#for that creek painting my class was set up along a trail and so many ppl passed by and were super kind

[lorebird]

Some recent schoolwork — plein airs and a still life!

[ibijau]

Futures past pt3 / On AO3

Nie Huaisang meets a potential new friend, all thanks to Lan Xichen

The Cloud Recesses were impossibly boring and extraordinarily fun at the same time, Nie Huaisang decided roughly a week into his stay there.

The boring part was the lectures, of course. He frequently fell asleep during those, drawing the ire of Lan Qiren… and apparently asking that the old man speak in a more lively manner was not the right reaction to being caught like that. Nie Huaisang had already been punished to copy Gusu Lan’s rules a few times in just those first few days. It didn’t bother him too much. If anything, he counted that as part of the fun. Back at home being punished meant running around the courtyard a hundred times, or carrying heavy buckets, or some awful boring thing like this. 

Copying rules, by contrast, wasn’t so bad, especially after the first few times. Once Nie Huaisang knew them well enough, he stopped paying attention to the words and was free to focus entirely on his calligraphy skills. After a year of this, he was sure he’d have the best handwriting in the world, which he felt was more important than whatever Lan Qiren actually intended to teach him.

Other fun things to do included fishing (technically forbidden), catching birds (forbidden), exploring the back hills (forbidden), and chatting with other bored people outside of class (tolerated, though Nie Huaisang’s loud laughter was forbidden). Nie Huaisang had already found several places he couldn’t wait to paint, as soon as he found a way to escape punishment for a day. The light just wasn’t good enough for it when he went into the back hills too late, so that was a concern, but he was sure he’d manage sooner or later. He just needed to figure out how to fall asleep inconspicuously, and that would solve most of his problems.

During the middle of his second week, Nie Huaisang finally managed to go through a full day without getting scolded at all. It was, in all honesty, not thanks to anything he had personally done. But Jin Zixun had been particularly unbearable that day, attracting all the attention of the substitute teacher, who’d had to replace Lan Qiren at the last moment because sect business had needed urgent care. So Jin Zixun had been the one punished, and he’d made such a huge deal of it that very little teaching had happened after that, meaning that Nie Huaisang hadn’t had a chance to get in trouble as well.

When the bell rang to signal the end of the lectures for the day, Nie Huaisang ran (forbidden) to the little house he shared with the other Nie and hurriedly grabbed all his painting equipment, eager to make good use of the lovely light they had that day. He then made his way toward the back hills, only to hear his name called out just as he was about to leave the last set of buildings behind him.

He turned around, saw Lan Xichen walking his way, and almost cursed. So much for his much desired painting session.

“Were you going somewhere, Nie gongzi?” Lan Xichen asked. Noticing the painting equipment, he smiled indulgently. “Oh, I see. The light is truly lovely for it today. Are you going to the Plenitude Creek?”

“I don’t know if it has a name,” Nie Huaisang replied. “But there’s a nice little clearing when you follow the river long enough, and from there there’s a lovely view of the mountains.”

Lan Xichen nodded. “I think I see the place you mean, and it is quite nice as well. But if you would allow me, I really think you might enjoy the Plenitude Creek. It is hard to find when you don’t know where it is though, so I could guide you there. It’s not far at all, and I believe you might enjoy it as a subject.”

It was very tempting to refuse, if only because Nie Huaisang already had a plan, and he wasn’t sure at all when he’d get another chance to do as he pleased. At the same time, his future self had insisted on the need to be on good terms with Lan Xichen, hadn’t he? And everyone said that Lan Xichen was a very skilled artist already in spite of his youth, so he would know how to spot a nice scenery.

“If Lan gongzi has time to waste on me, I’ll gladly take this offer,” Nie Huaisang said. “Please lead the way.”

Lan Xichen did just that, careful to match his pace to Nie Huaisang’s, just like he had during that tour of the Cloud Recesses a while ago. It really was considerate of him, and Nie Huaisang appreciated it more than he should have. He was used to trailing behind others because he just couldn’t make the effort of walking fast enough, so having his speed taken into account for once was nice. On the down side, it felt quite awkward to be side by side like this in silence. It was probably fine for Lan Xichen, because Gusu Lan preferred the quiet, but Nie Huaisang didn’t like to be around others and not chat. Silence was only for birdwatching, or when he focused on something for once.

“I’m surprised you’re not scolding me for this,” Nie Huaisang said after a while, only to immediately want to slap himself. It was such a stupid thing to say, only made worse when he opened his mouth to add: “Your uncle gave us all that homework to do, I probably shouldn’t be thinking of painting. Da-ge would surely be scolding me. Poor da-ge, he lost the didi lottery, and you won it.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t think that at all,” Lan Xichen objected.

“Oh, he does. He told me as much. I almost forgot my sabre at home when preparing to come here, you see, and he got angry, and he said Wangji would never be such an embarrassment, and how I need to grow up already and all that. But the way I see it, it’s not my fault. I think your brother stole all the accomplishments there were to be had in my age group, so of course I was left with nothing at all.”

“Now you’re unfair to yourself,” Lan Xichen scolded, his voice oddly detached all of a sudden. “I’m sure… I’m quite sure Nie gongzi is skilled at many things, and just needs the chance to show it off.”

Surprised to hear something that very nearly sounded like a compliment, Nie Huaisang pondered a moment on that as they followed along the path.

“No, I don’t think I have any skill at all,” he decided at last.

Lan Xichen frowned, and motioned for Nie Huaisang to leave the path with him.

“The other day, you said your father used to compliment your ear for music,” Lan Xichen noted. “And you paint, don’t you?”

