Membertou Pt. 11

Hi All,

Response has been overwhelming (well almost), to my last post on Membertou 400. Therefore I am putting another post up with more images of the event.

Enjoy!

Gary

www.pbase.com/pgns/gmurray

Membertou 400 Powwow

Hi All,


This past weekend in Halifax, was the largest Powwow ever in Canada. Membertou was a Chief of the Mi'kmaq in the 1600's, and his family was among the first to be baptized in North America. Membertou 400 celebrates this with representation form bands from across North America. More about the celebration, and history may be found at:

http://www.membertou400.com/about/.


It is a really interesting read, and I encourage all to check it out.


Now to the pictures! There was no shortage of photo opportunities here, and I lucked out and saw a lot of native dancing on the Halifax Commons near the giant teepees. The teepees themselves were quite a spectacle, and it was great to see our aboriginial people's recognized after being marginalized for so long. There were exhibits displaying traditional skills, like medicinal plants, food, music, storytelling, and crafts to name a few.


As a side note, photographing in crowds where everyone is jostling for a better view can be a challenge. As a result, all images were made handheld, and around/through the crowd. Practice is the best advice I can give here.


Teepee's on the Halifax Commons, with buildings in background!
Made with a Canon G11.

Click on thumbnails to enlarge






Images 2-5. Dancing for the appreciative crowd, and enjoying it as you can see. Images made with a Canon 5D, 300mm F4L IS lens, with 1.4 TC., and B&W Circular Polarizer.


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Hope you enjoy, I did!

Gary.

9 Mile River Trail System

Hi All,

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of trying out my new Canon G11 Compact Camera while out Mountain Biking. It was a great experience, being able to do adventure type sports/pursuits, and photograph.

There is a new Trail system near Enfield Nova Scotia, and all indications are that we have a winner. It is a multi use trail system, which is great for hiking/biking etc.. Being not too rough, but rough enough to feel like one is in a wild area and not a park. The trails are still in development, and approximately 20km are in the plans.
It is also great for hiking, judging by the numbers of people I saw on the trails and my own experience doing it. Birders will enjoy it too, with a variety of habitats and lots of seclusion. The highlight for me was a vocalizing Northern Goshawk which was very agitated, evidence that a nest may be nearby.

There is also a Facebook site dedicated to supporting the initiative.
www.facebook.com ninemileriver


All images taken with a Canon G11, B&W Circularizer Polarizer.

Enjoy, I hope some folks can see this great outdoor area.

Gary

Canon G11

Hi All,

I have recently made the plunge for something that I have been wanting for years. A compact Point and Shoot camera that takes pro quality images while I am on the move, and unable/unwilling to lug around pro SLR gear. The Canon G11 fits that need nicely.

It takes pro quality images with a 10MP Sensor and boasts all the features of a pro SLR to meet the demands of the serious shooter. Image Stabilization, Macro Mode, Panorama "stitch" and 720 video clips to boot. The Panorama feature is awesome, and I am addicted to it now. Also useful is the Macro Mode. Though obviously not as good as a dedicated Macro lens, it makes a pretty decent image. Paired with the Gorillapod, a neat device which has flexible arms that wrap around/attach virtually anything gives tripod like stability. And, without worrying about a tripod getting caught in my bike spokes!

Also available accessories, are a Remote Cable Release, Teleconverters, Filter Adaptors, and even an Underwater housing which I can't wait to get and try out.

Haven't made any prints yet, but other users have reported making "stunning" 12x18 inch prints from large files.

I have only had the G11 for a few weeks, but am loving this camera, especially after a recent mountain biking trip to a new trail system where it really proved it's worth. AM also looking forward to using it in other pursuits where a SLR is impractical.

Images 1&2: Canon G11 and Gorillapod attached to a tree. Photos taken with a Canon 5D, 70-200m F4L Lens. (Should have used my tripod!)

Image 1.






Image 2.





Image 3. Taking a break, and trying out the G11 and Gorillapod.

Image 4. Panorama of ferns using the Stitch feature.

Image 5. Pink Lady Slipper (Mocassin Flower) using Macro Mode.




Hope you all liked the images and G11 review!

cheers,
Gary.