Photos by Healy

Photo Art Update

2011-11-28T16:12:00.001-05:00

According to that Label thingie on the right, this will my twelfth blog post where I mention Photo Art. Something I've not written about since May of this year. Admittedly, I do tend to get a bit lax (cough) in posting to this blog. It appears that I've been just as lax in updating the Photo Art gallery on my Smugmug site.

But I am doing my part to correct that by writing this post as well as just having updated the Photo Art gallery with about 40 new digital paintings and watercolours. To entice you to pay the gallery a visit, I'm posting a small sample of the digital art images that were uploaded.

Peace Garden

Portland Head Light

The Crypt

The Lake

Saint Enfant Jesus

Moored

Clicking on any of the above images will bring you to their RedBubble page where they are available for purchase as Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters. These and other digital paintings can be seen in my Smugmug Photo Art gallery where you will find a link to my RedBubble site where they may also be purchased in various formats.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Montreal's Exterior staircases

2011-10-31T13:45:00.001-04:00

Laurier avenue East, Montreal

One of the unique features of Montreal architecture and often commented on by visitors to the city is the abundance of exterior staircases.

Rue Henri-Julien, Montreal

It is difficult to find the exact reasons why this architectural feature is so prevalent, but two reasons do get mentioned most often.

Rue Henri-Julien, Montreal

One reason often cited is cost savings. You don't heat exterior stair cases thus save money.

232 Laurier East, Montreal

But the reason most often cited and actually given by the City of Montreal on one of their websites is that this all started because of a by-law trying to improve the city's green space.

Back in the 19th century (Think I read somewhere it was 1840) Montreal passed a by-law requiring all new buildings to be so many feet back from the sidewalk. This meant smaller buildings on the lot, so to compensate and maximize the living space in the building, staircases were placed outside over the required green space.

Rue Drolet, Montreal

Another oft asked question is why are the staircases open? Obviously only asked by people who have never spent a winter in Montreal. With an average annual snowfall of 210 cm (86 inches) the open thread makes snow removal a bit easier.

Back stairs - rue Le Jeune, Montreal

Thanks for stopping by. If you are interested you can see other photos taken on my walkabout the Plateau area of Montreal in my Walkabout the Plateau - 30 August 2011 gallery.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site where you can view a larger version.

These and other images may be purchased in various formats on my RedBubble site.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

New Product at RedBubble

2011-10-09T11:20:00.001-04:00

Last week RedBubble announced a new product -- iPhone 4 cases

Within the first 24 hours, 2400 plus case designs were uploaded by RedBubble members. As of today, some 4 days later, there are almost 10,000 designs offered for sale on the site. Not sure if there's yet to be a single sale, but the membership is certainly prepared should there be a rush on iPhone 4 cases .

And in case there is, I uploaded a few designs of my own. Below are nine (9) designs for your viewing pleasure.

Clicking on any of the above designs will open their RedBubble page. If you would like to see all my iPhone 4 case designs, you can see them here.

Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to leave a comment. I'd be happy to hear from you.

Lilium and other lilies

2011-08-11T13:54:00.003-04:00

According to Wikipedia, Lilium, a true lily, comprise a genus of about 110 species in the lily family (Liliaceae). Many other plants exist with "lily" in the common English name, some of which are quite unrelated to the true lilies. For instance, the Daylily (Hemerocallis) is not considered a 'true' lily. Nor are Peruvian Lilies (Alstroemeria) true lilies.

But for today, I consider all these to be lilies -- beautiful, colourful lilies. Hope you find them pleasing.

Orange Daylilies

Orange lilies (Lilium maculatum)

Yellow Daylilies

Burgundy Daylily and friend

Red Daylily

Orange Daylily

Salmon coloured Lilies

Red Daylilies

I hope you enjoyed the various Lily images.

Please remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other digital paintings can be seen in my Flowers - 2011 gallery and may be purchased in various formats on my RedBubble site.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Classic Cars

2011-06-02T13:49:00.004-04:00

I love old cars. Especially those from before WWII. My next favourite group are those manufactured in the late 40s & 50s.

Last year (2010), Saint Lambert (Quebec, Canada) held a Classic Car exhibit and I was lucky to go. I had a blast photographing all the old classics on display.

So when I saw they were having it again this year, I was eager to attend. What follows here are a few of the many beautiful cars on display.

1947 Ford Mercury
One thing I discovered last year was that these events are usually packed with people and the cars are pretty close together. So you end up with very cluttered surroundings. To compensate for the clutter, I've developed a processing method that is meant to reduce the impact of the surrounding while enhancing the focus on the vehicle. Basically I duplicate the image, convert the duplicate layer to B&W. I then apply a mask that allows the coloured vehicle to show through. A bit of darkening and blurring on the B&W layer and there you have it.

1926 Cadillac Custom
1930 Ford Model A
1939 Dodge D11 Luxury Liner 4 door sedan
1941 Chrysler New Yorker

As I write this, I am still processing the photos from this event. So I expect I'll post another Blog entry with a few more images once I'm done. I hope my humble attempts at processing these images properly display the true beauty of these Classics.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other photos taken that day can be seen in my Saint Lambert Classic Car show - May 2011 gallery on Smugmug and may be purchased in various formats on my Classic Cars & Trucks Collection on RedBubble.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Painting Spring

2011-05-22T10:10:00.002-04:00

One of my joys in life is to watch as Mother Nature gets out her paints each Spring and transforms a dull gray and dirty world into a rainbow of glorious vibrant colours.

Another of my joys is photographing such beauty. And then attempting to convert those photos into digital paintings. Here are a few of my humble attempts from this year's crop

Some can be found in neighbours' gardens.

Tulips and daffofils

Golden Petals

Purple Cress (Aubrieta deltoidea)

And some are found at the flower stalls at a Farmers' Market.

Flower Burst

Osteospermum

Collerette Dahlias

I hope I have with my humble attempts conveyed what I see when I look at Mother Nature's beautiful paintings.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

These and other digital paintings can be seen in my Smugmug Photo Art gallery and may be purchased in various formats from my RedBubble Digital Paintings & Watercolour Collections.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Spring Flowers

2011-05-13T19:30:00.003-04:00

Each year, as Winter reluctantly leaves and Spring eases gently into season, the flowers return.

