Dave Noyle's photostream  

I just checked my last post and noted that I have been on a six-month hiatus from photography. A lot has happened in the world over last half year, Europe’s going broke thanks to some dodgy Greek loans, a couple of notable dictators stopped dictating and Vic Toews really, really wants access to all those amusing emails your less tech-savvy relatives forward to you.

A lot has also happened in my world that I’m going to shamelessly use as an excuse for my lack of postings, notably a new job, a new house and newly becoming a father. The last item on the list has kept me active with the camera, however, photos of the bald, noisy, diminutive, (yet oddly loveable) tyrant that keeps me up at night are best left in the world of Facebook where I can annoy my childless friends to no end.

The photo above was taken on a family day hike through Mount Nemo park (I don’t understand the name, it’s clearly an escarpment, I assume that Mr. Nemo was not a very good geologist). I took a few shots of the view from the height of our hike but the photos of the brown, flat, snowless expanse of southern Ontario found their way (deservedly) into the reject bin.

Above is a photo of a rather gloomy storm cloud looming above a rolled hay field. I think that a ‘gloomy’ photo is appropriate for today. With the passing of Jack Layton and the Goderich tornado in the news it’s not the happiest day of the year.

I took this shot standing in a field waiting for the right light and fearing a sudden downpour. I was lucky that the clouds were dark enough to allow me to properly expose the sky and the foreground. For less lucky occasions here’s a decent article on ND filters that may be useful.

Took this one while wandering along the side of highway 7 after a trip to Rockwood. While this was taken in rural Ontario, for some reason it makes me think of this iconic Disney scene. Of course around here most of the lions hang out near highway 6 (warning – rage-inducing music on linked page).

Related to Rockwood and photography, the mill ruins restoration is complete. So anyone looking for a cheap portrait setting won’t have to spend hours photoshopping out scaffolding and construction equipment.

I had planned to go sailing today, Mother Nature planned for stormy weather, I decided to stay on shore. Rather than just sit around the house and stare at cardboard all day (I’m moving), I hit the county roads with some friends and tried to track down some dramatic storm clouds.

We were secretly hoping to catch a tornado. We even had a foolproof plan:
1. Drive out of town to the local trailer park.
2. Park car.
3. Await destruction.

Sadly (or happily for the park residents), no twisters developed. So the best I can offer is this shot out of the car window.

Another shot from the recent Hamilton excursion, this was taken out behind the Royal Connaught Hotel. The title isn’t necessarily accurate; I never saw a syringe anywhere in this alley. There was however a pile of pigeon crap tall enough to be considered a freestanding structure.

Instead of writing this post I should be packing boxes ahead of our impending move to our new house in Guelph. There’s just something about packing all of my meager belongings into cardboard that makes it seem like a task for another day. There are literally boxes of stuff everywhere in my house. It’s taking all of my willpower not to use them to blockade my wife into a room when she’s not paying attention, or less maliciously, to build ‘fortress living-room’.