Images from the Backyard

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2012-03-05T19:51:56-07:00

Formation Flying: ISO 200, 15mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 The bohemian waxwings came back to our yard this winter for another feeding. The sound this amount of birds make is surreal. This is just a small bunch of the birds. Most of them were in the trees behind me feasting.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2012-02-19T10:44:48-07:00

Yellow Warbler: ISO 200, 200mm, f/8.0, 1/750 Waiting for spring to arrive. This yellow warbler was captured last spring at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre, Red Deer, Alberta during one of my nature walks.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-12-20T14:44:33-07:00

I have been in a bit of a rut lately when it comes to my photography. ...Some of the photography blogs that I read regularly suggest getting out of your comfort zone and shoot something different to get out of these ruts. ... I feel comfortable knowing I am alone with nature and I can take all the time that I need to find shots that catch my eye. This past weekend I took a baby step in getting out of my comfort zone. ... Now, when I say baby steps what I mean is that I didn't take my "big" camera but instead pulled out my iPhone.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-12-17T09:23:58-07:00

This was taken the same night as the previous image. This is facing west at the Red Deer City Hall gardens. In the summer it is quite the sight with roses and perennials. In the winter, the city covers the trees, bushes and shrubs with lights. People are always strolling the pathways to get a closer look.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-12-15T16:25:06-07:00

Christmas at Red Deer City Hall 2011 I love Christmas! The colour and and lights warm up our extraordinary cold and dark winters. This was taken last night in downtown Red Deer with a simple pocket camera. The city decorates the City Hall Park and this rather large Christmas tree.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-10-30T17:08:22-06:00

Fall 2011: ISO 200, 90mm, f/8, 1/125 ...Time to put the outdoor gear away for winter hibernation. This is a picture of rose leaves from our backyard garden. These add the traditional fall colours to our garden. Red, orange and yellow.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-09-25T16:47:46-06:00

One of the disadvantages of this new feeder is that the squirrels can get into it. ... I have seen nuthatches, blue jays, chickadees, sparrows, crows, and magpies all eat out of this feeder since it can store seed and nuts. The tube feeders that we have in place just attract the smaller birds such as the house sparrow, chickadee and finches because it can only hold small seed. I took this photo of the squirrel eagerly waiting for me to leave after I had just refilled the feeder. ...Another Alberta Blogger, Kathleen Moors, has squirrels visiting her feeder but noticed that she had a woodpecker come visit.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-09-16T09:59:10-06:00

I find the best time to take photos of our garden flowers is early morning or late evening just as the sun is rising or falling. The problem with living in the northern climate of Red Deer, Alberta is the sun rises in the summer as early as 4:30AM and sets as late as 11:00PM. So, you have to be an early riser or a night owl. I was up early enough to capture this shot of one of our rose bushes after a early morning rain with my Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L. I bought this lens for bird/wildlife photography but I am finding it well suited for close up floral shots as well.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-09-11T12:55:48-06:00

Mating Dance 1: ISO 200, 200mm, F/4, 1/1000 Mating Dance 2: ISO 200, 200mm, f/4, 1/1000 ...Once and awhile you will notice a male showing off to a female by keeping his chest low, wings down, and tail up going into some sort of dance that resembles an epileptic seizure. When I see it, I tell my wife the sparrows are "chicken dancing." ...I will have to carry my little Kodak Playsport around with me more often to try to capture video.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-08-18T12:52:17-06:00

Busy Bee: ISO 400, 35mm, f/4, 1/500 Things have been a little crazy at work so my photography hobby has taken a bit of a back seat. I feel like a bee. Always moving and feeling like my work is never done. This was shot with my 35mm macro lens in my parent's backyard a few weeks ago.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-08-09T10:43:04-06:00

Duck out of Water: ISO 400, 140mm, f/4, 1/60 This is another shot I took while visiting family near Peterborough, Ontario. The ducks along the river banks of Peterborough are known for being pretty tame and not really afraid of people. I did not bring my tripod. I was lucky to get a fairly sharp image while hand holding the camera at the 140mm focal length using a slow shutter speed of 1/60th of a second.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-07-28T11:05:28-06:00

My father and brother in law (who was visiting from South Africa) decided to go fishing at Youngs Point one night after supper. ...Dad called me over to his fishing spot and told me that I had to check out the Great Blue Heron standing at the bottom of the dam. It was close to sunset so I had to set my ISO to 800 in order to get a fast shutter speed while using my telephoto lens. Dad and my brother in law never caught a fish that night but while watching the Heron he had caught two. Looks like he had the better fishing spot picked out!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-07-07T16:55:05-06:00

\ Pair of Theives: ISO 400, 163mm, f/4, 1/1500

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-07-07T09:13:21-06:00

We bought a new type of seed that supposedly attracts more types of birds to the feeder. The only problem is it that it is attracting Crows and Magpies which in turn scare away the smaller more colourful birds that I want to attract. I was sitting on our deck and noticed a pair of Blue Jays (Not from Toronto) flying to the feeder to find some food. They are not so scared of the Magpies and Crows. ...In the spring when cleaning out the eaves trough or replanting our planter boxes it is common to find peanuts hidden amongst the dirt/compost.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-06-25T11:16:15-06:00

Pine Siskin: ISO 800, 200mm, f/5.6, 1/125 I have placed Nyger seed feeder sacs in our crab apple tree in hopes of luring goldfinches. When I noticed these birds enjoying the seed I thought I finally attracted female goldfinches. Turns out this is a Pine Siskin. They seem to be getting used to me as I was able to get quite close to them without scaring them off.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-06-12T13:36:06-06:00

All Roads Lead to the Centre: ISO 200, 200mm, f/5.6, 1/125 We have had plenty of rain the last 2 weeks. Our plants are loving it especially when the burst of heat comes. This is leaves of a lupine waiting for the suns rays.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-06-03T20:37:33-06:00

Snake Charmer: ISO 125, 7mm, f/4, 1/100 The tulips have pretty much come and gone from our garden. Everything is a little late this year so most of our perennials are coming up at the same time. Can't keep up with the picture taking! This was taken with a point and shoot camera.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-05-19T11:35:55-06:00

Morning Poppies: ISO 100, 6.1mm, f/4, 1/40 Our poppies are starting to bloom. As you can see by this image there are plenty of "heads" that will flower on this plant. The last couple of years the house sparrows have been eating them so there hasn't been as many flowers. This year should be different.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-05-15T10:11:39-06:00

I went for a short walk from the house on Friday morning to the Kerry Wood Nature Centre. It is nice in a way that I can walk 10 minutes east and hit downtown Red Deer and 10 minutes north I can hit a nature sanctuary and feel as though I have left the city. ...I spent most of my teenage/early adult life in "Cottage Country" where the loon is a common sight. The call of the loon is eerie and at the same time comforting. I was happy to see four Common Loons playing and calling to each other during my walk on the shores of the Gaetz Lakes in the Nature Centre.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-05-11T10:12:42-06:00

Spring Tulip: ISO 200, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/100 The weather is getting warmer now. The perennials are coming out of the ground. Despite all the snow we have gotten this winter the ground is starting to get dry due to the lack of rain. I had just watered the beds this morning and taken this picture after the morning chore.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-05-05T12:12:37-06:00

White Spring Bouquet: ISO 200, 90mm, f/4, 1/3200 As mentioned yesterday we have a white version of the same flower posted previously. These white flowers with a blue strip are much more abundant in the flower bed under our crab apple tree. This was shot using a dedicated Macro Lens.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-05-04T19:03:08-06:00

