Category Archives: Inspiration

Blog, Inspiration, Photography

Bloom portraits

Getting down in the grass, I discovered a Lilliputian world…

Lilliput world in the grass. Photo © Andrée Fredette

Springtime flowers are so fresh to winter-weary eyes…

Fawn Lily (Erythronium oregonum) with rain drops. Photo © Andrée Fredette

Above: the sun shines on recent rain drops. This is the back side of a Fawn lily (Erythronium oregonum), a wildflower blooming on the shores of Saturna Island, BC.

 

Rosemary in bloom. Photo © Andrée FredetteMy rosemary has been blooming for months, and I keep trying to get the perfect shot of its fine flowers.

 

Garden bloom. Photo © Andrée Fredette

I forget the name of this spring beauty, its white blooms just punctuate the garden right now.

Muscari and daffodil corona. Macro photography © Andrée Fredette

Contrasting the vibrant blue of grape hyacinth (Muscari ) and the orange corolla of a daffodil.

White bloom, macro photography © Andrée FredetteAn azalea blossom, in close-up.

Daffodial corona detail shot. Macro photography © Andrée FredetteThe edge of a daffodil corona, almost abstract.

And to close this post, a portrait of a tiny visitor in the sedum:

Pacific tree frog. Macro photography © Andrée FredetteSay hello to the Pacific tree frog (Pseudacris regilla), enjoying the sunshine in the rock garden. It’s been a long winter.

About Art, Blog, Inspiration, Just Because, Photography

Playing with my food

Above: a macro shot of laurel leaves, drying in a glass on my kitchen windowsill. With a little filter play, to turn it into a jazzy photo.

After three days of rain and high winds, things are finally starting to calm down. This morning, I played with my food and got a few very close shots of kitchen items.

Here they are, in their glory…

Kiss Summer Goodbye. One of the last Brandywine tomatoes from my garden. Photo by Andrée FredetteOne of the last Brandywine tomatoes from my garden… treated to a little filter play. I love those curves! A tomato with attitude…

 

Laurel Leaf Edges. Almost abstract, photo by Andrée FredetteAnother angle of the laurel leaves, drying on the window sill. It is too much fun, playing with the light and contrast.

So much fun, in fact, that here is one more:

Laurel Leaves Curves, high contrast. Photo by Andrée Fredette

And finally, not quite food, but a jewel-like piece of natural beauty:

Passengers to Nowhere. Barnacles on a clam shell. Photo by Andrée FredetteAnd now, I return to my garden, to right the pots that were knocked over by the wind, and pick up the debris…

Blog, Inspiration, Photography

Double Exposure

Above: “Waiting”, photos taken in Sidney, BC. While killing time before catching the afternoon ferry, I experimented with in-camera double exposure. Double exposure is getting your camera to take two pictures one on top of the other. Fun game!

After a lengthy interlude, during which I explored the great outdoors and collected a lot of material to play with, here I am… back at the computer with my pictures. Ready to share.

Travel Dreaming 1. Photo by Andrée Fredette

Aboard the Mayne Queen ferry, a venerable member (built in 1964) of the BC Ferries fleet, on the way home.

 

Travel Dreaming 2. Photo by Andrée Fredette

These photos are in-camera double exposures. Take two pictures in a row, and the camera superimposes them automatically. The result is very interesting. Like opening a gift-wrapped item: a surprise!

 

Travel Dreaming 3. Photo by Andrée Fredette

Another reason to get out there and play… Very dreamy results.

Blog, Inspiration, Photography, Wanderings

Mountain treasures

Above: the skyline, viewed from the Heather Trail, E.C. Manning Provincial Park, BC.

Summer, the perfect time for a road trip. A few weeks ago, I headed to the alpine meadows of the Cascades.

Meadow flowers, BC. Photo by Andrée FredetteThere were colourful treasures on that mountain path…

(Pssst: click on these photos, to view them full size.)

Indian paintbrush (Castilleja). Photo by Andrée FredetteMeet the Indian paintbrush (Castilleja), up close. All these plants are really tough guys. They have to reproduce during a very short season (I was told that snow melted in late May to mid-June, at that altitude). The soil is poor, and the elements are cruel.  And this particular plant, Indian paintbrush, is a hemiparasite, meaning that it gets some of its nutrients by living off its neighbours… Tsk, tsk.

Beginning of Heather Trail. Photo by Andrée FredetteUp on the mountain, the trail beckons.

Close-up of Lousewort (Pedicularis bracteosa). Photo by Andrée FredetteSome of the flowering plants are very ancient-looking. Meet Lousewort (Pedicularis bracteosa), with pollinators on board.

White paintbrush (Castilleja occidentalis). Photo by Andrée FredetteI spotted a white and maroon variety of Indian paintbrush (Castilleja).

Seedhead of Western Pasque flower (Anemone occidentalis). Photo by Andrée FredetteI was a few weeks too late to admire blooming Western Pasque flowers (Anemone occidentalis)… So instead, here is a close-up of a seedhead, with insect ornaments.

Tiger lily (Lilium columbianum). Photo by Andrée FredetteFor that golden touch, there were specimens ofTiger lily (Lilium columbianum).

Lupine on the mountain. Photo by Andrée FredetteThe lovely blue of Lupine (but which? maybe Large-leaved, maybe not…)

Columbine portrait (Aquilegia canadensis). Photo by Andrée FredetteAn intimate portrait of the Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis).

Spirea in bloom by the Beaver Meadow. Photo by Andrée FredetteIn a moist area near the main road, Spirea in bloom, by the Beaver pond.

And here is a landscape, featuring the Beaver pond.

Beaver Meadow, E.C. Manning Park. Photo by Andrée Fredette

And I leave you with the irony of a hiking quatuor, catching up with the news near the cell tower. Top of the mountain, at 2200 meters, where they had many bars on their cells.

Eager for updates. Photo by Andrée Fredette