Some usual unusual perspectives at the Royal Ontario Museum

After visiting the Royal Ontario Museum's Viking Exhibition, I looked around me and "saw" the usual objects from a new perspective - like these chairs outside the cafeteria:

The chairs are "reflective" and their unusual forms make it challenging to sort out purpose from the lines, surfaces, and colour. And then there is this corner of a wall:

So far just horizonal. However, while drinking a coffee I looked at the pipes in the ceiling. The photos are from just one exposure but with different contrast:

So a museum of modern art, if one chooses to look for it.

W O B

Wild Goose Chase

hard to believe that it was -12C when I took those "Wawa" photos. It was a lovely sunny day but the wind was biting. That was the inspiration for "Fire and Ice" at Grant's Woods.

Looks a little like my knee.

Across the Division Rd there were at least 16 other knees:

W O B

Friday - again - +4C - again - back lit

You bored too? It is snowing but there is still surface water on the lake - so no skiing or shoeing there, although that has not stopped some fools taking their soles out for a last(?) airing.

So what to do?

These are 2 ghosts from time past - the lighthouse for Orillia's harbour, and Christmas decorations from maybe last year, or maybe they were never taken down from years ago?. The photo was taken yesterday afternoon while I was out walking, attending "SALT" talks about diabetes. Michael, one of the few instances of sunshine that I told you about earlier today. The above photo is more or less the total scene with some contrast enhancements.

Now to "play":

They are distinct photos with different lighting - the clouds were dense with snow.

Vicki is also bored. So now we are going shopping. Do write if the photos are worth a comment, please.

W O B

It is still raining - again - here in Oro Medonte/Spanish plains

Very dull day. So here are some shots from a couple of days ago to brighten the spirit. I like clouds and lighting. Some of the shots are from Scout Valley which has not featured too often recently - will try to do better.

Some were taken from the balcony - do you recognize a familiar twig?

W O B

Flash technique applied

Last Wednesday, the Orillia Camera Club had Andre Beneteau  as guest speaker. An excellent
speaker and demonstrator of the indirect flash. Unfortunately(?) I have not purchased a flash for my camera and only use the built in one to the disadvantage of my friends and myself.

However, 2 days ago, while admiring some tulips given to Vicki by a friend of ours, I got an idea to try.
Here is the first shot without flash:

ISO 3200, F/8 1/8 sec

And here is one with flash but not direct - I inserted an envelope at a 45 degree incline to direct the flash to the ceiling:

As above except 1/180 sec.
The flower is oriented to face the horizon so ceiling scattered light enters from the top of the frame. In both cases, natural light is entering the tulip face on from behind me and the camera.


W O B

I was up at dawn today

Nothing special - luck happens!

Rama right above,
Leacock, left below:

That brief magic moment:

The rink made by Owen and Evan . how long will it last?

And those moments of youth, and winter, and dawn are gone:

W O B

Saturday November 7

Lake Couchiching, lake of the laughing or smiling waters, lake below a lake - translate the name or the idea as you wish. Fortune smiles here any way you want to look. The following were mostly taken from on the balcony but I start with the view that caught my attention:

I cannot believe that it took so long to post - but then I have not finished with Knossos or Alberta.

I had the idea I could pursuade you to accept this as an Orillia aurora:

What do you think? Is it dark enough?

It really was close to us - near enogh to touch. I moved two, yes 2 steps to my right for the next shot:

It left me with a glowing feeling:

W O B

Earth Hour Montreal - Westmount

Friends for 50 years invited us to help celebrate/promote awareness of Earth Hour.

This was the setting on Mont Royal in Friday night (Mar 27): 2 concerned citizens look out over Montreal

There are a lot of lights:

I think Toronto is worse from what I have seen in the ad breaks for nighttime sports events in TO.

The problem is that the lighting is neither efficient nor safe:

Note that the streetlight in the lower left is 360 degrees UPward too.

Well that was Friday. Now onto Sat. I made a couple of comets in Victoria Hall and so only have 2 images that show the effects of EH. I took the first exposure of 30 sec on a tripod:

                                        There is moonlight as well as the long exposure.
This exposure is 240 times longer than the one below taken after the lights came back on:

Moonlight played a role on the 30 second exposure of Vic Hall with Jupiter and the moon in the upper right:

Inside the Hall there were many exhibits and talks and a pipe band to set the "tone".

Comet Westmount was also well observed:

Earth Hour was well organized, lots of fun, but seriously - over too quickly. We/I must practise this on a daily basis, lead by example and be patient. Baby steps, walk, run, panic! Are we too little too late? I hope not for our children and all life on earth - even politicans!  wob

Rentner am Friday

Für Ute und Christa, Jörg and Volker, für Jutta, Christian, Renate und Manni,Claudia,Tom, Anne, Ann, Anne., Reinhold,Werner, Helga, Reiner,  Andrea, Heide, Daria, Marianne, Peter und Angela, Angelica und Peter, Marie und Peter, Veronica and Brian, Susan and Gordon, Norrie, Paula , Mike and Adrian, Kim and Jens, Maike and Rory, Kathleen, Mary, Jean, Vicki, Anne, Ann, Lorena, Ali, Jessica,(3 times a good person!), Carla, Rob, George and Nora, Tony, Rob, Sonja, Harald, Margot, Margret,Mirco, Jessica - another! Karl, Helga Annelisa, Herbert,Suzanne,Michael,Mike, Maik,Jan,Jens,Sarah,
Gisela und Ferdi, Rosie und Armin, Jitke und Paul, Alok, Al, another Rob, Dave, Alex, Katrina, Adrian,
Andreas, and Michael,Walter, Kazuko, Silvia, Annita, Matheus,Yuri,Janice,Janet, Ernst, Helena, Jenny, et co, and co again. Who did I miss - several Daves, Bills, Adas, Peters, Hagi, Mary, Jean, Elizabeth, Gail,Sandy,Ian,Shirley,Linda,Barry,George,Stewart,Catherine,RonMarne,Waren,Kathy,D'Arcy,Johannas, Valerie, Katje, Jean-Francois,Fabio, Nadira,Timothy,Kay,Hans-Peter,Jens-Peter, Sarah and Sarah!,Kelly,Mathew,Brenda,Pierre,Trevor,Hilary,Liz,Lindsay,Gundula,Walter,Peter, Frank,Leonid,Vera,Manfred,Renate,Gisela,Ferdi,Marianne,
Silvia, Bella, Ryan,Sophia, Joan, George and Ken,

Those who have to work and those who have worked. cats and dogs, horses, runners Too much oxygen
forced in at high speeds and velocities; too much sun, snow comets, dust, ice, and wind

-20C

It is always colder with the moon:

Snow maybe 10cm deep on crystal snow - beautiful   ----    wob