From white to white to white

One of the things that really strikes me here is the way the sky and the land and the sea meld into each other. Visually it is exciting to try to distinguish where a horizon line begins and ends. Actually, it doesn't really exist. I imagine if I lived here this whiteness would get me down, but to photograph it is very special. The skies are immense as they are out in the prairies. It is very graphic and minimal visually. The light is diffused and soft but fascinating. It is almost hard to see as it is so white.....the tide goes out and then there are rocks visable but there are also chunks of ice..It is very particular to this area. Your eyes are confronted each day with new variations, sometimes subtle but nevertheless significant.. one only needs to have the time to observe....which I do....

Return to simplicity

It is a strange world I live in. To be able to go from sunny colourful and chaotic Mexico to the serenity and simplicity of the Gaspe is crazy. And yet that is what I have done. I am back up north in this beautiful place to witness the slow break up of the ice on the river and the purity of snow, light and line. This time we are working our way up the north coast all the way up to Cap Chat. Each turn reveals another bay which depending on the wind is filled with huge blocks of ice which are enormous, sculptural and majestic. Different hues of pinks and blues or like today and steely gray punctuated with small pools of water. I am looking for the visual gaps of what I missed on my last trip. The details one finds here only at this time of the year. Spring is slowly raising its head and strange objects are emerging out of the snow just the way my flowers emerge out of the darkness. We have access to one of the most beautiful places in the world right here in our backyard... you must come and see........

Eyes Wide Open

What I really love about travelling is the newness, the viual stimulation. Everything is fresh and it is as if you are seeing for the first time. At home, I am always looking, but rarely have the time I need and often feel I have done it or seen it before.

The colour here in Mexico is so strong and so saturated, it is very hard to ignore. I often feel compelled to take shots of the colour walls, segments of houses, abstract bands of yellow and rust and blue. It is Mondrian on acid. These are my visual exercises.

This time I had my Canon s95. It is a small fully manual wonderful camera that shoots raw and has a great lens. I bought it because I always wanted to have a camera with me and I walk with it in my hand just shooting from the hip capturing figures and shadows back lit in the wonderful late afternoon light. It is so great having the time and freedom to open my eyes and really see. Each day poses new visual challenges and forces me to try to change what I did the day before. It is so exciting and feeels so natural.

My favourite market

Every Thursday there is a fantastic market that takes place in Zaachila. The Zapotecs come down from the mountains to sell their wares and to meet their friends. It is bustling, colorful and full of life. All the women create beautiful displays with their fruits and vegetables and you want to buy everything. It is also an amazing place to take photos.

I like to work with a wide angle lens and get very close to people. I am always searching for unusual angles and movement to add tension to the images and to give the sense of compactness and intensity that I feel as I walk around. People are generally friendly but wary of photographers so I need to work quickly. Sometimes I pick a spot and wait for people to walk into my frame. It is a wonderful way to make interesting and dynamic compositions without being intimidated by the people themselves. I take my time, observe and wait for the right moment. It is exciting and forces me to respond to my surroundings in a very instictive way... The energy down here is fantastic!

Photos Everywhere

I am writing you from Oaxaca Mexico. It is warm and sunny here and it is one of my favourite places. Each time I arrive I immediately go to the zocolo which is the main square and sit and watch life unfold. I drink a special hot chocolate that is only made here and eat a tortilla soup. Every two minutes I am asked by a woman or child to buy a placemat, a necklace or shawl. A guitarist plays a song called Oaxaca Oaxaca very badly and the balloon sellers convince every parent that walks by to buy one for their child. It has been the same for the last ten years, and it is comforting to know that it hasn't changed. I know I have arrived.

Today I spent my time wandering and rediscovering the colourful walls, the extraordinary light at the end of the day and the fabulous margaritas.. There are many photos to be made. I look forward to the next few days.

Oh so grey

Hi,
It takes a lot of courage , motivation and drive to get out of bed on these kinds of days. The snow has been falling lightly, but the sky feels like it is closing in. The only way to get through this is to take photos. It moves your mind elsewhere and you stop feeling sorry for yourself.

I know that many of you are waiting for that sweet smell of spring, but we still have quite a few weeks to go. So grab your camera and get out. There are so many things to photograph.

I have always loved ice patterns. The way the air gets trapped in the water is endlessly fascinating. It is not going to hang on a gallery wall but it is a great eye exercise.