Sign of Spring: ISO 100, 90mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 ...These are the first of the flowers from our gardens to bloom from the long hard winter. Not sure what these flowers are called. They are very tiny and come in blue or white. I took some pictures of the white flowers but since the last few images contained a lot of white snow thought I would stick to some colour!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-04-14T13:15:49-06:00

April Snow: ISO 100, 18.2mm, f/4.5, 1/400 The snow up until today had pretty much melted in our backyard. The tulips are starting to peak through the soil waiting to unleash their spring colours and this happens!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-03-26T08:50:46-06:00

Melting: ISO 200, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/200 Still lots of snow on the ground and on the roof of our house. The daylight sun is trying it's best to warm things up but it has a long way to go. Click here to see the amount of snow we have at the end of March.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-03-12T19:31:31-07:00

On my way home from work today I noticed the neighbour's crab apple tree was covered with a blanket of Waxwings. I finished my drive home, parked the car in the garage, ran into the house, said hello to my wife, headed downstairs to grab the camera, said I will be back to my wife and then walked to the end of the alley to get some pics of the birds and tree. I was able to get quite close to these birds. A passerby by said to me that he heard the birds get a little intoxicated by the fermented apples so maybe that is why they are not as skitish as usual. Click here to see a larger version of this picture.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-03-10T12:19:28-07:00

In Like a Lion: ISO 400, 50mm, f/2.2, 1/60 I am hoping the old weather saying "in like a lion, out like a lion" rings true. ... So if the saying is true then we hopeflly can expect nice pleasant weather. However, checking things out on Wikipedia this saying doesn't hold any water. ...It's the closest image I have of a fericious lion.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-03-05T21:27:20-07:00

More Shadow Veins: ISO 200, 70mm, f/9.5, 1/2000 Fluffy White Clouds: ISO 200, 70mm, f/9.5, 1/2000 Still very cold here. My brain is in a freeze. I decided I needed to try to get out of my creative hibernation and point the camera upwards.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-02-23T17:15:24-07:00

Shadow Veins: ISO 80, 23mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 This shot was taken around noon today. As you can see by the long shadows the sun is still low in the southern horizon. ...This is the time of year I trim the branches of our apple trees. However, with the windchills in the -30 to -40 Celcius range I have not had the ambition to go out and prune.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-02-17T14:07:18-07:00

v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> ...Stepped out of the house last weekend and was surprised to see a large flock of waxwings had come to visit the neighbour's berry laden mountain ash tree. ...I took some shots from just outside the back door of the house and then proceeded to walk slowly towards the birds hoping to get some "up close shots."

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-02-08T20:40:14-07:00

It is very cold again and because of this I am not getting outside as much to snap pictures. ...Here our youngest cat (About 6-7 months old) has discovered that after you take the clothes out of the dryer it is a pretty comfortable place to sit. ...My wife urged me to come in a hurry to snap the picture and I did not have time to find and install the flash soft box. I also had to point the flash at the cat because if I pointed it upwards to bounce off the ceiling the light would not reach inside the dryer. A couple of days later all three cats were in the dryer together but I was not able to get to the camera in time.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-01-23T12:34:48-07:00

Warm Sunset: ISO 320, 170mm, f/5.6, 1/250 ...It was sad but that is how nature works. I had no hand in but just document what I see. This is not a winter image but needed to show that with the bad comes good. This is a lone house sparrow visting our backyard and the remaining raspberries and enjoying the warmth of a fall sunset.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-01-16T12:39:23-07:00

Harsh Reality of Winter: ISO 200, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/250 ...I went outside to take pictures of the snow covered fences and vegetation this morning and I noticed this poor little guy on our sidewalk. There has been so much snow that we have been shovelling at least once a day. We might have buried the way to his home or his food source.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-01-11T11:44:09-07:00

High winds this past weekend packed the new fallen snow down to make it pretty hard. This is the roof of our garage and it looks like the virginia creeper is holding the snow from sliding off the roof. Click on the image to see a larger one and you can actually see the wind moving the snow on the roof and under the eaves. ...Please vote for my photo blog if you like what you see at the links below. ...

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-01-09T15:52:15-07:00

Winter Roses: ISO 400, 126mm, f/4.5, 1/1000 A winter storm is upon us. The snow shovel has gotten a work out. This is our roses along the back wall of our house. The high winds have not taken the snow off them.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2011-01-08T08:04:56-07:00

Preparing for the Storm: ISO 400, 200mm, f/4, 1/350 Went for a walk at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre yesterday while the weather was still relatively warm (Just below 0 degrees ceclius). This was the only bird I could get close enough to photograph during my hike but I could hear chickadees and waxwings playing in the woods. My lens just couldn't reach far enough to catch them. ... He must sense the winter storm the weather people are predicting for this weekend.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-12-30T09:57:04-07:00

For some us we take this time to reflect on the year past and promise to make changes in the new one. This image was taken in June 2010 at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario. A place I still call home even though I currently live over 5,000 miles away. To me this picture somes up what I do when a year ends. Reflect, learn and look forward to the promise of the future.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-12-19T12:43:34-07:00

Christmas can almost be counted down on one hand now. ... We weren't sure if we should put up the indoor Chrismtas tree as Goose is still very much a kitty. We compromised and put up the tree but not very many decorations. As you can see from this picture that was a good choice. Goose likes shiny glass balls and we do find them on the floor from time to time.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-12-14T20:51:36-07:00

Christmas Tree Bokeh: ISO 400, 35mm, f/2.8, 1/15 Playing outside tonight with the camera. I shot this out of focus to achieve the "bokeh" effect on the lights.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-12-12T09:54:21-07:00

If you have been visiting this site regulary you might get the impression that things are very cold. Even though it is winter and for the most part the temperatures are consistently below freezing the sun will come out and warm things up. I was playing with my point and shot camera and noticed that the snow was slowly melting off our black roof. ...One of the drawbacks of a point and shoot (Pocket Camera) is the delay from the time you press the button to when the actual picture is taken. ... I had to snap the picture before I even seen the water drops fall to the ground.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-12-05T10:41:47-07:00

Frosty Night: ISO 800, 35mm, f/2.8, 1/20 Frosty Leaves at Night: ISO 800, 35mm, f/2.8, 1/15 These were shot in the backyard Friday night. Both shots were handheld at a high using a high ISO. Most of the trees in our area have this hoars frost on them.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-12-03T22:12:50-07:00

Lamp Post at Night: ISO 800, 35mm, f/4, 1/6 It's December and Christmas is coming up fast. Our neighbours are finally catching the Holiday Spirit. Of the 16 houses on our block 5 of us have outdoor lights up. That is pretty high as the last few years it has been around 2-3 homes (including ours).

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-11-28T07:09:47-07:00

Mitsaya Canyon, Banff National Park: ISO 200, 18mm, f/8, 1/15 I have to make up for the spider picture. ...Hope you enjoy this one more. Took this in October when we went to Banff National Park for the day. A few hours drive from the house.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-11-26T12:18:13-07:00

Tiny Spider on Bee Balm Leaf: ISO 200, 90mm, f/8, 1/750 A friend of mine in Australia posted an image of a white spider on her blog this week. I found it some what similar to this spider which I found in our garden this past July. We live on opposite sides of the earth and have different climates and habitats, yet there are still some things we have in common.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-11-21T09:46:34-07:00

White Christmas: ISO 200, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/320 We have received a lot of snow this past week. We have also received January like temperatures (-20 degrees celcius). No worries about a white Christmas this year!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-11-16T12:32:46-07:00

Canadian Cactus: ISO 200, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/320 The snow has fallen. It looks like it will stay around for awhile. ...This is our small Mugo Pine covered with the fresh fallen snow. Kind of reminds me of a cactus.

