Winter is here (-21C on Nov 24) Photo

Photographer’s Note

Sorry about inducing a break in my photos from the Big Apple. We had our first big snowfall and I wanted to upload these fresh photos so that rest of the TE members can know the current weather we are experiencing in Greater Toronoto Area.

For the close up of the bird with a different POV. Please check my latest post on TN. The bird and the wooden log in the lake was'nt teaching us much about the world so I posted it there instead.

This is Lake Aquitaine in Mississagua. I had gone there today on my bicycle. I go there something like three times per week as it takes only 30 minutes to bike.

STORY: I got impressed by this photo by Claire, and than Sarolta posted this photo from Ottawa. These two photos inspired me and I went on a pretty long walk (for four hours on Thursday). It was the coldest day of the winter so far with Temp of -20C with windchill. Sarolta's photo inspired me as if telling me to go out and breathe some cold and crisp fresh air. I have posted a photo from that day in the WS.

Anyways I went to the same place today again (but on my bicycle this time). It was a much nicer day without any wind and a temperature of around -5C and this is the result of today's shoot. Bicycle ride was wonderful on the trail as there was such a crispy fresh snow all along the way, and I loved it.

weswang, Emile, feather, riclopes, Clairedelune, john_c, UlfE, bertolucci, Tue, singuanti, PixelTerror, elihesamian, capthaddock, Fixfocus, jafadabret, aznegrao has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Emile (19887) 2005-11-27 1:39

This is an excellent picture with an amazing composition. The reflection on the lake looks great. the place looks very peaceful, maybe the reason is because the cold weather keep almost every body inside there homes.
The bird also give a nice reflection. Good POV and sharpness.
Good work Sarju, very well done.

ALSOM (6616) 2005-11-27 2:29

Hi sarju,

Lovely and cold composition ;o).
I like the way the bird has been framed, having it in the the bottom left corner emphasizes the loneliness feeling. Good refelction of the scenery.
TFS, Al.

PS: I will leave Canada to you now, I'm back to France, hehehee !

riclopes (32967) 2005-11-27 8:49

Hi Sarju,
Wonderful winter composition. The smoothness of this foreground with the bird (it almost seems like frozen...) is very pretty and peaceful. I like the combination with the landscape in background and those persons in there. It amazes me how can you live in places like this! 4 hours walking with -20C is just madness for me and cycling with -4C... doesn´t your face get frozen?
Anyway, thanks for sharing it with us, before going to the big apple.
Have a nice sunday,
Ricardo

weswang (18223) 2005-11-27 16:36

Hi Sarju, I know you don’t like cold that much. This is depressing -- sorry, I should be more cheerful to say that it is fun to watch the outside white fluffy stuff while sitting inside a warm house :D.
Good capture of the bird and the reflection of the bird with the ready for Christmas white environment. Nice shot. Well done.

dsidwell (9745) 2005-11-27 18:48

I really enjoy the simplicity of your composition here, Sarju. The well placed board and bird work well in the empty lake.

Clairedelune (4885) 2005-11-27 19:59

Hi Sarju,
Brrrrrrr! I like winter! As you said in my last posting, I will probably not say that in March ou April. :-) You know what? I like that picture. Especially the bird on the log. In fact, I think I would like it even better without the top section. But, I also like the smooth reflection of the shore on the water. So... 1/15 sec.? You have a steady hand! You did manage well the exposition. Well done, my friend!
Claire
PS: Thank you for the reference to my picture!

feather (49858) 2005-11-28 4:49

It makes you feel cold just looking at it. A fairly minimalist composition, but well composed to include the bird on his log. Excellent reflections.
Kath

maphoto (8076) 2005-11-28 5:53

Hi Sarju, ti was indeed a cold day with the wind, the automn last for long this year, the winter as arrived sooner ! Hopefully the snow should go away in the next few days, it's supposed to be around 10 till wednesday !
Poor little bird alone on this lake, hope he did not freeze, good catch. I think you had good light enough for a higher exposure time, any particular reason for 1/15, the result is good in this situation, well done. Have a nice week.

simonekarl (404) 2005-11-28 6:42

Ciao Sarju
Are you mad? When it's that cold you should be in the kitchen cooking with a nice glass of red wine! TE even has a category 'Food'..... : ) Walking in -20C how the hell did you operate your camera?
For my taste the composition is a little simple, but id does help the viewer image the solitude of this poor little bird (why hasn't he flown south?). The reflections n the water of the bird and the houses are superb. Your focus is really sharp, bang on I would say.
Bravo
Simone..
ps I still waiting on your recipe, do you want another Italian special recipe for xmas?

cessy (13647) 2005-11-28 10:48

-21 ?? brbrbrr.....
very nice capture of this calm landscape, Sarju
excellent winter scene, love the bird and the log there

john_c (24635) 2005-11-28 10:55

Hi Sarju,
A well composed shot of this wintry scene. I like the foreground separation from the rest of the frame. The gull must be shivering. Good clarity and DOF to allow us to see far into the distance to the clearly defined shoreline and houses. I like the muted colours here - very much late fall or early winter. Good capture.
John

UlfE (8941) 2005-11-28 14:04

Hi Sarju,

A magnificent photo of really cold and grey day. Immediately when I saw it I felt a close up picture of the bird could be even a better photo. I am glad the I by just a click could see such a picture. Excellent work!

