Photographing exotic locations aka my backyard
(click on images to view them full size)
Do you have to go far afield for great photography opportunities?
The title of this post is a bit tongue in cheek, but I got to thinking about this as I was debating about planning a trip to some wonderful location for photography and while I think that there is nothing quite as exciting as capturing images in a new location - a trip just didn’t seem to be coming together. I either didn’t like the timing or the itinerary or something else just didn’t seem quite right.
Spring photography at Frank Lake is a joy now that I know the locations to find shorebirds like these Soras and the best position to capture them. (EXIF data f4.0, 1/2200s, ISO 720 400mm+1.4TC = 560mm)
Lately I’ve been going through my old photography catalogues and looking for images that I overlooked for one reason or another and it’s interesting to note that I have been finding all sorts of great images (always a good thing for an aspiring photographer) and a lot of them are from photoshoots close to home. This makes sense as the majority of my images are from locations close to where I live and it also makes sense that I should be seeing progress over time and this would be reflected in the locations I shoot frequently.
There is a lot to be said for photographing a familiar location - you know the way the light usually plays across the landscape and subjects - the perfect locations or viable compositions - all of that time put in pays off in these ways. It’s like putting on a comfortable pair of shoes - you just know they are going to fit, feel good and not need a lot of fussing.
When I photograph a new location I can often feel a bit anxious or pressured to find compositions or to work quickly in case the light or conditions change. There is the time pressure knowing that I am only there for a short time and that I won’t be coming back anytime soon.
There is a relaxed and pleasant aspect to photographing familiar locations.
Location location
Wasp nest at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in early morning light. (EXIF data f6.3, 1/800s, ISO1100, 460mm)
There is a well known saying about location being everything - you can have an amazing house, but put it facing a four lane highway and it’s going to be nowhere as appealing as the same house in a quiet neighbourhood with lots of trees.
Moving to our current home was all about aligning with our values of being close to nature, community and focus on health and wellbeing.
While this felt like the right thing to do - the location is more remote and on the other side of the city, so not as easy to access some of my very urban photography locations.
That may sound counter intuitive, but Calgary is home to some great river valley parks and urban green spaces frequented by all sorts of raptors, song birds and shorebirds.
A moody morning image from Sandy Beach. (EXIF data f6.3, 1/2000s, ISO640, 78mm)
Wild rose leaves hanging on by a thread at Glenmore Park in the autumn. (EXIF data f7.1, 1/320s, 200 mm, ISO450)
Our new location delivers alignment with our values in so many ways, but I still found myself missing some of the usual locations I frequented from our old neighbourhood - places like Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Fish Creek Park, Glenmore Reservoir and Sandy Beach.
I would go for photography walks during all weather conditions - sometimes 2 or 3 times a week.
I was rarely at a loss for inspiration or subject matter to photograph - spending hours and hours observing nature and the world around me.
I captured some of my all time favourite images in these locations and I always had a good sense of where to go depending upon the weather and light conditions.
Great Blue Heron at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in the autumn - caught in a snow storm. (EXIF data f6.3, 1/1250s, 600mm, ISO4500)
I’ll be honest there have been times that I’ve lamented not being able to find similar locations close to the new house. The trails and wooded areas are a lot more wild and chaotic with different birds and wildlife hanging out here. I’m missing the ease with which I could choose where to photograph and know what would likely be there at any given time of the year.
Time for a different approach
I recognized that my problem was not the new location, but rather my approach to it. I was comparing my photographic experience in those above mentioned locations built up over 7 years to my experience in the new location over barely 6 months (a lot of which was spent doing renovations). No wonder I didn’t feel the same ease - I haven’t put in the time to really understand what is available in my new area.
Probably one of my all time favourite images captured on a frosty snowy morning on a scouting trip down by the Elbow River in our new location. (EXIF data f4, 1/640s, ISO1000, 200 mm)
Interestingly enough, Kory and I went for a walk recently and started exploring the paths leading along the ravine behind our house that leads down to the river. We stumbled across a wooded area next to a marsh and suddenly I started to feel that excitement of finding an area with great potential for subjects and from the last 6 months I know how this area will look at sunrise. Before Kory could even say anything I was planning how I would return and spend time exploring with my camera.