Remember!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-11-10T22:19:17-07:00

Remember: ISO 200, 30mm, f/6.3, 1/15

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-11-09T11:56:57-07:00

I have a few images I want to share this week in honour of this very important day. ...From this poem poppies have become a symbol of the sacrifices men and women have made during times of conflict. ...Red is a symbol of the bloodshed of trench warfare during World War I. ...We grow poppies in our backyard garden and they alllow me to remember sacrifices whenever they bloom. ...It was interesting when I did some post processing work on the original image and discovered that the red colour turned to white, which is a symbol of peace, when converted to black and white.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-11-06T13:38:57-06:00

House Sparrow on the Fence: ISO 320, 240mm, f/4.5, 1/2000 My previous post I showed you the rose leaves on the ground. This post I will show you the ones still remaining on the bush. It has been unseasonably warm here and the animals in our neighbourhood are taking full advantage of this. The house sparrows were playing in our backyard this morning paying me no attention.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-11-04T19:24:15-06:00

I was walking to the garage this afternoon to dig out our outdoor Christmas decorations today and noticed that a few rose branches had fallen to the ground. ...I grabbed my camera and picked up some of these leaves and placed them in the sun. Since it is close to winter here our sun now tracks in the southern sky and does not cross directly above us. ... I wanted to show these shadows so I placed the leaves on a somewhat plain background. The top picture is after some post processing work done with an Apple Aperture Plug-in that I have talked about before.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-10-30T19:14:52-06:00

I took this shotback in late September when I photographed "The Chase" and "Falling Leaf." There is an old cemetery on top of Michener Hill in Red Deer. I put this photo away knowing I would pull it out again for Halloween. I did some post processing on this photo using a plug in for Apple's Aperture (Colour Efex Pro by NIK software). I used the Midnight filter to give this image a more eerie look.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-10-27T15:48:44-06:00

Cedar and Snow: ISO 200, 11mm, f/3.2, 1/160 We got some snow this week. It usually snows just in time for Halloween. This is a macro of our cedar tree by our front entrance which faces north. Taken with a point and shoot set on manual settings.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-10-24T17:29:48-06:00

Fall Rose Leaves: ISO 400, 35mm, f/5, 1/100 ...This image is of some rose leaves changing to their fall colours. For some reason when I transfer the image to my website it does not look as sharp as it does on my computer. Click on the image or HERE to see a sharper image. I took this shot today on a very overcast sky without the use of flash.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-10-23T06:57:12-06:00

California Poppy: ISO 80, 6.2mm, f/2.8, 1/125 This summer I planted some California Poppy seeds in some of our beds. ... I am posting this shot now as they have shown to be pretty resilient to the cold fall temperatures. They flowered up until a week ago when Angela finally trimmed them back for fall hibernation. ...I set the camera to Macro Mode and it took care of the rest.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-10-20T08:26:29-06:00

Our colourful apple tree has lost all of it's leaves. I am sharing with you a photo taken last week of a leaf that is not willing to let go. What is really weird is that the neighbour's Mountain Ash and our crabapple tree that is below it still have many green leaves. The background of this photo is the Mountain Ash's green leaves and orange/red berries. The majority of the other trees on our block are barren.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-10-13T18:57:22-06:00

American Robin with Autumn Leaves: ISO 400, 270mm, f/6.7, 1/180 American Robin: ISO 400, 270mm, f/6.7, 1/180 A sure sign of spring is when the Robins return to our yard. ...We are still experiencing warm weather and it must be fooling the robins playing in our yard. The parents may have returned with their spring babies to show them where they were born so that they will all return to us next spring.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-10-12T19:02:04-06:00

Frost Bitten: ISO 200, 50mm, f/2.5,1/100 Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.   ...Stanley Horowitz I have never done this before but I have seen users of Flickr add quotes to describe their pictures. I found one that that sums up my postings for the month of October.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-10-05T18:25:08-06:00

In order for the camera to focus I had to shine my flashlight on a spot on the tree for the autofocus to find its mark. ...I set up my flash/strobe on a second tripod away from the camera and pointed it at the inside of a white umbrella. ...I also warned my wife that if any neighbours come knocking on our door asking about crazy lights going off in the backyard it was me playing with the flashlight and camera. ...It was hard to tell in the dark looking at the little screen on the back of the camera especially when my eyes were adjusting to brightness then darkness. Before I started I had envisioned that it would isolate the apple tree from the distractions behind it (neighbour's motorhome, our white fence etc.)

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-10-02T19:08:44-06:00

Up in Flames: ISO 100, 18mm, f/6.3, 1/50 ...We have never seen it have this much colour at the end of a season. ... This year most of the leaves have turned red. As you can see they are also hanging on to the branches a little longer so that we can admire her beauty. I have my circular polarizer on to help saturate the colours in the leaves and sky.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-09-28T07:34:07-06:00

Another "Indian Summer" image from Michener Hill in Red Deer. Two kids playing on their longboards on the steep trails of Michener Hill. I was aware of the lens flare when I was composing this shot. I was using a lens hood but wanted to portray the warmth of the setting sun on this beautiful fall evening. Just the week before people in Red Deer had broke out their winter jackets to beat the cold weather we were experiencing.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-09-26T10:53:48-06:00

Falling Leaf: ISO 200, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/90 The leaves are changing colour and falling off the trees. We are experiencing an "Indian Summer" right now. ...This image was taken just before sunset at Michener Hill which is about 5 blocks from the house. This hill overlooks downtown and the river valley.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-09-21T19:54:50-06:00

Like Water off a Ducks Back: ISO 400, 190mm, f/6.7, 1/350 ...I have seen Canada Geese flying south for the winter. I took this in August at Bower Ponds in Red Deer. These ducks are pretty tame and you can get pretty close to them. These two might already be headed south for the winter as this shiny pond will soon become a cold hard surface in a few months.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-09-18T20:05:34-06:00

Ying and Yang: ISO 100, 30.5mm, f/4.5, 1/320 We got our first real heavy frost of the fall on Friday morning. ...I was surveying the damage and came across this Purple Ninebark leaf. These are purple during the summer but half of this leaf is green. No Photoshopping was done in the making of this image.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-09-15T09:40:09-06:00

I have not used my camera in a week. I pulled this image from a photo walk I did last fall in the town in which I work. I used my point and shoot as I left my heavy gear at home. I just wanted to enjoy the sights and sounds of fall and not worry about what lens I was going to use. ...Luckily, the clouds are keeping in what little heat we have left from summer.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-09-09T09:40:11-06:00

I took this shot in August when I did a photowalk at a local park in Red Deer, Alberta. ...The ladybug is not as sharp in focus as I would have liked but she was moving at a brisk pace. As I had my long telephoto lens on and no time to set up the tripod I had to turn up the ISO to get a fast enough shutter speed to capture her. ...I think my eyes are drawn more to the pattern of the cattail grass and the way the sun creates definition and shadows on their blades. The ladybug just puts things in perspective and gives you a hint of what the actual pattern is made up of.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-09-06T07:42:23-06:00

Purple Parachutes: ISO 400, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/60 Purple Parachutes II: ISO 400, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/60 We have a variety of clematis' in our yard. But this is the only one that seems to explode with flowers this summer.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-08-30T15:13:30-06:00

Fall Colours: ISO 400, 90mm, f/4.5, 1/640 Warm Fire: ISO 400, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/100 ...Our not so hot summer is coming to a quick end it seems. I know the end is near when these flowers bloom in our garden. Nature's way of saying I need to dig up the potatoes.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-08-28T09:04:51-06:00

