Past and Present Book Now Available
After several months of anticipation, I’m pleased to announce that in honour of the park’s 75th anniversary, PEI National Park, Parks and People Association and The Acorn Press released a new book this past Wednesday night to a full house at Dalvay-by-the-Sea National Historic Site — a 77 page picture-heavy book produced primarily with John Sylvester’s images from his 28 years of photographing the park.
During the creation of the book, I was approached by Parks & People and PEI National Park to participate in this anniversary publication with the inclusion of some of my own images which I easily agreed to.
Thanks to all who attended Wednesday night where both John and I were available for book signings. If I was a guessing man, I would not be surprised if we signed 100 or more books. It felt like a successful first day and I was pleasantly surprised just how many mentioned they were familiar with this website.
You can buy the book online for only $17.80 CND or pick it up at any Parks and People boutique / bookstore.
Today’s Image – Prince Edward Island National Park: Past and Present
The following text is quoted from the introduction to Prince Edward Island National Park: Past and Present.
Prince Edward Island National Park has been welcoming vistors from around the world since it was first created in 1937. From the dramatic red sandstone cliffs and spectacular beaches in Cavendish to the pristine parabolic dunes in Greenwich, this small coastal park has captiavated the hearts of all who experience its serene and tranquil beauty.
Stretching for about 40 kilometres along the north shore of Prince Edward Island between New London and Tracadie bays and taking in the tip of the Greenwich peninsula in St. Peters Bay, the Park’s dynamic coastal landscape is constantly chaning as it is shaped by wind and waves.
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This book aims to capture the essence of this special place, preserved and protected for you to return to again and again..
As an additional preview, here are a few of the images found in the book.
A Photographers Travel Checklist
It’s that time again when I must recheck and recheck again to make sure I have all the necessities before packing the camera on a plane and traveling off to a location not-so-close to home. I will soon be in Iceland with a few photographer friends and while packing light is always the priority — having enough to get by for a couple weeks is a concern as well.
My pack list from my American Southwest adventure this past fall proved to be successful but I must admit with all the restrictions and frustrations of travel — I do miss the days when all I had was a small pocket camera.
Today’s Image – Virgin River in Zion National Park
In the spirit of travel and because I’m not yet in Iceland, today’s image is flash back from my November trip to the Southwest National Parks. The first stop was Zion National Park and here I am along side the Pa’rus trail (N 37 12.894 W 112 58.524) in the Virgin River looking south.
The Dance With Wildlife
It can be challenging at the best of times to come close enough with wildlife. There is always that dance to position yourself in the hopes you do not disturb or scare the bird into flying away. You repeat the cycle of slowing moving closer as they slowly move further away. With each step closer, you fire off a few frames just in case it’s your last.
Today’s Image – Red-winged Blackbird
This small Red-winged Blackbird was special and tolerated my presence more than usual. However, what I was not expecting, was right before I got to that “I can almost fill the frame” distance, my cell phone started to ring.
Coincidence or not and now patent pending — this little guy answered the call.
Significant Changes
I routinely visit Covehead in PEI National Park and I still can’t believe how much can and has changed from year to year. What once was a sand dune, is now a clear view out to sea.
Today’s Image – New Stream at Covehead
A year ago and this stream did not exist. The lake (pond?) in the distance was not accessible and separated by a sand dune but today is part of the beach and connected to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I do not have a great before image but if we compare it to this image of the Northern Lights looking in the opposite direction, you can get a sense of the separation. Using Google maps, we can still see at N 46 25.746 W 63 09.117 how isolated it was just last summer.
Painting With Light
It has been many years since I last finished a painting using traditional mediums and I have a desk full of paints, inks, pens and brushes that now only collect dust. I’ve completely surrendered to the digital world but although I’ve stopped mixing paints, I still feel like I create images with a similar purpose routinely reminding myself artist first, photographer second.
Comparing the two can be interesting. If I was to frame the same scene and take the necessary time to paint only what was in front of me – what would I include and what would I not include? That mental reminder will keep you monitoring the frames edges before clicking away.
The majority of my work is not shot for clients. It’s not created for stock. And I am never thinking about sales. My goal is to create something visually attractive that might possibly look good as a print on my wall. How would this look as a 40 inch fine art piece on canvas?
