Monthly Archives: August 2020

Chilliwack Sunflower Festival 

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This past week I made an agreement to meet a photographer in the town of Chilliwack. He had decided to reduce the size of the camera bag he carried on his weekly hikes and was selling his large DSLR to make room for smaller Mirrorless equipment.

I asked my friend Jo if she had time to join me on my three hour Sunday morning drive and she said, “yes and we can go to the Sunflower festival too”.   I checked and the advertisement said:

The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival is brought to you by the creators of the Chilliwack Tulip Festival. Take a stroll along our numerous wide one-way pathways on our 10 acres brimming with floral beauty. We have 25 varieties of Sunflowers, including our stunning Sunrich Orange and the new Giant Sunflowers plus two picturesque display gardens with Dahlias and Gladiolas.

I thought that would be a great way to test out the new camera and we both packed our wide-angle lenses for the trip.

We arrived at the festival grounds, were directed to a parking spot and walked to the entrance. There was a large sign telling everyone that the festival only allows a certain amount of people at a time and reminded everyone on entering to practice “social distancing”.

The day had clear blue skies with a very slight breeze and we wandered along the wide paths with tall sunflowers on both sides photographing everything.

There were high viewing platforms that allowed a great overview of the grand field. Plus a wagon, tractor, old bicycle, swings and even a Dutch windmill for people to pose against. (Each included a hand sanitizing station) And, of course, everyone was carrying some type of camera to take pictures.

We rambled among the flowers, explored, took pictures and had a good time. There were so many colours. And Jo had to put up with me asking her to pose. Hmm…everywhere.

As I walked and casually distanced my self from other people I kind of missed those days when I would talk with the people I met. We would sometimes stand shoulder to shoulder as we exchanged comments and become momentary friends.

I also brought my Infrared camera and was surprised with how the Sunflowers absorbed the IR light. The colours were not what I hoped they would be, but the photos were fun and a bit unworldly images all the same.

I like short drives to new environments that are filled with photo opportunities. This year one has to be a bit careful, but with a little common sense the adventures are still there. Maybe the ocean cruises, plane flights and trips across the border are our out for some of us, but for me there is still plenty to explore with my camera right here in British Columbia. I’m already planning for next week.

Photography along the waterfront on a warm summer evening.

Posted by enmanscamera on

Last week I wrote about my photo walk along Vancouver’s streets and I ended by saying that after taking a refreshment break in the afternoon I photographed buildings across the water until I got a text from my friend Jo.

That didn’t end my day of photography.

I picked up Jo and after stopping at a market for some snacks we picnicked on the grass in a small park, then spent some time in a fun store called Rocking Cowboy Clothing. To quote their sign,“Boots, Belts, Brims, New, Used, Vintage.” However, for a photographers enjoyment there were many large B&W photographs of past western movie stars. I wandered looking at the exceptional quality of the large prints that I expect were shot with 8×10 format cameras.

We were waiting for the sun to go down so we could spend the evening photographing things along the waterfront. Its fun to visually play with reflections and the pools of light on the walkway and with long exposures people walking in front of our cameras made no difference at all. Their movement made them invisible.

I’d choose and area to focus on and release the shutter. Then wait and watch not only my subject, but also the response some people had. People sometimes would even apologize. Some would duck and quickly walk to the side. Two guys stopped to tell me how neat it is to photograph from that location in the early morning and pointed to where they shot from. There was an older fellow who noticed us and walked past very slowly, then turned around and walked even slower back the way he had come. I am not sure what he expected. I’m sure he thought he would be in my photograph, but alas he was just an indescribable soft blur.

Just before the sun went down completely I made a few exposures with my infrared camera, then when it got dark I changed cameras to capture the lights normally. Hmmm…”normally” I’m not sure that is the right word.

The night on the waterfront was cool in contrast to the hot day as Jo and I bumped our tripods up and down stairs along the concrete walled walkway, and in the brightly coloured area in front of the 2010 Olympics Caldron.

I am not sure how long we were there. We were absorbed trying to get as creative as possible with the lights.

On this evening I was using a filter with a slight purple cast that would somewhat correct the warm building lights. A tripod is a necessity for sure and a cable release for exposures longer than thirty seconds.

There is the opinion that night photography requires us to be more methodical than shooting in daylight and it is a must to bracket.  I wont argue with that, but personally I have too much fun to be that serious. After I reach the location and select my subject I look for mid-tones where details begin to disappear and meter the brightest lights. Then choose an exposure in between that I think will give me the effect I want and press the shutter, if it is to light or to dark I choose another and do it all again.

Sometimes I choose Manual mode and sometimes Aperture priority. My way might seem a bit hit and miss, but after a couple exposures I usually have it and can creatively adjust as I continue on. It’s much the same whether one is photographing a waterfall or lights along the ocean.

Long exposure photography is enjoyable and if you haven’t tried it be sure to. (We all have the extra time now)

Stay safe and be creative.

Wandering Vancouver’s City streets   

Posted by enmanscamera on

This past weekend I spent a day wandering Vancouver with my camera. 

A couple weeks ago my friend Jo McAvany mentioned that she had a tattoo appointment in Vancouver and wondered if I’d mind sharing the drive with her. I said yes, of course, and suggested we make a weekend of it. Gosh, it’s a 4 plus hour drive so why not?

Saturday morning at 11AM I dropped Jo off at her appointment grabbed my camera and started my walk down the street.

We were going to spend our evening photographing lights along the coast, but I thought I might spend the day doing cityscapes and thought it might be fun to use my infrared converted camera. Infrared would give me an unusual perspective.

I started by walking along the street Jo had her appointment on. That took me about two hours. Once I start searching with a camera I forget about time, there is so much too photograph and I was looking for trees and interesting advertising along the street. Fortunately I had set my iPhone’s alarm to two hours so I wouldn’t get a parking ticket. Then I put my GPS in action and drove to a small park along the ocean. The city has made a small park named Habitat Island that jetted out in to an inlet called False Creek. I chose that place because I knew there would be trees and a small pond filled with reeds that would give me some unusual views of the large city and would add interest with infrared.

There were lots of people enjoying the cool coastal air on the hot British Columbia summer’s day. My practice when meeting people on the street or on a path in the park is the same as when stepping in to a restaurant or hotel, step back and choose a wide route around them. Everything is so strange and unusual these days with the Covid-19 thing.

I stopped at a place known for it’s grand selection of beer called Craft Market and as I walked across the street after parking I saw a young woman with a black mask spraying the hand rail. I took up my place on a circle marked with a bright 6’ at the top of the stairs and when it was my turn I was motioned in by another masked young woman who asked for my name and phone number.

Then a third masked woman walked me to my place at the bar that had clear plexiglass on each side and was then waited on by a fourth masked woman. I guess that is what they call the “new norm”.

Oh well the beer was good.

I walked out of the bar and down along a walkway and photographed buildings across the water until I got a text from my friend Jo saying she was finished.

I don’t know how many miles I walked, but my legs were tired at day’s end. I’m not sure if walking for hours on hard pavement is exercise or punishment. Nevertheless, I got a lot of great pictures and saw interesting buildings and people.

Vancouver is truly an international city with a healthy mixture of all types of architecture, people and things to buy. 

 And it is always fun and inspiring to photograph different environments. All we have to do is…..

Stay Safe and be Creative.