Zinnia and Mosquito Bokeh: ISO 400, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/500 ...The background is very undistacting and does not take away from the main subject. ...I could have easily moved the picnic table to get rid of the background but sometimes backgrounds can't be moved (ie: a House). I could have moved to the other side of the flower but I would have our deck as the background(Which can't be moved). ...Like the first image, the background in undistracting and does not take away from the main subject.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-08-18T08:45:18-06:00

Mosquito on Ninebark Leaf: ISO 400, 90mm, f/8. 1/250 These little guys are in huge numbers this year. The amount of rain we got this summer is above average which provides the mosquito plenty of breeding grounds.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-08-17T18:01:45-06:00

Solar Seekers: ISO 80, 6.2mm, f/2.8, 1/500 Just like my previous post this was taken with a point and shoot compact camera set in Macro Mode. The camera did provide quite a nice bokeh effect in the distant tree. I did some post processing work using Tiffen Dfx Software. Used a Warm Polarizer setting to deepen the blue sky.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-08-16T07:58:10-06:00

If I had gone inside the house to grab my camera I probably would have lost track of this little guy. ...When you set Angela's camera to Macro mode it fixes the Aperture to f/2.8 and the camera's processor figures out everything else. When I shoot with my DSLR my cameras are set up to shoot in RAW instead of JPEG. ... When I import the RAW image to my computer it allows me to do the processing work as I would like to see it. ...The very top shot you can see camera noise in the dragonfly's body and the rose leaves.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-08-12T17:18:24-06:00

Poppies and Seed Head: ISO 200, 90mm, f/4, 1/90 Summer is coming to an end. Poppies are getting ready to spread their colour next year!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-08-11T10:27:01-06:00

Shovel at Sunrise: ISO 400, 50mm, f/6.3, 1/30 Took this a couple of mornings ago. Sun was over the horizon and breaking through our neighbour's trees. This is a Virginia Creeper surrounding a shovel. We have been using the shovel to dig up fresh potatoes.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-08-09T14:34:28-06:00

3D Daisy: ISO 200, 90mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 Some things come easy. Flowers lined up perfectly in their planter with no help from me. Seen it, took it!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-08-05T08:20:02-06:00

The sky was overcast which allows to camera to be able to get a more accurate reading on the colours. ... To make a long explanation short; the best time to take pictures is on a overcast day when the sun isn't shining so bright. ...I have not been able to identify it's name but there are a few of them in our garden. The top picture you can make out a mosquito hanging out in the top right of the same flower the moth is on. ... If you click on either picture it will take you to my Flickr set where more images of this moth can be found.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-08-03T19:08:00-06:00

Bee Still: ISO 200, 90mm, f/8, 1/60 Took a walk around our garden yesterday. The sky was pretty overcast with the odd break of sun shining through. I came across this bee and she was pretty still except for once and awhile one of her legs would rise above her head. I think she was was waving at me to make sure I noticed and got some shots of her.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-07-29T11:59:19-06:00

I had been on the look out for a durable point and shoot camera that could take Time Lapse photos and then along came the Kodak Playsport pocket, memory card, HD video recorder. ...The only pocket camera I could find that did Time Lapse, was waterproof, and did HD Video had a considerably high price and only got average reviews for image and video quality. ...The only flaw I seen in my Wren videos was that I had the camera too close to the bird house and the focus isn't quite as sharp as it should be. ...I have used it before to give me a steady mount low to the ground for some macro shots with my regular camera and have used it to mount my flash/strobe off camera and attach it to the legs of my tripod. With the hidden camera I actually used the Gorillapod for what it is good at, attaching itself to tree branches, fence posts and anything else it can wrap its legs around and give your camera a unique point of view.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-07-25T18:26:50-06:00

Stigma, Style and Stamens: ISO 200, 90mm, f/9.5, 1/125 The height of summer is upon us. With the warmer temperatures our Lilies have decided to start blooming. Not sure what type this is but the flowers hang almost facing down. I had to lie on my back to get this shot.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-07-22T09:40:31-06:00

The Simple Things in Life: ISO 80, 5.8mm, f/2.8, 1/400 Some days it's good to get back to basics and just pick up a camera and take pictures. This was taken in our backyard a few weeks ago using a Canon point and shoot camera. Let the camera do all the math work and you just need to focus on the subject and compose the shot.

Air Traffic Control Needed

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-07-20T19:55:07-06:00

Air Traffic Control: ISO 400, 90mm, f/9.5, 1/350 Took this shot tonight. Bees were all over these flower collecting pollen. Now that the birds are done nesting the telephoto is off the camera and the macro lens will be on for much of the summer.

Morning Sunrise

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-07-18T09:22:56-06:00

Morning Sunrise: ISO 800, 90mm, f/8, 1/125 Actually shot this last night so technically it is a evening twilight shot. A newly seeded daisy in our front garden.

Update to Coming Out

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-07-16T10:34:58-06:00

As promised, the video of a baby wren falling out of its nest. I am also posting below a shorter clip of the wren coming back and hanging on a leaf. The baby wrens have no real tail yet.

Coming Out

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-07-12T12:12:44-06:00

My zoom lens could not focus at the short distance I was able to get to the nest. My 35mm was not filling the frame and I would have to crop a lot of the shots. I forgot how versatile the 90mm is for not only macro but for all other shooting situations. ...One of the reasons I hunted it down on Ebay was because it was to have good image quality and low noise at 800 ISO or less. ... You can detect noise in the darker areas of the photos but the detail is still pretty good in my opinion.

Pushing my Luck

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-07-05T18:34:05-06:00

Parents are flying around looking for bugs to feed them every 5-10 minutes it seems. ...I should have set my aperture to around 8 or 11 but then I might have had to push up my ISO to get the faster shutter speed. I bought a Kodak Playsport Video Recorder and have set it up to record the feedings. ... ...I adjust the camera at the beginning and the babies hear the rustle of the leaves and pop their beaks out real quick then Mom comes and makes her warning call.

Happy Canada Day

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-06-30T19:48:03-06:00

I was going through my photographs to find something red but did not have much luck. I came across this shot I took a couple of weeks ago while visiting my parents in Ontario. When I was much younger the trees in our front yard were not very high. As I was admiring their height and realizing how long ago I left home, I noticed this sky and how the light was hitting the leaves on the maple tree. ...So for Canada Day, I am not posting red but instead giving you a shot of Canadian maple leaves, spruce needles and a bright blue sky.

A Walk in the Park

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-06-29T18:30:21-06:00

Walk in the Park: ISO 200, 5.8mm, f/8, 1/100 Had to go to City Hall yesterday and pay property taxes. It is about a 10 minute walk from the house. I took our point and shoot camera with me as it was pretty hot and didn't want the added weight of my DSLR and the added stress of not bringing along the right lense. ...If your eye follows the path you are looking into downtown Red Deer, Alberta.

Our Huge Poppies

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-06-28T18:52:15-06:00

Ornamental Poppies: ISO 400, 250mm, f/4.5, 1/250 Our gardens have exploded with colour. These are our large poppies. The flower is about the size of my hand.

Nothing Like Comfy Slippers

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-06-22T18:32:41-06:00

Lady Slippers: ISO 200, 35mm, f/5.6, 1/60 Just got back from a trip to Ontario, Canada visiting my parents. I was hoping while we were gone that I would not miss the annual Lady Slipper bloom under our front yard's cedar tree. Every year we get more flowers. This year we have 7 flowers pop up.

Baby Jay

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-06-13T18:32:30-06:00

Proud Parent: ISO 400, 190mm, f/8, 1/500 I came home from work this evening and Angela told me we had company playing in our backyard. We had from what we could see were three baby Blue Jays and the two proud parents. ... The baby that was closest to the ground didn't seem to have the knack for flight yet. ...The bottom picture is of the protective parent keeping an eye on the situation from high above.