One of the first to appear in my neighbourhood is Glory-of the snow. Its full common name is Lucile's Glory-of-the-snow; Lucile being the wife of the Swiss botanist Pierre Edmond Boissier according to Wikipedia

Lucile's Glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa luciliae)

Next, typically are the crocuses.
Crocus

Then Daffodils appear. First in Malls being sold to support charities, but then in local gardens.
Daffodils

One of the most interesting (to me) flowers appears about the same time as the Daffodils. Those are the Grape Hyacinths. Tiny little blue/purple flowers, they are best appreciated when viewed up close.
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari)

You know Spring has hit its full stride once the tulips bloom.

I hope you found at least one image to your liking.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other floral images can be seen in my Flowers - 2011 gallery. Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Line Art

2011-04-20T15:31:00.002-04:00

Wikipedia defines line art as "any image that consists of distinct straight and curved lines placed against a (usually plain) background, without gradations in shade (darkness) or hue (color) to represent two-dimensional or three-dimensional objects. Line art can use lines of different colors, although line art is usually monochromatic."

It goes on to say, "Line art emphasizes form and outline, over color, shading, and texture. However, areas of solid pigment and dots can also be used in addition to lines. The lines in a piece of line art may be all of a constant width (as in some pencil drawings), of several (few) constant widths (as in technical illustrations), or of freely varying widths (as in brush work or engraving).

"Before the development of photography and of halftones, line art was the standard format for illustrations to be used in print publications, using black ink on white paper. Using either stippling or hatching, shades of gray could also be simulated."

I love the simplicity that line art shows. I learned a while back to create digital line art images based on original photos using PaintShop Pro. Here are a few I've created over the past several years.

First, some B&W versions . . .

Blomidon Inn - Wolfville, Nova Scotia

St Benoit du Lac Abbey, Austin, Quebec

Sometimes adding a single colour adds interest . . .

Yellow tulips II
Dianthus
Then there's Sepia toning . . .

Indian Harbour, Nova Scotia
Hotel Nelson, Place Jacques Cartier, Old Montreal
Or you can go full bore with a multi-coloured version. . .

St. Paul's Anglican Church, Trinity, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland
Grand Hotel - Malahide, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Whatever your preference, I hope you found at least one image to your liking.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other Line Art images can be seen in my Line Art images gallery. Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Butterflies Go Free

2011-03-28T17:12:00.000-04:00

Wow. I don't post anything to my blog for weeks and then BAM! -- Two entries in a row. Mind you, I did threaten yesterday that I'd be posting some butterfly shots. (Big Grin)

So far this year, I visited the Butterflies Go Free exhibit twice; First on the day it opened then a month later. I wouldn't go on the first day again as there were very few butterflies flying about. But that totally changed my second visit. There were butterflies, caterpillars and butterfly eggs everywhere you looked.

One of the first butterflies I captured was this Sulphur (Phoebis sp.). I love the yellow against the purplish background

Sulphur butterfly (Phoebis sp)Also managed to capture a Zebra Longwing, one I've not seen for a few years.
Heliconius charithonia (Zebra helicon or Zebra longwing)
Another I've not seen in awhile is the Great Eggfly Bolina. (Seen here is a female.)

Great Eggfly Bolina (Female) (Hypolimnas bolina)
I managed to grab a couple of 'First Timers' for me -- a Rusty-tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus) and a Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)

Rusty-tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus)
Gulf Fritillary or Passion Butterfly (Agraulis vanillae)

I'm hoping to get back to visit the buttereflies again in the near future. So you can expect more photos to come.

Hope you enjoyed these images.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other butterfly images taken during my visits to the Botanical Gardens this year can be seen in either my 17 February visit or my 17 March visit galleries. Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Spring has Sprung

2011-03-27T08:59:00.005-04:00

Okay I know. I'm really bad at this blogging thing. But I'm hoping you'll enjoy today's entry so much, you'll overlook how bad I am in doing this on a regular basis.

Spring has once again Sprung. (At least that's what the calendar states. One would not be certain of that fact if one was to rely on what one sees out the window.) And it being Springs means that the Butterflies have returned to the Montreal Botanical Gardens. Yay!

But this blog entry is not about the flutterbys, but about some of the beautiful flowers I saw while visiting the Gardens to see the butterflies. (Don't worry. there will be a separate blog entry about the butterflies.)

The first thing you see as you head to the butterfly hothouse is the begonias. Pink, blues, white, they are a cheery sight to see.

Begonias

I came across a new to me flower - Calathea - tiny little pink flowers that didn't measure two inches across.
Calathea
And each time I visit, I am eager to see if any of the cactus in the next room are in bloom. I was not to be disappointed this trip.

Pink Cactus Flower
Came across a flowering Aloe plant standing in front a blue door. Just couldn't pass up the opportunity to record the colour combination.
Flowering Aloe
After the butterflies, I always go check out the Orchid hothouse. Not sure, but I think they had problem about four years ago, because from one year to the next, the orchid population on display drastically shrunk. But since then, the exhibit has been stronger each year.

My favourite orchids - Phalaenopsis -- were in abundance again this year. I had fun attempting some clear sharp macro close-ups. I'll let you be the judge if I was successful or not.
Pink Phalaenopsis
They have a good variety of different types of orchids. This one is a Paphiopedilum.
Enchantress
Enchantress is available for sale as Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters on my RedBubble site here

Visiting the Botanical Gardens during February and March is a great way to spend several hours away from the blustery Winter weather outside.

I must add that some of the prettiest flowers I saw on my last visit weren't in any of the hothouses, but rather were for sale in the Garden's Boutique located in the front of the building.

Pale Yellow Gerbera

Hope you enjoyed the images.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other floral images taken during my visits to the Botanical Gardens this year can be seen in either my 17 February visit or my 17 March visit galleries. Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

First month on RedBubble

2011-02-09T15:12:00.003-05:00

A month has passed since I joined RedBubble and I thought I'd update how that month has gone.

Have I sold anything? No. Did I expect to? It would have been real nice, but to be honest, no, I didn't expect to. So what did I expect? Not so much expect. But rather hope . . . I hoped for greater exposure. And I feel I have gotten that.

RedBubble has literally thousands of groups, each one having a different 'raison être'. Some are about black & white images. Others about Canadian historical sites, Some are for flowers in general while others are for a particular flower such as a peony. There are groups for painters, some for those who use a brush and canvas and some for those that use software to create their masterpieces. There are groups for landscapes, cityscapes or seascapes. Think of a topic, and you'll likely find one or two groups existing just for it.

Since I joined RedBubble, I have joined 45 different groups. When you are in a group, you are asked to enter an image that meets the group's guidelines and complies with their rules. Others may comment on your image from time to time as you may on images of others.

