Happy Canada Day!

Canadian Maple Leaf onboard HMCS Brandon

Wishing all Canadians at home and abroad a very Happy Canada Day!

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend.

Cheers

Claus

Spring Blooms

The arrival of spring brings with it a host of new photographic opportunities.  Last week, while strolling along the steep banks of the Pelly River,  I noticed several patches of purple sprouting up amongst the dead plant debris.  With camera in hand I descended the slopes to discover I had stumbled upon a cluster of flowering prairie crocuses. 

These showy plants belong to the Buttercup family (anemone) and are one of the first signs of Spring in the Yukon.  As soon as the snow melts these furry perennials sprout and bloom long before the actual leaves begin to emerge.  The flower is a favourite food source for ground squirrels and deer.

To capture these flowers I used a Nikor 105mm  f/2.8 macro lens attached to the Nikon D700.  The camera and lens were mounted on a tripod.  I'll be posting more on macro photography in the coming month.

Ok, it's back to the swans this afternoon.

Cheers,

Claus

Good morning from the Yukon

Just a quick note to let you know I'm back home after spending a superb weekend with the swans in the southern Yukon. 

I've just unpacked my bags, ate a quick dinner and now I'm off to bed - it has been a very long, but rewarding day.  More images and text to follow shortly.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend.

Cheers,

Claus

The Real Swan Lake

Images with D300,  Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 with 1.5x extension, f/7, 500ASA 

Hi again from the Yukom, home to over 2,000 swans!

After a very long winter the swans have finally started to arrive en masse.  For the next few weeks scores of Trumpet and Tundra Swans will congregate in the rivers, lakes and marshes around the Whitehorse area for a chance to rest, feed and gather strength before continuing their journey further north to their breeding grounds in the High Arctic.

What a sight it is to see so many swans gracefully navigate the icy shores of Tagish Lake (2hrs south of  Whitehorse).  Most are in pairs, while there are a handful of what I think are family groupings with last years brood still sporting dusty grey feathers.  So far most swans are hanging around in the few stretches of open water available - a narrow stretch at Marsh Lake (1hr south of Whitehorse), a larger opening between the river that connects Marsh Lake with Tagish Lake and behind the dam on Marsh Lake (viewing accessible from the Alaska Highway).

Next week Yukoner's will honour their feathered guests with a week-long Celebration of Swans event mainly centred at Swan Haven, an interpretation centre at Marsh Lake.  Interpreters will be on hand to explain the natural history of the swans and other migratory waterfowl.  Unfortunately for photographers, the swans are resting at a considerable distance from shore. 

I wanted to see if I could find a spot to photograph the swans up close and in relative isolation from the hundreds of birdwatchers who have also flocked to Marsh Lake and its surroundings.  After a couple of hours of driving I found myself on the shores of a small river that connects Marsh Lake with Tagish Lake.  There I was pleasantly surprised to find at least 100 swans quietly carrying out their daily business.  It was tricky to find a clearing that afforded an undisturbed view of the swans.  After a bit of bushwhacking I did manage to find several vantage points with clear views of the swans below.  So neat to listen to them communicate with each other - it was as if they were all playing individual French horns.   

Rubber boots, snow pants (to keep your butt dry when sitting in the snow) and lite gloves are highly recommended if you plan on spending any time photographing these characters.  Patience is also in order as they constantly move about and lighting conditions can be tricky.  It is also a good idea to bring along some bear spray as the grizzlies have started to emerge from their winter dens - and I would guess they are a tad hungry :)

I'm heading back there today to take a few more pictures before making my way back home.  I'll post more tomorrow with locations and photo details.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Cheers,

Claus

Enjoying another Yukon Golden Sunset

Greetings once again from the Yukon!

Sunday night was a gorgeous night to watch the sun set.  Moments before the sun was about to retire for the evening the sky was set ablaze with various shades of orange and yellow.  Once again I quickly searched for my camera, 300mm lens, tripod and cable release and made a mad dash across the street in hopes of capturing the silhouettes of the spruce and alder trees set against the dramatic backdrop.  I managed approximately 30 images - two of my favourites are posted above.

I was hoping for a repeat performance tonight - no luck.  Lets hope for tomorrow evening.  Speaking of which, aurora forecasters are predicting a good chance of spotting the northern lights tomorrow night. 

The days are certainly getting longer - the sun rose at 7:13 and set at 21:02

Good night from the Yukon.

A day at the sugar bush

A sure sign of spring - the maple sap is running!  

This afternoon I joined my niece and nephew at a local sugar bush near Ottawa, Ontario.  While there we were introduced to the production of maple syrup.  Did you know it takes 40L of sap to produce 1L of maple syrup!  Warm days followed by cool nights are the ideal conditions for producing sap.  By all accounts this year promises to be a banner year for the maple syrup industry. 

My main goal today, besides spending time with my sisters children, was to capture a few images showing the sap dripping from the tap.  In order to accomplish this it was important to set the camera to continuous high so that I could concentrate on focusing and composition while I fired away.  I used a Nikon D700 camera with my new Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 VR macro lens - another fabulous piece of glass.  The aperture was set to f/6.3, speed of 1/640th and an ISO of 250.  I shot at least two-hundred images (handheld) hoping one or two would capture a drop of sap dripping from the end of the tap.  I'm pleased with today's images. 

I hope you enjoyed your Sunday afternoon.

and the lights came back.....

The northern lights returned for a encore performance tonight.  Unfortunately tonights display was not as vibrant or as active as yesterdays show.  Regardless, it was well worth the effort to bundle up and venture outdoors in minus 25 oC temps to photograph the aurora as they danced the night away.  (Nikon D700, Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 lens set at f/3.2, 1000ASA and exposed between 10-15 seconds).

More lights from last night

Here are few more images from last nights celestial wonder!  I can honestly say that last night was the most impressive show I've seen in my 13 years living in the north.  Absolutely stunning!  According to Spaceweather.com tonight promises to be just as good!  Keep your fingers crossed.

Now in bookstores

If you have the chance drop by your favourite bookstore and check out some of my latest stories that appear in the 2nd Edition of Make the Most of your Time on Earth (Rough Guides, 2010).  Ten of my stories appear in this 2nd edition (travel tales from the Arctic, Bali, Madagascar, the Caribbean and various locals in Canada).  

While you're there take a few minutes to browse through the 7th Edition of The Rough Guide to Canada.  I rewrote Chapter 11 - The North.    

Hope you enjoy these two publications.

Yukon Golden Sunsets

Thankfully spring is around the corner here in the Yukon. We're gaining approximately 6 mins of daylight every day.  This morning the sun rose at 07:54 and will set at 18:38.  Two months ago, on January 6th, the sun was up at 10:32 and set by 15:44 - an increase of 5hrs and 26mins.  Despite the increased daylight hours overnight temperatures remain at the -30 degree mark while the daytime temps range from -15 to -5 degrees in the sun - perfect temperatures for outdoor activities.

With the lengthening daylight hours (and milder temperatures) come endless new photo opportunities.  My favourite time is the hour before and the hour after the sun sets.  At this time the evening sky undergoes dramatic changes - the sky is transformed from brilliant blue to various hues of purple and mauves followed by endless shades of yellow, orange and red before eventually giving way to the evening darkness.  Mountain backdrops, spruce and alder branches form magical silhouettes for the evening sky.

Today's image was taken along the Klondike Hwy while en-route to Whitehorse.

Enjoy the sun in your corner of the world.

Cheers,
Claus