Reaching Out

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-06-10T18:25:53-06:00

Mother Nature's Hand: ISO 200, 90mm, f/10, 1/80 The rains have not let up for the last couple of days. I haven't taken my camera gear out as I do not have a rain jacket for them. Here is a shot taken last week of a branch of our apple tree. It will have to do until the rains stop.

Centre of the Universe

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-06-08T08:07:08-06:00

Sun Shines Brightly: ISO 200, 90mm, f/6.3, 1/80 This is a macro shot of our crabapple tree blossoms. The image reminds me of our brightly shinning sun with planets orbiting around it.

Apple Blossoms

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-05-26T17:57:19-06:00

Crabapple Bokeh: ISO 400, 270mm, f/8, 1/500 Skyward Apple Blossoms: ISO 100, 35mm, f/8, 1/400 ...The crabapple has the nicest looking flowers of our two trees with the dark pink buds which open to reveal a light pink flower. The apple tree has the nicest tasting apples of the two. The buds from the apple tree are light pink which open up to a pure white bloom.

Gotcha!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-05-19T19:14:33-06:00

Cedar Waxwing in Apple Tree: ISO 400, 380mm, f/8, 1/350 ...The bird bath has been a key attraction in our yard. The Cedar Waxwings have been in the Mountin Ash eating berries still on the tree from last year and then coming down for a drink. I have spotted them the last few days but I was always in the house and when I go outside they flee. This morning I was working in the gardens and I guess they got used to me not being a threat and I was able to get some quick shots off.

Ta Da....It's Magic!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-05-17T19:37:01-06:00

Plum Buds: ISO 200, 35mm, f/5.6, 1/250 Plum Flowers: ISO 400, 120mm, f/8, 1/90 A before and after picture to show the wonderful magic of spring! The same shrub shot 5 days apart.

What's for Supper?

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-05-12T09:07:46-06:00

Two nights ago I took the camera out to watch the House Sparrows forage for food on the ground. ... As the temperature at the time was in the mid teens the bugs were probably coming out of hiding to warm up. As I was calling it a night I headed back to the house and spotted some Purple Finches high in the Mountain Ash tree feeding. I wasn't sure the shots I took would turn out as I had the heavy zoom on and had to point it upwards through tree branches without a tripod. ...In a couple of weeks it will be nearly impossible to get this shot as I would have to shoot through leaves and branches.

May Blizzard

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-05-04T17:11:12-06:00

Sunbathing Tulips: ISO 200, 35mm, f/5.6, 1/500 ...Snow Covered Tulips: ISO 200, 35mm, f/8, 1/100 ...Snow Garden: ISO 200, 35mm, f/8, 1/200 ...At least this year the Ornamental Plum and Cherry Trees have not bloomed. ... Previous years they usually just started to bloom and the snow knocks off all the petals.

It's May!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-05-02T17:43:54-06:00

The finches and sparrows appear to be eating the flower buds on our Ornamental Flowering Plum and Japanese Cherry (I believe this is what the two shrubs are). ...I have yet to determine if it is a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker or a Red Naped Sapsucker. My guess is the Yellow Bellied variety as it does not appear to have the big red patch at the back of his neck. ... Angela and I believe this is the same guy who pounds on the electrical pole outside our bedroom window in the early morning. When I was composing the shot of the Sapsucker the chickadee flew right in front of me as if to see what I was doing.

Birds, Birds, Birds

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-04-28T09:42:59-06:00

Monday night I was feeding our pet turtle and noticed through the window a flock of waxwings in our trees. I had been waiting all winter for the waxwings to feed on the berries of the mountain ash high above our crab apple tree. ...I didn't manage to get a picture because they hid high on the mountain ash waiting til I departed. ...It was hard to get a clear shot through the many branches even though I was able to get close. ...Shortly after this photo this bird flew off with the flock to feed and play elsewhere.

One Year Anniversary

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-04-26T22:39:12-06:00

I didn't have much motivation for taking photos when they stayed on my hard drive collecting dust. My very first post was a picture of our shared white picket fence with snow covered peaks. ... This is a shot of their fence as seen from our backyard. You can see more of the story at their website www.rebuildtheanderosa.com ...Just under half of those visits come from the Red Deer area but I do get people stopping by from all over the world.

First Tulips

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-04-22T18:20:46-06:00

First Tulip: ISO 200, 35mm, f/3.2/1/1600 First Tulip Macro: ISO 200, 35mm, f/3.2, 1/3200 First Tulip Experiment: ISO 200, 35mm, f/8, 1/60 ...We have been watering the gardens an abnormal amount this spring. ... The temperature has been warm and we have large bunches of tulips this year.

Flight Path

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-04-19T14:34:29-06:00

Currently migrating birds are visiting our area for a rest before they reach their final destinations to our north. Ever since I moved to Alberta over 15 years ago I have always wanted to see Snow Geese. I thought this would be my lucky day as I seen a few white birds swimming in a small lake as I drove by. I quickly found a safe place to turn the car and headed back to where I spotted them. ...I had not seen a Tundra Swan before so all was not lost.

Messed Up

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-04-13T08:30:11-06:00

I have been going through my photo library the last few days and have noticed some photos I have not shared. Well, okay there are a few thousand but only a few I deem worthy enough to share with you. The weather here has been normal spring weather for Alberta, Canada. ... The local governments have declared drought in some regions. The "Poppy in Snow" image was taken last May and cleary shows the spring weather we experience where I live.

Downtown Edmonton

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-04-09T08:12:36-06:00

You may have heard of Edmonton back in the 1980s when the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers were winning the Stanley Cup with a player by the name of Wayne Gretzky. ...This picture is taken from Edmonton's River Valley which is a dedicated Park System that runs along the North Saskatchewan River. ...The Hotel MacDonald was built in 1912 and was named after Canada's First Prime Minister (Sir John A. ...The Low Level Bridge was also Edmonton's first bridge across the North Saskatchewan River it was completed in 1900. ...Here is a picture of a chunk of ice floating East towards the Low Level Bridge.

We Miss You

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-04-07T18:34:02-06:00

We lost a member of our family today, Merlin. He loved our backyard more than anyone.

Happy Easter

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-04-01T19:57:22-06:00

I keep saying to myself that I must stop and take a picture of the roof line. The church has a wooden shake roof and I find the crosses on top of the steeples quite unique. ...I stopped tonight as the sun was setting and the subject of the cross is fitting for an Easter Weekend journal entry. ...One was taken looking West into the sun (Good Friday Cross) and the other taken looking East (Easter Sunday Cross). ...How the light falls on a subject can drastically change the mood of your subject.

You Know You are Canadian When...

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-03-28T16:50:29-06:00

Morning on the Ice Flow: ISO 200, 263mm, F/5.6, 1/250 ...Not sure how they do it as there is no warm down on their feet. I know if you or I were to attempt this we would be in the hospital getting treated for hypothermia and frostbite. ... If anyone would get to close they would just launch themselves into the river and wait it out. ...On my drive home from work this evening I noticed the ice is almost gone.

Testing the Ice

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-03-22T16:49:24-06:00

This is another series of photos from my photo walk at Bower Ponds in Red Deer on Saturday morning. ...We have deer running the neighbourhood streets where I live but I never can get the camera out quick enough to prove it! ...It was early morning with cloud cover so I had to use a large aperture to let as much light in as possible. If I were to come across this again I would be carrying my tripod or at the very least my monopod to allow me to use a smaller aperture and get a sharper image. ...I tried to follow them but they were much too fast or real good at playing hide and seek.

