81

Salmon in Net.

Found caught and hanging on a collegue's office door!

Photo taken August 20, 2009.

Project 365 ~ Day 80

Golden Harvest.

The wheat is so heavy and ready for harvest that it's falling over. These fields are just outside Taylor, near Fort St. John BC on the Alaska Highway.

Photo taken August 19, 2009,

Project 365 ~ Day 79

Dawson Creek Art Gallery

This old wheat pool elevator, now the Dawson Creek Art Gallery, is the first stop for those travelling the famous Alaska Highway. Mile Zero.

Photo taken August 18, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 78

BC Oranges.

Ok, they're not real oranges - and they are 1/2 the size of a marble. But they are orange! And shiny! Actually I have no clue what they are - the colour just caught my eye. This plant is on the fence line at the edge of my office parking lot.

Photo taken August 17, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 77

Progress.

I was really taken with this view of the farm and fields in the foreground, with the new windmills on the ridge. This windmill project has already begun to produce energy for my small town. I know the technology is somewhat controversial, and my feelings on the subject are somewhat mixed. But it makes a good picture.

Photo taken August 16, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 76

Growing Up.

I've been taking shots of this same little guy since he was a fluffy baby. I love how his beak curves.

Photo taken August 15, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 75

Rest Stop.

We filled the feeder that hangs from the jack pine in the front yard, and it didn't take long for the birds to return. I took this through the basement window - I'm having trouble getting any shots of them from outside.

Photo taken August 14, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 74

Back Yard Surprise.

I was in the back yard with the dogs, and wandered to the back fence behind the shed. I noticed a flash of red near the ground, and discovered a tiny wild rasberry plant - not more than 8 inches high and loaded with fruit. I got the macro shots and then my partner got the rasberries!

Photo taken August 13, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 73

Bird at Dusk.

It was rainy and the light was fading, and my trees outside the living room window were completely filled with these little birds! This was taken through the window.

Photo taken August 12, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 72

August 11 Moon.

Another in my moon series. I don't know what I'll do when the rain comes tomorrow night!

Photo taken August 11, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 71

Last few blooms...

My daisies are at the end of the road, so I got off a last few shots before all I'm left with are deadheads...

Photo taken August 10, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 70

Early Morning Moon.

Taken from the front yard, right at 3am. Notice how the angle has shifted as the moon moves across the night sky.

Photo taken August 9, 2009

Project365 ~ Day 69

Fireworks.

Every summer my little town has a "Fall Fair." This isn't unusual, but further south they actually take place in September. Because we might have snow in September, our "Fall" Fair happens in early August!

This was my first attempt at photographing fireworks, and my timing wasn't the best. But I got a couple of shots that I'm pleased with...

Photo taken August 8, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 68

Another Moon...

I got a Kenko 1.4x teleconverter, which makes my 70-300 zoom extend to 420mm. And that difference is allowing me to finally get some decent crater definition on a full moon. I can't wait to try it in a few days when the moon is waning!

I know it's silly to expect the same type results of those who have super long zooms and telescopes. But I can try to do the best I can with the equipment I have. And I'm really happy with these shots!

Photo taken August 7, 2009 - 1:14am

Project 365 ~ Day 67

Flutter.

I got a 1.4x Extender for my zoom lens, and was shooting in the front yard when this little moth fluttered by. I seldom see moths, so I was happy to catch it.

Photo taken August 6, 2009.

Project 365 ~ Day 66

Full moon.

And it was beautiful!

Photo taken August 5, 2009 - 11pm.

Project 365 ~ Day 65

Sunflowers.

The rain stopped, the temperature was much more moderate, the sun came out and the sunflowers were in bloom. What a truly beautiful day!

Photo taken August 4, 2009.

Project 365 ~ Day 64

Rain...

And my, did we need it! The heat wave that has lingered for the last week was wearing us out. Over 30C for days on end with no air conditioning - whew! But the thunderstorms started yesterday, and the temp has dropped 10 degrees.

Photo taken August 3, 2009.

Project 365 ~ Day 63

Just having a snack...

I had my 70-300 DO IS lens on, not my macro lens, so when the bee wandered by I wasn't able to get as sharp a shot as I would have liked.

Photo taken August 2, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 62

Keep Your Ass Away From My Donkey!

My first attempt at "street photography." These people have a unique idea about lawn art, and their chihuahua was doing a great job of guarding it!

Photo taken August 1, 2009

Project 365 Month 2

Mosiac - July, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 61

Stakeout.

Ares has a quick bath while intently watching the birds out the window.

Photo taken July 31, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 60

Growing Against the Grain...

(Everybody grown collectively at my title - ok, is that out of the way? LOL) I thought this was cool - one canola blossom in a huge oat field. Notice the brown in the pine trees - that's the sad work of the pine beetle. This field is located on my drive between Dawson Creek and Fort St. John.

Photo taken July 30, 2009