Photography

Photos I’ve taken of scenery, interesting objects and other things.

Photo of the Day: More snow!

We got another decent dump of snow last night and everything looks fresh and pretty again. I neither have to drive in it nor shovel it, so I don’t mind snow too much these days.

In fact, I went for a walk all the way to Burnaby Lake this afternoon, to get some fresh (if chilly) air and a few pics. I actually saw one person jogging on the river trail. I mean, sure, you can do it, but this is why I got a treadmill. Another guy was riding a bike, but was cheating because he had an electric bike with those silly fat tires. There were a fair number of people out, especially for midday during the week. I assume a lot of people have time off between Christmas and New Year’s.

Here are some photos, all taken with my phone, since I didn’t feel like lugging my camera and accessories out across the frozen tundra. It’s too bad HDR wasn’t more common, the originals on my iPhone 12 look awesome where there’s some dramatic light to provide contrast, such as in the first pic below.

Burnaby Lake, now part Popsicle.
View from Cariboo Dam, Burnaby Lake. Probably not safe for skating, unless you are a duck.
Brunette River in early afternoon sun.
Snow, water, sky. Plus more snow.
Happy pail!
My feet, well-protected by my booties.

Photo of the Day: No Entry

The demolition of the old hospital buildings continues apace. This is part of the last building near the corner of the hospital lane way and Sherbrooke Street. I like that the door opens to a pile of rubble on a building that no longer has a roof.

Photo of the Day: Rivers gone wild

Specifically the Brunette River, which today started creeping over its banks in a few low-lying spots. I was out in the monsoon to get a little exercise and once I was thoroughly drenched, I no longer cared and just had (relative) fun with it.

I didn’t jump in any puddles, though.

This tree is not normally in the river

Photo of the day: Fall trail, Lower Hume Park

This is one of the trails that wends along the hillside in Lower Hume Park. I took the shot with my iPhone 12, then played around with the settings in Affinity Photo because I am all about manipulating reality. Also, the iPhone 12 has this tendency to make images much brighter than they appeared, almost as if Night Mode is stuck on all the time. It’s weird, but assuming it’s intentional, I suppose the logic is that it’s better to have slightly overexposed photos than ones that are too dark and will only bring shame to you when posted to social media.

Here are the settings I adjusted:

  • Exposure decreased
  • Brightness increased slightly
  • Contrast increased slightly
  • Shadows deepened slightly
  • Highlights brought out a bit
Fall trail

And here’s a comparison between the original and altered shot. The changes are subtle, but I think they improve the look and bring it closer to what I was eyeballing at the time.