Just like a painter does sketches, I need to make studies of ice , frost, or my Amaryllis opening. Each shot leads me to the next. The wonderful thing about winter is that it neutralizes all the shapes. Line becomes evident. The light is low and the textures are more pronounced. Benches stand out against the whiteness. There are an infinite number of images to make... Just forget about the subject and look for shapes and line. It keeps your eye sharp.

All you need to do is protect your camera with a Ziploc bag over it if it is snowing and keep your extra battery warm...

So have fun, dress warmly and enjoy...

Satisfied for now

It has been a few days since my last blog. Car problems and a long ride home have taken up a fair amount of time and email access is not always straightforward. I am presently back in Montreal and am reflecting on the wonderful week I had. I know it is impossible to really get a sense of a place in such a short time. I will return, most likely in March before the winter ends to try to add more depth to the project.This will give me time to really look at the images I have produced, to edit out the ones that do not strike a cord and to contemplate the underlying ideas and concepts I am trying to express. It is impossible to really come to understand a place without living and feeling it over time. We drive the familiar coast and the 132 home all the way to Quebec. Icons of the coast abound. A submarine, a sub wartime watch tour, Jesus in company and the incredible pwerful presence of water, ice and light.I leave with a feeling of Fullness. Stimulated, peaceful, eyes visually acute..I am satisfied for now.

Today I will be going in the other direction down the coast to New Richmond and Maria. The main purpose is to meet the members of Declic, the Gaspe photo club. They have invited me to give a lecture about the Garden at Night but first we are going snowshoeing together to see a waterfall. I think this is a test for me to see how fit I am. People here are very connected to nature. They love the fact that they can walk out of their houses and go for a walk on the beach or go camping in the woods . They also appreciate the tranquility and peacefulness of their lives. Many have lived elsewhere and are happy to be back.
















Roger is very patient. As we drive along the coast I am always yelling STOP STOP and he has to pull over or take a small road that looks interesting in order for me to take a photo. There is no traffic here and so it is possible.

My big challenge is to try to find different things to photograph. The water and sky are so beautiful and seductive that I could take handreds of shots only of that. However, my purpose is to try to get to the essence of what this place is in winter. I ask myself this question 20 times a day. I am looking for a metaphor, an object, a texture which will be the link between all the images.. This is the hardest part for me. It will take several more trips to the area and perhaps I will need to spend more time. These projects are long term and usually take me several years to put together a stong body of work.

heavenly light

The light here is extraordinary. I awake each morning to a flaming orange sky and as the sun rises I watch the steam rise off the water. It is magical and each time you look at it, it is different.

We having been roaming the coast and are headed for the town of Gaspe which is a 2 hour drive from where I am staying. There are things to photograph everywhere. Harbours where big metal fishing boats are stuck in the ice awating spring. Rivers that freeze in beautiful textured patterns. Then there is Perce Rock which is enormous and watches over the tiny town. It is quiet and quite empty which is lovely. We can virtually stop the car anywhere along the road. I am looking for interesting visual evidence of winter.

There are snow covered lobster traps, moored boats and cod drying racks. But I am trying to show winter in a new way. I know that winter here is novel in itself but I am beginning to realize that it is the light which is so extrordinary. So I am always looking and ready as it changes in an instant.

Can't sleep

Today was an incredible day.. The snow fell, the wind blew and I felt like I was seeing the world through a sheer white screen. The snow floated across the road and then built itself up to a gust which almost carried me across the road.. It was so exciting to photograph..I felt like I was part of a whirling tornado and I could feel the energy. I prepared my exposures in the car and then jumped out ready for a fight. But it was worth it... It made for really exciting images full of force and movement.. it was so thrilling that I couldn't sleep from the excitement.. It is so beautiful here. The light is special and the expansive skies over the water change every 5 minutes. I can understand how one can get attached to this place.

Where is the sky?

Today was a travelling day. We are crossing over from the north shore of the St Lawrence River to the Baie des Chaleurs. A snowstorm is in the weather report but it is only supposed to begin at noon. So we got up early and made it to our destination for 12. Can you believe it? It actually started snowing as predicted.. I think they actually tell you the truth up here. I am wonderfully settled in my friend's house and am told that the snow only started arrriving here about a week ago. Very late for these parts. Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

It was a wonderful drive. There was no one on the road, probably because we are the only crazy ones. It is so beautiful. The majestic fir trees are covered in snow and the Matepedia river is flowing, which is a surprise as it is quite cold. It is a treat to arrive on the coast and see the water. Unlike the north shore it is not frozen..Wisteful, desolate and peaceful..The sky is the same colour as the land...