Thursday, May 5, 2011

Some Bright Skies and Wildlife of the Vermilon River. A Post to Skywatch Friday.

Bright Skies


Rock Face


Upper River


The weather has been pretty hit and miss, with four overcast or rainy days to one of sun. So you're seeing some of both here. The river scenes are all of the upper river.

 Click to Enlarge Photos.


Rock Face


White -throated Sparrow


White-throated Sparrow



White-throated Sparrow


These White-throated Sparrows were all shot in very gray overcast weather, which gives the background a gray look making them, I think, look like Oriental prints. The same goes for the song sparrow, but the Warbler was shot in sunshine. The Pussy Willows were shot in shadows of the woods as I had to move off trail to get them. I did this overcast shooting previously, during the winter with some starlings, and some winter scenery. The winter scenery was almost monochromatic showing colour only in the evergreen trees. Dull gray and bright sun are the norms of the North, although they are extremes, and usually what photographers would advise to avoid. But, they are the North, and need to be dealt with.

White-throated Sparrow.


White-throated Sparrow


Profile of White-throated Sparrow.


Song Sparrow


Yellow-rumped Warbler


Pussy Willows.

Grackle


Common Grackle
The Grackles were shot in super bright sunshine and certainly benefited from the sun as it picked up the iridescence in their feathers, and enhanced the slightly mad eyes. Again dealing with a norm of the north. I think the iridescence certainly adds to the photos. The same I think is not true of the starling whose feathers have all the sheen, but lack the reflection that bright sun would give to them.

Common Grackle

Head On Grackle

Starling














Is there a point to my rambling ?? Actually yes. I think Northern Ontario is a rugged country that should be depicted as one. It's colour schemes and lighting is not the same as Southern Ontario or anywhere else for that matter. This is the same argument that, of course, founded the Group of Seven, those artists that are so basic to Canada. They rejected the UK Lake District genre that was popular here and embraced the rugged extremes.

 To avoid dealing with the extreme light or to turn the wild cold water soupy or jello like with a filter and a slow shutter speed is to turn a wild animal into a zoo animal, and does a disservice to the ruggedness of the  area, or at least that's what I think.

A Post to SkyWatch Friday @ http://skyley.blogspot.com/

48 comments:

  1. well, your shots are all great au naturel. :) the one that really got me was the pussy willows with the dark gray background. WOW!

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  2. That is an interesting observation, Gary, that the quality of light is part of the scene. I think, though, that the photographer can have it both ways by getting up early and staying out late to get the low light. Of course, in your latitude that can be very early or late indeed.

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  3. Beautiful shots of the river. It looks so different than our rivers here. Great shots on the grackle. You really showed it's personality.

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  4. All excellent shots! That first photo is a stunner Gary. I like photographs as natural as possible. I'm sure it's fun using filters and manipulating them in processing, but I prefer them real.
    Cheers

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  5. The grackles are beautiful, Gary. You captured their glamorous plumage well. I also love the starling with his gold-flecked fairy-tale coat, though green background doesn't quite fit into the picture.

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  6. Like those shots of the water and the rock line is stunning. (As are your nature shots!) Love that yellow warbler!

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  7. You live in a very beautiful landscape Gary!

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  8. You've outdone yourself this week, Gary. Wonderful photos. I love the birds. Such variety! I've never been to Northern Ontario. It looks beautiful.
    — K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  9. Beautiful photos! The nature looks very much like here in Sweden :) Many lovely birds to :)

    http://susannelindsfoto.blogspot.com/2011/05/himmelsk-spegelbild.html

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  10. Agreed!
    Beautiful feathered friends. Grackles crack me up with the white eyes and chattering.
    Thanks for sharing Ontario's variety.

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  11. I always look forward to your marvelous photos, Gary! They're always a delight and a wonderful, breathtaking look at nature in your world! Today is certainly no exception! Hope you and the Boomer have a great weekend! Enjoy!

    Sylvia

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  12. so many wonderful captures of nature!

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  13. I like what you've said about photographing a rugged country.

    Here in the desert of southern New Mexico, we have boat-tailed grackles, which make the most amazing sounds.

    Thanks for taking us on a visit to your province.

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  14. your images are specially stunning in this post.

    Ewok

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  15. gosh..I can't choose a favorite,all photos are just so great!!!!

    Thanks for visiting My Sky Watch Friday

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  16. Such gorgeous captures.

    My Skywatch, please come and see.

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  17. Beautiful and scenic place with lovely birds.

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  18. Beautiful river scenes and the birds are all wonderful. Great photos.

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  19. again Gay you show off the wonderful surroundings very well. The ups and downs with the light can be very productive... if not a little frustrating at times. But the moods can change even in the same place.

    you captured some of the bird life well too.

    Cheers
    Dave

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  20. Hi Gary - I think you make an interesting point about different areas having a different feel - and that this needs to be reflected in the pictures we take. We could all add filters to our pictures so that every landscape in the world looks like the lid of a chocolate box, or a tourist advert - but I think that misses the point. Your pictures should look different to mine - and as far as I can tell they do!

    Very nice set of pictures - and I like the sparrows! Cheers - Stewart M

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  21. more great sparrows. :) And, I love that rock side. :)

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  22. Beautiful photos, I love the sparrows too.
    Have a nice weekend :O)

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  23. really beautiful shots, especially the ones with the birds.
    i'm impressed!

    amazing view, too!
    thanks for sharing.

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  24. Pussy Willows are the first thing to show spring as you know texwisgirl.

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  25. I think Martha that's a basic of any art course, and is shown in your own current series. I am never going to reproduce the red that you have,because it isn't here and the light isn't right.

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  26. Yes the difference in rivers is there isn't it, Dina?

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  27. The grackles as I say Hilke are beautiful and demented with those eyes.

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  28. Not at all urbanized though Birgitta.

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  29. Wow Kay I thought everybody passed through here on the train!!

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  30. Yes especially in the case of your recent post. Fjallripan.

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  31. They are funny nonizamboni!!

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  32. Thanks for the kind words, Sylvia.

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  33. Yes they do Stewart, and I'll bet if you go back and look at your photos done in the UK, they'll be different again.

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