Ice + sunshine = a great winter photo shoot!

I hiked out to the Georgian Bay shoreline of Bruce Peninsula National Park yesterday with photo buddies Ian "Flash" Brooks, Roy Ramsay (publisher of Outdoor Photography Canada magazine) and David Topping (website to come). It was a beautifully sunny and cold day - perfect conditions for a winter photo shoot!

Ian was wearing a bright red jacket and felt like being a supermodel, so I took advantage of his willingness to pose. Having a person in the photos adds depth and perspective to the landscape.

All of these photos were shot with:
Canon EOS 5D mark II, EF 17-40mm lens; some using a Singh-Ray LB polarizer and/or 580EX flash

Icy shoreline of Georgian Bay

Above photo: Self-portrait this morning; bundled up in many layers to stay warm!

-23C (before the windhcill). That's the balmy temp my friend and I set out in this morning for our trek to shoot the Georgian Bay shoreline in Bruce Peninsula National Park. We picked the coldest day of the winter so far, and could easily have rescheduled for any other day, but we were both too proud to be beaten by the weather (or to admit it).

The frigid wind blew fiercely off the water and created a mist that was at times so thick it was impossible to shoot. But every now and then the sun would peak out and burn off the mist for enough time to snap a few photos.

I'm wiped out tonight from the chill and hiking through snow drifts but couldn't resist processing a few shots from today. I'll be going back again later this week... and crossing my fingers for warmer weather!

Below photos:
Indian Head Cove, Bruce Peninsula National Park
Canon EOS 5D mark II, EF 17-40mm lens; Singh-Ray LB polarizer & ND grads.

Last of the Icicles on the Georgian Bay shoreline

Unseasonably warm weather put a quick end to the great icicles along the Georgian Bay shoreline that I'd been photographing last week. I made it out for only one more shoot before they had melted away... see photos below (taken with an EOS 5D mark II, EF 70-200/2.8 L IS lens and Singh-Ray LB polarizer). Thanks to my friend Don Wilkes for clicking the shutter on the second one while I smiled! 

Today I finally traded in my trusty 70-200/2.8 IS lens for the lighter and reputedly sharper f/4 version of the lens. I'm looking forward to the significant weight savings (my camera pack is heavy!). I'll be hitting the trails over the next while to test it out. 

Icicles along Georgian Bay shoreline

A quick post with a couple photos of the awesome icicles hanging off the Niagara Escarpment cliffs at Indian Head Cove in Bruce Peninsula National Park. It was worth the trek out there to check on the ice conditions. Will be watching the skies - ready for good light for the next excursion. Yes that's me in the first photo. Next time I'll be wearing a red jacket, of course! 

Both photos EOS 5D mark II; 17-40/4 lens (handheld) and Singh-Ray LB waring polarizer. Photo of me taken by D Carey.

icy shoreline

I went snowshoeing out to the Georgian Bay shoreline in Bruce Peninsula National Park this weekend with a group friends. The overcast skies broke with periods of beautiful light -
conditions were about as good as they get!

All photos with EOS 1Dsm2; EF 17-40; Singh-Ray circular polarizer.

Winter is definitely here!

The snow is piling up at my place - there's about 2 feet so far, and my ground-level kitchen window is nearly buried. I can't believe how much it's snowing each day. I'm lucky that my neighbour Ken has a snow blower and very kindly keeps my driveway ploughed out - otherwise I would probably end up house-bound.

The snowy landscape is perfect right now for photos. Yesterday we cross-country skied out to the Georgian Bay shoreline in Bruce Peninsula National Park. It was tough breaking trail, but well-worth it. The icicles at Indian Head Cove are dramatic, and it started snowing like mad while we were out there, which added to the winter ambiance. The sky was heavy overcast, so it wasn't the best light... but hey, you take what you get....

all shots Canon EOS 1ds m2, EF 17-40 lens