Loving Scotland

Its hard to believe that its the end of Day 3.

Our flights to Edinburgh were delayed an hour and a half due to a sick passenger, then mechanical difficulty, but aside from the delay, it was a good flight.  We did not mange to get much sleep, so when we landed in Edinburgh at 8:30 am on Thursday, it was really 3:30 in the morning our time.

No time for sleep, there were photos waiting to be taken...

Once we picked up our rental car, we headed for our first hotel, Airth Castle, near Glasgow.

Little did we know when we booked this trip, that Glasgow was hosting the Commonwealth Games over the same two days we had planned for seeing Glasgow.  Accommodations in town were hard to come by, Airth Castle was about a half an hour outside of Glasgow.

The Commonwealth Games have taken over Glasgow, with festivities everywhere. George Square is the central square in town.

Glasgow is an interesting mix of old and new architecture.  One of the highlights of the visit was the Glasgow Cathedral.  Here is a shot of the Cathedral taken from the Glasgow Necropolis, only a short walk behind the Cathedral.

The interior of the Cathedral is stunning as well.

Another highlight of the city was a visit to the Glasgow University, established in 1541.

Glasgow has redeveloped much of their port lands, a derelict part of the city after the demise of the shipbuilding industry.  This is a shot of the Glasgow Convention Centre, nicknamed the Armadillo.

We had an outstanding dinner on Friday evening to celebrate Mary Ann's birthday.  We ate at the Ubiquitous Chip, in a trendy restaurant area near the University.  Highly recommended...

After spending two days in Glasgow, we left this morning for a night in Glencoe.  Along the way, we stopped at Stirling Castle.

And a short drive later, a stop at Doune Castle.  This castle was used in the filming of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and more recently in the Game of Thrones.

Both castles were well worth the visit.  Along the way to Glencoe we took a side trip along a single lane read to Glen Etive.  This location was used in the filming of Skyfall, the latest James Bond flick.

The weather in Glasgow was beautiful, but the rain caught up with us today.  It began as a light drizzle, but by the visit to Glen Etive, it was pouring.

Tomorrow we are off to the Isle of Skye, and very excited about it.  More later.

If you are reading this blog for the first time, don't forget to review the archives at the right side for earlier entries. And feel free to add a comment, as well as share this blog with your friends. If you have not already done so, please enter your email address in the "Follow my Blog by Email" box on the right hand side. It will be much easier for me to stay in touch with you. If you don't see a signup box on the right side, then click on the blog heading and that should take you to a webpage with better graphics. You should then see the signup box on the right side.  If you have trouble signing up, send me an email at mark.girard@rogers.com.

Thanks for reading...

Mark

Gearing Up For Scotland

One more day until we leave for Scotland!

Mary Ann and I are travelling with Ron and Ricki, good friends whom we have met through the Richmond Hill Camera Club.  Ron is a dentist by trade, but a serious hard-core photographer after business hours.

As a tune up for the big trip, Ron and I have been planning to get out to test our equipment and make sure everything was ready to go.

Ron was planning on shooting some promotional photos for a patient of his, who happened to drive stock cars.  Sounded like a fun day, so we made our way up to Sunset Speedway last Sunday.

Kendra Adams is a very talented driver, and has been driving stock car for a little over one year.  We met with Kendra and her family before the qualifying heat and spent a few minutes with her in the pits.

Considering she was preparing herself for a 10 lap qualifying heat, she was remarkably calm.  Kendra was happy she would run in the first qualifying heat of the afternoon.

Getting ready to start the first heat. Kendra drives the #2 Honda.

Kendra on the offensive.

Kendra on the defensive.

Kendra finished 5th in the qualifying heat, which meant she would race later in the feature race.  Here are a few more shots later in the pits.

Unfortunately we could not stay for the feature race, so I'm not sure how the rest of the day unfolded. One thing is for sure, Kendra can hold her own. Oh, I forgot to mention... Kendra is only 14 years old!

We wish her all the best in her career driving, as well as anything else she puts her mind to.

I'm happy to say that the camera gear passed the test too, so the camera bag is packed and we are ready for Scotland.  Hopefully I'll have a chance to get a few blog entries out during the trip, so stay tuned.

