Stand of Aspen on an Elk Filled Fall Evening

This photo was taken in Cooking Lake Provincial Rec Area. Actually the name is “Cooking Lake – Blackfoot Grazing, Wildlife Provincial Recreation Area”, but that’s a ridiculously long name, and I don’t intend on typing it out every time I mention it. Anyway, this is the area just south of Elk Island National Park. It’s almost exactly the same, except it has a few fields and no bison. And you don’t have to pay to get in. All in all, a great area to go hiking.

This was an overcast day, and a little misty. There were water droplets on the grass and a bit of a breeze rustling the leaves too. It was in this muffled darkening atmosphere that I first noticed the elk. The bull was watching me, with his herd off to the side, behind a copse of apsen.


I crouched down and watched them for a while. A calf was still nursing, and many of the elk were grazing, but the bull kept watching me. As the light faded along with my vision, the herd moved off into the trees. That first photo was taken in the trees where the elk disappeared into, after it had become quite dark.

Trip Turbulence

Thunderstorm in southern Saskatchewan. This is one reason I love the prairies.

Anna and I just got back from Manitoba where we were visiting family. Family trips are not exactly conducive to photography, especially when they are rushed, but I managed to take a few photos. I’m almost looking forward to winter, when everything can slow down a bit, and I get a chance to go through my photos.

Edmonton Folk Fest

I’m looking forward to seeing whoever can make it out to Folk Fest this year. Last year we had a great time, met some wonderful people, and heard some amazing musicians. This year we’re adding the pendants (see one at our Artfire store) to our booth! Anna and I just finished making another batch, so we’ll have a few, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we sell out. If you’re looking to buy one, come early! As always, we’ll have lots of prints and cards as well. We’ll be in the crafter’s tent between August 5th and 7th. We also have someone helping with the booth this year (hi Leah!), so we can have lunch breaks and maybe even catch a show or two.

Until then, I’m driving out to BC to go camping with a good friend, so this will be my last blog post for at least a week. But I promise to come back with lots of photos to share.

Here’s a photo to tide you over — a small creek near Camrose, which flows into the Battle River.

Rare Fog in the Prairies

This photo was taken late in the evening on our way back from Grasslands National Park a while back. The thick fog softened everything and let the windbreak fade away into nothing. This look reminds me a bit some lomo or holga photos I’ve seen, but I really like that you can see a lot of the detail here, while still retaining that soft dreamy feeling. Although I suppose a big orange light leak would change the photo quite a bit.

Sunny Flowers for a Rainy Day

Crocuses and Yellow Avalanche Lilies in Waterton National Park.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the gallery opening on Thursday night and today! It was great to talk with all of you. If you missed it, the show will continue into July.

The Daffodil Gallery is at 10412 124 Street. Gallery hours are 10:30am to 5:00pm Tuesday – Saturday.

Glorious Summer Days

Sometimes it’s great to see what we have to look forward to. As much as snow and ice are interesting, they are cold. So this is a little taste of summer to whet your appetite. This is a photo from a warm summer day at the Ya Ha Tinda ranch near the forestry trunk road in central Alberta. Flowery meadows are my idea of heaven, and the ranch has those in abundance. I can’t wait to get back.

Opening Doors & What Might Emerge

In my photography I often attempt to capture a sense of the peace that comes in solitude and darkness. But sometimes I want to push beyond what is there into a world of the fantastic where stories lurk just around the corner. These stories are at the edge of our reality, flitting through our collective dreams.

Huts, Doors, and Feelings

“He stretched out on his back and looked up into the spring sky. It was a clear dark blue straight above him and a sea green over the tree tops. Somewhere under his hat the tune began to move, one part expectation, and two parts spring sadness, and for the rest just a colossal delight at being alone.”
Tales from Moominvalley
by Tove Jansson