“Oh, very poorly. It’s just something I do because it’s fun. If you were to see it…”

“I would like to.”

Off the path, the ground was rougher, with roots everywhere. Nie Huaisang told himself that he tripped for that reason alone, and not at all because the request surprised him so much. Lan Xichen caught him before he could really fall, but that just made it worse, and Nie Huaisang quickly pulled away, puzzled by that sudden goodwill. Lan Xichen had never taken notice of him before, or only to nod along when Nie Mingjue scolded his unruly little brother in his presence, so why the change?

“Did da-ge ask you to keep an eye on me?” Nie Huaisang bluntly asked. “Is this… are you just going to lecture me, or to take me somewhere to meditate instead of paint?”

His brother used to do both, when he was younger. He would agree to take Nie Huaisang out to admire a landscape, then turn their outing into a cultivation lesson, or make him meditate in a place that was supposed to be particularly rich in energy. Over time Nie Huaisang had learned to run the opposite direction if his brother offered to go for a walk, and apparently he might need to do the same with Lan Xichen.

“Of course he asked me to look after you,” Lan Xichen said, looking puzzled. “He is your brother and I am his friend. But I really just want to show you a place I think you’d enjoy to…”

“That’s what da-ge would say too,” Nie Huaisang retorted, deeply annoyed now. “Thanks, but no thanks. Have your own fun meditating, Lan gongzi, but I have better things to do!”

Nie Huaisang bolted away, running as fast as he could in what he vaguely believed was the direction from which they had come from. He thought he heard Lan Xichen calling his name after the initial surprise had passed, but the older boy made no effort to run after him. Possibly because it would have been undignified for someone as elegant as Lan Xichen to run, and also because it might have been against one of those rules that Nie Huaisang still couldn’t be bothered to remember. Nie Huaisang, meanwhile, was only concerned about getting away from this heinous trap. 

He ran until he found the path again. Then, fearful that he’d be too easy to find if he returned to the Cloud Recesses or followed the path deeper into the mountain, he decided to keep running into the woods on the other side of that path, and find a quiet spot where to wait. If Lan Xichen was anything like Nie Mingjue, it might take him a shichen or more to accept that Nie Huaisang wouldn’t be so easily manipulated into behaving.

Worried about being pursued and forced to study, Nie Huaisang kept glancing behind as he ran. That was how he only noticed too late that he’d stumbled into a clearing, one in which there was already a person present.

To be precise, he discovered this other person due to running into them at full speed, causing both of them to fall on the ground. Nie Huaisang initially counted himself lucky, since he’d fallen on top of the stranger, but that sentiment didn’t last long when he was roughly pushed aside, knocking the breath out of him.

“Can’t you watch where you’re going?” the other person snapped as he sat up. “Look at that, I’ve got grass stains now!”

It was a boy roughly Nie Huaisang’s own age, dressed all in white… or in robes that were originally white, anyway. A Lan disciple then, but not a member of the Lan clan: the ribbon on his forehead wasn’t embroidered, marking him as an outer disciple.

“Sorry, I was trying to escape,” Nie Huaisang said, sitting up as well and rubbing his back. “If you want, you can blame me for the robes, just as long as you don’t tell Lan Xichen you saw me if he comes here.”

The Lan disciple squinted at him unhappily.

“What did you do to Lan gongzi?”

“Nothing! He was the one trying to trick me, so of course I had to escape!”

The Lan disciple squinted harder, unconvinced.

“Lan gongzi is too boring to even think of tricking anyone, you must have misunderstood.”

Nie Huaisang gasped, delighted that finally someone else also realised Lan Xichen was so very boring. Delight, though, soon gave way to guilt and a little bit of shame.

Whatever defects Lan Xichen had, his personality was honest and straightforward. If he had wanted to lecture Nie Huaisang, he would have said so, just as he wouldn’t have lied if he thought he knew a place where meditation would be more effective. Someone like him just didn't have the imagination needed for trickery. Which meant that Lan Xichen had probably really just meant to show him a nice scenery to paint. Which, in turn, meant that Nie Huaisang had just behaved in an impossibly rude manner toward the person he was supposed to befriend if he wanted to save his brother.

"You're not going to tell anyone?" the Lan boy asked, his face contorted with terror. "I shouldn't have said that about Lan gongzi, please don't…" 

"Don't worry, I think he's boring too," Nie Huaisang distractedly retorted, waving his hand. "But damn, even someone with as little personality as him might take offence… ah, what a bother." 

The Lan disciple squinted at him. 

"Who are you exactly, to speak like that of Lan gongzi?" 

Nie Huaisang winced. There was a rule against rudeness, he vaguely remembered, and maybe also one against disrespecting one's host. 

"I'm Nie Huaisang. And you are?" 

The Lan boy frowned, then paled and bowed deeply before Nie Huaisang. 

"This humble one apologises for not recognising Nie gongzi. This humble one begs for forgiveness, and…" 

"Please don't bow," Nie Huaisang complained. "It's not necessary. And don't worry, I'm not important, so nobody ever recognises me. Listen, just don't tell anyone I was running, and I won't tell anyone that you…" he hesitated, and waved his hand toward the other boy. "That you have an actual personality, unlike everyone here. Actually, I think it’s nice!”

The Lan disciple winced, and remained bowed until Nie Huaisang grabbed him by the elbows and forced him to stand straight again.

“There, no need to be so formal! What’s your name, by the way?”

The other boy hesitated a moment longer than was truly polite, and glared down at his feet when he finally answered.

“I’m Su She. I am a disciple of Gusu Lan and… and I should report both of us for punishment for being rude about Lan gongzi.”

