Parc national des Monts-Valin

I posted this photo last February as part of a series taken when Paulette and I went snowshoeing in this Quebec park just east of Lac St. Jean. I also submitted it to a Photo News contest called Snow Days. It's been viewed by many people but most exciting was a comment from Michel Roy, "wow, super". I consider this high praise coming from an extremely talented professional photographer.

Check out Michel Roy's flickr site. Stunning images!

Nénuphars de Glace (Ice Water Lilies)

A week ago Paulette, Michelle and I snowshoed from the Centre Le Refuge-St-Adolphe-Stoneham down along the Rivière des Hurons. In the picture below you can see a waterfall (les trois chutes) cascading into a open pool of water in the foreground. Pretty, yes?

A week later (December 27) we returned with Fiona and Pete, family friends and snowshoe neophytes, to see the same waterfall, this time with the most amazing ice water lilies bobbing/undulating at its foot. What caused them to form? Why are they circular? Why the different sizes? Happily I don't need answers to appreciate their beauty.

Check out Morten Prom's flickr page to see Oslo Fjord ice lilies.

Canon 7D, 15-85 mm lens at 15 mm, 1/160 sec, f/8, ISO 320

Snow Day Challenge - PHOTONews

I've been going through my collection of winter photos (the number of winter photos I have testifies to the length of this season and the amount of time I spend outdoors) and submitting the best to a PHOTO News "Snow Day Challenge". They're looking for "subjects that represents friends or family enjoying winter activities - or any image that you feel is really "cool" in every sense of the word!"

Follow Snow Day Challenge link to see who's posting what at PHOTO News or go to my flickr page the see my Snow Day choices.

Happy Holidays.

More photos to come in 2011.

Andrew

Four-Bridge Walk

When we only have an hour and no time to drive to the many trails around Quebec City our default walk is along the Rivière Cap-Rouge. Even late in the afternoon near sunset (4 pm currently and still getting earlier), we complete our 5 km, Four-Bridge Walk in just under an hour. If I'm stopping to take pictures we need a little more clothing and a little more time.

In the photo above Paulette is pointing the way across snow-laden Bridge #2. I'm shooting with a 70-200 mm lens at f/4 and ISO 800 so digital noise is a problem when you look at the image full size. The same is true for the reindeer-on-rooftop near Bridge #4 taken ten minutes after sunset.

Christmas light are a welcome sight in December, dispelling the gloom of shortened days.

First Snow

Paulette and I have been walking in snow for the last two weeks at higher elevations in Charlevoix and Mont Mégantic; however, today we woke up to a delicate layer of snow in our backyard. With warm weather predicted later this week it is unlikely to stay. But we are happy to see a brightness in the landscape that dispels the November gloom. Snowshoeing here we come!

These pictures were taken last year during a walk in Station touristique Duchesnay on November 30, the first snow day of 2009.

Out Like a Lion

Got up this morning to 10cm of fresh falling snow. Instead of suiting up and heading out, I took a series of pictures through the windows and open patio door (the lazy photographer's method). I especially liked this shot of our special white pine tree.

The sky was overcast and the light pretty flat so I gently "Photoshopped" the brightness, increased contrast and lightened the middle tones to achieve this result. Hope you like it too.

Pentax K10D, focal length 230mm, f/11, 1/30s, ISO 200

Our Rivière Cap-Rouge

Early morning winds and blowing snow prevented us from driving out of town for a snowshoe near Lac Beauport. Instead, I headed down to the Cap-Rouge River that runs just below our house. Since I was alone I took the time to set up my tripod and compose a series of shots highlighting the trees loaded with sticky snow. I love this natural view of the river combined with urban elements of bridge and rustic split-rail fence.
I used a hot shoe bubble level (Manfrotto #337) to guarantee a straight horizon. Pentax K10D, focal length 45 mm, f/13, 1/20 sec, ISO 100

Parc national des MONTS-VALIN

Last week Paulette and I explored this out-of-the-way Quebec park with a small group of snowshoeing friends. Clement temperatures, mostly calm winds and changeable light made for a special visit and captivating photo opportunities. Parc des Monts-Valin is known for its snow encrusted "phantom" trees. The overcast sky and snow-bound trees blend together creating a peaceful, monochromatic scene. Pentax K10D, 27 mm zoom setting, f13, 1/250 sec, ISO 200, WB set at 'cloudy'.

Up out of a warm sleeping bag at 6 am. At 6:25 am, snowshoes on and climbing 1 km towards Pic Dubuc (980m). Camera on tripod by 7 am. This atmospheric, warm-cool composition reminds me of Bryce Canyon in Utah, where sedimentary stone hoodoos substitute for snow sculpted trees. A fairyland!
Pentax K10D, 27 mm zoom setting, f11, 1/6 sec, ISO 100, shot in RAW with WB later adjusted to 7500K.

Check out des Monts-Valin for more.

Snow Falling On .....

Winter Thursdays we snowshoe with a group of friends called the TamaLOUPs. This day out the temperatures were mild, the winds calm. Large, gently-falling snowflakes coated stationary trees and mobile walkers alike. This delicate fairyland was blown away the next morning as a cold front dropped temperatures and accelerated wind speeds.

You can see other snowny pictures on Picasaweb, public album, Le Montagnard

Mont Grand-Fonds

It snowed the whole two days we spent in Charlevoix; 35 cm according to MétéoMédia. Paulette, Michelle and I snowshoed at the ski centre Mont Grand-Fonds 14 km north of La Malbaie. The snow was deep underfoot, clinging thickly to the spruce trees and veiling the hills in the background. A magical fairyland. One of the wonders of winter in Quebec!