Photography

Annual U-pick Christmas Tree Tradition in Nova Scotia

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I have been getting my Christmas trees from the T. Ernst Forest Christmas tree farm since I was a kid.

The light & snow was a perfect combination for Christmas tree picking.

This annual holiday trip is an important part of my Christmas tradition and the fresh snowfall and dramatic light created the perfect winter wonderland of Christmas trees.

As I mentioned in my previous weekly photography post "How to tell a Visual Story with your Photographs", trips like this are a perfect opportunity to practice telling a visual Story with your own photography.

The folks at the T. Ernst Forest Products Inc. Christmas tree farm, near Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia are amazing and kind folks. They really take the time to add to the fun of  this Christmas tradition.

When I was little, my Grandfather would get our Christmas tree from this farm. When I got older I started the same tradition and now I continue this tradition with my little ones.  They always look forward to picking out their own tree and of course riding on the trailer. 

So many beautiful trees to choose from, you just can't help yourself from singing christmas songs when you look for that "one" perfect tree.

If you have never been to a U-pick Christmas tree lot be sure to give it a try.  You may find it becomes a new tradition for you and your family.

Below is link to the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia website and a list where you can find a U-Pick Christmas tree farm in your area.   http://iloverealtrees.com

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, if you have any questions or comments free feel to drop me a email or leave a comment.

Cheers and keep taking photos :)
Mike

How to tell a Visual Story with your Photographs

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I believe in the power of a single photograph to relay a message but a series of photos can truly convey detailed elements of your story that might be missed with just one image.

Many times we are taking photos for family events, traveling to exotic places or even going for that short winter hike along the trail and become focused on creating that one perfect photo.

We all get fixed on creating the perfect image. We (myself included) sometimes forget to stop and really take the time to see all the visual moments that are happening during the search for that one perfect photo. These visual moments can create a richer story that is deeper than the single photograph we are trying to create.

This is not to say there is no value in the individual photo but this is more of a suggestion to create a more detailed story with a series of images.

Like any great movie, there are main actors, supporting actors and multiple camera angles that all combine to make the story as a whole.

I keep a simple approach when I am trying to create a visual story.  When I am taking photos I mentally try to break down what I am photographing into different elements.

  1. Establishing view (these usually are a wider angle view)
  2. Standard view( these photos become the bulk of the story)
  3. Detailed view (close up but not necessarily macro images)
  4. Unique perspective

There could be more than these four photo elements but I try to photograph at least these four types.  This allows me to have a variety of images to choose from when I am building my story after the taking of photos is finished.

How many you have of each grouping will depend on the subject matter or the complexity of the story you are trying to convey.  If you look at my Instagram account or Facebook posts, I usually try to show posts with three or more images.  This way I can relay more of a detailed story than just one photo at a time.

Now of course, this does not happen all the time and just like in any visual art form, rules are meant to be broken.  However my standpoint on rules is simple. Break them with intention instead of by accident, meaning I sometimes create or share only one image to tell my story of that moment.

As I mentioned in my previous post "pixels are free" and it does not cost anything to take additional photos with your digital camera. So the next time you are creating photos, don’t just take that one perfect family portrait or pretty sunset.  Think about how you can convey a more complete story with 3-4 different images.

Experiment, play and have fun with your photography and remember "we take snapshots but we create photographs".

If you try this method, I would love to see your results. Please feel free to send me a link to your photos or leave a note in the comments.

Cheers and keep making photos. :)
Mike

What to see and photograph in Kejimkujik National Park

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I have been exploring Kejimkujik National Park since I was a kid.  It is a place that has calm meandering streams, fast flowing waterfalls, snapping turtles, whitetail dear and a lakeside sunset view over Kejimkujik Lake that is simply amazing to see and photograph.

Mill Falls, Kejimkujik National Park

Recently, I was organizing my Kejimkujik National Park photos for an upcoming project and I thought I would share some of my favourite photos from my collection.

Every time I photographing in this area, I am always struck by the sheer beauty of the light and how it seems to cascade through the trees and over the water.  If you don't believe me about the light, I suggest hiking the Mersry River trail in the morning and you will see the effect of the light in the trees. http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ns/kejimkujik/activ/activ5.aspx

Mersey River hiking trail,  morning sunrise

There are numerous places to photograph; hiking trail, paths for biking and waterways to paddle.  Check out the  Kejimkujik National Park and the Friends of Keji Cooperating Association websites for all the possible activities. 

Biking and hiking trails

If you are looking for more detail about the park and the Backcountry camping and paddling,  Paul Illsley has a amazing site full of detailed topo maps & photos of the park. http://www.paulillsley.com/kejimkujik/

Mersey River panoramic image.

Another spectacular feature of the park is of course the water. This park has so many lakes, ponds and rivers.  All have different moods of light at particular times of day and season.

This region is also rich with Mi’kmaw history and of course many opportunities for camping and enjoying the natural world around you.

My hope for this blog post is simple, maybe one of these images will spark an interest for you to go and experience the park for the first-time or encourage you to revisit a past campsite in the new year.

If you have any questions about places to photograph in the park please free feel to drop me a email or leave a comment.

Cheers and keep taking photos :)
Mike