Kejimkujik National Park.

Hi All,

I spent 4 days this past weekend with family at "Keji".
The trip, and weather was awesome with photo ops everywhere you looked. Keji is known for it's canoeing, and this is the 100th anniversary of "The Tent Dwellers", a classic novel about a 1908 fishing trip in the area by four people.

It is also the site for the endangered Blanding's Turtle, and a recovery program is ongoing in an attempt to re-establish the species. I cheated on the image of the baby Blanding's, shooting it through an aquarium at the Visitors centre.

The Mersey River meanders through the park, and one can't help but slow down to the river's pace while there.

On every trip made there, I come away with different images, a testament to all the park has to offer.

Enjoy,
Gary.



Keji entrance, taken with a Canon 5D, 17-40mm f4L lens, and B&W Circular Polarizer, Manfrotto Tripod.




Baby Blandings Turtle shot through aquarium glass , Canon 5D, 300mm F4L IS lens, Manfrotto Tripod.



Brook and grass, Grafton Lake, Canon 5D, 70-200mm F4L Lens, B&W Circular Polarizer, Manfrotto Tripod.



Trees and ferns along the Mersey Rver,Canon 5D, 17-40mm F4L Lens, B&W Circular Polarizer, Manfrotto Tripod.



Foam on water, Mill Falls. Canon 5D, 300mm F4L IS Lens, B&W Circular Polarizer, Manfrotto Tripod.


Ferns along the Mersey River, Canon 5D, 17-40mm F4L Lens. B&W Circular Polarizer, Manfrotto Tripod.


Pink Lady Slipper, Beech Grove. Canon 5D, 300mm F4L IS Lens, 1.4 T.C., B&W Circular Polarizer, Manfrotto Tripod.


White Tail Buck, Canon 5D, 300 F4L IS Lens, 1.4 T.C.


White tail buck eating, Canon 5D, 300f4L IS Lens, 1.4 T.C.

Regatta, Part 2

Hi All,

I had so many images from yesterday's regatta, I decided to add some more!
The Lighthouse is on Deadman's Island where deserters from the British Navy were reputed to have been hung around the 16th century. (or so legend goes).


All images taken with a Canon 5D, 300 F4 IS Lens, 1.4 TC, and B&W Polarizer filter.



















Cheers,
Gary

Regatta!

Hi All,

I had the good fortune to be invited aboard the Sailboat Suzie Q for the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron Regatta yesterday. It was a great day to be on the water and many good images were made, and a few new friends as well. There can be few greater sounds than that of sails in the wind, and the brightly coloured Spinnakers were reminiscent of hot air balloons.

Everyone was a winner regardless of how they placed.

The images made would not have been possible without Image Stabilization Technology Lenses, and the high ASA of Digital Capture.

Special Thanks to Hugh and Nick for the invitation.

Cheers,
Gary.


All Images were made with a Canon 5D, 300 F4 Image Stabilizer Lens, 1.4 Teleconverter, and B&W Polarizer.

Bon Portage Island

Hi all,

Below are a few images taken while on a trip over the Victoria Day long weekend to Bon Portage Island. "B.P." is an island located 1 mile off of the coast of Shag Harbour Nova Scotia.
It is known for it's population of Leach's Storm Petrels, as well as being a migrant trap for other birds migrating to their breeding grounds. Historically it is also known as the light where celebrated author Evelyn Richardson got the material for her bestselling books We Keep a Light, and Living Island. She and her family lived on the island, and tended the light for 35 years.

A history of the light and it's people may be found below at:
http://www.nslps.com/lights/lighthouse_page_01.asp?ID=281&SP=2&M=Early%20History


enjoy,
Gary.


Below, Herring Gull in flight.
Canon 5D, 300 F4 Is lens, with 1.4 TC. handheld at 800 ASA, f 5.6 at 2500/sec.




Herring gull at nest.
Canon 5d, 300 F4 IS Lens, with 1.4 TC, on a Manfrotto tripod.




Lighthouse and out buildings.
Canon 5D, 70-200mm F4 lens, on Manfortto tripod.




West side of Island and Gull.
Canon 5D, 70-2--mm F4 lens. Manfrotto tripod.




Birder on "Warbler Alley"
Canon 5D, 300mm F4 lens with 1.4 TC. Manfrotto tripod.

Surf's Up!

Or...Dude, where's my toque?

That's what popped into my mind as I was editing images from last weekend's shoot.
I spent Saturday afternoon photographing a group of intrepid winter surfers at Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia.
It was actually a nice afternoon, around the frezing mark with lots of sunshine. Throw in some waves, surfers and a cool experience was had. I have nothing but respect for the guys and girls who do this. I find the Atlantic Ocean cold in the summer!
My film rig was in the shop getting the sensor cleaned, so it was back to old film shooting for a day.
I sure didn't miss it, as the instant feedback, and fast procesing time of digital is hard to beat. It cost $30 to process 2 rolls of film, and I'm sure the cost will only go up as E6 processing gets rarer.

Enjoy,
Gary Murray
Bedford, Nova Scotia
http://garyamurray.blogspot.com/
http://www.pbase.com/pgns/gmurray



All images made with Canon EOS3, 300f4L IS lens, w/1.4 Teleconverter, B&W Circular Polarizer. Fuji Velvia 100f pushed 1 stop, and Manfrotto tripod.