“But you won’t do that, right?” Nie Huaisang begged. “Please, you’re the first Gusu Lan person I’ve met that sounds even a little cool, please don’t ruin it?”

Su She hesitated, which Nie Huaisang took as an excellent sign. So far, he’d never seen any Gusu Lan disciple even consider breaking their precious rules. Then again, they usually always moved in groups, meaning they couldn’t be properly negotiated with.

“I suppose I can let it slide for this time,” Su She pondered. “And you really won’t tell that I was… not perfectly polite either, right? I’m doing my best, but apparently I have a bad temperament.”

“I think you’re just fine,” Nie Huaisang replied, feeling very generous now that he was certain not to be punished. “But why are you here anyway?” he asked, before noticing a book of sword forms carefully laid on the ground which they’d very nearly fallen on earlier, as well as a training sword, the sort that wouldn’t even cut through congee. “Oh, were you practising?”

It was an odd place for it, Nie Huaisang thought, because Gusu Lan had a few perfectly fine training grounds, where seniors were usually hanging out and could provide help and advice to improve one’s posture. But maybe those same seniors were the reason why Su She didn’t want to practice on the training grounds. If his personality was judged unpleasant, or if his skill was deemed insufficient… Nie Huaisang understood that too well, having the same problem. Even on those occasional moments when he’d considered training for real, he’d ended up discouraged when he’d felt everyone judging him for his low level.

“I prefer to be on my own,” Su She announced, before quickly adding: “Not that… not that Nie gongzi is bothering me of course. You can stay if you want.”

The offer sounded so forced that Nie Huaisang snorted. “I might stay,” he said, mostly to tease, and Su She looked as if he’d bitten into a lemon. “Oh, don’t worry, even if you were the worst swordsman in the world I wouldn’t judge. No matter your level, I’m worse than you.”

“I’m not that bad,” Su She proudly retorted, bending down to pick up his sword. “Just because I’m not as good as those who were born in the sect… but I didn’t start cultivating until four years ago, and my parents are… well, I’d never picked up a sword until they tried to get me into a sect, that’s the only reason I’m a little behind.”

Nie Huaisang nodded. “Those born in sects or from a rogue cultivator have a bit of an advantage.”

“A lot, you mean!” Su She snapped, before taking a deep breath and making himself smile. “But that just means I have to work harder to catch up, and of course I’m grateful that I was allowed to join at all.” He glanced at the manual on the ground, then at Nie Huaisang. “Are you really going to watch me? I… I don’t do as well when someone watches me.”

“I’m just going to sit here,” Nie Huaisang replied after some consideration. “I promise not to look too much. But if I go back right now, then I might stumble upon Lan gongzi, and I’ll have to apologize, and… I just don���t feel like doing that right now.”

To show how little he would be watching, Nie Huaisang sat against a tree so that he’d have to look over his shoulder to see the clearing. Su She glared at him for a while, unhappy with this arrangement, but in the end he gave in and resumed practicing.

At first, Nie Huaisang really tried to respect the other boy’s shyness. He looked just anywhere but toward Su She, wondering how angry Lan Xichen might be (not much, he’d need a personality for that), whether this place might inspire him to paint (not particularly, there wasn’t anything striking to it) or if he might see some birds (he wouldn’t, Su She was scaring them away). All too soon, Nie Huaisang became bored, and decided to check just how bad his new friend was, anyway.

Turning around to look, Nie Huaisang was surprised to discover that Su She was, in fact, very decent with a sword. His posture was good enough that even Nie Mingjue wouldn’t have found much to criticise, he had good balance, his movements were measured and elegant while still demonstrating strength. For someone not born in a sect, Su She was pretty good. Even if he had been born among cultivators, his level would have been more than decent. Nie Huaisang had expected so much worse, and ended up watching the other boy until he was finished with his set of exercises

Su She frowned deeply when he realised he’d been watched, and sheathed his sword with an angry movement.

“I know I’m not good enough yet,” he grumbled. “I’m trying.”

“I think you’re doing very well,” Nie Huaisang said.

“Not as good as Lan gongzi and Lan er-gongzi, though.”

Nie Huaisang snorted and shrugged. “Well, you’ve got to be realistic. They’re on equal footing with adults, those two. I’ve seen Lan gongzi spar with my brother and they often come to a draw, and da-ge is a damn monster.”

Su She’s frown only deepened.

“Someday, I’ll be that good. Better, even. I’m going to catch up and I’ll show everyone!” Su She proclaimed.

Having no ambition whatsoever, save maybe to collect as many pretty things as possible and try to make sure his brother didn’t die too soon, Nie Huaisang found this need to prove oneself a little odd. Still, it seemed to be important for Su She, and Nie Huaisang had decided he liked this weird Lan disciple.

“I’m sure you’ll show them, yeah,” he cheerfully agreed. “If you’re already as good as this with a sword, it’s just a matter of time. How do you do with other subjects? Music and archery?”

Su She grimaced, and bent down to pick up his manual, avoiding Nie Huaisang's eyes when he stood up again and checked the book hadn't been dirtied.

“I got into Gusu Lan because my music skills were judged passable enough,” he muttered. “But that’s all I had for myself. And there’s only so much time in a day, and the sword is more important, everyone says so, and… I don’t have time to practice archery outside of classes, so my skill remains very poor. There’s just a lot to learn, I can’t work on everything at once!”

“It’s really too much to ask,” Nie Huaisang agreed, as if he hadn’t given up on trying years ago. “I’m curious to hear you play the guqin now, though. Saying someone is ‘passable enough’ in the Cloud Recesses, that’s saying they have out of this world talent by anyone else’s standards.”