Returning Home

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-03-21T07:07:35-06:00

The Canada Geese have returned to Canada from their vacation trip down to the USA. Like all Canadians, the geese like the warmer weather the USA has to offer in the winter. ...As my previous post has mentioned there still is ice on most of the ponds and lakes in the area I live. ... During my early morning photo walk I found these geese waiting for the morning sun to warm them on the Bower Ponds' frozen surface. ... They don't like to share and the pair in this picture must not like the third wheel because whenever she became too close they would give chase.

Tooth Sharpener

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-03-20T17:34:53-06:00

Went for a photo walk this morning at Red Deer's Bower Ponds. ... I thought I could get some good pictures of the geese on the remaining ice on the ponds and river. The only water that isn't frozen is a narrow path going down the centre of the Red Deer River where the current is strong. ...A beaver's teeth never stop growing so that they don't wear down as they constantly gnaw on wood for food and protection. I will post more images of my photo walk at Bower Ponds in the days ahead.

Early Spring?

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-03-07T09:58:18-07:00

As promised I bring you our tulips breaking earth during an Alberta, Canada winter. These photos were taken this morning with a temperature of minus 7 degrees Celcius. ...As you can see by the backyard picture there is still snow on 90% of our yard. ...The tulips are in a garden along the back wall of our house. ... So the tulip bulbs are feeling the warmth and thinking it is time to come out and show their colours!

More Kerry Wood Nature Centre

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-03-06T12:00:17-07:00

ISO 200, 90mm, f/4.5, 1/180 This is another photo from my late January photo walk at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre in Red Deer, Alberta.

Red Berry

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-03-02T16:55:28-07:00

Red Berry: ISO 200, 90mm, F/3.5, 1/125 Warm weather is coming which is not good. We have some tulips that are starting to break earth. I will take pictures of those next chance I get. There is still lots of snow on the ground and I am sure Mother Nature has more on the way.

As Requested...

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-02-26T11:05:14-07:00

Branching Out: ISO 200, 90mm, F5.6, 1/500 ...One of my regular visitors requested more pictures of my cold nature walk. I guess it is pretty warm down under and this helps cool things off. These 3 pictures are of my nature walk a few weeks ago at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre. A pretty foggy day which provided great images of Hoar Frost.

Nature Walk

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-02-23T17:06:54-07:00

The amount of fog and Hoar’s Frost we have received this winter has to be a record. ...I took a drive to the bottom of the hill on which we live and visited the Kerry Wood Nature Centre. I have heard a lot of this place and yet have never visited. Like today, there was lots of moisture in the cold air causing a heavy coating of Hoar’s Frost. Also with the heavy fog there is no way for the sun to cast any shadows.

Not my Best Work

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-02-20T08:59:49-07:00

I came home from work on Thursday evening and noticed the birds playing when I retrieved our mail. I quickly ran to the house to grab my camera with the telephoto zoom lens attached and tried to take pictures of the fast moving chickadees. Then I noticed this White Breasted Nuthatch looking for food in the neighbour’s tree. ...This was the best of a few shots I took and with some editing I was able to bring out some detail but not as much as I would have liked. I like his pose in this image I just wished he felt more secure with me around and had come out into the sun.

This Journal Entry Brought to You by:

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-02-17T13:51:46-07:00

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics are on if you do not already know. ...Canada has hosted 3 Olympics now and this is the first time we have acquired gold on our own turf. Previously we have hosted the summer Olympics of 76 in Montreal and the winter Olympics of 1988 in Calgary. I posted images previously of the Olympic Torch Relay that ran through the town in which I work. ... Not sure how much money they put up to become involved in these winter games but I do know I haven’t seen a penny to sponsor my website!

Happy Valentines Day

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-02-14T11:53:42-07:00

Happy Valentines Day to all my Readers!

Waiting for the Fog to Lift

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-02-09T09:25:41-07:00

I took this shot of a squirrel in the middle of January when it was still pretty warm out. ... I had to use a high ISO in order to get a quick shutter speed for the subject and the focal length. ...I was shooting under our big pine tree and looking up to this noisy squirrel sitting in the shade. As you can see in the upper right hand corner the sun was trying to illuminate the subject but it just didn’t have enough reach to touch him. ...Like the previous post I am still suffering from the “Winter Blahs” and am hoping this fog will lift soon.

Winter Blahs

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-02-02T16:47:59-07:00

Pink Tulip and Columbine: 90mm, F5, 1/500 ...This is North America’s tradition to see how much longer winter will last. ... If the groundhog sees his shadow we have six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, winter will end soon. The Albertan Groundhog, Balzac Billy, didn’t see his shadow. http://bit.ly/aAb48b Could Alberta be so lucky?

Falling Stars

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-28T08:41:40-07:00

ISO 100, Focal Length 90mm, F4.5, Shutter Speed 1/45 The snow has stopped falling but the temperatures have not. Winter is officially back...just in time for the Olympics. This is a macro shot of a cluster of dead rose blooms shot a couple of weeks ago when the hoar frost was heavy.

Let it Snow. Some More.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-25T11:52:45-07:00

Snow Fall: ISO 200, Focal Length 35mm, f/4, Shutter Speed 1/750 The snow is falling once again. ... No need to worry about snow banks up to the knees or anything. I tried to capture the snow falling with this image and that is why the background is out of focus (Yes, I did this on purpose.). It is hard to focus on tiny little moving snowflakes!

Out of the Fog

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-21T16:10:12-07:00

A fog rolled in last night and continued into this morning. I took this picture late this morning. The camera actually captured the fog when taking a macro shot of a rose branch creating a dreamy effect. Fog in winter here means things get a good coating of frost. Just like the previous pictures posted around Christmas and New Year.

Hanging Out

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-19T11:15:55-07:00

This shot came because as I was doing a walk around the house last week and I swear I seen an owl high in the neighbour’s tree. I did not have my camera with me so I had to run to the house and get the camera and attach my 70-300mm zoom lens. By the time I got back to the tree the owl was gone and replaced by a noisy squirrel. So, as the saying goes your best camera is the one you always have with you. ...I did manage to get a few nuthatch and chickadee pictures when it was all said and done.

No More Playing in the Water

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-18T18:16:42-07:00

Our rain barrel has provided some interesting images the past week. Here is the latest image that I took yesterday afternoon. Temperatures are returning to normal. It is still a little on the warm side but no one is complaining.

Feeling Olympic

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-15T21:00:31-07:00

The torch is crossing the country and has finally come to Alberta. It arrived in Sylvan Lake, Alberta at around 5:30 PM this evening. I believe it heads to Calgary tomorrow which if you recall hosted the Winter Olympics in 1988. I know this isn’t in my backyard but still wanted to share this with you as this isn’t something you would see on a regular basis. ... Fireworks capped off the Torch Relay festivities and I included a picture since everyone loves a good fireworks show!

Playing in the Water

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-13T18:19:23-07:00

Okay, now I am worried Mother Nature is teasing us with warm weather making us think winter is over and spring is finally here. ...I heard the birds all around but they were high in the trees enjoying the warm sun where my zoom couldn’t reach them. So, I thought I would try water droplet shots and long smooth flowing water shots. I actually moved out of Av mode and into Tv mode. ... I still think I need more practice and next time use my tripod.

Slowly but Surely

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-12T09:44:11-07:00

The melting continues. The last couple of days the temperature is staying above freezing throughout the night.

The After Shot

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-11T18:32:19-07:00

What a difference a few days make! Warm temperatures moved in (10C) and snow is moving out.