Each group has a Host, often several, who moderate the group, establish the guidelines and rules, post challenges, and regularly feature works from group members. To be featured is an honour. In my first month at RedBubble, I have been honoured to have 7 of my images featured in 7 groups.

The following are those images that were featured in a group on RedBubble during my first month there.

La Sauvagine watercolour was featured in RedBubble groups ‘Before and After’ on January 9 and in ‘Enhanced Photos’ on January 12
La Sauvagine watercolour is available for sale as Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters on my RedBubble site here

Tailed jay butterfly was featured in ‘A Bug’s Kingdom’ on January 12
Tailed jay butterfly is available for sale as Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters on my RedBubble site here

The Dock was featured in ‘New to Vintage’ group on January 14
The Dock is available for sale as Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters on my RedBubble site here

1929 Packard Coupe watercolour was featured in ‘Photo Painters’ on January 18
1929 Packard Coupe watercolour is available for sale as Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters on my RedBubble site here

The Marsh – triptych was featured in ‘The Landscapes of Our World’ on January 22
The Marsh – triptych is available for sale as Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters on my RedBubble site here

Green was featured in ‘Amazing Orton Effect’ on January 24
Green is available for sale as Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters on my RedBubble site here

Orange Tulips watercolour was featured in ‘Photo Painters’ on February 3
Orange Tulips watercolour is available for sale as Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters on my RedBubble site here

All in all, a very good first month. And I look forward to what the next month brings.

Some new Photo Art images

2011-01-08T23:14:00.013-05:00

I recently discovered a wonderful tutorial for creating watercolor images in PhotoShop. I've really liked the results I've been achieving with the new technique as well as the numerous compliments I've received on images I've created with this new technique. So I suspect I'll being keeping it in my digital art toolbox.

I am often asked if I sell my images, both photographs and digital artwork. While I have had one or two sales, I've not done much to promote the sale of my work. In an attempt to increase my chances of making a sale, I have recently joined RedBubble.

What is RedBubble I hear you ask? RedBubble is an online community of creative people that allows them to exchange ideas and knowledge and sell their art through a common marketplace where RedBubble handles packaging and shipments.

I've completed a new batch of Photo Art. Below are three images that are now available for sale through RedBubble. Clicking on any image will bring you to the RedBubble page where that image is available for sale as greetings cards, matted prints, laminated prints and more.

Pink Begonia watercolour

Clipper (Parthnos sylvia)

La Sauvagine, Rue St-Paul, Vieux Montreal

If you have time, please check out my profile and portfolio at RedBubble. You can do so by clicking on any of the images above or this RedBubble icon.

Christmas Photo Art

2010-12-28T14:02:00.001-05:00

Christmas 2010 has come and gone. But photos help us remember the love and joy we experienced with family and friends.

And for some of us, the photos also serve as the base for some artistic interpretations.
Anne of Green Gables
Recently learned a new method of converting a photo into a painted watercolour image in Photoshop, so many of my more recent images have been done in this manner.
Christmas Tree Angel
Twas the night before . . .
Not all my recent photo art images were created as watercolours, some were attempts at coloured pencils

Christmas Tree Snowman
I sincerely hope that the Gift of Christmas bless you and yours with Peace, Love & Joy throughout the New Year.

A Merry & Blessed Christmas to All

Glorious Red

2010-10-24T19:42:00.001-04:00

Burning Bush (Euonymous alatus)

Every year around this time, I go off with my camera to try and find glorious Fall colours. This year was no exception. For me, what makes the colours glorious is an abundance of red.

Red leaves

So this year, off I went into Montreal and headed up to Parc Mont Royal. To be honest, it was less than impressive. Even Beaver Lake was being drained.

But all was not lost. Here and there, there were reds to be found.
Sometimes a solitary Maple . . .

Red Maple leaves

Sometimes it was a building detail . . .

Public building at Beaver Lake - Mont Royal

Sometimes it was Ivy on a fence . . .

Ivy on fence at Notre Dame des neiges cemetery

Or growing up a wall . . .

Ivy on a crypt at Notre Dame des neiges cemetery

And then there are the bushes . . .

Red bushes

While there may not have been an abundance of Glorious colours out there this year, if you looked carefully, you could still find some.

Hope you enjoyed the images.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images from my trip into town can be seen in my Photography --> Montreal images --> On the Mountain 19 October 2010 gallery.Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Rocks

2010-09-17T21:05:00.001-04:00

Okay, so I've been bad. Over two months since my last blog entry. Hopefully, a few of these images are interesting enough to make up for it.

Rocks. I find rocks interesting. Patterns, textures, colours, all elements that appeal to me. The following images were taken on our recent trip to Nova Scotia.

Rock formations - Baxter Harbour

Rock formation - Western Head

Hope you enjoyed the images.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images from our trip to Nova Scotia can be seen in my Vacation --> Nova Scotia 2010 gallery.Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Irises

2010-07-05T15:04:00.000-04:00

Irises -- One of my favourite flowers.

I've always thought of irises as the poor man's orchid. I've been real lucky this year in that I've had some gorgeous irises growing just in front of my home.
White and Purple Iris
There is a stand of mauve and purple irises growing at the corner of my block. Problem was there was usually a strong breeze blowing that made it quite difficult to capture the flowers without blurring.

Purple Irises
I found some more of the dark purple irises a few blocks away. This colour always make me think of the royal purple worn by ancient Roman Emperors

Purple Iris
I have a wonderful neighbour who plants and maintains the many beautiful flowers that grow in my front yard. She planted one of the most uniquely coloured irises I've ever seen -- burnt orange is the best colour description I can come up with.

Burnt orange Iris
Iris season has come and gone. Until they come back agan next spring, I'll have these photos to look at and enjoy.

Hope you enjoyed the images.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other Flower images can be seen in my Flowers - 2010 gallery.Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Some recent Note Card images

2010-06-23T11:42:00.000-04:00

Have had some recent fun creating new Photo Art images for use on Note Cards. I previously posted the following example.
Photo Art - Tulip
I've modified my work flow somewhat in the past few months in creating these images with what I hope results in improved final images.

These images were created using Dynamic Auto-Painter (DAP) and PaintShop Pro v9 (PSPv9).

Photo Art - Allium
Photo Art - Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily)

The following was not processed in DAP, only in PSPv9. I didn't like the background in the original photograph, so I removed it and replaced it with the mauve background you see here.
Purple Irises

Hope you enjoyed the Note Card images.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other Photo Art images can be seen in my Photo Art gallery.Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Tulips

2010-05-10T09:19:00.005-04:00

I like tulips. They appear soon after the crocuses and daffodils. They appear as splashes of vibrant colours against the canvas of slowly greening gardens.

