Exposure : Ron's Ramblings: Prairie Light

Wood Mountain Grain Elevator - Click for larger

I felt a bit emotional. This is probably the last time I will see the grain elevator in Wood Mountain Saskatchewan. When I last photographed here it was 1998 and it was my first trip west. Back then I was using a big clunky Pentax 6X7 camera and shooting Fuji Velvia 50 film. I couldn’t see the images so didn’t know what I had until I got home and had the film developed. Looking at those images now I wish I had tried a few different angles and compositions. This time shooting digital I could see the results immediately and make adjustments. The light was wonderful. The sheep that were grazing around the elevator's base moved onto the unused train tracks behind me and stared, curious at just what I was doing. My viewpoint this time was very different. But it is sad to see how run down this grain elevator has become. It won’t last much longer. I try to stop and document as many of these old “prairie lighthouses” as I can.

We have been hugging the US border on our road trip. The Prairies have wonderful light and are alive with animals and birds. The landscape in the south is hilly and varied. I have always loved it here. You can stop the car and shoot for as long as you want. There is so little traffic. If someone does come along, they slow down and ask if you are okay.

Old Trucks in Saskatchewan - Click for larger

We camped in Grasslands National Park. It was hot and windy and we had some strong thunderstorms. There is often great light during and after a storm. This was no exception! Camping in the park meant we could just sit and wait for the rain to stop and the light show to begin. Simply wonderful!