Lighthouse Route Nova Scotia

Hi All,

This weekend just past was a great time to be out and about in Canada's Ocean Playground.
Saturday was overcast and cool, but Sunday was amazing! Sunny and 5 Degrees Celcius, and along the ocean it felt like spring with hardly any snow in sight.

The image below was taken at Prospect NS, which is about a 20 minute drive from Peggy's Cove. It is just as beautiful, though often overlooked, as people tend to gravitate toward Peggy's, arguably the most famous Lighthouse in the world.

Canon EOS 5D, 17-40mm Lens with Cokin 173 Polarizer, and 2 Stop Neutral Density Filter.





This Greater Black Back Gull taking flight was a "grab shot" at the above mentioned Peggy's Cove. It is cropped slightly to add visual impact.
When the action begins it is best to just "let er' rip" and edit the results later. this was the best of the sequence shot.

Canon EOS 5D, 300mm F4 IS, lens 1.4 TC.





These weathered fishing shacks in the afternoon light make for an interesting composition, one can almost smell the salt air.

Canon EOS 5D, 17-40mm Lens, B&W Circular Polarizer.





Fishing Boats at Yankee Cove Nova Scotia, with a some remnants of ice floating in the water.

Canon EOS 5D, 17-40mm lens, B&W Circular Polarizer




Fishing boats in ice Boutiliers Cove NS.
What a difference a day makes, this image was taken Saturday, with winter still very much evident.

Canon EOS 5D, 70-200mm lens, B&W Warm Circular Polarizer.




Enjoy!
Gary

Saltscapes Calendar

Hi All,

Just recieved the 2008 Saltscapes Calendar, and June features an image of mine of a fawn taken last June back in my native Pictou County NS.

It was an awesome experience, and am happy to share a rare moment in time with everyone.

Thanks to Saltscapes, their fine magazine can be found at www.saltscapes.com







Cheers,
Gary

Winter!

Hi All,

Since winter arrived to the Maritime Provinces this weekend, I thought I would share a collection of images from winter past. The temperature plummeted to -7 Celcius and it became quite windy and raw whilst out on a birding field trip yesterday. 2 Bright Red Cardinals backdropped against the newly fallen snow was a treat.

Below is an image of Oak leaves frozen under the ice. Pictou County NS.

Minolta Maxxum 9, 50mm Macro lens. Fuji Velvia Film.




The beavers are pretty much tucked away in their lodges in this kind of weather, with a winter's supply of food stashed away. This image was taken in Willard Fraser's pond, Pictou County NS.

Canon EOS3, 70-200mm F4l lens, Fuji Velvia film, and B&W Circular Polarizer filter.



Deer Tracks in the snow, taken in Brookville NS.

Canon EOS3, 70-200mm F4l lens, Fuji Velvia film, B&W Circular Polarizer Filter.

Frost on Trees, Bridgeville, Pictou County NS.

Canon EOS3, 70-200mm F4L lens, Fuji Velvia film, B&W Polarizer Circular Polarizer Filter.




Snow on trees, Mac Lellans Brook Pictou County NS.

Canon EOS3, 70-200mm F4l Lens, with 1.4TC, Fuji Velvia film.


Time to get out and enjoy the snow, it sure beats complaining about it!

Cheers,
Gary.

After the Fall.....

Hi All,

After the last leaves have come down in the fall, other photo opportunities await for the intrepid shooter. Slowing down is a good exercise in really observing what is around us. Making great images out of ordinary things is always a great challenge.

Photo 1

A Traditonal landscape image taken in my native Pictou County. The river follows an S curve, a staple in image design.

Photo 2

Is an image of a leaf on a piece of birch bark at Kejimkujik National Park NS. I liked the contrast between the two, and no distracting elements make the subject stand out .






Photo 3

Aspen and Poplar leaves on the forest floor after a windstorm offer an interesting composition.





Photo 4

More fallen leaves, this time of the Maple variety in a pond.






Photo 5.

A mushroom in an old growth forest in Nova Scotia, where there is not a lot in the way of fall colour.





Photo 6

Rosehips offer a lot of colour, and is a different take on fall.






Cheers,
enjoy the fall,

Gary. http://www.pbase.com/pgns/gmurray

http://www.blogger.com/

Fall!

This is it!

The time of year photographers dream of.

Fall Colours.
If only we could be everywhere at once! We can't however, so we have to pick our spots, work them and hope for the best.

The 2 photo's below, were shot in Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia. "Keji" is my favorite spot in the province after Cape Breton which has to be one of the top spots in the Continent to photograph fall colours.








Aspy Valley, Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

Just because it is foggy and or rainy doesn't mean one has to stop shooting. crop out the bleak sky and look for interesting compositions within the landscape.





Brookvile, Pictou County Nova Scotia

Another example of shooting on a dreary day. Here I concentrated on the colours on the Maples and the way they contrasted with the trunks of the trees.




Sunset at Kejimkujik Nova Scotia.

I found it really interesting how trees can grow out of rocks, and the thin soil available. Very shallow root systems in these cases.



Cheers, and enjoy the fall!
Gary .

http://www.pbase.com/pgns/gmurray
http://garyamurray.blogspot.com/