“You’re mocking me!”

“I’m not! Oh, do you know any fun pieces? I mostly only hear such boring things…”

“Melodies for the guqin are meant to be slow and reflective,” Su She dryly informed him. “But… I play the dizi too, and there are less… formal pieces of music for that. My younger siblings liked it, anyway, and they're too young to care about real music.”

“Great! Then you’re going to play for me!” Nie Huaisang decided, grinning so triumphantly he didn’t notice the other boy’s grimace. “Oh, but it’s getting late, I should head back… I really don’t want to be late for dinner. If I have to copy the stupid rules another time, my wrist will fall off. Let's walk together?”

Su She rolled his eyes, but didn’t make any comment, even though Nie Huaisang was sure that another less interesting Lan disciple would have scolded him for not showing proper respect to the rules.

He was so glad the two of them had met. Surely, this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, and one far more interesting than the one he was supposed to pursue with Lan Xichen.

[jessicakehoe]

Self-Isolation Diary: A Day in the Life of Amanda Brugel

As we complete Month 4 of self-isolation, and many parts of the country enter various phases of re-opening, FASHION is winding down its months-long self-isolation diary series, spotlighting how some of our favourite Canadians have been living their lives in lockdown. Rounding out the series featuring actors, designers, influencers and artists is actress Amanda Brugel, currently starring on The Handmaid’s Tale, Snowpiercer and Kim’s Convenience.

Amanda Brugel, actress

So, we are nearing the end of June and approaching Day 4768 of isolation. I’m kidding. Kinda. Two months ago, this would have been a much more depressing, wine-soaked journal entry, however, like many of you, I have finally stopped fighting this new normal and started to accept the unconventional and misshapen gifts it has offered.

6:30am I share custody of my two boys Jude (nine) and Phoenix (six) and since they’re with me today, my morning opens with Phoenix’s wet mouth pressed against my ear, whispering that he wants “a snack”. I don’t know why his mouth is wet and I do not wish to find out. I throw a croissant, apple slices and a gummy vitamin on a plate and turn on kid-friendly animal blooper videos. I then head back to bed, but can’t resist the urge to reach for my phone, where I inevitably fall down a news wormhole. Somehow the world has, yet again, changed within the seven hours that I was asleep.

7:30am Jude is awake now and it has been 60 whole minutes since Phoenix last ate, so I prepare breakfast and a bucket of coffee which I will put down somewhere and forget to consume. The three of us watch CNN for a bit and Jude grills me on what the journalists and guests are discussing. At the beginning, when the headlines were dominated by COVID-19, my boys were much more interested in their cereal, but now that the majority of news coverage hovers around police brutality and systemic racism, they are much more open to what Chris Cuomo has to say. My ex-husband is a police officer and my children are bi-racial. They have been exposed to these types of discussions since birth, but ALWAYS in private. I didn’t realize how much, they too, would be riveted by public conversations about race.

10am We now begin the excruciating task of homeschooling. My partner, filmmaker and actor Aidan Shipley, has been quarantining with us, so today, he works with Jude in the dining room and I cover Phoenix. We have discovered that the most effective way to get Phoenix to focus is to promise him full body ankle swings above the couch after every completed assignment. This morning we soared through “sh” words, so Aidan just sprinted over to our work zone, grabbed Phoenix by his ankles and swung him towards the ceiling ten times to celebrate. It’s bonkers, but it works.

11am Snack number 5.

image courtesy amanda brugel

12pm I have a Zoom read-through with the cast of Kim’s Convenience for our Season 5 scripts. It’s a very strange exercise to act alone opposite my laptop with zero physical human connection. Also, comedy requires laughter, however, in this medium, we all have to try to stay relatively quiet so that the writers have a chance to hear their work spoken out loud for the first time. So I wind up sitting with my hand clamped over my mouth for forty minutes in an effort to not ruin the read-through. I fail three times. Hopefully, I don’t get fired.

1pm I now have 45 minutes to respond to texts, emails, phone calls and article requests from allies. Wait. I should back up. About three weeks ago, I posted a few controversial messages on Instagram, inviting non-BIPOC to become more vocal about the Black Lives Matter movement and subsequently implored them to join the now viral, global conversation about systemic racism. I did not intend it to be contentious, however, maaaaany Black Americans did not approve of my willingness to answer questions or give suggestions. To be honest, this portion of my day has almost become a second job. And while, yes, it can be emotionally draining, it is also the moment in time that I have been waiting for my entire life. My theory; I have asked people for help. I can take 45 minutes out of my day to teach them how to do so.

2pm For the love of God; SNACK TIME.

3pm This is my favourite part of the day. Me and all of my boys head to a creek near my house for “Gym Class”. The boys take their scooters and race ahead, while Aidan and I saunter through a forrest decorated with painted rocks left behind by kind strangers. We read their messages that say “Smile” or “You Are Loved” and “Keep Going” and we proceed as instructed. We eventually end at a small beach beside the creek and skip stones, walk over fallen trees as if they were tightropes and the boys take a dip and search for sea glass. This part right here has been my greatest gift from COVID-19.

image courtesy amanda brugel

5pm NO YOU CAN’T HAVE A SNACK DINNER IS ALMOST READY. I’m mid dinner prep which is my second gift from COVID-19, because I did not cook before this mess. I would dabble. Reheat. Definitely dine out. Or, wait for my amazing mother to show up with foods. But, tonight I am making Butter Chicken with garlic naan and I haven’t set anything on fire and it smells almost good. We sit down to dinner and commence “Dinner Theatre” games, where we improvise scenes or pass silly questions around the table.