In previous years, I've driven to Ottawa for the Canadian Tulip Festival where you can see over 3 millions tulips in bloom.
Tulips - Canadian Tulip Festival - Commissioners Park - Dow's Lake - Ottawa
This year, I've been content to simply enjoy the tulips in my front garden.

First buds
Double Tulip
Pink and White Tulip
Even when the Sun does not shine and the World is cool and damp, the tulips still sparkle and shimmer.

Wet Tulip
And as they age, there is still a beauty to be seen.

Past Prime
With all the riotous colours, this shot just screamed to be done as Photo Art.

Photo Art - Tulip

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images of flowers taken so far this year can be seen in my Flowers - 2010 galleries.
Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

First visit this year to the Longueuil Regional Park

2010-05-07T09:15:00.005-04:00

Longueuil Regional Park
With such an early Spring this year, I decided to visit the Regional Park in Longueuil to see what it had to offer. Things are really greening-up

One thing I noticed that was different this year from previous years was the number of Canada Geese.

Canada Geese
I'd not seen more than three or four geese in the past. This year I saw easily six geese in various areas of the Park.

Mallard Drake
Another oddity was I only saw one set of Mallard ducks. Usually there are easily a half a dozen in the ponds and the marsh.

But one thing is for certain, the Park is greening up quite well and I look forward to many more visits this year.

Meandering Creek
Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images taken in during my visit to the Regional Park can be seen in my Longueuil Regional Park - 2010 galleries.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

It's begun - Flowers, flowers and more flowers

2010-05-06T14:47:00.002-04:00

Crocus
Spring has arrived!

Actually it's about 4 weeks early for my part of the world. When the crocuses bloomed back in April, we thought that was pretty amazing. Then the daffodils showed up.

Daffodil
Then, the tulips sprang forth.
Yellow Tulips

Then on April 27, 2010, the snows returned.

Tulips chillin'
Since then, the warm weather has returned and most of the flowers have recovered. Windy conditions and lack of time has prevented me from recording that recovery, but I'll get back out there soon.

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images of flowers taken so far this year in can be seen in my Flowers - 2010 galleries.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Montreal Metro

2010-04-07T20:02:00.003-04:00

The Montreal Metro (or what some call a subway) was inaugurated in October 1966. It initially comprised of 26 stations on three separate lines. Today, there are 68 stations on 4 lines.

Berri-UQAM station - Yellow line
I have often thought it would be a great photo opportunity to get on the Metro and travel from station to station taking pictures. But to date, that is all it is, a thought.

Place des Arts station - Green line
What I have done instead is take a few photos when I remember to as I return home from various photo shoots.

Papineau station - Green line
I do still plan to one day get on the Metro and stop at each station to take pictures. But until that happens, I just try to remember to take a few whenever I use it to return home from a photo shoot.

Pie IX station - Green line
Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images taken in teh Montreal Metro can be seen in my Montreal Metro galleries.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Scenes From Ireland - Part 3

2010-03-28T15:42:00.002-04:00

Those that know me, know it doesn't matter where in the world I am, if there are flowers, I'll be taking pictures of them. And so it was during our visit to Ireland. These are some of those images

Hope you enjoyed the video and its photos.

Other images taken on our visit to Ireland can be seen in my Ireland galleries.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Scenes From Ireland - Part II

2010-03-26T16:56:00.004-04:00

Lakes, Rivers and Coastal Waters. Some additional photos from our Ireland trip last year

Scenes From Ireland - Part I

2010-03-25T12:19:00.006-04:00

A few images from our trip to Ireland last year

Photo To Photo Art

2010-03-22T10:42:00.005-04:00

A good friend recently commented on one of my Photo Art images saying that while Photo Art wasn't necessarily his 'bag', he thought it might be cool to have a slide show where the photo art image transitioned into the original. Trying out his suggestion, I discovered I preferred the opposite -- the original transitioning into the photo art.

So with much thanks to Ron for the idea, here is my presentation of 'Photograph To Photo Art'.

The Photo Art images were created using Dynamic Auto-Painter with pre & post processing done in PaintShop Pro. A trial version of DAP can be downloaded from Mediachance (http://www.mediachance.com/dap/)

Other Photo Art images can be seen in my Photo Art gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Spring has Sprung!

2010-03-20T09:58:00.007-04:00

The weather has been so much warmer than normal that the flowers have become confused and are sprouting up almost everywhere.

Took a walk around my area yesterday (19 March 2010) and took a few photos of early signs of Spring.
Crocus
Even along the St Lawrence river, all the snow and ice has disappeared. Admittedly everything is still very brown. But if the temperatures continue as they have been, it will soon be green.

Along the St Lawrence river

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images taken on my walk around the area can be seen in my Flowers - 2010 and General Southshore Images galleries.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Recent Trip to Vermont

2010-03-18T23:12:00.003-04:00

Had a 2 day getaway down to Vermont recently. Beautiful weather. The sky and the lake were a beautiful shade of blue.

Burlington Bay - Burlington Vermont
Stopped in Shelburne and visited the Shelburne Country Store. What an amazing place to browse through.

Shelburne Country Store - Shelburne Vermont

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images taken during our visit to Vermont can be seen in my Visit to Burlington and Shelburne - March 2010 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Montreal Botanical Gardens - Plants

2010-03-11T19:04:00.007-05:00

Part 2 of the photos taken on February 25, 2010 at the Montreal Botanical Gardens of flowers and plants

These and other photos taken that day of the flowers and plants can be seen in the Events - Montreal Botanical Gardens Gallery: Visit 25 February 2010 - Flowers on my website.

Thanks for looking

Montreal Botanical Gardens - Flowers

2010-03-07T13:58:00.007-05:00

Couldn't visit the Montreal Botanical Gardens to see the butterflies and not take a picture or three of the flowers. Here is part 1 of two parts.

These and other photos taken that day of the flowers can be seen in the Events - Montreal Botanical Gardens Gallery: Visit 25 February 2010 - Flowers on my website.

Thanks for looking

Butterflies Go Free

2010-03-06T13:53:00.005-05:00

A selection of photos taken during a recent visit to the 'Butterflies Go Free' exhibit at the Montreal Botanical Gardens

These and other photos taken that day of the butterflies can be seen in the Events - Montreal Botanical Gardens Gallery: Visit 25 February 2010 - Butterflies & Insects on my website.

Thanks for stopping by.

