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Bow River Sunrise

This is the Bow River Valley in Banff Alberta, one of many beautiful places you must visit in Canada. As I had never been here before I wasn’t sure how to catch a sunrise or sunset. The timing of sunrise and sunset is quite a different matter than in Florida where I live. It’s not enough to simply watch the sun as it approaches the horizon, up here the mountains obscure the sun for a while before sunset and after sunrise. So you just have to stand there and wait, which is what I did this morning. I’m not always so patient and so it’s usually better if I don’t have a lot of time to take a picture. On this morning I timed it pretty well so I didn’t have to wait too long. If my memory serves me, I quickly packed up to get back and catch an extra hour of sleep.

This is the Bow River Valley in Banff Alberta, one of many beautiful places you must visit in Canada. As I had never been here before I wasn't sure how to catch a sunrise or sunset. The timing of sunrise and sunset is quite a different matter than in Florida where I live. It's not enough to simply watch the sun as it approaches the horizon, up here the mountains obscure the sun for a while before sunset and after sunrise. So you just have to stand there and wait, which is what I did this morning. I'm not always so patient and so it's usually better if I don't have a lot of time to take a picture. On this morning I timed it pretty well so I didn't have to wait too long. If my memory serves me, I recall that I quickly packed up and went back to catch an extra hour of sleep.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

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Lake Minnewanka

Don’t let the clear water and sunny day fool you, this water is about 3C/38F. For a guy from Florida that’s just about the temperature I want my drink to be, not my swim. Even so there were a few brave hearts jumping in this mid-summer day. Apparently the Canadian Coast Guard uses this lake for cold water rescue training. That’s good enough for me, …moving on. The mountains on the left have had prescribed burns and so the forest is healthy, vibrant and growing, however fire suppression on the right has left the soil acidic and unfit for wildlife. Even though the forest looks more healthy, it is not. In any case, I was fascinated about that fact. It seems that the more enlightened we become, the more we realize that mother nature had it all under control in the first place. Go figure.

Don't let the clear water and sunny day fool you, this water is about 3C/38F. For a guy from Florida that's just about the temperature I want my drink to be, not my swim. Even so there were a few brave hearts jumping in this mid-summer day. Apparently the Canadian Coast Guard uses this lake for cold water rescue training. That's good enough for me, ...moving on. The mountains on the left have had prescribed burns and so the forest is healthy, vibrant and growing, however fire suppression on the right has left the soil acidic and unfit for wildlife. Even though the forest looks more healthy, it is not. In any case, I was fascinated about that fact. It seems that the more enlightened we become, the more we realize that mother nature had it all under control in the first place. Go figure.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

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Light in the Mirror

I’m not much of a furniture buff but place it in a castle and turn down the lights and suddenly my imagination seems to take over and I’m transported away from this world. Mostly I imagine the scenes of past ages playing out with me as a bystander, as though watching a movie or viewing a prior life. Certain music does that to me also, for instance when I listen to Loreena McKennitt scenes and emotions from a different place and time play out. So it is that when I take photos like this they are not so much about the furniture but the images they evoke in my mind and the portals they open to other worlds and other times. But then a hotel guest walks by in flip flops and I’m brought back into this world.

I'm not much of a furniture buff but place it in a castle and turn down the lights and suddenly my imagination seems to take over and I'm transported away from this world. Mostly I imagine the scenes of past ages playing out with me as a bystander, as though watching a movie or viewing a prior life. Certain music does that to me also, for instance when I listen to Loreena McKennitt scenes and emotions from a different place and time play out. So it is that when I take photos like this they are not so much about the furniture but the images they evoke in my mind and the portals they open to other worlds and other times. But then a hotel guest walks by in flip flops and I'm brought back into this world.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

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Another Century

Despite the old world look, this picture was taken this summer while in Banff. This is the front of the Banff Springs Hotel and is usually crowded with cars, buses and people coming and going. However, if you’re eager enough to get up at the break of dawn you just might glimpse a view that’s perhaps more reminiscent of the old glory days. Not much of the Banff Springs architecture has changed in a hundred years and walking inside or around this structure you appreciate the old world grandeur normally reserved for faraway places and long passed eras. In any case, I was just glad to get this shot before the first tour bus pulled up about five minutes later.

Despite the old world look, this picture was taken this summer while in Banff. This is the front of the Banff Springs Hotel and is usually crowded with cars, buses and people coming and going. However, if you're eager enough to get up at the break of dawn you just might glimpse a view that's perhaps more reminiscent of the old glory days. Not much of the Banff Springs architecture has changed in a hundred years and walking inside or around this structure you appreciate the old world grandeur normally reserved for faraway places and long passed eras. In any case, I was just glad to get this shot before the first tour bus pulled up about five minutes later.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

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Cascade Pond

I hired a taxi to take me to a few places around Banff so I could snap some pictures before heading to the airport. My sense of direction was off so I ended up here facing away from the sun. Just as I was about to ask the cab to leave I noticed the full moon rising above the trees. I told him to wait until the moon got into the right position and he was more than happy to oblige and, keep the meter running. Just as the moon rose above the trees, clouds obscured it. I figured I was already this deep so I might as well let the meter run. And it ran. And ran. …FINALLY after another ten minutes the moon emerged from behind the clouds and I took this picture. I got back into the cab and headed back to the hotel and, arrived about fifty dollars lighter. Money well spent.

I hired a taxi to take me to a few places around Banff so I could snap some pictures before heading to the airport. My sense of direction was off so I ended up here facing away from the sun. Just as I was about to ask the cab to leave I noticed the full moon rising above the trees. I told him to wait until the moon got into the right position and he was more than happy to oblige and, keep the meter running. Just as the moon rose above the trees, clouds obscured it. I figured I was already this deep so I might as well let the meter run. And it ran. And ran. ...FINALLY after another ten minutes the moon emerged from behind the clouds and I took this picture. I got back into the cab and headed back to the hotel and, arrived about fifty dollars lighter. Money well spent.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.