If others enjoy it too, that’s all the more rewarding.
Today’s Image – The End of the Rainbow
Tonight had a little bit of everything in the National Park near Covehead (N 46 25.797 W 63 08.490). A mix of good light, heavy storm clouds, a light rain followed up by a rainbow. I spend over an hour photographing this rock and with almost 100 frames to show for it, this was my selected keeper for angle and wave movement. I’ll keep the rest and revisit them some day.
Northern Lights over PEI
The Aurora is something we rarely see on Prince Edward Island but for the past week it feels like it has been routinely in the news due to high CME activity. Some of the images coming out of Iceland and western Canada have been incredible but despite all – I have not heard of anyone local to PEI witness the show this week.
Landscape and nature photography can often be rewarding but also very frustration with one trip after another to the same location time and time again – only to return without what you went for. We chase weather and we chase light. Two forces that are hard to predict and over the past 7 days, I have fallen asleep more than once parked in my car staring at the sky in the early hours of the morning on the north shore.
Today’s Image – Prince Edward Island Northern Lights
As rare as it may be – the lights can be seen when all the stars align. This is an image from last summer in the National Park. The posts you see next to the road are the relatively new don’t park here along the Gulf Parkway. This particular night remains to be the first and only night I have witnessed the show in person.
PEI National Park
2012 marks the 75th anniversary of the National Park System on Prince Edward Island and park officials are preparing for a year of celebrations. I believe the actual anniversary is in April so keep an eye on Parks and People for updates and events as we get closer to summer.
Parks Canada has also has recently announced that entrance fees will remain the same. However, a summer never goes by where locals do not complain about paying for beach access. (Possibly the same people who believe the Confederation Bridge should be free). While I don’t know how the money is spent or what the operating costs are compared to a provincial park – this “fortune” that we’re always complaining about is only a $20 annual pass.
Today’s Image – A Frozen Bowley Pond
Bowley Pond is in Greenwich and became part of the National Park in 1998.
Bryce Canyon National Park
What a busy month. After returning on Nov 15th, it has been three weeks of little to no photography. My days, evenings, sometimes nights have been mostly occupied with design and post processing behind a desk. Add the quickly approaching holiday season and if feels like time has completely disappeared.
In fact, the only time the camera has left the house was for a college football championship that I was asked to cover – which I gladly did. Next to landscapes and nature – sports photography is just as exciting and challenging. Both styles has that feel of a hunt for a perfect frame with no second chances. Here are 55 images from the game on Facebook. Congrats to our local team.
Today’s Image – Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon is a land of hoodoos – several tall, thin spire rock formations. While preparing for this trip, I was warned several times that not only was I heading towards top tourist destinations but also top destinations for photographers. While prepared for the typical everyone has a camera in today’s world situation, I was still shocked at the numbers. I am use to being alone until 7am or later and even this close to winter, it felt like every hiker in Zion National Park was carrying a tripod. In Bryce, the trails were lined with tripods all pointing in the same direction. When I arrived about an hour before sunrise, it felt like I was late to some party. I had also stumbled into several workshops on 3 different days.
I have now shared 26 images from my American Southwest trip but still only scratching the survace of what might be good enough to share. There will be many more to come. See them all on Facebook.
World Wide Photo Walking on PEI
For the past 4 years, Scott Kelby has organized a World Wide Photo Walk – a simple social event where several people get together for a small period of time and make images along a predetermined route. What’s different here, is that Scott has managed to organize a walk to take place in over 1100 cities with 30,000 participants all on the same day. The first year, I was lucky enough to be in Vancouver during the date and joined leader David duChemin but since then, I have organized and led the PEI leg of the walk. (2011, 2010, 2009 / group photos)
Today’s Image – Cavendish Beach
With so many locations, it’s impossible for everyone to have perfect weather and unfortunately it was our turn to get the rain. The forecast was actually a heavy rain and high winds storm warning and 60mm of rain falling the day before. Despite this challenge, many walkers still attended this grey morning. I like my colors but due to a foggy and dull morning with little to no color in the sky – black and white it is. (N 46 29.962 W 63 23.376)