The time I spend at different locations - learning the landscape and the wildlife is so important to building up a knowledge of the area. I think of these as scouting trips and in my old neighbourhood I did dozens and dozens of these scouting walks over the various seasons before feeling more confident about where to go for photographic opportunities.
The reasons behind my photography
Backlight of the grasses in our wooded area at sunrise. (EXIF data. f2.8, 1/2500s, ISO2500, 120mm)
I was reminded by a fellow photographer (John from AYWMC) that my photography is not about capturing epic landscapes or lifer wildlife images (i.e., first time seeing a species). It is about making a connection with nature and finding a way to express how I’m feeling at that moment in my images.
Ironically I can see the Rocky Mountains from our new home and yet I rarely photograph them.
I’m drawn to more intimate landscapes that are highlighted by the light and contour of the land.
I can find these more intimate sorts of landscapes all around me and it is then about finding that emotional connection to a curve in a stream, the structure of a tree or the way the light illuminates grasses.
Getting to know the locals
“Jack” all cozy under the blue spruce tree. (EXIF data f5.6, 1/400s, ISO5000, 400mm)
One of the positives of staying close to home for the last 6 months is that I’ve really gotten to know the landscape around our home and how the light plays on the different areas. In addition I’ve gotten to know where the locals like to hang out and our friendly jackrabbit (affectionately known as Jack) has taken up residence under a blue spruce tree in our front yard.
One of the projects we executed when we moved in was to change the electrical service of the house from 100 Amp to 200 Amp in order to accommodate the barrel sauna and future electric vehicle charging. The side effect of doing this work was that a new cable had to be trenched across the front yard (some 100 m in length) and I spent time this summer and fall seeding the filled in trench and getting new grass to grow.
Buck standing on the top of the hill opposite our property. (EXIF data f6.3, 1/1250s, 860mm, ISO4000).
Jack especially appreciated my efforts and there were many evenings when he could be found trimming the fresh green blades and even now in the heart of winter I see him hop out from under the tree to munch on the grass as the snow melts and it gets exposed.
The deer have also made almost daily appearances in our yard or in the wooded area next to us. It’s been fun watching two families with fawns grow up.
They have gone from cavorting across the lawn to nestling down under the spruce trees after a cold spell. I’ve also been treated to wonderful sightings of bucks in the fall as they pass through our yard and the surrounding ridges.
A pair of white winged crossbills feasting on the pine cones in our backyard. (EXIF data f5.6, 1/400s, 400mm, ISO1100, +1.33EV)
I’m even getting to know what birds frequent our yard and at what times of the year. Goldfinches, pine siskins and crossbills are frequent visitors through the summer and fall with Northern Flickers and Downy woodpeckers making an appearance in winter.
The more time I spend in our yard the more I see which is exactly what I found at my old home.
A highlight was spending a half hour watching a moose and her calf prune our poplar trees in the wooded area - and there was another day that I came home to find a Swainson hawk perched up on top of our roof - calling to his parents who circled our house for 20 minutes before he finally decided to fly off.
In fact looking through my archives for images for this blog post was very enlightening as I found all sorts of wonderful images that I captured in my backyard. I was able to do so because I was here when the action occurred - talk about convenience for hauling heavy photography gear around!
Finding inspiration close to home
I expect that as we move out of winter and into spring that I will start to see a repeat cycle from last year when we moved in early June. I look forward to scoping out the marsh in early spring and seeing the snipes and red winged blackbirds start to nest as the sunrise shifts a bit towards the NE in the summer months. There is so much to explore and learn in this new location that I’m excited to see what I find. As I gain familiarity with my surroundings and the visitors who come through the area, I can see that my emotional connection with this new landscape and its inhabitants will grow and be reflected in my images.
Have you found that you’ve had to go through an adjustment period when you have made a significant life change such as relocating, changing jobs/careers or even family situation (such as becoming an empty nester)? I’d love to hear about your experiences and how you’ve made the adjustment either in the comments below or drop me a note directly by clicking on the Connect With Me button.
A large group of common redpolls visited our backyard feeder recently and I was taken by their colouring. (EXIF data f6.3, 1/2500s, ISO1100, 400mm)
I hope you’ll come back soon, share a cuppa, relax and enjoy more of my musings.