A Winter Scene

2010-01-06T11:34:00.000-05:00

Wishing all the Best of the Season

2009-12-26T21:52:00.002-05:00

A visit to Ireland - Day 1

2009-11-04T15:29:00.011-05:00

Royal Irish Tours

Back in at the end of May, Marilyn and I took one of our "Trip of a Lifetime" trips to visit Ireland. (I say 'one of' because we hope to be able to take several more.)

We choose Royal Irish Tours because of recommendations of friends and because they appeared to have the most extensive and inclusive trip. They offer several different packages. The tour we chose was the Shamrock Royal.

The first day of the tour was spent recuperating from the overnight flight out of Toronto to Dublin. But we still managed some site-seeing.

Cliffs over looking the Irish Sea - Malahide Co Dublin

Beacon House out on Baily road overlooking Dublin Harbour

Our Hotel - Grand Hotel - Malahide, Co. Dublin

This was an amazing experience for us, one we will never forget. (And to ensure that I took a fair amount of photos to help remind us. (smile))

I'll post additional photos in the future from the other 14 days we spend on the Emerald Isle.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images taken on our first day in Ireland can be seen in my Day 1 - 30 May 2009 - Arrived in Dublin gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in the photo gallery.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Light and Shadow

2009-10-27T20:47:00.013-04:00

Shadow tree - Corner of Tupper and St-Mathieu -Downtown Montreal

Back in May I walked around downtown Montreal trying to get images that fit a photography Challenge theme of 'Light & Shadow'. The above photo was my sure-fire winning entry. It received lots of nice comments but wasn't the winner. Oh well, next time. (smile)

But it was different, at least for me, going out trying to find subjects that fit a theme rather than shooting whatever caught my eye. Okay so I did that too. (Smile) But the majority of the shots taken that day were theme shots.

Shadow leaves

Shadows on a flower box

And then there is light - back light that is.

Fountain of Light
Fountain of Light close-up

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images taken during my walk around Montreal can be seen in my Light & Shadows around Montreal - 21 May 2009 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, In my Guestbook or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Carillon, Quebec

2009-10-21T15:17:00.012-04:00

Panorama created from 8 - 12meg landscape oriented images of the
Hydro Quebec Dam on the Ottawa river between Carillon and Hudson, Quebec

When we headed up to Ottawa for the Tulip festival, we took a different route than we would normally travel. We traveled along the north shore of the Ottawa river in Quebec. As a result we stopped in Carillon, Quebec, where I took the photos used to create the above panorama.

Looking south across the Ottawa river, you see Pointe Fortune, Quebec.
Point Fortune, Quebec.

There is a canal and lock (Carillon canal & Carillon Lock) that permits ship traffic to by-pass the dam. You can see them in of the right side of the panorama above. The following shows the approach to the canal.
Approach to the Lock of the Carillon Canal - Carillon, Quebec

On our return from Ottawa, we took route 17 which allow us to stop of the south-side of the Ottawa river to take one last photo of the hydro dam.
Hydro Quebec Dam on the Ottawa river between Carillon and Hudson, Quebec

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images taken during our visit to Ottawa can be seen in my Ottawa Tulip Festival - 11 May 2009 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, In my Guestbook or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Some more of my favourite things

2009-10-16T20:26:00.008-04:00

Ottawa Tulip Festival - May 2009
Many coloured Tulips

Back in May, my wife, Marilyn, and I once again headed up to the Nation's capital, to enjoy the annual Tulip Festival. I am always amazed by the millions of tulips on display. A multitude of tulips is another of my favourite things.

For your enjoyment, here are a few images taken during that visit.

Barbados Tulips

Pink Tulips

A rainbow of Tulips

One dares to be different

Thanks for coming along to see the tulips. Hope you enjoyed it.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images taken during our visit to Ottawa can be seen in my Ottawa Tulip Festival - 11 May 2009 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, In my Guestbook or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Some of my favourite things

2009-10-12T09:13:00.020-04:00

Idea Leuconoe or Paper Kite

One event I look forward to each year is the Butterflies Go Free exhibit at the Montreal Botanical Gardens. (Typically it runs from mid-February to early April.) This year I visited the exhibit on three separate occasions.

I split my time there between the butterflies and the floral exhibits. Though this year I must admit I was a bit disappointed in the orchids. Just didn't seem to as many as in previous years.

Going at different times during the 8 weeks or so that the exhibit ran, allowed me to see a few butterflies I've not seen in previous years.

These are some of the new sightings this year:

Attacus atlas (Cobra moth) caterpillar

Morpho Polyphemus (White Morpho)

Hyalophora cecropia (Cecropia moth)

Papilio palinurus (Banded peacock)

Hope you enjoyed these images of some of my favourite things

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog.

Other images from my three visits to the Botanical Gardens this year can be seen in these galleries:
        Visit 26 February 2009 - Flowers
        Visit 26 February 2009 - Butterflies
        Visit 17 March 2009 - Flowers
        Visit 17 March 2009 - Butterflies
        Visit 26 April 2009 - Butterflies & flowers

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog, in my Guestbook or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And please stop by again.

Photo Art

2009-10-05T08:41:00.017-04:00

Phalaenopsis

In a previous post, I mentioned that I had developed an interest in Photo Art. I suspect that a number of you were scratching you head and asking, "What's Photo Art?"

The best definition of the term that I've come across was written by Danny Raphael on the RetouchPro forums. He wrote, [Photo Art is] "Art that is created using computer software in which a photo image is used as a basis or reference."

My interest in Photo Art grew out of my trying to create images for use on note cards that looked more like paintings than photographs. Built-in tools, plug-ins and scripts in PaintShop Pro were what I used initially. To that I've since added two great software, one free and one very inexpensive.

Fotosketcher is the free software. An amazing little software that creates realistic painted images. The following is an example of an image created in FotoSketcher with some post processing done in PaintShop Pro.

White Rose

The other software is Dynamic Auto-Painter (DAP). I can not praise this software enough. Use the link to see just how amazing this software is. And then download the trial version. There is a support forum
where users share different templates and techniques as well as post examples of their finished work.

The first image in today's post (Phalaenopsis) and the next (Daisies) were both created using DAP with some additional post processing tweaks in Paintshop Pro.

Daisies

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open the image in my Smugmug site, where you can view a larger version. Please use your browser's "Back" button to return to the Blog. Other Photo Art images can be seen in my Photo Art gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

Official launch of the New & Improved Photos by Healy site.

2009-10-03T14:46:00.001-04:00

Over the past several weeks I have been working to improve the look and feel off my photo site. This includes a better integration of this blog with my Smugmug site.