7pm The boys are in their PJs and we take a “night walk” around my neighbourhood. Now that summer weather is here and everyone has stepped a little further out of their homes, we take this time to scream talk at our neighbours from a safe distance and compare notes about the their isolation experience. It’s 28 degrees and smells like fresh cut grass.

8pm Phoenix is tucked in and now I am able to steal a private moment with Jude and allow him to watch the latest Daily Show or Shaun King post. Tonight we are discussing the disparities in African American healthcare in the US. I show him a Nat Geo video on the conditions in slave ships. We talk about how a bunch of K-Pop stans high-jacked Trump’s return to the campaign trail. I have a moment where I wonder if any other parents are having these quiet conferences with their nine year olds. Is this the new bedtime story? I hope so. I have learned more about systemic racism, slavery in Canada, accountability and even my own privilege as a fair-skinned person of colour in the last 18 days than I have in 43 years. I am heartbroken and emboldened, but mostly grateful to take my child along for the ride I didn’t have.

9pm Wine. A bit of news. And an episode of Legendary as a night cap. Aidan and I snuggle on the couch and I recognize that although I miss my old life, I would not return to it for a second. I have grown tremendously from this discomfort. As a mother, a partner, chef and activist. I am watching my world, in real time, attempt to do the same. I am tired. But emboldened. Good night.

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[ateamymm]

Top 5 Activities in Fort McMurray

Fort McMurray Activities

I love when people ask me “Yeah, but what is there to do in Fort McMurray?”. :) I love it because I get excited telling them about all of the amazing things there are to do here! It doesn’t matter if you're into sports or the outdoors or if you like staying inside, there are so many options!

There are a lot of fun places to go in town, but my top 5 activities are: #1: Mr.E’s Solve It Torium #2: MacDonald Island #3: Color Me Mine #4: Birchwood Trails #5: Famoso at the airport

#1 Mr.E’s Solve It Torium

Mr.E’s Solve It Torium: Puzzle rooms (or escape rooms) seem to be the new exciting thing to do in many different cities across the country! Have you been to Mr.E's Solve It Torium in Fort McMurray? It is a really fun time, great for the whole family! They have 3 rooms that you can go through with groups of 2-8 people. Cost is $28/person (or $25 per person if you play 2 rooms) and can easily be booked online through their Facebook page (not much notice is usually required). They are located downtown above Borealis Pet Centre.

Tom and I have gone through 2 of the 3 rooms so far with my parents who were in from out of town and we are super excited to try the third room! It is a really fun hour where you get to work together with friends and/or family to solve puzzles and “get out” of the room! The great thing about this company is that they have “magic” meaning something will happen in part of the room when you do something in another part of the room….very cool! (You have to see it for yourself!) Another thing that I really enjoy about it is that they want you to finish and solve the puzzles, so they will help you out with clues if you need help. It is very rewarding when you leave the room victorious!

#2 MacDonald Island

I think most people in town have been to MacDonald Island (downtown), but I have to say we are very fortunate to have such an incredible, world-class facility! One of my favourite things to do there is sit in the hot tubs or take an aquacise class, but my husband is in love with the rock climbing wall! Did you know they also have squash and a 2-storey library? We used to curl in the curling rinks there, too and they have an ice skating/hockey rink as well as a smaller rink for beginners. The outdoor ice rink in winter under the aurora lights next to the football field is also beautiful. Oh, and did you know that in the summer, Shell Place (same complex, just the new addition) is home to the baseball games? And you can attend fun events like Monster Trucks (yep, we went last year) and concerts?! Seriously, this facility is incredible! There are also drop-in sports like badminton on a weekly basis, but we tend to rent the turf field to play indoor soccer or flag football.

Oh yeah, and the bubble balls (YES bubble balls!) are a real hoot - you have to try them!

#3 Color Me Mine

I think this is such a cool idea. We don’t have a lot of places in town where we can use our artistic side, so I love that the owners brought this neat store to Fort McMurray. It really is for all skill levels! It is located in Eagle Ridge next to the Tim Hortons which is perfect if you want to grab a tea or coffee before heading over to do some art. What I love about it is that you can choose anything off their shelves to paint (prices range from low to high and my favourite are the things that have use, like dog dishes or soap dispensers), then they keep them to fire them (makes the colours shine and makes it look really professional) and you pick them up! They look just like something you buy from the store, only you can choose your own colours and designs to match your home or room! This is also really fun with your children. (There is another form of art there that I haven’t done yet, something about melting glass pieces together…this also sounds fun!)

What I love about this place is that they have activity nights and you can hold parties there! The owners sometimes have fundraising nights to raise money for charities and you can buy gift certificates for your favourite people! I strongly recommend you try it out, even if you aren’t much of an artist (I sure am not!) as I found it to be very relaxing and rewarding because you get a beautiful masterpiece at the end of it. So nice to see businesses like this in our city!

#4 Birchwood Trails

Again this is one that likely a lot of people have already been to, but I still meet people who haven’t been so I need to tell you all how amazing the trails are! Seriously beautiful - it feels like you aren’t even in the city! The Birchwood Trails are located inside the “c” shape that attaches Timberlea and Eagle Ridge to Thickwood and Dickinsfield. This is what Tourism Fort McMurray says about them:

“The Birchwood Trails are located in the Con Creek valley between Thickwood, Dickensfield, Timberlea, and offer great opportunities for walking, running and cross-country skiing in the winter months. With the outdoor gym conveniently running along the outside of Birchwood Trail, you can incorporate a complete fitness routine. The equipment is set up in a dozen stations running from Cornwall Road, to behind the Birchwood field, and ending at Woodland Drive.”

