More shots from last Friday (dialup warning)

[JeffR]

Lucked into a Friday off and had some wonderful warm weather (just for that day, as it happens). Ashbridge's Bay, Toronto, just a quick bike ride from home. Tokina 80-400mm, which was amenable to some fast shutter speeds on such a sunny day.















I think the guy below might be a young adult fox squirrel. The majority of the squirrels in the city are black squirrels, a type of eastern grey.


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Across the bay. No Photoshopping needed. A little sun on the bay was enough to make these into watercolors at 400mm.

[ManiacJoe]

1. Love the first two (swan and goose).

Were these all hand held?

[JeffR]

2. All hand held except for the shots of the two swans.

This lens is heavy but very compact for something with its reach, but awkward to handle when fully extended. A tripod will be a must for all but the brightest conditions.

[Canuckistanian]

3. I know that place

I used to drive by it every day when I lived in Scarborough. Not exactly what you'd think of as picturesque with all those industrial buildings. But you can make good pictures out of any location with the right angles, effects and lighting.

Nice shots!

[JeffR]

6. Biking down there, there was a brisk wind off the water

and the sewage treatment plant announced itself long before it came in view. Ouch.

They've actually created some really nice trails and paths down there now. Just a shame that if the wind shifts suddenly, you get dead fish smell from the lake or sewage assaulting the nose.

The industrial belt around the old port lands is going to be the subject of another series as soon as I can get some time for it. It should be memorialized since its doom is fairly imminent. There's even talk about breaking up the concrete straightjacket at the mouth of the Don River and allowing it go revert to its wild state as much as it still could. I've seen paintings from the mid-19th Century of the lower Don Valley where it used to meet with what was called Ashbridge's Marsh. Not quite up to the scenery of the Hudson River School, but pretty gorgeous all the same.

[Mira]

9. Do you know what they have permanently in my local museum, a Bierstadt painting, from the Hudson

River school.
And I'm in this small Southern town, thank goodness it once had the wealth to turn the residence of RJReynolds into "Reynolda House" and a museum.

The painting is huge, about 8 feet by 5 - and in the drawer of the very fine polished antique dresser in front of it are small tubes of about 1" in diameter and 12" long.
You put the tube up to your eye, and peruse the painting with a squint.

You will see things you do not fathom can be put on canvas with a brush.
Glad you mentioned this, I think it's time I paid a visit again.

[JeffR]

10. I'd love to see that

Bierstadt is a favorite of mine.

[Tindalos]

4. I love the dog one

All of the animals are really cute (and well photographed too), but I love how you caught the dog mid-shake, with the water still flying.

[JeffR]

7. Some oldtimer will have to help me out with this, but one of the

earliest photo contest winners I ever saw back when I was a Photo Group lurker was a great shot called, I think, "Ben on Spin Cycle". I don't remember who took it, but it was a mid-shake shot that was just electric. I just checked the archives but I can't go back far enough.

[Tindalos]

11. I don't think I've seen that one.

Sounds like a cool picture. I hope someone remembers where to find it.

[TahitiNut]

12. I think I remember that dog shot ... jowls flapping and droplets sprayng.

As I recall, the sun was positioned perfectly so the droplets all shone. The shutter speed was also perfect. Great shot.

[Mira]

5. The first and third of the swans. Magnificent. The turqoise color is splendid

in how it surrounds the head. In number three they're having a conversation, it's obvious to me, there is no interrupting going on.
The squirrel shot is sweet and beautiful, and I especially love the dog shaking and the human foot in there as well.
You came home with treasures.

[JeffR]

8. Thanks, and thanks for mentioning that color

the more wide open shots caught it very accurately. The water down there can be really dirty, as it was that day. That color was nearly phosphorescent and looked unhealthy really. But it did make for a pretty backdrop, ironically.