CBC Compass Story on the L.M. Montgomery Seashore
A few prints of some aerial work I did earlier this summer appeared in a CBC story about the L.M. Montgomery Seashore on September 14th. The media clip can be found here.
Today’s Image – Montgomery trust secures shoreline
The coastal land known as the L.M. Montgomery Seashore from Cape Tryon to the New London Bay.
Canola at the Springbrook Lookout
To call the lookout over the fields in Springbrook slightly famous would be an understatement. With the great dunes of the Cavendish Sand spit in the distant horizon, this view defines Prince Edward Island in so many ways but that’s no secret. At any given time, the roadside is filled with locals and tourists setup to photograph this iconic scene that would even rival a bear jam in Jasper. Add that to the relatively new rotation of canola on PEI, and you build a recipe for yellow chasing photographers.
I made several visits this summer but found myself never alone. On a few occasions, I had to simply keep on driving to avoid the crowd. Although looking back at the situation now, my one regret was not taking a photo of the photographers line along the ditches.
This year was canola. Last year the field was unfarmed. The year before was potatoes. What colours and textures will the 2013 season bring?
Today’s Image – Storm Clouds Rolling in over Springbrook
On this particular night, I could see the storm clouds building to the west of Charlottetown. My ability to predict is terrible but ideally, you can position yourself on the edge of the cloud front with an opening behind you for the sun to illuminate the deep shadows typically found during heavy rain clouds. This night just happened to be in my favor and it happened to be Springbrook where I found my shot.
At this time the canola had already been cut down. The next few images show the difference from earlier in the summer.
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.
…
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.
Fun in the Sky – PEI Aerial Photography
I spend alot of time looking at maps. Either it be paper or software, I like having that overview visual of any location I’m photographing. In fact – When the software I use to keep my images organized announced all the newest and latest features – I was most excited for the ability to tag images to a digital map. Having this overview is great but seeing it for yourself is a completely different experience and what can be better then flying over Prince Edward Island in a small 4 seater Cessna?
Holding out for good weather can be frustrating but I recently took to the skies for my first flight of 2012. Here are just a few of the images created in early July 2012.
I really need to do this more often.
Today’s Image – Cape Tryon
I have talked about this lighthouse a few times in previous posts as it’s one of the most photographed and famous of the 63 lighthouses surrounding Prince Edward Island. It also happens to be declared as surplus and the risk of loosing it is very real. The land from the Cape Tryon Lighthouse (lower right) all the way to the New London Lighthouse (center top) is all part of the L.M. Montgomery Seashore.
Atlantic Canada International Air Show
Last year, PEI enjoyed the return of an Air Show to Slemon Park, Summerside and although mother nature forced a cancellation on Sundays activities, Saturday surely did not disappoint with several high adrenaline performances of death defying stunts. With the United States Navy Blue Angels headlining the show this year, every aviation fan will want to be in Summerside August 26th. The Air Show Atlantic Insider members already have their tickets and general tickets go on sale this Monday, July 9th at airshowatlantic.ca.
Today’s Image – Atlantic Canada International Air Show 2011
The duo of Gary Ward Airshows and Bearfeat Aerobatics. The green MX2 puts on a show jam packed with gyrations that range from zero speed hovers to dives in excess of 250 mph. The red, white and blue Skybot 300 is the only air show airplane flying that was built in the living room of a condominium.
Here are a few more images from last years show previously shared on Facebook.
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.
Prince Edward Island Prints
I have been enjoying printing so much with the new printer, I mentioned last week that I would mail out a free print to a random commenter on Facebook. I had a hard time selecting only 1 — so I selected 4 names from the 161 entries I received (If I could, I’d send something to everyone). After copying all the names into a spreadsheet, I asked my soon-to-be-wife across the room for 2 random numbers and then I used random.org to select two more names. The 4 recipients by random draw were Paula Hughes, Wendy Mumma, Noel Clancey and Amber Phillips. Thank you to all those that were interested.
Lets do this again in late June but here on the blog to avoid the no contests on Facebook TOS. Subscribe to this blog by email or by rss if you would like to stay informed of future print give aways.
If you would still like a print now, for the next week until May 27th 2012, I will ship any 8.5×11 print you want for a reduced introduction price of $20 (shipping and taxes included).
Visit www.stephendesroches.com/prints for complete details.
Today’s Image – Prince Edward Island Fine Art Photography Prints
All prints are created on a heavy 300+ g/m² fine art acid-free paper using the latest in Epsons Ultrachrome K3 inks. Printed on 8.5×11 sheets with large white borders, the dimensions of the image are custom to the artist and will require custom matting. To make this truly fine art, I do not want to be hand cuffed by pre-determined paper or frame sizes. 8×10 is just not acceptable for everything.
Examples on how to mat are listed here: www.stephendesroches.com/prints
Changing of the Seasons
Spring is well under way and with the snow and ice long gone — temperatures often still require dressing fairly warm with hats and gloves. The water is moving, shades of green are filling in and before long, summer will be here and I’ll be complaining how hot is it. ;-)
Today’s Image – Island Spring Stream
Nature at times can be quite a mess of details and colours. Here’s trying to organize and make sense of it all in a single image. There is a fair bit to absorb in this one.
In a world gone digital, are prints archival?
Now that I’m committed financially to producing my own fine art prints (I’m giving some away via facebook btw – spread the news), I have participated in many friendly debates about the file vs the print and how several photography studios still consider the print the be all and end all of preserving memories. So many studios still refuse to sell files but those same studios may also be trashing the files after only a few years. So my question for everyone that shoots for clients, either it be portrait, commercial or weddings, if you do not offer the sale of files, do you archive them forever?
With the level of photo restoration happening today fixing water damaged or sun faded prints of grandparents at young ages – there should be no reason to have this problem with the images being made today 50 years from now. The general public is smarter and more aware of managing their digital life and unlike the negative which was also analog, a digital file is much easier to duplicate and archive properly. And also unlike a painting, the ability to reproduce more prints is an artificial limitation. With each year that passes, printing technology advances and improves. What is possible today was not possible 10 years ago and oh, how I wish I could simply reprint prints made 50 years ago.
So before you create that sales pitch for you website on why “hire a professional photographer” with the standard bullet points — are you making a long-term product or a short-term one? And if you are the client hiring a photographer, are you hiring to create a print/image for the short-term or the long-term?
Whether the business model fits it or not, digital files are here to stay but let’s not confuse this with the validity of a print. The print is still the standard for presentation and enjoyment but it is no longer the best method of archival. The print may have the most value today but the file has the most value 100 years from now.
And before you argue that files will be lost or hard drives will die — you can argue all the same points about taking proper care of prints. It only takes a single accident to destroy a piece of art. The big difference is that you can’t back up a print even if you wanted to.
Today’s Image – I’m Now Making My Own Prints
Before transitioning to photography in 2001, I grew up with pencils, brushes, inks and paints. I keep saying artist first photographer second but there is something missing if your work never makes it to paper. And since going digital, I have printed so very little. Now after all these years, I *think* my work has matured enough to be worthy of paper again.
Why have I printed so little until now? For starters, you send your file away, and a week or two later, a package shows up in the mail. To some degree, it’s not really your product at all. It’s a product of the lab created with your artwork. If there is a mistake, you reorder and wait another week. And for low volume printing — shipping is expensive. The second problem is that labs charge a very high premium for art paper which is what I’m mostly interested in.
That’s about to change because I’ve setup my own little home printing lab. It started with the use of a friends printer a couple months ago that has ultimately led to buying one of my own. Which means, reasonably priced open edition signed collectable prints on archival heavy weight papers are coming soon.