Well hello there, Macro

Macro

Yesterday I received my new Sigma 105mm Macro lens. I haven’t used a macro for a couple years, and I have sorely missed it. Having a good macro lens opens up a whole new kind of photography, one that I really enjoy. You can see common objects around you in a new way, revealing hidden beauty otherwise missed.

This is my second Sigma lens, and I have really enjoyed them. The construction quality is great, and the optics rivals, or beats the Nikon equivalent often for lots of $$$ less. See these test images from the-digital-picture.com.

This is going to be lots of fun.

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In a calendar

One of my photographs from New Brunswick has once again been selected for publication in the Saltscape’s 2015 calendar! Flipping through the rest of the calendar I realize what an honour it is to be selected. There are many great photographs from around Atlantic Canada, a wonderful part of this great country.

_TWJ1915 _TWJ1920

Saltscapes is a magazine celebrating Atlantic Canada, it’s people, it’s culture, it’s food, and the fantastic landscape. Like the last time I was included in their calendar, they have selected a photo from the Tantramar Marsh area in Sackville, New Brunswick. This particular photo is one of the old hay barns from the marshes along the Bay of Fundy near Wood Point. I don’t know if this barn is still there or not, it was almost ready to fall down when I took this photo a five years ago, and it is unprotected from the strong winds coming off of the Bay.

This image is part of a photographic project I undertook to document the old barns of the Tantramar Marsh area before they were all gone. One hundred years ago there were over 400 of these barns dotting the flat landscape. When I was a kid there were about 70, and now there are probably less than a dozen left.  See more of my photography of the Tantramar Marsh

 

 

Daines Rodeo

DSC_5184

 

The Daines Ranch Rodeo is a great event for the family. I really enjoy this rodeo because you can get really close to the action and stick your camera lens through the fence (if you dare). The family atmosphere is wonderful, and they don’t have one of those annoying rodeo clowns with the same ancient jokes.

One would assume that rodeo events are best left to the young. However, you often can’t tell while watching, but sometimes when I am reviewing the photos I realize that some of the riders are not as young as you would expect them to be for such a punishing sport.

Young At Heart

Bull riding

 

Shelf Clouds

Sometimes when the smart people are heading inside for shelter, I go out. But the rewards can sometimes be worth it.

 

A Storm Ahead

Where I live in town I don’t have a great view of coming storms, but one night my father-in-law called to tell me that I should grab my camera because a fantastic shelf cloud is coming. Once I got out of town and past the trees, this is the sight that greeted me.

Shelf Cloud

 
Shelf Cloud

2013 Saltscapes Calendar

Recently, I had the privilege of having one of my images selected for inclusion in the 2013 Saltscapes Calendar!

Saltscape, an Atlantic Canadian magazine, contacted me a few months back about using an image of a sunrise over the Tantramar Marsh and it’s covered bridge during heavy fog.

Salscapes 2013 Calendar

Saltscapes 2013 Calendar

From Saltscape’s website:

The 2013 Saltscapes calendar features:

  • Beautiful 9″x12″ off-the-beaten-path images from around Atlantic Canada
  • Delectable recipes and helpful cooking tips from Saltscapes‘ founding food editor Marie Nightingale
  • Gardening tips from Saltscapes‘ gardening guru, Jodi DeLong
  • Unique facts about the natural world by biologist Bob Bancroft
  • Interesting facts about the weather, people and history of Atlantic Canada
  • Holidays and observances, plus selected festivals and events from around Atlantic Canada
  • Birthdays of some famous folks who have a connection to Atlantic Canada
  • Moon phases in the Atlantic Time Zone
  • Basic fishing seasons

I’m very pleased to be included in such a beautiful calendar featuring images from my home region of Canada!

Thank you Saltcapes!

PS. You can order a copy of the calendar here

Prints for Sale

An art gallery in town that I have had my work on display at has recently closed down. I’m sad to see it go as it was a really nice store and we had sold quite a few prints through there over the last two years. This leaves me with too many prints to hang on my walls! We are putting these prints up for sale with a 10% discount for the month of December. Please contact me at tj@troyjohnstone.com if you are interested in purchasing one of these prints for your home. All these prints are canvas gallery wrap prints, ready to hang on your wall without framing.


“Peggy’s Cove” as a 20 x 40 canvas gallery wrap print.

 

Other prints for sale:

“Wake up Sleepy Heads”
14 x 30

“Prairie Clouds”
Two prints available, 16 x 24 and 16 x 30

“East Coast” & “West Coast”
10 x 30 each. Matching prints of the lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia and the lighthouse at Lighthouse Park, north of Vancouver, British Columbia.

“Subtle Silhouettes”
14 x 30. Mountains near Crowsnest Pass, Alberta close to sunset.

“Old Barn”
20×40 canvas gallery wrap of an old Barn on the Tantramar Marsh, Sackville, New Brunswick.

“Lonely Tree”
16 x 30  A tree at sunset over a rapeseed field in rural England.


“Weathered”
16 x 24. Two old trucks under a dramatic sky.

“Inglis Falls”
30×14 long exposure of a small part of Inglis Falls, near Owen Sound Ontario.

“Flowers”
A set of three 10×10 canvas gallery wrap prints.

 

 

 

 

Art show

We had a good time at the Wellspring Visual Art Network Spring Show and Sale. I had a display of some of my photography along with the other works done by wood workers, jewelers, painters, photographers, potters and more.

My display at the art show: Two against the wall on the left, and three on the table.

 

We took the kids to take a look at all the artwork and they enjoyed seeing all the displays. While there we stopped to watch a couple artisans as they worked. David Todd was creating some pottery and Lila Wiess was creating a new painting. The kids really enjoyed watching them work, especially Ellie, who aspires to be an artist someday.

At the end of the art show the votes cast by visitors were counted up, and I was once again honoured with the People’s Choice Award! Thank you to everyone who voted for my photography. It was a wonderful art show with lots of wonderful works on display. This is a very talented group of artists in our region. Looking forward to the next show!

Inglis Falls

On a recent trip to Ontario I visited Inglis Falls in Owen Sound. I had been there a number of times when we lived in the area, but this time I was armed with some new neutral density filters. The longer exposure that is possible with the filters gives the water that nice milky look.

Its a nice spot if you get a chance to visit it and there are a number of hiking trails in the surrounding woods.