I have always loved the aurora, no matter how strong or weak the field, no matter how cold I am when standing out there watching it, or as was the case last night, no matter how many mosquitos decide to feast on me.  

The display last night was a stunner, so bright that it was visible during the blue hour, which is very unusual. Hence this post, the huge clouds opposite our home seemed to be pushed closer to the house by the spectacular light show beyond them and I couldn't resist an hour or two shooting from the balcony. 

As the night drew in I accumulated a huge number of images, many of which I really like, but this one is so different, due to the natural light still available, it very quickly went to the top of my favourites list. 

First discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey in the Santa Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson, Arizona; and named accordingly, comet Lemmon is a non periodic comet. This means a comet that has an orbit beyond 200 years, in this case, well beyond 200 years. We will next see Comet Lemmon in 1135 years. 

Still not a patch on the last comet I captured over Alberta, Canada. That was comet Neowise, it will return in 6766 years, I guess it's safe to say, I won't be here for that one either! 

I know the images I make of these celestial objects are not 'top quality' astronomical shots, but they are a record from a guy with standard camera equipment, who stood out on his deck behind the house and captured a once in a thousand year event taking place 55 million miles (89 million km) from the camera. 

So, I will repeat almost exactly what I said on my post about Neowise (corrected for distances for Lemmon):-
Here is a comet made of dust, rock and ice, hurtling through space 89million km (55 million miles) from our great blue planet, which is itself, hurtling through space. This remarkable waltz on an infinite dance floor, is visible from earth only every thousand years or so. Yet, this evening, from my own balcony at home, I have captured this once in a hundred lifetimes event. As I wrote some time ago when I made an image of mercury in transit across the sun, what a spectacular place we live in, and what wonders it provides.  

The view from the deck at the rear of our current home is absolutely spectacular at this time of year. The tree covered foothills are in their final throes of senescence, and the resulting colours are a joy to behold.

Recent snowfall has exaggerated the colours by reflecting back additional light below the canopy. So, I was unable to resist this two shot panorama,  zoomed to capture the contrast created by a wonderful cloud shadow sweeping across the centre of the frame. 

The Fall sunshine is effectively muted by the cloud, making the trees above and below it appear even more vibrant than normal. It's a wonderful scene captured more for my personal memory than for any other reason. 

Those who know me, know I am a sucker for a road shot.  For me, there is real wonder in an empty road. more than anything, It represents a journey to be chosen or declined. I find beauty in an empty road that is not satisfied elsewhere. It's the provision of opportunity, it's an invitation to a place known or unknown, a new horizon or familiar ground, a new adventure or old friends, wherever it leads, who could resist an empty road. 

So, one of my latest string of empty road shots is this beauty, highway 40 in Kananaskis. Heading from south to north this scene greets you as son as you crest a hill on the highway. Fortunately highway 40 in this area is always quiet and you can pull over to the side of the road and grab a shot. If you wait until autumn you will make the best of it with the roadside shrubs illuminating the dark forest all along its edge. 

But don't make a trip for one shot only, this highway has dozens of genuinely spectacular views along its entire length. So take all your gear, take snacks, take your time, and make some memorable images.

It is sometimes easy to forget just how fortunate I am to live so close to the Canadian Rockies. The spectacular scenery and equally spectacular wildlife surrounds me every day, and, although I never take it for granted, it is (as a result of my location) commonplace. 

Something that never feels commonplace, even though it really is now, is finding a big grizzly bear out there making its way in the wilderness.  There is something genuinely magical about these wonderful creatures. They just wander through the wilderness in a relentless hunt for food, absolutely fearless. 

Contrary to popular belief they have no interest at all in humans, they don't hunt humans, nor do they eat us. In fact they avoid us as much as possible. Usually if a bear hears you approaching it will be gone before you ever see it. But if you are lucky enough to see one of these monsters in the wild, give it the space and respect it deserves, make your images and move on. 

Below is Grizzly 169, seen in mid September this year, she is an eight year old female, with no cubs in 2025, captured here in Kananaskis harvesting the very last of the bearberries.  

