Local photography

November birds in Flight

It was brought to my attention today that this photo is in my site banner but not in a post!   How easy it is to forget things so obvious.

This photo comes with a story.

As artists we sometimes have our dry spells where we don't feel inspired to produce anything.  This spell of mine lasted a year or so.... until.... one day in November 2015 I was pulled over to the side of the road in a rural area between Kitchener and Guelph.  I was swamped with appointment requests and other emails - and I needed a break.   As I sat in my car I noticed that every time a car drove by this group of birds (starlings?) would all take flight and then re-settle.   I always have my camera by my side so it was easy to snap this one!  I am thrilled how sharp the detail came out on the birds as they are flying.  Some of them look rather comical to me -like little pocket sized rockets.  They all have a different flying position which makes this a fun photo to peruse.  I also like the fact that the background is very natural and somewhat disorderly.  Quite often we like to produce "clean" images but this one is exactly how I saw it.

I'm happy to say after this day my dry spell had broken and I haven't had one since then)))

So much fun to share this story.

 

This photo is also displayed (plaque -mounted)at the Uptown Gallery in the Waterloo Town Square!   

One last note, this and most other photos can be cropped to a panoramic size photograph if that is the look you want in decorating your home.  Typically all my photos are cropped to one extent or another.

Art Exhibition of Photography, Mixed Media, Glass and Jewelry - Uptown Gallery Waterloo

I am happy to announce that I am now a member of the Uptown Waterloo Gallery- with the Chesley House Label!  

The gallery is easy to visit- located in the indoor mall, Uptown Waterloo.

I am thrilled to be a featured artist at this event!

February Snow

I had the opportunity to travel twice to the Fergus/Elora area last week.  Taking the side roads I found this:

See how the snow flies off the roof!  Also note the broken barn door - you can see right through the barn to the field behind.   Very snowy day.

Shapes in nature- Ice Circles on Jedburgh Pond, Ayr

I stopped by one of my favourite spots for photos yesterday- Jedburgh Pond in Ayr, Ontario.

The ducks were excited to see me and the pond was lovely with it's mix of snow and ice and peacefulness.  

As I was heading out,  I noticed that the ice had melted near one shore and formed circles.

I always feel good inside when I find something like this.   

Throwback Friday... a photo from my files

Hello my dear viewer!

I want to share with you one of my favourite photos from my files.

This is from a Mennonite area of Waterloo region, just south of highway 86 if my memory is correct.   I was driving back from a real estate shoot and noticed this scene.   It was in September (2017) and the some of the fields had this lovely chocolate brown crop (dried I suppose).  Interspersed was this fluffy white flower.   It really caught my eye!

I edited the photo with even more brown tones to bring out what I saw.

This would be a great piece of wall art for your dining room or hallway.   This could be printed on paper, wood or metal.  A spotlight on the photo would also bring out the white flowers.

Enjoy!

~Susan

 

 

 

Wellesley, Ontario

Hello again! Here is an image which I took earlier this month – and forgot about posting it.

This was taken in an area of Wellesley, Ontario which was just off the highway, adjoining the river.   I’m sure I and many other people have driven past it before without noticing.   I mean basically this is a "swamp" or flood plain - what have you.  Roadside empty land.   For some reason I felt compelled to get out of my car and do photos that day.  I saw something in it.   The line of trees, the water, the stormy sky.   When the sun came out - CLICK - I nailed it.

 

Just for fun, I created a view of what it would look like in a home, hung over the fireplace:

I also converted the image to black and white....  lots of fun.  Not sure which I prefer?

I have to say the great thing about looking at winter photos is we can stay snug and warm while we view them ))))) 

Have a wonderful day

~ Susan

Great weekend for photography - area south of Baden, Ontario

Last weekend I had a lot of fun shooting landscapes.   I took two trips, one south of Brantford, Ontario and the other south of Baden, Ontario.

I typically do a lot of black and white photography but during these two trips I ended up with mostly colour photos.   I like to surprise myself.

This one (below) is one of my favourites. I actually thought I had finished shooting for the day when this "popped" into my view.   

Here is a farm that I have passed by on many occasions - just outside Ayr, Ontario.  The clouds were nice so I took a photo- again.

Here is another colourful one.  (see below)  The barn is blue, and at that time the sky had turned pink.  Interesting combination of colours.  The sky was rapidly changing second by second as the sun was going down.

By the way, no crazy photoshop tricks going on here, this is the real deal!   I actually shy away from heavy "photo-shopping" - the closer to the truth the better in my opinion.    There are exceptions to this, but I will explain when that kind of photo comes up.   