So please explore the navigation links and let me know what you think by leaving comments here or on the photo site.

Thanks for looking. And come back again, soon.

It's been an even longer Spring and Summer

2009-09-27T11:16:00.013-04:00

I've missed a few seasons of posts. But hopefully I'll be better at posting on at least a semi-irregular basis.

I've made some changes to my Blog & my photo site, trying to integrate them more closely in both look and content. Hopefully you, the viewers, will find the changes both interesting and pleasing.

I've developed an interest in Photo-Art. I'll explain a bit more about that in a future blog. For now I'll leave you with this image that I've recently created.

Twilight

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

It's been a long Winter

2009-03-21T09:18:00.045-04:00

I'm not a Winter person. While others love the cold and snow, I do not. So of course I choose to live in an area where it has been said to have "10 months of Winter and two months of lousy skiing".

What I miss most in Winter is colour. Looking over my photos, I notice there is a lack of Winter scenes. I found some images of when we visited Niagara Falls in February 2005.

Then there was that trip we took to Toronto in February 2008. We stopped off in Whitby and I spent a wonderful afternoon taking pictures with a great chap named Joe Noordman at the Lynn Shore Conservation Area.

We took another trip in February 2007 down to Northern New York and Vermont. While touring the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory, I took this shot out a window.

Back in December 2006, we visited Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, Ontario during their "Alight at Night" festival. This was definitely something to see. But you MUST dress warm. It was -14 C with a steady wind the night we were there.

As I look back through my photo galleries looking for Winter scenes, one thing became very obvious. I took more flower shots in 2008 than all the Winter scenes I've shot over the past 4 years. As I said at the start, I am not a Winter Person.

Please remember that clicking on any image on this page will open a larger version. Use your browser's "back" button to return to the Blog.

Anyone wishing to see other photos taken on any of the above mentioned trips can do so by clicking on these links:
Toronto & Niagara Falls 2005
Whitby Ontario - 2008
Short trip to Northern NY and Vermont - February 2007
Upper Canada Village - December 2006

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

Montreal's Mont Royal Park

2009-03-04T10:09:00.031-05:00

Montrealers are very lucky in having a very large and beautiful park - Mont Royal Park - just minutes from the downtown core.

Mont Royal Park
Took a walk through Mont Royal in Mid October last year. It was just past the peak for the Fall colours. Everywhere you turned you saw gorgeous oranges, reds and golds.

Beaver lake - Mont Royal Park
Beaver Lake looked like something out of fairytale; the bright sunny day making every- thing glow.

It doesn't matter what day of the week or which season, there are always people strolling about, enjoying the peace and quiet, appreciating the beauty of nature.

Hope you've enjoyed visiting Mont Royal Park with me. I'll save a few images for another day.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open a larger version. Use your browser's "back" button to return to the Blog.

Other photos taken on this outing can be seen in my Fall Foliage Walkabout Parc Mont Royal - 17 October 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

Out and about in Montreal - Part2

2009-02-28T22:20:00.027-05:00

Outdoor Terrace in mid-October
Montreal is a colourful town. With its love of outdoor terraces, its mix of architectural styles, its French/European flavours, there is something to catch your interest.

Workmen on break
I lived here for over 35 years now, and I never grow tired of it. Language issue not withstanding, Montreal is one of the best cities to live in. Or in my case, live near.

One of my favourite buildings along
Cote-des-Neige Blvd
A good deal of my time in the city is centered around Guy and Ste-Catherine. This is largely due to the fact that most of my medical Specialists are at the Montreal General Hospital. And because after taking the Metro from the south shore and getting off at Guy, you can grab a bus that takes you up to Mont Royal park.

Here are few more shots taken along Cote des Neiges, heading up to the park.

Looking west along Dr Penfield from Cote des Neiges

Old Nurses' residence at the Montreal General

Looking west along Cote des Neiges Blvd in front of the Montreal General

There are still the images taken on Mont Royal. But they'll be the subject for another blog.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open a larger version. Use your browser's "back" button to return to the Blog.

Other photos taken on this walkabout can be seen in my Walkabout Montreal - 17 October 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

Orton-izing your images

2009-02-24T11:42:00.018-05:00

Something a little different for today's post. A while back in one of the newsgroups I participate in, we had fun Orton-izing images. Orton-izing images or applying what is called the Orton Effect, is a technique originally created by Canadian photographer Michael Orton.

Mr. Orton has published a book called "Photographing Creative Landscapes". A very interesting preview of the book including some of his photos and explanation of how he created them can be found on Google Book search. Click here to see the preview.

A small portfolio gallery of his images can be seen here.

There are a number of sites found on the web that talk about the Orton Effect and how to reproduce it on your own images. One of the better ones in my opinion can be seen here.

The hard part in creating an Orton-ized image is not in the creation process but rather in finding a image where the process works.

In most photo editing software that supports layers, you can Orton-ize your image as follows.

duplicate original layer.
set blend mode of duplicate to 'Screen'.
merge down.
duplicate layer, setting blend mode to 'Multiply'.
apply Gaussian blur to duplicate layer using a value between 15 to 50. I tend to use 35 for my images.
Create an HSL adjustment layer. Here you can increase or decrease the saturation until you achieve the desired effect. Again from personal experience I find I like increased saturation (15-30 values). The main exception to this is when there is a great deal of Red in the image. This is when I will decrease the saturation a bit.

There are times when the resultant image looks dark. The quick and simple fix is to duplicate the lower layer (the one that was a result of merging the two layers with Screen blend mode) and set its blend mode to 'Screen'. A second and more precise method would be to add a Curves layer where you can tweak just the darks and shadows.

The following are some of the images I have created following the above steps.

Hope you found today's topic interesting and enjoyable.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open a larger version. Use your browser's "back" button to return to the Blog.

Other photos that I've applied this process to can be seen in my Digtal Effects - Orton-ized gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

Out and about in Montreal

2009-02-21T10:09:00.045-05:00

Ste-Catherine street looking west towards Mackay
I love Montreal. I love walking about the city capturing its buildings, its people, its character.

Along Rene Levesque Blvd
I had some time last October to spend a good part of the day in Montreal. One of the purposes of this trip was to take some 'street photography' photos for a photo newsgroup challenge.

Dorchester Square
While I enjoy looking at this type of photography, it is not a form I feel comfortable doing. So it was for me a bit of a stretch.
Having only a vague idea of what I was looking for, I started snapping 'people shots'. I was lucky that it was early in the morning and most people were intent on getting to work.