My favourite thing to do in the Birchwood trails is walking with our dog in the summer months (especially down in the middle where the stream runs) and cross-country skiing in the winter months (the Ptarmigan Nordic Ski Club grooms the trails). They are just stunning and when my husband and I go in the trails, we feel relaxed and recharged. Our dog loves all the smells in the trails and we feel so lucky to have such amazing wilderness right out our back door!

#5 Famoso Restaurant at the Airport

My husband and I love pizza and he thinks that Famoso is the closest pizza in Canada to Pizza in Italy! We love to go out to the airport for our date nights and enjoy pizza and gelato. (Did you know that you get to park for free when you buy food there?) Tom loves the tomato basil soup and the dessert pizza with banana is one of my favourite desserts! They have so many different pizzas to try that you will always have something new to look forward to! The drinks are delicious, too. I love the chai tea lattes, but their Italian sodas are a close second. Yummy, I’m getting hungry just writing this! If you haven’t tried Famoso, then I strongly recommend you go. Apparently, they have breakfast now, too, but I haven’t had to chance to try it out yet. Oh yes, and the servers are excellent - some of them recognize us from going out so much, but they are all very nice and we always get great service.

I am excited to see what the new movie theatre in Eagle Ridge is going to look like...this might very well be added to my list of top 5 activities, so I can’t wait for it to open!

What are your favourite spots in town? Is there someplace that you always take your guests when they come into town? I’d love to hear about them, feel free to share with us!

Enjoy our amazing city and see you around! :)

Top 5 Activities in Fort McMurray is republished from The A-Team LLC

[2traveldads-blog]

There are so many great towns on California’s Central Coast. We moved on from the Santa Maria Valley to the San Luis Obispo area (SLO) before hitting up Cambria and loved it (I know, we love every city we visit).  We’re pretty excited to share this awesome place, as it’s home to some great culture, nature and fun!  And they call it SLO CAL, so you know there’s an aspect to the city that’s all about keeping a mellow vibe.

Before this visit, we’d only really known San Luis Obispo as a college town, home to CalPoly SLO.  It’s more than that though and actually doesn’t even have the feel of a college town.  Check out our ideas for spending a few days (or more) in SLO CAL and you’ll be ready to hit the road and chill like we did.

Locale of San Luis Obispo

Smack dab between San Francisco and Los Angeles, SLO CAL is directly on Highway 101 making it impossible to miss if you’re doing a road trip.  A lot of people wanting to visit California are seeking out the wine towns up in Napa and Sonoma, but there is awesome wine country in the SLO area, such as Paso Robles or the Santa Maria Valley.  SLO CAL puts you in the perfect spot for both!

And if you are touring colleges and trying to make life decisions, San Luis Obispo (SBP) is an easy flight from nearly any west coast airport… which is also nice if you have parents that will want to visit you or fly you home on a regular basis.  Can you tell that we’re already thinking about these things even though our kids are so young?

Outdoor adventures around SLO CAL

No road trip is complete for us if we’re not seeing out activities in the fresh air.  We’ve tried to keep that a constant theme for traveling with kids, so thank goodness SLO CAL is all about the perfect blend of culture and recreation.

Kayaking on Morro Bay

You know how much we love to get out on the water for kayaking, right?  Well, Morro Bay State Park was the perfect spot for it.  We worked with the Kayak Shack within the Morro Bay State Park marina to head out into the bay in search of sea otters.  We didn’t get to spot any of them (bummer, total fav) but we did see a sea lion, osprey and a whole pelican nesting ground.  The kids loved the crazy pelican activity to start the day.

Tip:  apparently the sea otters hang out in the cove area around the large marina of the town of Morro Bay. Other kayakers told us that they’ve had amazing luck spotting the once endangered cuddly critters.

For the second part of our kayaking, we moved from the center of Morro Bay onto the dunes area, also part of the State Park.  If you’ve never experienced them, sand dunes are really cool and so much fun!  We paddled across the Morro Bay State Marine Reserve and ran our kayaks ashore at the base of the dunes. After crossing the sand flat (totally felt like walking on marshmallows) we started scaling the sand dunes.

The kids had loads of fun running up and down the dunes and crashing into the soft, hot sand.  A perfect morning activity.  We love kayaking adventures and the added thrill of exploring the dunes made starting our day in SLO CAL even better!

Tip:  set some ground rules with kids before letting them loose on sand dunes. The sand is exhausting to hike across and it can be hot, so be wise about the amount of time on the dunes. Also, remember that sand gets into eyes really easily, especially when it’s dry and windy, so depending on weather conditions, this could be a problem.

Hiking Cerro San Luis Obispo

When we were looking at our itinerary for SLO CAL we were glad to see that we had a chance for some hiking… while still within the city. Driving over to Cerro San Luis Obispo we were directed by somebody in the neighborhood as to where to park and how to get to the sights along the trail.  

We were hiking to the lemon grove via the Lemon Grove Loop, which was pretty cool and totally random.  We got some beautiful views of San Luis Obispo and the kids were totally into checking out the modest but interesting lemon grove on the hillside.  While this might not sound like the most interesting sight, when you’re hiking with kids it’s a great surprise for the day.

Tip:  don’t forget to bring water. There are no water stations at the start or along the trail, so be prepared.

Beach time at Montaña de Oro State Park

We love California State Parks.  We had a great time as Oso Flaco down in the Santa Maria Valley, so to add another one just up the coast took no convincing.  Montaña de Oro State Park is located down the hill from the city of San Luis Obispo, past the town of Los Osos.  To get to the beach, you’ve got to wind through the high hills and eucalyptus groves until you’re down at sea level. It’s a beautiful drive and worth just doing that.