If you are reading this blog for the first time, don't forget to review the archives at the right side for earlier entries. And feel free to add a comment, as well as share this blog with your friends. If you have not already done so, please enter your email address in the "Follow my Blog by Email" box on the right hand side. It will be much easier for me to stay in touch with you. If you don't see a signup box on the right side, then click on the blog heading and that should take you to a webpage with better graphics. You should then see the signup box on the right side.  If you have trouble signing up, send me an email at mark.girard@rogers.com.

Thanks for reading...

Mark

Timing is Everything

Photographers will tell you that the "Golden Hour" is the best time for landscape photography.  The Golden Hour is just after sunrise and just before sunset.  When the sun is low in the sky and the light is a warm golden tone.

The opposite is also true.  The worst time of day for landscape photography is at "high noon", when the sun is directly overhead and casts harsh shadows.

A couple of weekends ago, I had the opportunity to search out an old farmhouse near Chatham that I had wanted to photograph for several years.  I knew it was on Highway 3 near a little town called Palmyra.

When the chance came up to take off for a weekend, I jumped at it.  Mary Ann was at the spa with a friend, and I was on my own. On the way to Windsor on Saturday I photographed drag races in St. Thomas, and wrote about it in the last blog entry.

Saturday night I spent the night at my mom's in Windsor.  I was on the road Sunday morning an hour before dawn to make sure I found the farmhouse during the "Golden Hour".

Sure enough, I found the farmhouse with plenty of time to spare.  Here is a photograph from the road, taken before sunrise.

On closer inspection, this was a farmhouse where the brick was striped off and reused.  Here is a closer shot of the front of the house.  Notice the brick chimneys, and some brickwork left near the peaks of the roof.

This must have been quite a farmhouse in its time, notice the wood carving around the window trim.

The next photograph was taken during the "Golden Hour", after the sun had risen above the horizon.  Notice how warm and soft the sunlight is.

There is one more point about timing that I would like to raise.  As I recall, none of the other photographs of this farmhouse that I have seen had that much greenery in front of the house.  Come to think of it, the other photographs that I have seen were taken in winter, or early spring, before the sumac had a chance to leaf out.  So not only is the time of day important, but as I learned that day, the time of year is also important.

Just down the road from the farmhouse was an interesting little cemetery, so I couldn't resist a few from there.

Everyone loves a good sunrise, don't they?  Well, not photography judges, but that's another blog entry.  Here is one for those who like sunrises anyway.

For the photographers in the readership, all of the farmhouse and cemetery images were taken as a 5 shot bracket and processed with Nik HDR Effx.  The sunrise was a single shot.

In a little over a week from now, Mary Ann and I are headed to Scotland with friends Ron and Ricki. Ron is a fine photographer, so I'm sure there will be a blog entry or two while we are away.  Stay tuned.

If you are reading this blog for the first time, don't forget to review the archives at the right side for earlier entries. And feel free to add a comment, as well as share this blog with your friends. If you have not already done so, please enter your email address in the "Follow my Blog by Email" box on the right hand side. It will be much easier for me to stay in touch with you. If you don't see a signup box on the right side, then click on the blog heading and that should take you to a webpage with better graphics. You should then see the signup box on the right side.  If you have trouble signing up, send me an email at mark.girard@rogers.com.

Thanks for reading...

Mark

One for the Gearheads

Mary Ann was off to the spa last weekend for a little R&R, with her friend Brenda.  I was feeling the itch to grab the camera gear and shoot something.  There is an abandoned farmhouse near Chatham that I've been meaning to shoot for a couple of years now, so I thought it was the perfect time.  More on this in a future blog entry. And I could drop by to see my mom in Windsor.  If I could only find something else to shoot on Saturday....

Google is a wonderful tool to find stuff.  Turned out that Saturday was a day for drag races in St. Thomas.  Who knew St. Thomas had a drag strip?  And what were the chances that Saturday was the CK Nationals (CK Stands for Chatham-Kent).  There were four classes of cars, all the way from street legal cars to heavily customized racing machines.  The even had a couple of funny cars.

I've always wanted to shoot drag races.  As a kid, I used to go to the Windsor Dragway, and I've been hooked on drag races ever since.  I also learned through Google, that Windsor Dragway closed in 1971.  That was a long time ago... do the math.

I arrived around 11:00 and they were in the middle of time trials.  Each class took turns taking a couple of runs, then the elimination heats started.  The track was the usual quarter mile, with lots of areas to walk around.  The crowds were minimal, so I could pretty well shoot from anywhere I wanted. There was a walkway above the back of the track which afforded a great view all the way down the track. Here is a shot from the walkway.

