Exposure : Ron's Ramblings: July 2011

The Road to Bonavista

Cape Bonavista Lighthouse - Click for larger

The road to Bonavista is paved with good intentions. I set goals before every trip. This year I really wanted a good shot of the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse and a puffin in flight. Well one out of two ain’t bad. I shot over 600 frames of Puffins. They are like fat flying torpedoes. Even with the 1D Mark IV at 10 frames per second, getting one of these little guys sharp in the frame is tough.

Atlantic Puffin - Click for larger

I have a couple of images that are ok but since we will be here two more days I will keep trying for that perfect shot.

Elliston is the root cellar capital of the world. Who knew?

Root Cellar - Click for larger

It also has one of the best and most accessible puffin nesting sites that we have found.

Elliston Puffin Site - Click for larger

Atlantic Puffin Colony - Click for larger

We woke up to the sound of rain again this morning. It’s just one of those years here in the east: cold, damp and dark. The landscape in this area is wonderful. So when we had a bit of light last night we worked until it was gone.

Elliston Shoreline - Click for larger

Labels: Cape Bonavista, Elliston, newfoundland and labrador, Puffins, roads, root cellar

Don't Be Shy

Lori photographing icebergs - Click for larger

You just have to say it upfront. Say what you want. Be clear, especially when you are dealing with a strong northern peninsula Newfoundland accent. We met a man in Ships Cove while we were sitting up high on a hill looking at icebergs. We hinted, we even told him that we didn’t have a boat but that we would sure love to go out and circle the big chunks of ice. We talked awhile. Then he wandered off. We talked to another man as we walked to the van. That man said, “He has a boat you know. He was just waiting for you to ask him to take you out”.
“Hmmm”, I said, “I even mentioned we wanted to go out. Maybe we didn’t understand his response.”
“Yes, he is hard to understand.” the second man said. He told us where he lived but by the time we got there the man with the boat was gone. The next morning we didn’t have great light but when a fisherman said to Lori, “Do you want to go out?” She pounced on him. Well not really but she made it obvious we were interested. I came back to the van and we settled on a price. We followed him to a dock and we were off. You really get a different sense of an iceberg from the water.

Icebergs - Click for larger

And speaking of not being shy, this fox walked over the hill on the path we were hiking the day before. He walked right past us and lay down in the sun.

Red Fox - Click for larger

I was able to approach quite close.

Red Fox - Click for larger

We have had very little light this trip so far. I shoot as much as I can but I’m getting a little tired of rain. I photographed this iceberg from shore on one of the few sunny days.

Iceberg - Click for larger

We are now heading further east. I hope the skies clear up a bit…

Labels: foxes, icebergs, Lori Erwin, newfoundland and labrador, St. Lunaire-Griquet

Looking

Scarecrow - Click for larger

It has taken me awhile to get into photography this trip. I haven’t really had much of a break since the winter holiday season. I guess too much work has taken its toll on my creativity. We are in the eastern part of Canada this year. I barely picked up the camera until we hit Newfoundland. Best not to push it. The images will look forced. Just have to keep looking and wait for it. I did get a few images along the way.

The Tablelands, NL - Click for larger

Fishing Boats - Click for larger

Point Riche Lighthouse - Click for larger

Just got to L’Anse aux Meadows and the icebergs started to roll in. Trouble is, so did the rain and fog. We did get a bit of light here the first evening and shot till it was gone.