Jogging at the light - Ste-Catherine street

Heavy load - Ste-Catherine street

Ste-Catherine Near Guy

Ste-Catherine and Guy
There were a lot more images taken that day. But they'll be subjects for other blogs.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open a larger version. Use your browser's "back" button to return to the Blog.

Other photos taken on this walkabout can be seen in my Walkabout Montreal - 17 October 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

Lighthouses I came across in Maine

2009-02-18T22:23:00.052-05:00

Goat Island Light off Cape Porpoise near Kennebunkport, Maine

Cape Elizabeth Light
I left off last year in this blog with our trip to Old Orchard Beach. During that trip I managed to visit a few light houses in the area. The Goat Island Light off Cape Porpoise, was just a bit too far way for my longest reach - 200 mm. But at least I did record seeing it.

Cape Elizabeth Light
There are actually two lighthouses on Cape Elizabeth. But one of them is now a private dwelling and not accessible to the public.
There is a restaurant and an adorable souvenir shop near the Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse. If you ever have the chance, you must stop and check out the many interesting and unique gifts and souvenirs that can be found in that little shop.

Portland Head Light with Ram Island Ledge Light
in distance, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth
One of the prettiest lighthouses we came across was the Portland Head Lighthouse, also located in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The sun had been playing tag most of the day, so the challenge was trying to grab a shot with the light shining on the lighthouse, but not so that it caused the whites to blow.

If you looked out into Casco Bay, you could see the Ram Island Ledge light. It was also a bit too far away for my 200 mm reach.

Ram Island Ledge Light in Casco Bay, Portland
The last lighthouses we saw were in Portland harbour -- the Portland Breakwater (or "Bug") light and the Spring Point Light.

Portland Breakwater "Bug" Light, Portland, Maine

Spring Point Light, Portland, Maine

Thanks for coming along on our Old Orchard trip. Hope you enjoyed it.

Remember that clicking on any image on this page will open a larger version. Use your browser's "back" button to return to the Blog.

Other photos taken on the trip can be seen in my Trip to Old Orchard Beach, Maine - October 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

My apologies

2009-02-16T21:12:00.005-05:00

It's been some time since I last posted to this blog. It is my hope to start posting again at least weekly.

For today, I leave you with this image.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

The Beautiful Maine Coast

2008-11-26T19:37:00.039-05:00

Biddeford Pool, Maine

Cape Porpoise near Kennebunkport
For me, one of the most beautiful places along the US east coast is the Maine Coast. During our stay in Old Orchard Beach, we took a few trips up and down coast.

Bush Compound at Walkers Point
We enjoyed near perfect weather, with the Autumn colours starting to really bloom.
Managed to grab a few shots of one of my favourite subjects -- Lighthouses.

But again, that'll will be a topic for another post.

Here are a few more images along the Maine coast:

Clicking on any image on this page will open a larger version. Use your browser's "back" button to return to the Blog.

Other photos taken on the trip can be seen in my Trip to Old Orchard Beach, Maine - October 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

Old Orchard Beach, Maine

2008-11-13T19:07:00.030-05:00

Old Orchard Beach
Old Orchard Beach is a booming town during the summer. You can hardly walk along the beach with the crowds. But once summer is over, the crowds disappear.

While it is almost impossible to find a motel room in New England during the Peak Fall Colours season, the same is not true in Old Orchard.

Along the Beach
Marilyn & I have twice visited Old Orchard over the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (also known as Columbus Day weekend in the States.) This time we headed down a week earlier to take advantage of lower off-season rates.

The town was pretty closed up, with most places only opening on weekends in the Fall. And most of those would close for the winter once the Columbus Day weekend was over.

The nearly deserted beach was very peaceful. Two of the three mornings we were there, I made the effort to get up to see the sunrise. It was beautiful both days!

This was the first morning.

And this was the second morning.

While in Old Orchard, we day-tripped to Portland and along the Maine coast. But they'll be topics for other blog posts.

Other photos taken on the trip can be seen in my Trip to Old Orchard Beach, Maine - October 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

Remembrance Day

2008-11-11T18:59:00.004-05:00

Visiting New England in the Fall

2008-11-08T15:02:00.064-05:00

                             Littleton, New Hampshire

              Mt. Washington Hotel, Rte 302,
              Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Back around Canadian Thanksgiving (Columbus Day in the US), Marilyn & I decided to take a trip down to Old Orchard Beach in Maine.
The weather was nice when we left Greenfield Park. We stopped in Littleton, New Hampshire for lunch and discovered the beautiful scene depicted in the top image.

Crawford Notch, New Hampshire
But the moment we approached the White Mountains, the sky became dull grey. (I've often told Marilyn that the clouds on top of Mount Washington were to hide the activities of the Aliens that relocated there from Area 51.)

Here are a few photos taken in New Hampshire and Vermont as we traveled to and from Old Orchard Beach:

Other photos taken on the trip can be seen in my Trip to Old Orchard Beach, Maine - October 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking.

Coaticook Gorge Park

2008-11-01T21:54:00.029-04:00

Standing on the Suspension Bridge
One of many attractions in Quebec's Eastern Townships is Coaticook Gorge Park located within the town of Coaticook. A little over 2 hours drive from Montreal, it was quite overcast the morning we headed out.

Traveling along Autoroute 10 you could see the start of some beautiful fall colours, especially when we past by Mont Orford

The Park has many hiking trails, cycling paths and even horseback riding trails. There is camping in the Summer and Snow-shoeing and Cross-country skiing in the winter.

The day we visited, we stayed to the marked trail along the Coaticook river, over the suspension bridge and back along the other side of the river to where we started. We also visited the the camping area. I took a steep hike to where there were suppose to be waterfalls. I did find some small cascades. Suspect they might be a bit more impressive during the Spring run off.

Here are a few photos taken along our walk.

Other photos taken that day can be seen in my Day trip to Coaticook Gorge Park - 29 September 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

As always, Thanks for looking.

The Market

2008-10-28T08:50:00.036-04:00

Montreal has two farmers' markets: the Atwater Market and the Jean Talon market. The Jean Talon market is the much larger of the two.

On a weekday at the end of September, we paid the market a visit. (You can't move for the crowds on the weekends.) There was still quite a few people around, including several who were more interested in taking pictures than in buying fresh fruits and vegetables. (Gotta love people like that. {Big Grin})
Here are a few photos taken that day.

Other photos taken that day can be seen in my A visit to Jean Talon Market - 25 September 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

As always, Thanks for looking.

Visiting Longueuil's Regional Park

2008-10-26T15:45:00.051-04:00

Google map of Longueuil Regional Park

One of the ponds
One of my favourite places to visit with my camera is the regional park in Longueuil, Quebec.