Once you’re through the winding spots, Spooner’s Cove is a really cool beach to hang at and explore.  The sand is chunky and full of interesting shells, there are smooth rock strips of the beach, a smaller cove, some sea caves, tide pools… Shall I go on?  This one stop will eat up an afternoon or a whole day if you want.  There are also hiking trails going up from Spooner’s Cove to get you up to some of the incredible coastal views within Montaña de Oro State Park.

Tip: bring a beach blanket if you want to spend any time just relaxing. The makeup of the beach (sand/shells/rocks) isn’t the most comfortable for laying out, so be prepared if you want to spend time relaxing… as is the SLO CAL way.

Fun in Downtown San Luis Obispo

SLO is such a cool town.  Really.  Besides the fact that it’s very walkable and interesting just as you wander the streets, it’s also got a cool urban-jungle type path that winds along the creek flowing through the town.  Add to that an alleyway covered in gum (gross) and lot’s of great food and sights and you’ll love it too!

Visiting Mission San Luis Obispo

We’ve visited several missions with the kids and they’re always both interested and not. As adults we really enjoyed the sight of it all and the history, but for younger kids it’s not a top pick.

It is a very well maintained, active mission and it offered both educational opportunities as well as just a nice, quiet place to sit and observe.  What we dads enjoyed the most about Mission San Luis Obispo were the ancient grapes vines in the courtyard (not for picking though) and the beautiful paintings on the walls inside the chapel.  The flowers lining the nave were really pretty and very unusual.

Tip:  if you can arrive at the right time, there are docent-led tours of Mission San Luis Obispo. We were able to join the end of one and it was fascinating.

San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum

We really needed this stop.  The boys love their children’s museums and also are truly appreciative when we can spend time in a new one.  The San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum had some super cool exhibits that kept the kids occupied for a loooong time.  I had to break them away so we could grab lunch… and then we had to return directly following lunch.  

The coolest thing for the kids though was the topographic map sand:  pliable sand that you could build with that had a sensor and lighting above it, responding to the shapes of the sand to make topographic maps. My adult mind was blown away. The staff was also very nice and we felt extra welcome.

Tip: even though a children’s museum seems like a place you can let your kids wander and you can just zone into your phone or something, don’t do it. Pay attention to what your kids are captivated by and get involved with their playing.  You might have just as much fun.

Dining around SLO CAL

A wonderful thing we noticed about San Luis Obispo almost immediately was the amount of outdoor and open air seating.  We were fortunate enough to get to try several spots that let us enjoy the sunshine and cool breezes of SLO.

Our first SLO CAL meal was at the Flour House. What a cool restaurant!  We love Neapolitan style pizza… and Italian apps.  Flour House used some delicious combinations of traditional Italian ingredients paired with California flare. Fennel sausage and broccoli or bacon and mushrooms, the pizzas were perfect.  And there were scallops and carpaccio too… Also, the beverages were delicious.  Using interesting liqueurs like nocino and orgeat, the concoctions were a nice change from wine. Don’t get me wrong, we were totally excited to try more of the Central Coast’s wines, but a craft cocktail is always appreciated.

Other spots we found delicious food with the SLO CAL vibe were Mint + Craft and Big Sky. Both were all about tasty California fusion food.  We enjoyed the gambit, from California style bahn mi to paella and ahi tacos.  Never a dull meal.  

Also, SLO Provisions was an awesome spot with kids. A deli-counter style lunch spot re-imagined to be something more (and with delicious salads), SLO Provisions was reminded us of the type of restaurant we would love to open some day.  Clean, good food with local ingredients and an uplifting atmosphere, it was the perfect final meal for us while in SLO CAL.

Tip: when you’re in a cool town like San Luis Obispo, take advantage of the local restaurants that you won’t find anywhere else. Local dining typically supports local farmers and you’ll get the best impression of the local cuisine, and in the case of SLO, fresh California fusion.

Oh!!  And we almost forgot!!  Can you visit or drive through San Luis Obispo without visiting the Madonna Inn?  We had breakfast one day at the Copper Cafe at the Madonna Inn and loved the kitchy craziness of the property.  The kids’ favorite feature was, of course, the waterfall bathroom downstairs from the steakhouse.  Who doesn’t want to pee into a waterfall?  Our food wasn’t mind-blowingly great, but the atmosphere was fun and ideal with kids.

Where to stay in SLO CAL: the Apple Farm Inn

We arrived at our hotel, the Apple Farm Inn, a bit early, but that just meant that we got to relax and spend some time at the pool.  Down-time is so important when you’re traveling with kids, so we were glad to enjoy the gardens and the pool area at the Apple Farm.  

Being completely farm themed, the Apple Farm Inn was so different from any other hotels we’ve stayed at in the past. Everything was country chic, including our rooster covered bedspreads.  The best part though was for sure the layout of our room.  We had a type of suite that was very long with a large bathroom, a sleeping area, and then a sitting area with a fireplace.  When you travel as much as we do, you really come to appreciate spacious rooms, especially when there’s some separation and you can stay up later than the kids.

Overall, the Apple Farm Inn was a very nice, quiet place for our family and we enjoyed our time there.  It’s not flashy like some of the places we’ve stayed in Puerto Rico or downtown Seattle, but the people were wonderful and we felt quite at home.

We’ll no doubt be back to SLO CAL in the future.  We didn’t get to check out all of the surrounding towns, such as Los Osos or Morro Bay (the town itself), Avila or Pismo Beach… We’ll have to return in the summer to get the rest of the experience.  The chill vibe of SLO CAL was great amidst a busy schedule with kids and we’d recommend it as a stopover or main destination for any family heading out on a California Coast road trip.