Next -  can you tell I love barns?  They remind me of my home (one of my childhood homes) in Farmington, Maine.  Barns give me a visual sense of comfort.  I picture myself running around with my sister and a bunch of cats, playing games.  Or sitting on the grass and drawing, taking photos, or daydreaming.   The weathered look is so appealing.   This barn is outside of New Dundee, Ontario.  I only "discovered" it the other day.   I love the fence line.   I think this image is a bit "crowded" but it is what it is.  

Next image - I have quite a few!!!    This one was on the drive back from Brantford, Ontario to Waterloo, Ontario.  Old tobacco houses... soon to be a thing of the past.  I loved how they stood in a row.  Reminded me of those scenes from coastal England where you see beach house after beach house all in a row.   Next time I see this I am going to try something with a zoom lens.  I think a layer of snow might also make it even nicer. 

This photo (below) and the two above were shot using the "dramatic tone" filter on my Olympus camera.   I sometimes shy away from filters but this one really brings out the mood of the late fall season - cloudy, dark, cold, sunny, snow-in-the-air kind of feeling mood.   This farm outside of Baden, Ontario

And here is yet another field photo... great lines and dramatic look.

Last but not least - THIS.   I won't say a lot about it except that I am thrilled to have taken this.  I love the way the light falls between the trees on the left.  The sun was coming right at my camera.  It wasn't easy getting this one.   I think I took twenty shots and this is the one with the least splotches.

Have you noticed that most of my photos all have that rectangular size to them?  It is my favourite shape for photos.  It is also a familiar format as I shoot real estate panoramic views when I am not doing landscapes.  

All images are for sale!   If you see something you need to have, let me know and we can work out the right size, frame and shipping.   

~Susan

More Fall colours and a touch of creativity

I recently wrote about doing fall foliage photos.   Here is something else I'd like to share from the same day I was out.

I saw this fence in a rural area.   The crazy, almost playful lines of the derelict fence just called my name :-) 

When I got home I pulled it up on the computer screen.  I liked it but then I added some darkening, color alteration and sharpening.  Here is the before and after:

Waterloo county fall landscape photo by Susan Arness

then this:

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

then this:  (the one I did creative alterations in photoshop)

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

I would be curious to know what others think of the alteration!

Happy Fall 

 

The making of another creative image

Hello, its me again!   I want to show you the background work behind one of my favourite photos.   This one was taken in early November when the colours were still fairly vibrant.   Funny thing is I ended up converting this picture to black and white.  Here is the final image:

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

I was having a very creative-feeling-kind-of-day.   I hadn't had that feeling for several months so it was very exciting.   

I drove past this field and was drawn to a stand of trees.    It wasn't especially interesting but I saw something in it that I couldn't describe at the moment.

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

I continued shooting that day... and got many wonderful images before I had to return home.

Once home I put it up on the screen.   I mused over it.. and for fun put it in black and white.

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

This looked very appealing to me. I stretched the perspective, then added some "painterly" effects.    Here it is one more time:

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

I then printed it on some delicate parchment paper - I would show it here but the photo on parchment is now hung in a gallery!!   I hope you enjoyed seeing the creative process.   - Susan

The Making of a Photo - Winter Tree

Many people think photography is an easy form of art but it does take a lot of planning and knowledge of composition and light.

I have driven past this tree many times on the road to Maryhill, Ontario.

It looks different every time!

I am attaching some different angles, taken from different times of year.

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

 

Although it looks pretty with colours, it is also a bit cluttered with detail.

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

Here we see a different angle.... similar to the above but the composition is different.

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

the black and white look ! but also cluttered and not composed correctly.

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

and the winter look... but the trees are too far back in the image

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

Lastly we have the final and favourite version.  I Love the mist, the snow, the leading lines that the snow makes... the composition is good as the trees fill the frame.  the mist creates an emotional feel.  the grasses below the tree are less noticeable (which allows the trees to stand out).

this was one of my earliest "art photos" - just something I did between work appointments :-)

susan

The Creative Day that wasn't planned!

Waterloo county landscape photo by Susan Arness

a post from late november 2015....

Susan here. I had a wonderful day with my camera!

The interesting thing is I didn't set out to take photos but ended up doing so.

I wanted to go to St Jacobs to look around the shops.. and ended up taking the back roads.

This is my favourite photo from today. Its on a Mennonite fruit farm.. you can see the graceful lines of the orchard leading up to the tree on the right. The field has some leftover crops, and there is part of a tractor in the background which I didn't see until I pulled my photo up on the screen at home!

When I look for good images, I seek out interesting lines, patterns, colours and subjects.

Enjoy! 

Image available for purchase via FineArtAmerica!  see link below

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-martin-fruit-farm-chesley-house.html