Located within a 25 minute drive from my house, it is a wonderful location to take pictures.

The Marsh

Whether in the Spring which brings the ducks and geese or in the Fall with its vibrant colours I always find something of interest to photograph.

The following are a few of the shots I've taken in the park over the past year.

Click on any image to see a much larger version. Use your browser's back button to return to this page.
Common Grackle in the Marsh

Common House Sparrow

The Family Goose

Canada Goose gosling

Red Osier Dogwood berries

Fountain in one of the ponds

The above images are from several different photo galleries.
- Walkabout Longueuil Regional Park - 13 May 2008
- Walkabout Longueuil Regional Park - 24 May 2008
- Walkabout Longueuil Regional Park Isle Charron and Iles de Boucherville Provincial Park - 19 September 2008

Other images taken in the Longueuil Regional Park can be seen on my Southshore Images galleries.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

As always, Thanks for looking.

A visit to a deer farm

2008-10-24T10:37:00.034-04:00

Back in September of this year, my wife and I were invited to a wedding reception. It was held on the Bride's Grandfather's deer farm just outside Hawkesbury, Ontario. What a gorgeous location.

    Wild Asters

While there, I had time to walk around the property and snap a few shots.

As is often the case, my eye is drawn to the flowers.

    Bee on flowers

    Clover

    Rudbeckia

But the prettiest flower of all, was the Bride herself.

You can see other images taken that day in my Visit to a Deer Farm gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

As always, Thanks for looking.

Back roads

2008-10-22T15:29:00.059-04:00

Near St Edouard, Quebec

Too often we travel the fast highways and byways and fail to see the beauty that can be found on the slower back roads.

Recently I took a trip on the rural back roads of south-western Quebec.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau" border="1" />
Resting place of
Pierre Elliott Trudeau
Took Autoroute 15 south to exit 29 and headed over to St-Edouard along route 221. Real pretty farm country.

Continuing on route 221 took me through St Michel over to St Remi. St Remi is the largest town in the area. It is also where Pierre Elliott Trudeau, former Prime Minister of Canada, is buried.

Church in St Chrysostome

In St-Remi, I picked up route 209 and headed south to Ste-Clotilde and then on to St Chrysostome.
Each little town has its large stone Catholic church.

Had come across several wooden churches. They appear to be or have been Protestant churches.

Old church between Ste. Clotilde
and St. Chrysostome, Quebec

At least one of these was abandoned. I suspect they are the remnants of the Anglo population that lived in these parts.

From St Chrysostome, I continued along Rte 209 until crossed Rte 202 near Franklin. Then headed east along the 202 through Franklin Center, Havelock and then into Hemmingford.

Russeltown Church near
Havelock, Quebec

Once in Hemmingford, I took Rte 219 north through Sherrington and then back to Autoroute 15 and headed home.

All in all a beautiful day spent enjoying the wonderful country side and the quaint towns that dot the area.

You can see other images taken that day in my Rural Backroads - 31 August 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking.

Waterfalls

2008-10-20T21:36:00.026-04:00

Lower waterfalls along the
Hewitson River, Rainbow
Falls Provincial Park
I love waterfalls. There is something about falling water, the texture, the patterns formed as it moves rapidly or slowly over the rocks and down through space.

Kakabeka Falls

There is beauty to be seen in the power of a waterfall in spring as it roars with the full throat of snow melts. Or in the delicate spiderweb design that is created in a small creek that trickles across the rocks.
On our trip to Thunder Bay we saw a wide variety of waterfalls, both in Ontario as well as Minnesota.

You can see other images of waterfalls in these two galleries:
- Ontario waterfalls
- Minnesota waterfalls

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking.

Sault Ste Marie, Ontario

2008-10-19T07:51:00.026-04:00

Hiawatha Beach
Kinsmen Park

Sault Ste Marie, Ontario (or the Soo as it's called by locals) is a nice little city of approximately 80,0000 people. We spent part of a day there on the way to Thunder Bay and three on our way home.

We visited Kinsmen Park and the Crystal Falls. Also walked along the beautiful boardwalk that runs along the St Mary River.

Crystal Falls
When you look across the water, you're looking at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan.

One thing that surprised me about the Soo was the large Italian population. It appears that many Italians immigrated to the area after World War II to work in the steel factories.
The annual Italian Festival was on while we in there. Lots of good food to be had.

For other images taken during our visit to this city, please visit my Sault Ste Marie, Ontario gallery

On the road to Thunder Bay - North Bay

2008-10-18T06:14:00.040-04:00

'Jeff's Gift'
Carousel at North Bay, Ontario

On our Thunder Bay vacation, we stopped in North Bay, Ontario both going and returning.

We had vacationed here back in 2001. North Bay is a nice community located on Lake Nipissing in what is called the 'Near North' in Ontario.

'For Better or Worse' characters
by Lynn Johnson

Several years ago, a group of North Bay residents decided to recreate a Carousel. More than 350 people donated their time and talent to the design and construction of this Heritage Carousel. They did a beautiful job as can be seen in this images.

Images taken in North Bay this trip, including other carousel shots, can be seen in my North Bay, Ontario gallery.

Thanks for looking.

Thunder Bay, Ontario

2008-10-16T15:53:00.015-04:00

Sleeping Giant
Back at the end of July this year, my wife Marilyn and I took a trip to Thunder Bay, Ontario. We had been wanting to take this trip for several years, but always seemed to end up somewhere else.

Mr Chipmunk

We traveled up the 417, staying at North Bay, Sault Ste Marie and Marathon on the way up. Northern Ontario is simply beautiful to see. While we seldom deviated from the main highway, there was still many interesting things to see along the way: provincial parks, waterfalls, even Winnie the Pooh. ::smile::

Other photos from Thunder Bay can be seen in my Thunder Bay gallery.

This is the start

2008-10-15T21:35:00.007-04:00

Not sure what I'm doing here, but that's never stopped me from doing things before.

It had been suggested to me that I should start a blog about my photos so as to give them a greater chance to show up on search engines.

Will that help? Have no idea. But it sounded like a nifty thing to have happen.

I take photos to share with others. Hoping to show some of the beauty I see around me, in the things that are around me to others.

And to be truthful, the ego massaging that happens when someone says, "Hey, great image" doesn't hurt either. ::smile::

So as I stumble along learning how to blog, I hope you, the visitor, find it interesting enough, find my photos interesting enough, to come back from time to time to see what I've been up to.

Thanks for looking