Dec. 31; Sunset at Taylor Lake

As the sun sets on the year 2011, I will post this photo of the sun setting at Taylor Lake in Gatineau Park. Last February, a group of friends skied 5 km in to the yurt, backpacking food and clothing supplies, to stay there overnight, and were treated to this spectacular winter sunset.

I like the contrast of the long, dark shadows, with the magical glow from the setting sun.

Dec. 29: Topher Tobogganing

I find that taking great pictures of kids is a challenge.

Really young ones want to see the digital screen before the picture is even taken. Older ones put on a goofy grin for the camera. Most kids move too fast to be captured.

A few nights ago, in Guelph, we took the kids tobogganing. Nealy 4 year old Topher was a bundle of energy, turning around to race back up the hill as each run ended. I caught  him on the way back up the hill just as he turned around to say, 'Hi Amma'!. Everything worked.

Dec. 28: Christmas Dinner

While this is a typical Christmas Dinner photo, from a photographic angle it would be better to use a tripod! In the present shot, the angle is wrong and needs to be lifted. But, hey!, the turkey was waiting - who has time to fiddle with a tripod?
Lee, Aaron, Megan.Bob & Peg in the photo.

December 22. Violets

This morning I watched the sun play on this violet at our kitchen window. I captured it using Av setting on my camera, with a low aperature setting of 4, to get a blurred background. I like the way the small yellow pollen 'pops'' on the dark violet petals.