Ulf

rosaline (0) 2005-11-28 14:59

Sarju
Having lived in Toronto I can appreciate how cold the weather is. You have captured a good subject here, and the bird in the foreground is an excellent touch, which enhances the composition well. The houses in the distance, gives a great backdrop to the composition. Great work!
Aubrey

bertolucci (11976) 2005-11-28 15:15

Hi Sarju, this cold very well portrayed. Even the gull looks cold. A part from cold this looks also very tranquile and I like the depth and space - very well composed.
By the way: you rival the Dutch biking ethics, I like to think that we're tough biking in demanding weather conditions but you seem to handle this also OK ;-)
Very nicely photographed
Bert

t0mmm1 (5434) 2005-11-28 15:40

Hi Sarju,
nice shot and nice composition. In this cold you have luck to find this half frozen gull that posed you for a model ;) This is a great photo.

Tue (25608) 2005-11-28 16:52

Hej Sarju,
Nice winter shot! It's winter here in Copenhagen as well now, but we don't reach temperatures of -21 (yet?). Nice reflections and the bird is a very nice addition. Good work.
Hilsner,
Lars

singuanti (15240) 2005-11-28 23:16

Hey Sarju. You know I've looked at this shot a couple times now and I just noticed the bird in the foreground. I guess that's the dumb American in me, lol! :) That's good work with the hand-holding that at that long of a shutter speed with that style of camera. With my dslr it's not that tough for me but with my old camera that would be difficult to achieve results this sharp. Nice catch Sarju!

PixelTerror (86038) 2005-11-29 4:36

Hi Sarju,
Looks great for a beach vacation ;-)
Very nice photo in grey tones fuly representative of the season, the perfectly still water also fits very well to the winter stillness, the foreground bird and log add an essential focal point and provide depth to this view.
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

elihesamian (26091) 2005-11-29 9:04

Oh!

what a winter shot/view !
I must change my dressess for seeing this and writing for it :)
Indeed very well seen and captured and skilfully composed,a very cold and calm atmosphere,a wonderful freezed silence !
Nicely composed and I like it very much,Sarju,

Best
M

xavshot (62267) 2005-11-29 13:01

Bonsoir
-21°C !!! je ne sors pas prendre une photo moi !
ceci dit tu as bien fait car elle est superbe. Beau reflet sur la glace et joli cadrage avec l'oiseau
Bravo
Xavier

greg64g (11193) 2005-11-30 2:09

Hello Sarju

This picture frozen my blood same for this gull i guess. i like a lot the tonal range a little bit sad. the foreground is great.
Sorry i forgot to answer you on a picture. I do apologize. i am going to writte an answer on the last one
Greg

capthaddock (28640) 2005-11-30 10:55

Hi Sarju - wonderful tranquil feeling , with no ice on the lake yet, it does not look like -21deg, I have a slight preference for trhe TN version, I think the bird is the star here.

Fixfocus (9377) 2005-11-30 13:31

Hi Sarju,
Very good capture of the cold and the mood.
I like the compo a lot with the piece of wood and the bird in the foreground.The playing children in the background add life and scale.
Greetings,
Hermann

oochappan (22032) 2005-11-30 18:17

Hi Sarju
a very good shot to depict winter with this bird in front and it reflection, still got the feeling with the verticals on the houses that the horizont is slightly tilted but this is minor for the great mood with this big part of the water and the reflections also on top of the houses and the greens.

cloverstar (0) 2005-12-28 8:51

This is a great composition. I like how the branch and the bird are in the foreground. Beautiful scene from nature Sarju. Glad you enjoyed your bike ride.

jafadabret (39417) 2006-01-19 7:21

L'oiseau, à lui seul, aurait déjà fait une photo tout à fait acceptable mais là, il donne une autre dimension au paysage de grand froid.
Beau travail !

aznegrao (10230) 2006-01-29 12:21

Excelent angle!!
A perspectiva obtida e bem forte e com muita profundidade. Otimas cores belas e naturais.
Thanks for sharing.
aznegrao.