Shapes On The Beach

Kayaks are aesthetically pleasing . These are some different views and effects done with kayaks and canoes. This was at Locarno Beach in Vancouver.

Using shape with clouds. Curves and some HDR colour effects.

Shine. The sunshine that peeked out from the clouds for the majority of the morning was perfect.  

Ahh, puddles give such a beautiful reflection.

Can't show off Vancouver landscape without an Inukshuk.

The solo life of a photographer.

This rooftop of the Iona Beach public washroom. The lighting underneath the wood frame showed off the red tones of the wood against metal. This was cool.

Remembering Shawna Jean Lawrence

So, on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013 we reconnected with family and friends in an intimate ceremony to spread the remainder of Shawna's ashes and lay this beautifully etched, heart-shaped stone on the river's edge.  She walked and ran here almost daily with friends, her beautiful daughter, Riley, family, her boyfriend, her dog, and sometimes herself. The stone is placed among the stone dyke with other similar coloured boulders. It is facing the south so it is always in the sun. Flowers, stories, coffee and hot chocolate...sandwiches and candies (all her favourites) were shared among our group. Some special words and quiet moments were enjoyed by each of us. The cold wind died down and the warm heat of the sun settled on us all. It felt like a warm hug. If anyone would like to see where the stone is placed, and spend some time remembering a wonderful friend, go to Brittania shipyards in Steveston, walk westbound past the huge covered boat dock and heritage buildings on the boardwalk, and wander out onto the first dock. Enjoy.

The flowers and ashes were in the water for a while, then the tide went out, leaving them on the waters edge at the bottom of the stairs.

This was a heavy rock. Somewhere in the 40-50 lb range. Thank you to Doug Baxter for heaving it down to its final resting place.

Some of the group.

Reunion of old friends....not old...ol'...Paul Reshaur and Adrian Jaggassar.

What? Who's that girl? Oh it's me!! With Adrian and Paul.

A view from above the dock

You can barely see it...below the large rock at just under the pier. You can walk down to look, there's stairs just at the grassy area and climb up onto the stones.

A better view....can you see it?

Adrian

A beautiful view.

Boys will be boys. Young Nick climbing around on the rocks right above Auntie Shawna's stone.  

Choo Choo

Here's some photos from outside and inside the trains at the Heritage Railway Museum in Squamish.

Miniature Worlds

A visit to The Heritage Railway Museum in Squamish brought us to the miniature railroad models. I am amazed by the creators of these models pay such close attention to details. Brook and I were playing with different camera settings, both of us thinking of using the miniature toy settings....but then I thought...why use the setting when these are already miniatures!? It was a fun day.

PNE 2013

The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) was pretty neat this year. It's been interesting growing up with it every year. We used to go when I was little...went on a few rides, then had to waddle around behind mom and dad in the pavilion where they had stands of things to sell....begging to leave. Then I went there a lot in my teens to go on all the rides over and over and over...I must have been on the wooden roller coaster 400 times, the big swing about the same. It had nothing to do with the fact that we were in love with the ride attendants. Ahh the good ol' days.I even remember the song Round And Round by Ratt, that played constantly on the spinning barf-producing merry go round thing. I forget the name. The Pirate and Tilt-a-whirl were also favourites! Then there was a time of many years where I didn't go. Not sure why really, but it wasn't something that interested me. Now, my boys have been a couple times...the kind of enjoyed it....but I know they felt the same as me when I had to follow my parents around the pavillions. Will see what the next few years brings us. This photo shows how busy it gets still, with a vast array of color, culture, and chaos. What a diverse city we live in.

Western Tanager (Piranga Iudoviciana)...Yup I Like Birds.

This little guy greeted up each day on our camping trip to Golden Ears Provincial Park this last couple days. It was a nice time away with good weather, good family time and peace and quiet. Even our two teenaged boys seemed to enjoy it.



He was very photogenic...



Once he was done posing for the camera, he took to nibbling the little bits of cheese and seeds we threw out for him. His mate was waiting in the trees....along with the other chickadees and bluejays.

Ahh Perfection....

Perfection....?Trying to focus wayyyyy inside the swirl of petals. 

Perfection....? There's really no need to modify any of these photos...Flowers seem to have been created perfectly. To survive, reproduce, grow. If our life was this simple....hmmmmm

Soft pink perfection

It's as if each flower was perfectly placed on this beauty! If this wasn't built to attract, I'm not sure what is.

Little spider webs on this scritchy scratchy looking show of buds. They come out lavendar purple. It's ... perfect.

Yup..can't change perfection!

I've heard that bamboo can be pretty destructive with it's roots strangling other roots. I'm pretty sure that the same doesn't go for their beauty above ground. Strong and perfect!

So..this photo is not so perfect. I decided to go against the 'rules' here. Normally the table and chair would be on the right side...so the eye was drawn to it....This is not meant to strain your eyes...Just meant to show imprefection can be pretty too.

Simply perfect.

Another not so perfect shot...but I was playing with long exposure. I haven't done this before. Was fun to try.

Am I Buggin' You? Don't Mean To Bug You.

I nearly sat on these little guys. This was a cluster of spiders that have obviously just hatched from their egg sack. It's pretty cool when you blow on them, they shake and fan out, then quickly grasp onto each other again. Creepy....but cool.

I have a bigtime fear of bees. It seems when I am photographing them, I am not as scared. Perhaps having the camera and lens between us, I am safer. A good thought!

Teeny dragon fly. I liked his bright blue parts!

I venture to say this is a yellow fly....he's got some cool hairs on his back...He was very tiny but quite intimidating with his stance....or at least he tried to be.