Salt Spring Photos

Salt Spring Photographer John Cameron

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Summer Solstice, Coastal Sunset

Summer Solstice Sunset 2016
Intense coastal colour at Chesterman Beach during the Summer Solstice.

Sunsets require you to take many digital images in your quest of getting the best image possible. And that’s what happened here. In hopes of getting the scene at it’s very best, it’s common to start when the scene is lovely and keep shooting as it gets better and better (in this case intense colour and reflection) and not stopping until the scene is visibly past its prime.

This image was taken about 30 minutes after sunset, and before the sky became too dark and dull. It’s presented as seen, and as shot—without gobs of filters or over-editing. (only a bit of contrast and a tiny bit of sharpening). At this point in the sunset, it was getting dark. Attempting to show exactly what was shot, I did not adjust the brightness.

What an amazing start to summer.

Salt Spring Sky

After Sunset Last Evening
9:45 p.m. Looking west-northwest, 300°

Nice colour after sunset last evening. This photo, taken from our bedroom window includes my favourite tree. And some of my not so favourite trees which, growing up to two feet per year, have pretty much eliminated the ocean and mountain view.

Alone on Mayne, a Ferry Tale

Solo Journey

Travel to the other Southern Gulf Islands can sometimes be an odd experience.

Twice recently I was the ONLY vehicle in the parking lot. In my effort to return to Salt Spring, I left from Saturna with a smattering of cars. I got off at Mayne Island, drove up past the cars in the terminal, and headed back down in lane 9. Some other cars got off the ferry and disappeared. The walk on passengers and all the cars waiting in the terminal loaded (…which is an entertaining time as some cars are directed to drive on normally, some to turn at the far end of the boat so they are facing back to the terminal, while others are directed to back onto the ferry).

So when those shenanigans were complete, I looked around and was startled to find I was the only car in the terminal. The ferry attendants had disappeared and it was sunny, still and silent. And remained that way for a long time—until I too had a chance to demonstrate my ‘backing up around a corner skills’ into lanes of traffic squeezed onto a ferry.

ferry-16051327613

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream at GISS
The Acting 11/12 class performs their end-of-semester show: A Midsummer Night’s Dream this evening and tomorrow evening outside in the high school courtyard (May 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at the door).

This photo was taken as part of my business cause: performing arts at Gulf Islands Secondary school. It was made during yesterday’s dress rehearsal.

The photographic challenges were many. The rehearsal runs continuously, and while I was free to move, the actors were almost constantly moving so I was continuously unsure what would happen next. And there are no ‘do-overs.

Further, the lighting was a combination of harsh directional sunlight mixed with solid black shadows.

This makes getting a decisive moment—both realistically and technically—hugely difficult. So when the occasional image, like the one above successfully captures a moment, I count it a challenge met.

Sandstone Sculptures at East Point

Sandstone at Saturna Island1

 

It’s a nature treasure hunt along this sandstone shoreline. I’m willing to bet you can’t limit yourself to a dozen photos the next time you visit this area and decide to take a few photos. I know I can’t. And I wouldn’t have been able to way back when there were just 12 frames per roll on 120mm film.

 

Sandstone at Saturna Island2

Photos by John Cameron

Photographs of Salt Spring Island and areas reachable by ferry and road (and sometimes off-road).

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