Ho, ho, ho.
Early January last winter, a very similar cold snap to the one we just went through. This is the festive power pole at the corner of my front yard.
Things are much warmer right now, and "Christmas visiting" means walking two blocks to a friend's house. And later in the day, waiting for two friends to walk two blocks to mine for dinner and a movie. No driving.
Everyone else, if you must drive, DRIVE CAREFULLY! And if such things are part of your life, have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Photographed in Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2022 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: Christmas lights festive holiday season winter pre-dawn cold subzero sky power pole tree vertical tripod dawn light village prairie Val Marie SK Saskatchewan Canada copyrighted James R. Page
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Any day that begins with a herd of Pronghorn is a pretty good day... and even better when the light is rich and warm! There's a stretch of 2-lane country highway between my home and the national park where I often see Pronghorn, especially in winter: they feed well on spilled grain in the wheat fields.
When they are close to the road, shooting from the car works best, but if they're a little farther away I may get out and try to approach them on foot. They're curious animals. Sometimes they'll walk toward me, cautiously, or trot by as this group is doing. High stepping elegance matched with blazing speed when they decide to shift into high gear. Amazing critters!
Photographed near Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2022 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
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The Pronghorn herd ran to put some distance between us after I walked into the field. Then they doubled back. Curiosity. They've done this many times in my presence, more so than deer or bison, other herd animals that - once they start - tend to keep running.
Morning light. Expansive views. Close encounters are always fun, and initially I was much, much closer, but sometimes showing wildlife in its habitat can work well, too.
I often see these animals while driving to the national park just down the road, and they always kick-start my outing nicely.
Photographed between Val Marie and Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2022 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
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After trudging across hilly fields for a couple hundred yards, I found myself unwilling to enter the old barn - it looked like it was on the verge of collapse. But shooting from the main entrance worked well enough. I exposed for the highlight areas and allowed the shadows to go black, then tweaked the image further in that direction during processing.
Photographed near Eastend, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2022 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Tags: abstract abstraction light shadow barn interior old barn falling down decrepit window gaps shapes black on black winter prairie square Eastend SK Saskatchewan Canada copyrighted James R. Page
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It was the very last light of day. I had been out shooting, without much luck. I had even done a short hike over a stretch of upland prairie, looking down into sheltered coulees and draws, feeling the biting wind, then scooting back to my car with fingers burning from the cold.
When I saw these horses grazing along a fence line, the light was fading away, barely touching them, but to the east, the sky and hills were pink. There was no time to close the gap; if I had walked across the field to get closer, the background light and remnants of foreground glow would be long gone. Luckily my 500mm was handy, so I just raised the camera and shot away. Moments later, the scene faded to grey. Timing is everything.
Well, maybe not everything. Where we point our cameras also matters. Have you noticed how all sunsets look the same? That is a gross generalization, but it "generally" holds true. Sure they can be beautiful. But I am more interested in the quality of light and how sunset light looks on the land. I could have pointed my lens at the sinking sun and captured yet another shot of it - to add to the thousands already in my collection. Nothing wrong with that. But by looking in the opposite direction, to the east instead of the west, I nailed a shot that is unlike anything in my files. It may not be the ultimate horse-in-pasture shot, but I sure like those snowy, pink hills glowing in the background.
Photographed near Hwy 18, at the turnoff to Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2022 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
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