Saturday, December 31, 2011

Oh, Canada!

"GET A LIFE, KORY!"

If that's what's going through your head when you notice that I'm writing this blog post on New Year's Eve, then you're not alone, because I happen to be thinking the same damn thing. Therefore, I'm going to keep this short. Celebration and champagne beckons, and I never keep a good bubbly waiting.

My trip to Canada was as awesome as it was cold. And, since it was double-digits below zero, I shouldn't have to tell you that I had one hell of a good time up there. The pristine beauty of world-class Banff National Park in the midst of a frigid winter wonderland was truly something to behold. The cherry on top was the complete and utter lack of crowds. We had the whole place to ourselves! Well, except for the herd of Big Horn Sheep that insisted on licking the salt off of my car, but they were adorable and never once asked me what kind of camera I use.

We camped several nights right next to a shelter that had a wood stove in it. When the day's work was done, we filled that sucker full of wood, got a blazing fire going, and had a great time sipping whiskey and gazing up at the stars, as you can see in the photo below. About fifty yards away from the shelter was a bathroom that was actually open and functional. In the middle of nowhere. In the middle of winter. In the middle of the night. Only in Canada.

Toward the end of the trip, Marc and I had the honor of meeting famed Canadian photographer Darwin Wiggett. Like just about every other landscape photographer in existence, I've been a fan of Darwin's work for many years, so finally getting to meet him was a real thrill. Accompanying him was his soulmate and fellow photographer Samantha Chrysanthou. They joined Marc and I for an afternoon of shooting followed by dinner, drinks and good times at a local tavern. They're both the sweetest people, and Darwin proved to be quite the character as I had long suspected. I can't wait to see them again someday.

Before I go, remember last time how I mentioned that one of my blog posts got picked up for publication? Well, it's been published on Nature Photographers Online Magazine and you can read it RIGHT HERE.

Well, that about does it for this blog post and for 2011 as a whole. As always, thanks for reading. And, Happy New Year to you and yours! ^_^

Majestic Mount Rundle (large version HERE)


Frigid and Frosty Morning (large version HERE)


Warm and Cozy


Hangin' With The Locals