I spent a lovely afternoon wandering Weaselhead Park in south west Calgary this week. The Autumn colour was stunning, but not initially the target of my lens this time.  I had taken the 100-500mm lens to seek out the local wildlife. I did find some nice shots and saw a great battle between a little red squirrel and a piliated woodpecker. 

As I was almost back at the parking area I saw a stand of birch that I couldn't walk by. I tried a few differing angles with the telephoto but wasn't happy with any of them. Then I recalled a nice trick that is easily done with the telephoto, shoot and move, or panning for the initiated.   

Quite simply, you set a long exposure and move the lens as you make the shot, something we usually try desperately to avoid. Be careful to be moving prior to opening the shutter and keep moving until it closes (for these birch tree images at least). Moving up vertical targets or across horizontal ones is usually the way to get the best results, but there are no rules.   

As you can see in the image below, it can produce some lovely abstract work. I made 4 attempts before I got this one, the other three are laughably poor, but that is often the case when panning. I still think it is a wonderful technique and one I should use more often. 

I have captured this scene so many times now that I've lost count. It remains one of my most loved locations for sunrise in Kananaskis. It's not just about the finished product, it's about the journey to the mountains in darkness, a short walk through the dark forest, and setting up beside the lake with the headtorch lighting the way. 

If you get it right on the day, the water in Wedge Pond will be dead calm and reflecting the spectacular scene to come. Beyond the far bank Mt Kidd rises to rises to 2958m (9704 ft) Named after nineteenth century surveyor William Kidd,  it provides the perfect backdrop reflected in the calm waters of Wedge  Pond. 

I love this image but my portfolio already has three shots of the wedge pond so it won't quite make the cut, but it's still a lovely memory for me of another wonderful morning in the mountains . 

What a crazy two and a half years I've had. Leaving Canada to live in Scotland (how I miss it already). Buying and remodeling an 1870's farmhouse in rural North Lincolnshire, completing the task and moving in, ready for retirement, before suddenly returning to the stunning natural landscapes of Canada, once again, on the outskirts of Calgary, Alberta. 

The image below was made today, the very first time I've produced an image (other than on the phone camera) for two and a half years. I threw the camera bag in the truck and headed out to scout the Cataract Creek area with a view to hiking Mt Burke at some point. 

I was heading south on highway 940 which soon transitions into Range Road 52A.  As you traverse the gravel logging trail, climbing steadily, the views begin to open up. It was only a matter of time before the snow squall that was blowing around made something of the midday sky and allowed me to make a nice shot of the gravel road and its vibrant golden flanks cutting through the endless forest. There's no sign yet of the larch turning, but with temperatures cooling in the evenings now, it won't be long before they bring their own splash of yellow across the endless green blanket that envelops the space between towering mountain peaks. It's good to be back, and out with the camera again, for a while at least.     

I made my way to the far northeast corner of Aberdeenshire today scouting a specific lighthouse, my intention is to return here for a sunrise shoot when conditions are right to do so. I still took along my camera so I could make a few images but these were never intended to be anything other than informative for me at a later date. 

But once I started shooting I thought the images were really quite nice so took a little time and effort to do what I could with the conditions. Obviously the light wasn't the best but the sea conditions were good and some solid waves were bouncing back off the base of the structure. I took some time to make images that captured the sea state and also some that calmed the sea state using long exposures. 

The images below show one shot with a polariser at 1/640th and f/5.6 to freeze the motion of the sea. The other one shot with a polariser and a 16 stop filter at 30 sec at f5.6 to smooth out the sea. I like both and thought they make an interesting example of how you can make very different shots at the exact same location simply by changing your shutter speed. 

Rattray Head Lighthouse is on the northeast corner of Aberdeenshire and has been there since 1895, automated in 1982 it continues to warn seafarers with its 28 nautical mile beam of light cutting through the night sky. There is a beautiful beach and 17 miles of unspoiled sand dunes up to 75 feet high reaching south from the point. It is a stunning, isolated place accessed via a terrible track that is deeply rutted and potholed along most of its length, but it is still well worth the slow drive along it. It's certainly a drive I will be making again when conditions are right.