Another great place to watch is from the grandstands.

But the most fun was definitely at track level, the closer the better. This is a shot of the burn out area where the tires are warmed up so they stick to the track during the run.

And everyone loves to feel the acceleration when the Christmas Tree turns green.

 For those of you who have read earlier blog entries, you know I like conveying the sense of motion in my images. It is a little more difficult when the cars are speeding by you in excess of 100 miles per hour! Here are a couple that I was happy with.

The highlight of the day, without question, was the funny cars.  Three were running, two alcohol burning, and one nitro burning.  You could feel the excitement in the air, everyone paid attention when these guys took their turns.  These two are doing their "burn outs" to warm up the tires.  Notice two things: 1) very little smoke from the tires - I'm not sure why, I might have to ask some of my gearhead buddies, and 2) EVERYONE is covering their ears.

My only regret was forgetting to bring ear protection.  I have never heard, or felt, anything like it.  My ears rang for days.

Here is Solid Rock with a green light.  Notice the wheelie wheels are practically touching the ground at the back of the car.  They don't want the front tires off the ground allowing any air under the car to slow it down or damage the fibreglass body.

 At the end of the run, they use parachutes to slow down the cars.

I thought it was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  I'll keep an eye out for the date of the 2015 CK Nationals...

If you are reading this blog for the first time, don't forget to review the archives at the right side for earlier entries. And feel free to share this blog with your friends. If you have not already done so, please enter your email address in the "Follow my Blog by Email" box on the right hand side. It will be much easier for me to stay in touch with you. If you don't see a signup box on the right side, then click on the blog heading and that should take you to a webpage with better graphics. You should then see the signup box on the right side.  If you have trouble signing up, send me an email at mark.girard@rogers.com.

Thanks for reading...

Mark

The Ride to Conquer Cancer

Our son Jeff completed his third Ride to Conquer Cancer this weekend.  Its an annual event, a 200 kilometer ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls, over two days.  Mary Ann and I drove to Niagara Falls to meet him on Sunday afternoon.

There were over 5,200 riders this year, and they raised over $20 Million for cancer research at Princess Margaret Hospital, one of the top 5 cancer research hospitals in the world.  By early afternoon, the crowds at the finish line were cheering on their riders. 

Riders came from all walks of life and all ages, from teenagers to one rider in his 90's.  Many were cancer survivors themselves, one rider was blind and rode tandem with his doctor.

Jeff came through the finish line in a pack, so getting a shot of him was a challenge.

Once finished, he was able to relax a little. 

The congestion at the finish line was unbelievable, so we recovered his overnight bag and headed for the car. His knees were bothering him a little this time, so I think he was glad to finish.  And he had some equipment trouble, blowing a few inner tubes on rough roads near the finish. Jeff rode with two friends, Mike and Augustina, and thankfully they were able to lend him their spare inner tubes.  The course was well patrolled by equipment trucks, but who knows how long it would take for them to arrive.

Here is a shot of the three riders after the finish.

And a couple more of Jeff.

Congratulations to Jeff, Mike and Augustina on their finish.  They must have enjoyed themselves, they all signed up to do it again next year.

What would a photography blog be without a photography lesson. Shots of moving subjects are great for capturing the sense of motion.  Panning the subject with a slow shutter speed is the idea, but the trick is to make sure you have a focal point that is not moving very much, and stays in reasonable focus. In the image below, I am focused on the rider's face.  Another trick is to make sure the subject is moving across the frame and not moving toward you or away from you.

[Nikon D3, 24-70mm lens, ISO 200, 62mm, 1/25 at f20]

For more on capturing motion, check out my blog entry from New York City, here.

If you are reading this blog for the first time, don't forget to review the archives at the right side for earlier entries. And feel free to share this blog with your friends. If you have not already done so, please enter your email address in the "Follow my Blog by Email" box on the right hand side. It will be much easier for me to stay in touch with you. If you don't see a signup box on the right side, then click on the blog heading and that should take you to a webpage with better graphics. You should then see the signup box on the right side.  If you have trouble signing up, send me an email at mark.girard@rogers.com.

Thanks for reading...

Mark

The Raptors

While driving back to Victoria from our side trip to Tofino, Mary Ann and I read about a Raptor Centre where eagles and other birds of prey are raised and trained.  We planned on stopping in on our return to Victoria, but learned that the last flight demonstrations were at 3:30 in the afternoon and the venue closed at 4:30.  Alas, it was nearly 5:00 so we missed our opportunity.

