An Unfortunate View

First Snow in Calgary

So it looks like the great autumn we've been enjoying here in Calgary might just be over. This is the unfortunate view I woke up to outside of my window this morning. There is currently a heavy snowfall warning in effect and they say 20cm or so before the end of the day ... rough.

Let's hope for no flight delays and none of this white stuff on the ground in London! Watch for some new photo updates throughout the week.

Weekly Photo - The Castle

The fact that I'm heading off to the UK again tomorrow got me looking through some of the photographs from my last trip to Scotland. This one shows Edinburgh Castle on a warm July night. Amazingly, this was shot handheld with an Olympus OMD-EM5. Can't wait to see if the EM1 is able to improve even further on the legendary Olympus stabilization!

Edinburgh Castle at Night

Available in full resolution at Smugmug | http://goo.gl/JFvEYO.

The World Series

Just watching the World Series and enjoying a great beer. If you've never sampled the limited edition varieties of Innis & Gunn, do yourself a favour and give this one a try!

Prairies End

Sibbald Creek Trail

Just going through a couple more photos from the weekend and came across this one taken just off of Sibbald Creek Trail. The big sky and rolling terrain marks the end of the prairies and the start of the Alberta Foothills just west of Calgary.

Available in full resolution at Smugmug | http://goo.gl/WOCLXm.

A Little Past Due - Thanksgiving in Calgary

Coffee at Blue Star Diner

Better late than never, right? I thought I'd post a few photographs taken over the Thanksgiving weekend here in Calgary. I was lucky enough to have my parents in town from Thunder Bay and for the weather to hold out - with the exception of some chilly nights.

As you can see, any trip to Calgary needs to start with a breakfast run to Blue Star Diner in Bridgeland. If you happen to live in Calgary and haven't been, do yourself a favour and remedy the situation, like now!

Trying Out the New Nikon D7000

The agreeable weather also presented my Dad and I with the opportunity to get out and shoot some of the fall colours at Pearce Estate Park in Inglewood. I only recently discovered the park, but it turns out to be a great place to photograph some nature without needing to leaving the city. I'll post a couple of shots over the next few days. It's also dangerously close to Without Papers Pizza on 9th Avenue, so consider yourself warned if you happen to be on a diet ... great place!

Next up, a stroll though Princes Island Park before hitting up the River Cafe for a rather busy Thanksgiving lunch. It seem many a Calgarian had the same idea of skipping all the prep work and cleaning involved in a traditional turkey dinner, so our reservation got pushed a bit.

Princes Island Park

As you can see from the photo below, we managed to keep ourselves busy while waiting for our table to open up. People didn't seem to be in much of a hurry, as out 1pm reservation got moved to 1:45 or so. No worry, a couple of very nice Wild Rose SOB's (Special Old Bitters) while seated at the bar helped to pass the time! Overall, a great weekend relaxing with the family and photographing Calgary.

Check out the River Cafe for yourself at http://www.river-cafe.com.

Enjoying a Beverage at The River Cafe Bar

It Might be Time to Switch

The All New Sony A7

Up until now, I've been an avid Micro Four Thirds user. I've owned both Panasonic and Olympus bodies, and currently shoot with the amazing OMD-EM5. That might be about to change. I recently sold my old Canon gear and think I might use the earnings to spring for the full frame goodness of the Sony A7 over the new EM1.

What are peoples' thoughts on this new breed of Sony camera? I understand there aren't many native lenses at the moment, but it sounds like the ease of mounting third party glass (with full auto-focus) via adapter seems to make this a bit of a minor annoyance that can be managed until Sony builds up the ecosystem a bit.

I'm interested to hear what people think. Also, A7 or A7r?

London Calling

I'm heading off to London for a week starting next Sunday. While I've been to London a few times in the past, I've mostly stuck to exploring the City and Westminster - hence the photo of the architecturally stunning Somerset House above. I'd appreciate any suggestions on other interesting parts of London to explore and snap a few photos of.  I was thinking maybe Greenwich and Camden Market? Thanks in advance!

Available in full resolution at Smugmug | http://goo.gl/GsF9PL.

Weekly Photo - On the Road Again

While the weather in Calgary has been great of late, it won't be long before the shorter days are joined by some of the white stuff on the ground. Here's hoping for another couple weeks of snow free commuting before we retreat indoors and start to hibernate for the winter.

This photo was taken last January on the road to Big Hill Springs Provincial Park just north of Calgary.

Available in full resolution at Smugmug | http://goo.gl/HEkcFU.

Autumn in Alberta

Staring Contest

For the first time in a long time, at least as far as I can remember, Alberta is actually experiencing autumn this year. None of that direct line from summer to winter weather that Calgary is renowned for!

Given the great weather, I thought it a good idea to head out for a bit of a drive to find a shot or two of harvest season here in Southern Alberta. While looking for Jumping Pound Creek Recreation Area (which happens to be closed) I came across this guy.  I don't think he was too impressed with having his picture taken ...

I also thought this image nicely captured two pillars of life here in Alberta, the oil and gas industry and the traditional ranching and farming lifestyle.

The Two Albertas