Fall is here with its wet mornings that smell of damp leaves. Summer has been slow to leave us, however, and in Edmonton, early September was still sweltering and with hot red sunsets and sunrises. I spent Thanksgiving weekend driving across the Rocky Mountains, all the way to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. It is the first time I have driven this route in autumn, and the colours and moods were quite fantastic. —H
Moose Lake at sunset. October, 2025
Much of the summer has been consumed by work on a large video project for a new major client. My focus in this work has kept me away from my usual wanderings and artistic practice — but it is always a pleasure to do good work and I look forward to sharing the finished video project when it is complete! Despite these busy days, here are a few photos I have been able to capture, as summer winds down and fall approaches. —Hanne
Summer is about swimming and ice cream.
As every year, the University of Alberta Botanical Garden in Devon did not disappoint for beautiful subjects, and wonderful scenes.
I have a close attachment to the Banff Area, having grown up in Calgary in the 80s. Waskahigan Watchi, (Mt. Rundle) is an old friend that I have photographed many times. In July I took a day trip with a friend, and captured this grittier monochrome with the telephoto, using the hood of the car as support.
A year ago, my good friend Junelle and I did a creative set of portraits. The first set focused on capturing serenity and beauty at the pinnacle of spring. I posted those photos earlier this year. The second set was intended to be more whimsical and a tad gritty. We wandered the downtown alleyways in search of some colourful graffiti so Junelle could pose in her runners and ballet tutu. Perhaps we were a little unhinged, but we managed to get some fun shots, which I have finally edited in a bright, high-contrast style.
Every year, when the flowers are in bloom, my camera starts to call to me from the drawer it lives in. While I’ve tried to hold my ground, year after year, I always end up somewhere in a cluster of trees taking photos. Are cherry blooms a cliche? yes. But after surviving a particularly dark and cold Edmonton winter, you permit me the indulgence. - H
I have always been drawn to sharp monochromatic photos or colour shots with a vintage feel. It is, however, not as easy to achieve these looks in post-production and even harder to plan for them while shooting. I learned earlier this spring that Leica had a new mobile app which mimics the different Leica lenses. I secretly worship all things Leica, but will never (never) be able to afford a Leica. The thought of being able to achieve the Leica look with my mobile photography piqued my curiosity.
The app is available in the Apple App Store. It has a free version and a pro version. I decided to do a trial of the pro version, strictly for my photographic curiosity. I was delighted that the interface not only provides the filters while shooting but also a degree of manual control, including depth of field. As a photographer who firmly believes mobile photography is serious in its own right, I decided to do a few months’ experiment and only shoot in the app to see what kind of results I could achieve. Here is a sampling of my experiments in Leica.
The Edmonton skyline reflects on the glass of the LRT window when crossing the Tawatina Bridge.
Student art in Rutherford Library on the University of Alberta campus.
A stack of pancakes, that I promise I didn’t eat all on my own.
Cooking adventure, with a really clean shallow depth of field effect.
I have a fascination for capturing scenes in windows.
An attempt at using lack of symmetry to focus on light and shadow
Hot tea and sunshine
Oxalis open in the window
Getting flowers and fine details to work at the shallow depth of field setting is still challenging at times, but with patience and adjustment it works well.
Domestic scenes with nice sharpness vs. faded background
Just finally getting to posting this, as this shoot is nearly a year old. It was taken last June when the lilac and flowering trees were at the height of their blooming. This is the first part of a two-part shoot, in this case dramatic and trying to capture the fresh colours of Spring. Junelle is a dear friend and colleague whose persona has many overlaying contradictions, much like my own. She is intelligent, creative and kind beyond measure; her life has been rich with experiences that make her compassionate and marvelously sassy. While these style shots may seem out of her usual character, she pulls them off with ease. Stay tuned for part II, which is still in editing. — H.
Life has kept me from my photography practice, but I hope to be getting back at it soon. Here are some wintery shots taken just East of Sherwood Park.
I spent a few days in Amsterdam on my way home from Finland. The highlights included some excellent exhibits at the Amsterdam Museum of Photography and some phenomenal people watching. Here is a creative retro edit of the day.
I have spent more time in the country visiting friends and family. I did save the last few days for Helsinki, which keeps a special place in my heart and always puts me at ease.
I am trying to spend more time in the country where I was born. We are part of the places that have made us, and for me a Finnish summer is healing. Here is a small snapshot from the long warm nights. Imagine the sounds of Radio Finland on somewhere in another room.
I was invited to join Fort Edmonton Park on their 50th opening weekend. It was cooler weather than expected, but the quiet and variable weather made for some nice light and special shots.
When winter is dreary, I rely on sunsets and sunrises to bring the colour back into life.
With no snow on the ground and craving some outdoor air, a friend of mine and I went out to Elk Island National Park to do a regular trail we enjoy. Even with the unusually warm fall there was ice on Astotin Lake making for some interesting sights.
There is no better way to get know a new place than through the lens of a camera.
There is nothing quite a like a work trip working out to let me take photos in a new locale. Here are some shots from my first visit to Canada’s East coast.
Glistening swimming pools, hazy smoky sunsets, lush bright flowers, sticky backyard beers. Summer’s at home can be visually glorious.
A very smokey Edmonton skyline.
We took my niece for an afternoon outing to Fort Edmonton Historical Park. The sights and staff of the park made for a fun afternoon visit to the past. So pleased that Fort Edmonton liked some of my shots to share.
Snowshoes and a camera during the winter break make for some nice quiet times in the woods.
A still sunset moment, close to home at Astotin Lake at Elk Island National Park.
It was a misty morning and as the bus approached the bridge I saw this misty ethereal world instead of the river valley. Just three quick shots with my phone camera.