Take a Load Off

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-09T17:32:05-07:00

Here is a pretty good image on the amount of snow we have received so far this winter. Should start melting slowly now. A chinook has arrived and is expected to stay above O degree C for most of the week.

Still Snowing...

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-06T15:21:06-07:00

We have a pile of snow this year and it doesn’t look like it will be melting any time soon... I am actually running out of room to put it when I shovel the sidewalk and driveway. This is a macro of a pile of snow on our driveway lamppost. You can see the neighbour’s fence in the background.

Happy New Year!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2010-01-01T05:49:34-07:00

Wishing all of you peace and fortune for the new year and new decade. My wife Angela took this shot earlier this week. All that white on the background trees is the heavy hoar frost.

Heavy Dusting

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-12-30T08:02:15-07:00

Another picture from yesterday’s heavy hoar frost. Taken before the sun has fully risen. The foreground branches are illuminated by the streetlight.

Winter Wonderland

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-12-29T09:18:51-07:00

This is our backyard at sunrise this morning. There is a lot of moisture in the air and the results are breathtaking. Everything has a coating of frost. Even the clothesline. One breath of wind and it all comes down.

Beautiful Day Yesterday

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-12-26T08:12:11-07:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day in so many ways. Woke up to Santa’s presents and Mother Nature’s present of a nice covering of Hoar Frost. This was taken in the front yard looking up at the trees that create a canopy over our street. Not a cloud in the sky so the sun was catching the hoar frost on the trees. A slight wind was brushing the frost off causing it to fall to the ground.

Jingle Bells

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-12-24T06:32:21-07:00

Are those Santa’s sleigh bells?

Oh Look! Another Frost Picture.

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-12-13T12:54:06-07:00

This is another image I took back on the 12th. It’s too cold to go out now to take new ones! Minus 30 Celsius then add the windchill factor. ...Now it looks like something right out of a science fiction movie. Where is Sigourney Weaver when you need her?

Reminds me of our Kitchen Table

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-12-11T05:48:00-07:00

Well, I guess we will not be having a picnic in our backyard anytime soon. Not that we will want to when it has been averaging -15 C all week. ...Our kitchen table is the closest “drop off point” to our back door (The most used entrance to the house). After the accumulation of mail, flyers and my camera/lenses the table almost becomes unusable for its real true purpose. I think the shadows on the ground look like some people are using the picnic table despite the snow.

Crown of Frost

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-12-10T08:20:12-07:00

Another image from earlier this week. Frost on a rose branch.

Lights, Camera, Cold

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-12-07T16:08:49-07:00

Two Journal entries in one day! More -30 C images. Took this before the lights came on. Didn’t want the photo opportunity to melt.

Frosty

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-12-07T15:54:37-07:00

Minus 30 Celsius today! Leaves are trying to keep warm by covering themselves with a frosty blanket.

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Winter

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-12-04T17:00:30-07:00

Big snow storm today. Looks like winter if officially here.

Christmas is Near

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-11-29T17:30:34-07:00

We finally got some snow. But it almost melted away today. Now it is starting to feel like Christmas is just around the corner.

Santa Claus is coming to Town

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-11-27T08:21:46-07:00

Christmas is little than a month away. This image was taken last year. I have not taken a shot of this yeas lights for two reasons. No snow yet and our Christmas Tree is not up yet.

Fall Leaves

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-11-18T12:33:40-07:00

Took this picture yesterday before the strong winds started to swirl the leaves around. Photo was converted to black and white using Nik’s Aperture plugin Silver Efex Pro.

Lest We Forget...

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-11-11T19:11:45-07:00

I took this picture of poppies in the Red Deer City Hall Gardens this summer knowing I would be using this image on Remembrance Day. We do have poppies in our backyard but not this many red ones.

Missing the Sun

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-11-10T17:37:42-07:00

It’s November and I am really missing the warmth of the summer sun. These House Sparrows were caught this summer taking a break on the neighbour’s shed catching the morning rays.

Frosty Rosehip

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-11-03T17:44:35-07:00

(null)

Is it Spring Yet?

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-10-26T18:08:55-06:00

I finished putting away the lawn furniture. Next chore is putting up the Christmas lights. The good thing about the lights is that it will bring back colour to the yard. I posted this spring picture of the ornamental plum bloom to remind me that fall has to come in order to get back to spring.

It's Fall

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-10-21T18:09:08-06:00

Snow is gone and we are back to normal seasonal temperatures. Leaves are starting to fall off the trees and there is a lack of colour. Took this picture late September. This flower comes up every year just as summer is ending.

Frozen

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-10-11T11:29:23-06:00

It is still snowing. Leaves never had a chance to change colour on most of the trees in our neighbourhood including our crabapple tree.

Cold Roses

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-10-08T17:44:05-06:00

Second day of snowfall and it looks like today the snow will stay longer than a couple of hours.

Kinda Blue

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-10-04T09:07:08-06:00

Our batch of warm weather is gone. We have been consistently getting frost the last few evenings and chances of snow are now in the forecasts. Fall is finally here. This Blue Delphinium re-bloomed again in late September. This was shot the same day as “Fall Showers bring October Flowers.”

The Big Haul

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-28T16:47:43-06:00

Dug up the potatoes from the garden today. Should be able to feed us for the winter.

Fall Showers bring October Flowers?

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-27T18:38:03-06:00

It finally rained! It will be interesting to see if we still have rose blooms at this time next year. As you can see by the picture there is still buds on this plant waiting for rain and the warm weather to continue. This was taken yesterday afternoon (September 26, 2009).

Warm Colours, Hot Temperature

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-23T19:24:13-06:00

Reached 34 degrees here in Red Deer. This was shot a few weeks ago. Same day as the shot taken in “Glad Days are Here!” The gladiolas have all bloomed. Just have to dig out the bulbs and store them for the winter.

Starburst

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-22T19:32:12-06:00

Reached high 20’s again today and calling for temperatures in the 30’s tomorrow. Still watering our gardens and some of the plants are coming up for another round of blooms. I chose this picture today because it reminds me of the hot sun we have had the past two weeks. This is a close up of a begonia. The flower petals look like hot rays of sun shining down on us.

Coming to an End

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-21T12:23:48-06:00

Reached the 30 Celcius mark a few days in a row. That is unusual for an Alberta September. Frost is now coming so I will post as much summer garden pictures off before the snow flies. I guess I could also save some for the doldrums of winter. This is a close up of a Geranium bloom outside our garage.

Glad Days are Here!

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-13T17:35:21-06:00

We were worried they would not come this year. Our Gladiola’s are finally starting to bloom. Took this shot last night as the sun was setting behind this flower.

Happy Song

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-10T08:22:12-06:00

This House Finch has frequented our yard the past few years. He usually does his unmistakable song in the late afternoon from high atop the trees.

Old Deck

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-07T10:03:43-06:00

You can see why it needed to be replaced.

Globe Trotting

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-05T20:59:30-06:00

A Honey Bee gathering pollen from a Globethistle.

Flower for a Day II

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-04T09:33:04-06:00

This a picture of a daylily that grows in front of our living room window. Took the picture just after watering the gardens during the unusual early September heat wave.

A Bird in Hand

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-03T10:40:21-06:00

I noticed this House Sparrow was caught in the neighbour’s lawn ornament and couldn’t move. ... Her feet wouldn’t grab hold of anything and she wasn’t struggling as I held her. A few minutes later one of her feet wanted to hold on and she fluttered from my hands a few times and landed softly on the ground. I hid her under our apple tree in the dense vegetation so the neighbourhood cats wouldn’t spot her easily. I think the bird was in shock and pretty tired from trying to escape her trap.

