Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Maple, Oak Leaves, Swans Lake Ontario - Playing With New Camera on a Gorgeous Fall Day!

Yesterday I walked along the Lake Ontario shoreline and the Waterfront Trail as it passes through Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens in Port Credit, and playing with my new camera, I tried out different shots of the lake, the birds, and the shadows and reflections cast by the swans. Here's the better of the pictures, including one lone oak leaf.

Today, the sun finally came out just after noon, and turned the yellow maple leaves golden, and the sky brilliant blue. Click on a picture to enlarge, then click the Back button to return to this page.

Golden Leaves On Tecumseh Creek
This is the view looking north from the bridge over Tecumseh Creek on the Waterfront Trail in Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens. Lake Ontario is directly behind you from this viewpoint.


Yellow Leaves Maple Tree
Again, along Tecumseh Creek and the Waterfront Trail, but close to Lakeshore Road and Shawmarr Road. The sun came out and the brilliant colors commanded attention.


Close Up Maple Tree Canopy
I lay on my back in the middle of the Waterfront Trail beneath this maple tree, and hoped no cyclist would run me over. Loved how blue the sky looked!


Single Yellow Maple Leaf Chain Link Fence
I loved this lone leaf wedged into the chain link fence that keeps Waterfront Trail walkers and cyclists from falling into Tecumseh Creek.


Rusty Red Oak Leaf on Wrought Iron Fence
A day earlier, with no sun, this red oak leaf was caught in a spider's web near the Godfrey's Lane entrance to the Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens (Gosh that's a lot to type! Let's call it the BRG!)

Lake Ontario Mid-Morning Light
Also at the BRG, but on the day before, the light was so unusual that gardens visitors were stopping and sitting on the benches near here, and just looking at Lake Ontario and all the birds - mallards, gulls, swans -- and how the sky reflected in nearly calm waters. From here, you're looking south towards St Catharine's.


Mute Swan Lake Ontario Port Credit
You can tell this is a Mute Swan by its orange beak. The Trumpeter Swans have a black beak, curved neck, and are banded.


Mute Swan - Reflections Lake Ontario
With the play of light and shadow, I tried several shots variously with gulls, mallards and swans, on the water or perched on exposed rocks. With the back lighting, and no real color -- all grays and gray blues -- it was fun to play with. This picture and the one above are my favourites.


Lake Ontario Low Water Levels Port Credit
Green strip between the lake and the beach is from algae that marks usual water line on Lake Ontario. Winds from the south bring the waves higher. The lake waters were so still this day, you can see how the water level has dropped.

8 comments:

Meanderer said...

Your loving your new camera and we are loving the results. I'm virtually convinced that I want to get the same camera when I move.
Isn't it a great feeling to be out somewhere capturing scenes just so you can share them with others.
I'm going to email you directly with questions but one I should ask publicly. These images are a mere 100kb file size. What do "you" use to reduce them? Also, do you notice much difference "on screen" between the reduced and originals? I know that monitors are only capable of 96dpi resolution even if an image is a lot higher.

Karen said...

Hi Rick!

Thanks so much!

I use a Mac as you'll recall, and I download pics from camera to iPhoto even if I do movies as that way I get a jpg to use if I need to.

Then for digital pics I drag from iPhoto into an app called Imagewell for Macs to shrink from 2000 px to 1000 px then make sure under 100kb per image so fast loading into blogger.

For my site I shrink to 400 px wide that works best with my templates.

For web apps pics only need to be 45K to 75 K - look fine onscreen, but not so good to print.

I used Imagewell on my site as well - see the Chile pages for little thumbnails with captions.

Now my friend Sheila (RVing Blog) uses PC with Picasa to shrink pics, and I may give that a try when I am on the road.

Or I may just get a second memory card. One I now have holds about 1000 images w/o videos.

Meanderer said...

Thanks Kaz. I knew you were core apple! :) I'm PC but use only "free software and Operating system" now. Linux Ubuntu O/S and Gimp2 which is FREE equiv to Adobe Photoshop. I nearly downloaded Picasa3 last night to have a look.
My question was mainly for the benefit of other readers and bloggers.

Meanderer said...

I have downloaded a few of your images to a file. Every now and then I open one, right click on it and choose to make it my desktop. Can use the file to create a screensaver too but personally I use blank screen as screen saver.
With our Spring here in Aus we are having record breaking runs of high temps. Here at Crookwell it has and will remain 33 deg all week. Adelaide has had 8 days or so of over 35 deg. Never in recorded history. :( So my desktop has been set to a beautiful image of Apple Trees and road deep with snow in Meaford ON. :)

Karen said...

Hi Rick,

Ditto about comments being long - know you know my core apple-ness :-)

Thought picasa online app - if not then meed to find an online one to do from internet cafes.

Or just get another memory card.

Karen said...

And thanks for being honest about using my copyright photos :-)

As long as it's only for personal use, I am flattered.

If you sell them for big bucks, I'll want a cut :-)

Hope the heat abates soon - don't need that coming into summer fire season.

Jo-Anne said...

Karen ... great photos. I especially love your first photo - so peaceful and relaxing. :)

Karen said...

Thanks, Jo-Anne!

This is one of my fave spots in the Gardens - view from the bridge, changes constantly.

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