News

October 12, 2009

Each August and September Ottawa and the surrounding towns and villages hold exhibitions and fairs. Families, especially those with young children, look forward to these times to enjoy rides on the midway, view livestock exhibitions and eat special treats like toffee apples and cotton candy.

This year I observed a series of ploughing matches involving either horses, antique tractors and ploughs or, modern tractors. I really enjoyed the horse ploughing as I’ve always been attracted to the big work breeds such as Belgians, Percherons and Clydesdales.

Another first for me was to attempt to photograph a midway at night. The lights and movement of the numerous rides offer a bright and colourful canvas. I was fortunate to arrive just before sunset and I managed to capture some images with the beautiful deep blue sky as a background.

I’m happy to note that I now have a new web page header logo. It was designed by my nephew PJ Stephen, a graphic artist. PJ also designed a related logo (below) that you’ll now find on the back of my photo note and on my business cards. My thanks go out to PJ for a job well done.

Finally I must also thank my friend and colleague Patrice Cousineau. Without Patrice’s computer skills as my 'webmaster' this whole site would not have been possible. Originally I approached Patrice for some advice on basic web design. He must have known how far in I was over my head because he volunteered to develop my site for me. I know that this site has occupied much more of his time then I ever wanted it to but I am very grateful for all of his help. Merci beaucoup Patrice!

To view some of my recent images please click here.

July 31, 2009

Canada's capital city, Ottawa, contains many beautiful buildings and museums. One of the most impressive groups of these buildings can be found on Parliament Hill located in the city's downtown core. Canada is a Constitutional Monarchy meaning that Queen Elizabeth II is our Head of State.

"The Hill", as it is known locally, houses three main buildings of Gothic revival design: the East, Centre and West Blocks. Together these buildings house the seat of Canada's Parliamentary government and Senate. The Centre Block contains both the House of Commons Chamber and the Senate Chamber where elected Members of Parliament and appointed Senators meet respectively. The Centre Block has it's distinctive Peace Tower in front facing south towards the city and the Parliamentary Library at the back facing the Ottawa River. The other buildings house offices and meetings rooms for Parliamentary and Senate members and their staff.

The Parliamentary Library was begun in 1850 but was not completed until 1876. During a fire in 1916 the library, although receiving some damage, was saved while most of the rest of the Centre Block was destroyed and then rebuilt.

The Peace Tower is a bell and clock tower and has a height of 92.2 metres (302 feet, 6 inches). It was named in honour of the thousands of Canadians who offered the final sacrifices for their country during World War I. A Memoriam Chamber inside it honours Canada's war dead. A visit to its observation deck, located above the bells and beneath the clocks, affords the visitor with a beautiful view of the surrounding city. The flag on the flagpole, at its top, flies proudly over Canada.

To take a brief photographic tour of the Centre Block and the surrounding area click here.

May 31, 2009

After a long winter in Ottawa, springtime is refreshing. Spring flowers including many like the tiny "Spring Beauty" and Ontario's provincial flower, the White Trillium, start to bloom before the leaves arrive on the trees. This timing allows these woodland flowers to receive all the benefit of the spring sun.

Soon leaves start to bud in what seem like a thousand shades of green. What was open forest turns to shaded glens where sunlight dapples through new leaves.

Of course many of our wonderful breeding birds return from their southern haunts. Some species are just passing through to places further north but others stay establish territories and begin the task of raising young. A myriad of bird songs echos through woodlands, fields and marshes. Familiar species like the American Robin and the Yellow Warbler can be head everywhere. In recent years wild turkeys have expanded their range and their numbers here. Big Tom turkeys can be seen strutting at the edge of farm fields.

As the sun warms the waters of the lakes and ponds frogs and turtles arise from their long rest beneath the mud. Squirrels and other small mammals continue to forage on last year's seeds until new growth appears.

It's a wonderful time in Ottawa and the surrounding countryside so enjoy it.

To see some beautiful images taken during springtime in Ottawa click here.

March 31, 2009

Costa Rica is located in Central America and is bordered on the north by Nicaragua and on the south by Panama. The diversity of ecosystems, plants, insects and large number of bird (>800), mammal (~200), reptile (~220) and amphibian (~200) species make this country a photographers paradise.

On March 9, 2009 I was fortunate to accompany my wife Kay and nearly 20 other Ottawa Public and Catholic schoolboards teachers on Algonquin College's "See Earth 2009" course to beautiful Costa Rica. The 10 day trip offered the teachers the opportunity to learn about the ecology, biodiversity and sustainable agricultural practices of Costa Rica. My thanks to the Algonquin See Earth organisers for permitting to let me join them.

Click here to find out more about Algonquin's See Earth program.

In preparation for the trip I had contacted two great photographers: Doug Brown and Glenn Bartley who I had "met" through one of the of bird photography websites I frequent. I knew that they each had spent time photographing birds in Costa Rica and they were both more than happy to share tips on gear selection and how to protect my equipment for the high humidity that I would face. Thanks guys!

Because our schedule during the trip was so busy, I had only a little time to concentrate solely on creating images. That being said I was still rewarded with many memorable experiences such as being eye to eye with a mother 2 toed sloth and her baby, watching both Keeled-billed and Chestnut-mandibled toucans feeding on cecropia fruit in the same tree and seeing the crater of the Poas Volcano as the cloud cover broke and the sun came out.

I hope to have another opportunity to visit this wonderful country again. As the "Ticos" (what native Costa Rican's call themselves) often say:

Pura Vida! ("life is good")

To see some of my images from this glorious trip click here.

January 20th, 2009

I am pleased to announce the release of my first book of my photographs entitled "Nature's Wonders Through my Eyes". Published through Blurb.com, it is an 80 page 8" x 10" soft cover format book which covers a range of my work represented by over 150 images.

Although a large proportion of the book features bird images (my favourite photography subject) it does contain chapters on scenery (landscapes), flora, mammals, reptiles and amphibians as well as insects and spiders.

The book is available at a cost of $45 (includes shipping and handling). Sample pages from the book can be found here.