McDougall Church, Cochrane Alberta

McDougall Church, Cochrane Alberta

Almost every photographer I know has a picture of this tiny Methodist church that sits just west of Cochrane Alberta, just off highway 1A on your way to Banff.  If you are driving to Banff National Park and want to visit the historic site you have to take highway 1A, the slow and scenic route, it is our favourite way to travel.

The day we visited the storm clouds were looming above, gathering for what later turned out to be quite the snow storm, there was just enough light breaking through the clouds and along the horizon for a dramatic images. Light was reflecting off the snow around the church giving it enough light to show detail in the siding, and the wind howling across the prairies.  Not a great day for walking, but a great day for pictures.

Blogging has been rather hit and miss lately, but I am trying to get back to blogging regularly, wish me luck!

Vierge d’Orisson, and a view of the French Pyrenees Mountains

Vierge d’Orisson_French Pyrenees

More photos from the camino, we arrived at the foot of this small statue, the Vierge d’Orrison, shortly after leaving Orisson, as the sun was just starting to lighten the sky.  It was an amazing sight, as the clouds and fog filled the valleys.  I could find very little information on its history, however it is said that the statue was brought from Lourdes and placed on this high rock by the sheep herders, and to this day they pray to be watched over and for good weather.  Today the pilgrims on their camino stop, many take a few moments in silent prayer, many just take a picture and move on. I climbed the high rock to stand by the statue for this image.

The day was off to a beautiful day and we wondered how any other day would be able to compare. But each day we were up early and most days on the road just before sunrise. I have since come to realize that the beginning of each day is a quiet and beautiful time, that it is possible I have been missing the best part of the day, and I need to get out of the house to witness more sunrises!

more from our journey and first day photos: Hola

Related articles

• Remembering our Camino, our journey to Santiago de Compostella (jmeyersforeman.wordpress.com)
• Camino Santiago, We have arrived at the French Spanish border (jmeyersforeman.wordpress.com)

Remembering our Camino, our journey to Santiago de Compostella

Pyrenees Pony, Orisson France, Camino de Santiago

We are home now, after 7 weeks on the road and it is time to sort, keyword, and process the many photos taken during our time on the camino route from Saint Jean Pied de Port France to Santiago de Compostella Spain.  As we left Orisson the sun was just coming up, and as we walked towards Roncesvalles one of our fellow travellers that day commented that at the rate I was going I would never make it. Stopping as often as I did for one more picture, I was not making great time on the road.  Here the beautiful pony was standing watching the pilgrims pass by.

During October 2012 17,790 pilgrims were received in the Pilgrim’s office in Santiago Spain. Bill and I were among the 20.26% who travelled from St. Jean Pied de Port France, and two of the 631 Canadians to completed the camino. The Pilgrim’s office provides up to date statistics and you might find it interesting to see the who is travelling the camino.

I it is going to be both challenging and interesting to go back through the many photos and notes taken during our walk and hopefully build a complete portfolio. For this images I processed in Nik Silver Effects Pro 2, then reducing the opacity of the layer by 15% I was able to bring in just a hint of the colour that was in the original images. I think it adds a bit of depth, let me know what you think.

Big Skies of Alberta, Big Clouds

Big Clouds in the Big Sky of Southern Alberta

Not too long ago I was out in the Linden area working, standing on the roof of a two-story house when I looked up and out across the prairies, what a beautiful day.

As much as I love to travel and see new places, I never tire of this view of the prairies. The big white puffy clouds going on seemingly forever. The rows of trees separating the varies fields and pasture land. It is September now, the mornings are colder, the farmers have started to harvest the crops, the days are getting shorter, and the light is changing.

This view is different today that it was just a month ago, and a month from now will look different yet again, maybe that is why I never tire of the view. I hope your view is one that inspires you.

Related articles

• More Alberta Sky Shots – Summer 2012 – Aldersyde, Canada (travelpod.com)
• Inspiration Installment: Cloudy Skies – Paris, Lille, New York City, St. Maarten (crampmystyle.wordpress.com)

Four Jacks Casino, Jackpot Nevada, Photoblog word challenge

the Photoblog Creative Photo Challenge this week is “words”  The photo must to contain at least one word for the challenge, so I went digging through the archives and found this from my trip to Yuma a couple of years ago.  I noticed the dark foreboding sky and took it as a sign of my luck at the card table.  Really I am not much of a gambler, I usually go and watch others loose their money.

You can see other creative “word” photos at the Photoblog Challenge website.

After the Storm, Prairie Rainbows

   after the storm, prairie rainbow

Happy Friday to everyone, I hope the weekendis a good one

Misty Moon overy Calgary

Friday night I as late leaving work when I noticed the moon in the sky, knowing how fast the clouds can change, or even disappear I could hardly get home fast enough.  While I usually carry a camera with me, I didn’t have a big enough lens to do this justice.  I not only needed my 70 – 200, I needed my teleconverter, and my tripod for this photo.

So there I was dressed in my word clothes, not dressed for the winter weather; no gloves, no hat, flats instead of boots, standing in the middle of my neighbor’s front yard, mumbling to myself, I am sure I was quite the sight, but given the temperatures I wasn’t out there long! I don’t think the neighbors even noticed.  I had no time to waste.  It wasn’t until after I downloaded the images that I noticed the lens fare, lets face it, it was cold out there my fingers were getting numb and I wasn’t spending a lot of time examining the screen on the back of my camera, but I like the lens flare and I’m kinda glad it showed up!

enter in UE’s weekend Challenge for nature, check out the other photographers great work.

high winds and blowing snow ahead!

Travelling the highways of Alberta in the wintertime is a wonder, over the course of a few miles, or for that matter just over the hill the weather can change. On friday when I was driving down highway#21 there was a wind warning, and occassionally, blowing snow drifted across the highway.   The best side of of being out of the city is cloud watching, or in this case storm watching! For miles and miles you can see the weather changing and as the day and miles go by I am reminded I shouldn’t wait so long to go for another drive.

more alberta landscape photos. 

Alberta Highway #36, Veteran’s Highway

Yesterday I headed out to Hanna Alberta, about 2 1/2 hours east of Calgary.  Highway #36, called Veteran’s  Memorial Highway.  In 2005 the highway was renamed to honour the province’s military history, and for the contributions Alberta’s veterans have made.  Yesterday was a great day for a drive, and watching the clouds and the weather change during the miles and the day!

Blue Sky

The chinook winds were blowing around Calgary the last day or two, and that means the skies were dark and grey, unless you looked west to see the chinook arch. The weather report is for snow, so another day or so without blue skies and whispy clouds over Calgary….