trees

Fundy Tide, NS

One of my goals on my recent  trip to Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy was to try and make more black and white images, since it has always been a great way for me to study and work on compositional skills. Along the Bay of Fundy,  the large variation in the tide is constantly changing the landscape, and the more time I spent along the shore, the more I became fascinated with the limitless lines, shapes, and forms along the coast. Learning to focus in on areas of contrast, and how they lead the eye is a skill that may take a lifetime to master, but is so vital to creating successful photographs.

In both of these images, I have tried to lead the eye to what I found most interesting in the scene, but they get there in different ways. “Fundy Tide” above primarily uses highlights to bring out the accents in the image – brighter rocks, flowing water, and the beautiful clouds lingering on the horizon. “Rocks and Tide” below uses the shadows and the rich darkness of the large rocks in the foreground to create interest, and help focus the eye on the tiny shells clinging to the rocks. The sky helps to balance the brightness of the water and keep the viewer moving back to the foreground.

Rocks and Tide, NS

In “Trees, Irving Nature Park” below, lines created by trees always excite me visually, and the patterns and repetitions they create are what always draw me into spending as much time as I can in a forest like this- serene, majestic, yet intimate. While I photographed just the vertical trees, this version with the horizontal tree in the foreground helps to anchor the image a bit more in my opinion, and create some tension, especially with the two other horizontal trees moving the eye up towards the middle of the image.

Trees, Irving Nature Park, NB

The photographic possibilities along the Bay of Fundy are not only truly inspiring, but limitless in terms of where your interests lie, whether that is landscapes, wild life, macro and intimate scenes, or the maritime experience of boats, people, fishing, etc,. I will be returning this October during the fall season to explore so many areas that I visited yet did not have the time to photograph.

I have written here in the past about how familiarity is so important to really capturing the character of a place, as well as your emotions and feelings. Every time I visit Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy I learn a little bit more about myself and why I continue to return. The whole point is to share those feelings with others, and of course remind inspired to be creative. I hope this gives you some food for thought and helps you find your way in your own work. Thanks for reading!

Below are a few examples of areas that were inspiring and are on my list to return to in October.

Delap Cove, NS

Pot Rock, NB

Brier Island, NS

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