Wet Slipper

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-09-01T19:25:17-06:00

I came across this picture from earlier this summer and it reminded me of the couple of weddings we have attended so far this year. The latest of which was last weekend in Fort MacLeod. It is a picture of a Lady Slipper that comes out every year under our pine tree. We also have a group that come up under our front cedar tree of which I have posted earlier.

Flower for a Day

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-08-26T19:01:33-06:00

A closeup of a daylily with Purple Ninebark as the backdrop.

Reach for the Sky

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-08-19T19:41:24-06:00

Same flower as the previous post.

Siamese Twin

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-08-18T18:52:40-06:00

We seem to get a double headed flower from this plant every year. One stem, two blooms.

MMMmmm

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-08-16T18:51:27-06:00

Raspberries are so good. They are a little late this year compared to years past.

Supernova

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-08-11T18:25:54-06:00

This is a picture of an Iris and some heads ready to bloom. Shot straight down. These are little Iris’ no bigger than the palm of my hand compared to the purple Iris’ shown earlier which would be hard to fit in a hand.

Pink Feathers

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-08-06T08:57:34-06:00

I am getting a little behind on posting some pictures I wanted to post. These are Peonies that bloomed last month. Most of the times the blooms get so big that the stem can no longer hold them up.

Just as I Feared

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-08-05T20:31:55-06:00

I have not seen the Wren and her newest addition to her family since late last week. It’s so sad when they leave the nest. This is one of the final shots I have got of the mother Wren.

Goldfinch Spotted

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-07-31T09:53:28-06:00

When I travelled back home to Lakefield in June my Dad taught me some tricks to lure Goldfinch to the backyard. This is one that frequents our feeder and birdbath during the day. I hid the feeder in our crabapple tree and the birdbath is almost directly below it. It took a few weeks before I actually seen Goldfinch come to our backyard after placing the feeder.

Look at Me

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-07-30T10:15:42-06:00

I wasn’t giving up with the Wren. I have spent the last couple of days trying to get more Wren shots as who knows how long the Baby Wren will call our backyard brush a safe harbour from the neighbourhood cats. I was trying to get photos of the baby last night and I was getting to close and she did fly a few feet into our crabapple tree. This shot is of Mom trying to get my attention and at the same time looking for more bugs to feed Baby.

Feeding Time

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-07-27T19:02:07-06:00

The last few days we have had an agitated wren flying around the yard. I found out why this afternoon. She was creating a diversion so that we would not spot her baby. This shot isn’t the greatest but I had to be quick to get the moment. I wish I had the tripod handy as the light was the best I was ever going to get.

Isn't April Known for Showers?

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-04-26T19:36:00-06:00

End of April and we are still experiencing the wonders of snow.

May the Fourth be with You

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-05-04T19:34:00-06:00

(null)

Neighbour's Pet

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-05-10T19:33:00-06:00

I took this shot from our front yard looking at the neighbour’s tree. She feeds this squirrel peanuts and bird seed. She says he lives in our pine tree.

Tulips in Bloom

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-05-14T19:31:00-06:00

Some of our tulips have been up for a couple of weeks but now that the weather has finally warmed (for a couple of days anyways) most of them are up and blooming.

A Typical May Long Weekend in Alberta

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-05-18T19:23:00-06:00

May Long Weekend in Alberta. Travelers dust off the RV’s and light up the campfires. Angela and I do whatever we can do save our poor flowers from Mother Nature.

Is Spring Finally Here?

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-05-25T19:22:00-06:00

Well, the snow is gone (For the third time this year). Weather forecast has warm temperatures continuing for the remainder of the week. Our apple trees are getting ready to blossom and most of the tulips are now up. I colour enhanced this photo to exaggerate the fiery look of these tulips which bloom to celebrate the warmth of spring.

Better Late than Never

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-05-30T19:20:00-06:00

Our Ornamental Plum Tree (Shrub) has finally flowered this year. Last year it flowered earlier but then we got a good dump of snow soon after. We hope the flowers stay longer this year. It’s makes a lovely site from our Dining room window.

Nothing Says Spring Like Apple Blossoms

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-06-01T19:19:00-06:00

Our two apple trees are in blossom right now. I will probably hold back some pictures for later (Like in the winter and Fall!) The fragrance and the colour these trees give off make the backyard maintenance worth it. ...As you can see the flowers are pinkish in colour. You can see a bud out of focus on the left (Hiding behind a bloom) and it is a deeper shade of pink.

Bird Watching

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-06-02T19:06:00-06:00

Okay, you got me this image isn’t from my backyard. But it is an image about one of our three cats wanting to be in the backyard. We let them outside on warm days under extreme supervision. This is a picture of our newest cat, Maverick. ...I was practicing using my new flash (strobe) and bounce card for an upcoming wedding.

Great Holiday

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-06-12T18:28:00-06:00

Just got back from visiting my family back in Ontario. This is another picture not from my Red Deer backyard but about a decade and a half ago it was my Ontario backyard. Mom and Dad have a hummingbird feeder set up on their dining room bay window. I sat and watched for hours the steady stream of what I think was four hummingbirds come in for refueling.

Glowing Hearts

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-06-14T18:26:00-06:00

Standing in the backyard yesterday morning and noticed the light hitting the back of these bleeding hearts under the crabapple tree. Had to rush to get the camera before the sun rose any further.

Watch My Back

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-06-16T17:11:00-06:00

Another picture from my Parent’s backyard. They have a nyjer seed feeder which the finches congregate and pig out. I set up the camera and tripod in various positions around the feeder hoping to get some good shots of them perching on nearby plants/trees.

Nothing Like a Cold Shower

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-06-23T17:09:00-06:00

Well summer is here and it is abnormally dry here this year. So that means we water the gardens a little more. One morning I was watering and heard what sounded like a couple of birds fighting (or whatever else birds might do) in our crabapple tree. Turns out it was one chickadee taking a shower in the freshly sprinkled crab apple leaves. I think I made his day!

Deep Purple

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-06-26T17:02:00-06:00

We have a nice bunch of purple iris’ by our back door. I took this shot during a short afternoon rain sprinkle. It is still dry here so that is why I said sprinkle. When the light hits the iris’ just right you kind of get an iridescent display of colour. I tried to capture it in this picture.

Happy Canada Day

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-07-01T16:57:00-06:00

I did not take this shot in my backyard. It was taken in Vancouver two years ago while visiting Angela’s Mother. It’s red and it is similar to a maple leaf. Can’t find many maples in Alberta to get a true picture of the Canadian Emblem. So this will have to do!

More Deep Purple

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-07-02T16:48:00-06:00

Thought I would show another image of our Purple Iris’. I took this one in the early morning as the flowers were getting the morning sun.

Soft Harbour

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-07-06T16:43:00-06:00

Our Peonies are in bloom! This is a wasp peeking out of one of our pink peonies. ... I wanted some dreamy shots of the peony waves and next thing I know this guy pops out. When I get close ups of the peonies I usually can’t get a shot without an insect of some sort or another. I guess the petals are as soft as they look and provide a safe, comfortable harbour for our backyard travelers.

Lady Slippers

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-07-18T16:30:00-06:00

I forgot to post this picture a couple of weeks ago when they bloomed. The lady slippers are a surprise that come up under our cedar tree every spring.

Baby Magpie

bates.chris.w@gmail.com — 2009-06-29T16:19:00-06:00

Got home from work one afternoon and was lucky to spot a baby magpie learning to fly. He was sitting on the fence of our compost heap. I was able to get within arms reach to take some good shots. Those not familiar to these birds they may look pretty but they do make for some annoying alarm clocks in the early morning as well as scare and destroy pretty songbirds that share their territory.