But we did find another day to make the drive back to Duncan, about an hour north of Victoria.  Having seen other well run Raptor centres in Ontario, this was a definitely a world class venue.  They have trained birds of prey for roles in feature films and commercials, and they provide birds under contract to airports and waste facilities to keep other birds away.

While walking toward the reception area, we met a trainer with several newly hatched eagles, hawks and owls. What a great first impression! The reception area was a bright space, and very warm, just perfect to keep two Barn Owl chicks cozy.  They were three weeks old, and could barely stand on their own.  My first guess was a Turkey Vulture, but on reflection, I can see the resemblance to adult Barn Owls.

I was hooked on the place already, and had only just arrived.  We were 30 minutes early for the next flight demonstration, so we had a chance to view some of the birds that were perched in the sunlight.

There were several Bald Eagles, Red Tail Hawks, Swainson Hawks, Turkey Vultures and Owls.

The flight demonstrations were well attended, and very interactive with the children in the audience. Although the children did have to hide any plush souvenirs they had purchased in the souvenir shop (for obvious reasons).  And we were told not to raise our hands, also for obvious reasons.  We sere sitting only a few feet from the perches.

Selena was our demonstrator, and was very knowledgeable about the birds she worked with.  Despite her young age, and small stature, she was very confident in her abilities, and in control of the birds.

Here is an image of the Bald Eagle flying to Selena.  When the eagles are in flight, their wingspan can be roughly six feet across, and the talons are very imposing.

Selena also demonstrated the abilities of a Red Tailed Hawk.  Although much smaller than the Bald Eagle, Red Tailed Hawks are adept at blending in with their surroundings, and waiting for a rabbit or rodent to enter the scene.

We also saw Turkey Vultures up close, a face only a mother could love.  They are masters of smell, and can find thermal columns and ride the air currents for hours.

And finally, the Great Horned Owl.  Nocturnal hunters, and more amazing, they are silent flyers.  Prey cannot hear the wings flapping until it was too late, and neither could we.

We were very happy that we found an afternoon to drive back to the Raptor Centre.

If you are reading this blog for the first time, don't forget to review the archives at the right side for earlier entries. And feel free to share this blog with your friends. If you have not already done so, please enter your email address in the "Follow my Blog by Email" box on the right hand side. It will be much easier for me to stay in touch with you. If you don't see a signup box on the right side, then click on the blog heading and that should take you to a webpage with better graphics. You should then see the signup box on the right side.

Thanks for reading...

Mark

Around Victoria

Our trip to Victoria was to help Phil celebrate his 60th birthday. Phil is Mary Ann's brother, and has lived in British Columbia for years.  We don't see him often, so the opportunity to visit was not to be missed. We travelled with Mary Ann's mother Bea, and her niece Aimee and son Simon.

Phil and Susan at brunch.

We had a nice brunch at a restaurant on Cordova Bay.  A beautiful spot on the east side of Victoria.

Victoria is a lovely city, with a population of approximately 400,000 in the Greater Victoria Area. One thing I've noticed about Vancouver Island is the respect the residents have for the environment.  Beacon Hill Park is only a few blocks away from downtown Victoria, yet is clean and well kept, and is teeming with wildlife.

Another example.

But what has the locals excited is the return of nesting Blue Herons.  They had been absent for the last few years because of the aggressive eagle population, but have returned to Beacon Hill Park this spring.  The pine trees were full of nests.

The squawking of the chicks reminded me of Heron nesting grounds in Florida.

The notion that these birds have chosen a downtown location to nest is absolutely amazing to me.

[Photographer's Note: I only had a 80-200mm lens with a 1.4 teleconverter on a full frame camera, so I wished I had more glass with me.]

The find was unexpected, and very rewarding.  I could photograph these birds all day.

I've got one more series of photos from the trip, so stay tuned...

If you are reading this blog for the first time, don't forget to review the archives at the right side for earlier entries. And feel free to share this blog with your friends. If you have not already done so, please enter your email address in the "Follow my Blog by Email" box on the right hand side. It will be much easier for me to stay in touch with you. If you don't see a signup box on the right side, then click on the blog heading and that should take you to a webpage with better graphics. You should then see the signup box on the right side.

Thanks for reading...

Mark