This Blog Has Moved!

The blog has moved and is now incorporated right into my new website! Find it here:

http://www.illuminaphotographics.com/blog/

Thank for reading....onwards and upwards!

New Raincity Images!

Two new images for the "Raincity" series!

"east van" (l) and "science world" (r)

Our relentlessly moody Vancouver winter skies and some fog (I love fog!) provided plenty of atmosphere for these images, which I photographed early this January 2016. It had been on my mind to photograph these two prominent Vancouver landmarks for some time, but had been uncertain of the approach to take. When the fog and the crows showed up, I had my answer.

These two images are available now as prints and will be available as photo coasters in March.

Starling Flight Amid the Electrical Towers

Just finished up this image today which I'm adding to my growing collection of "Graphic Birds", which are basically silhouettes of our feathered friends out and about in the world. This series started out as pretty much all Crows, a personal favourite, and it's now grown to include one young Bald Eagle and the humble European Starling. These humble little birds can often be seen in massive  groups in over the farmland near Boundary Bay, south of Vancouver, BC.

This particular flock was photographed in the Spring on one of my many jaunts around Serpentine Fen, an important wildlife and waterfowl protected area in South Surrey. The paths take you right under these massive powerlines and their huge supporting towers, with the hum and crackle of the electrical current buzzing in the air. Here you are sure to see not only the many Starlings but Bald Eagles perched atop these structures too.

This image is currently available as art tiles, 8x8 wall panels and archival prints. Find it and me at the Granville Island Public Market through the Christmas season!

"Starling Flight" Serpentine Fen, British Columbia, Canada

Prettier in Pink - Antique Peonies!

Adding four more to the "Antique Florals" I started with the Lily of the Valley images in my last post. One of my very favourites of late Spring - Peonies! These ones in particular were from some very old plants that still made the effort to bloom every year despite complete lack of attention from me.

I'm always amazed by their masses upon masses of multi-layered petals with their luscious scent being the cherry on top!

Pink and burgundy antique Peonies

Scents of Spring! Lily of the Valley Set

Well Spring has since passed and we're well into the summer heat, yet is there ever a time to not want to gaze upon the subtle beauty of the humble Lily Of The Valley flower? A most welcome memory of those first days of Spring, when all promises to be new again.

Lily of the Valley set

 

 

I've had these and several other Spring flower shoots languishing on my hard drive for a couple of years now. Yes, sometimes it takes a good long while to complete images. This small series I finished up today.

Perhaps I wasn't quite ready to do them justice when I photographed them, or maybe only now is their time.

These will be available as prints on paper at Markets and eventually online too. Other media, such as marble tiles and wood panels are still under experimentation...so we'll see!

Raincity Number Five - The Lions Gate Bridge

Continuing on with the Raincity Series, a view of the Lions Gate Bridge (no, there's no apostrophe in this particular "Lions") which I photographed this earlier this month from along the seawall around Stanley Park on a surprisingly dreary day in the middle a very hot and sunny week. Typical Vancouver!

Lions Gate Bridge, Vancouver, BC, Canada - Raincity Series

The Lions Gate Bridge was built in 1937-38 and is one of Vancouver's most famous landmarks. It connects downtown with the cities of North and West Vancouver and beyond. The waters below the bridge form a deep but narrow channel, with very strong currents, so most of the big ships that pass underneath are carefully guided through by the many sturdy little (and not so little) tugboats we see cruising around the area. The mist covered North Shore Mountains formed a nice backdrop to the Bridge's graceful lines on this day.

Prints will be available at the Granville Island Public Market in 8x10 and 11x14 sizes. Larger sizes can by had by request! Find me at the Market this week from Wednesday June 24th through Sunday June 29th.

Captain Vancouver joins the Raincity Series

A new and fourth image for the "Raincity Series"!

Captain George Vancouver, City Hall, Vancouver, BC, Canada

In keeping with the "moodiness" of this series, there's some dramatic clouds overhead in this image but that sun is still trying so hard to peek through, giving Captain Vancouver a bit of a backlit glow.

Captain George Vancouver plied the waters of the North American Coast in the late 1700's and named many of the landforms we are so familiar with along our rocky shores. Interestingly, neither he nor the Spanish explorers of the day charted, or even noticed, the mighty Fraser River which is such a large and important waterway in the area.

Vancouver's namesake was instrumental in opening up the western coastline to European settlement. For good or for bad he was an important person in British Columbia's history.