Want to pin this for planning your next California road trip?  Go for it!

San Luis Obispo, California: SLO CAL at its best There are so many great towns on California’s Central Coast. We moved on from the Santa Maria Valley…

[trailcatjim-blog]

High Giant Traverse and Buck Mountain

Sep 28 - Oct 1, 2011 

Buck Mountain (8550')

The "High Giant Traverse" is a splendid sub-alpine traverse from Buck Creek Pass to High Pass to Little Giant Pass, with some options for route variation through the middle portion. Kevin W, Kevin K, Doug, Steve, Deb, and Eileen joined me for a particularly scenic version that passes through the exquisite meadows of Louis Creek Basin. We experienced a wide range of weather and suffered a few injuries along the way but had a great time overall.

Day 1: After dropping a vehicle at the Little Giant Trailhead beside the Chiwawa River, we started hiking from the Buck Creek Trailhead at Trinity. The trail had been nicely maintained, and the day was sunny with a touch of autumn coolness in the air. What was lacking, however, was a touch of autumn color in the forest; all the leaves seem to be running several weeks behind their normal color-changing schedule this year. Nonetheless, the views of green slopes rising up to meet snow-dusted north-facing cliffs was quite striking. We rolled into camp at Buck Creek Pass in late afternoon (6.1 hours from car) and made camp in a group area near one other tent. A cold northeasterly wind whipped through our campsite all night long.

Day 2: The morning was clear, windy, and cold. After breaking camp, we backpacked southward up the old High Pass Trail, which winds high around the side of Liberty Cap and provides stellar views. Glacier Peak flaunted her fresh coat of white paint, while Tenpeak Mountain harbored dabs of white in its shadowed recesses. Clark Mountain and its retinue of lower DaKobed peaks dominated the southern view. The trail died out in the talus and rock-hard snowfields of High Pass (crampons were handy here). We contoured through the pass and under Mt. Berge before angling up to the ridge crest just south of Point 7839. A final bit of Class 3 scrambling led to a faint ridgeline saddle, from which there is an easy walk-off descent into Louis Creek Basin.

We all relaxed and hurried down to find a campsite in the basin.. Naturally, this seemingly harmless terrain is where somebody would get injured: Halfway down, Kevin W slipped on an unstable rock, put out an arm to stop his fall, and landed sharply on his left hand, which responded with a distinct "POP" emanating from his left wrist. Suspecting either a sprain or a break (it turned out to be the latter), we all gathered to administer first aid. Kevin gamely spent the rest of the trip wearing a toothbrush splint, bandage wrap, and arm sling. Being a competitive triathlete, he was able to power through without complaining or even missing a beat. Once down in the basin (8.0 hours from Buck Creek Pass), we all set up camp on an inviting pumice saddle with views to the north and south.

Day 3: Our plan this morning was to strike camp, stash backpacks, climb Buck Mountain, and return to our stash by lunchtime. We headed up the mountain's broad western slope, gradually working left to the west ridge. Unfortunately, this easy ridge ended abruptly at a western horn feature that would involve some steep Class 3-4 scrambling. We did get a nice look at the very impressive north face and north ridge before detouring back down and over to the mid-west slope. Once in the distinctive upper cirque, which has the appearance of a "flying bridge" on a boat, it was a bit confusing as to where the actual summit is located. We opted to scramble up the middle of the long crest and were pleased to find a register at the highest point (3.1 hours from camp). Surprisingly, the register dated all the way back to 1980, so I was able to find my entry from a 1984 ascent. I would have thought a desirable mountain like this sees more climbs, but perhaps the somewhat complicated approach turns away many casual scramblers.

Spurred by some recent climber's chatter regarding which of the three principal ridge points is highest, I had brought with me a professional-quality hand transit in order to settle the issue. Several of us took turns sighting through the transit, and we all agreed that our own position (the "middle summit") was higher than the "north summit" (Point 8528) and "south summit" by a decisive margin of 20 feet or more. Therefore, if the north summit triangulation is correct, the middle summit probably has an elevation close to 8550 feet.

During our summit stay, the sky had gotten very dark, and a series of rain showers started shortly after we began descending. We retrieved backpacks at our campsite, then leisurely hiked southward. This gave us an opportunity to enjoy the wondrous expanse of Louis Creek Basin, with its manicured meadows, gently rolling pumice fields, meandering streams, and groves of larch trees. After previous separate trips, Steve and I had independently proclaimed this to be the finest meadow basin in the Cascades; now we are more convinced than before!

At the basin's southernmost edge, where Louis Creek tumbles down a high cliff, we hiked up a grassy rise overlooking the legendary Napeequa Valley. The patchwork of trees, brushes, heather, grasses, and other vegetation presented innumerable shades of green, contrasted by bands of gray and white rock. We descended to the right (west) and picked up an old sheep path. This crude path led us down a steep slope, over a small shoulder, then down another steeper slope. When the path faded in a wide slope of monster ferns, we all slipped and stumbled downhill, with one-armed Kevin W in the lead. The well-defined Napeequa Valley Trail was a welcome sight after getting soaked in the ferns. We hiked down-valley 1.5 miles to the Boulder Pass Trail junction (3.8 hours from basin camp). A nearby gravel bar provided a welcome campsite for the night---much to the chagrin of two other campers who apparently thought they had reserved the entire valley for themselves.

Day 4: Following a night of intermittent rain, we all crowded into Doug's large pyramid tent for breakfast. Then, in between showers, we hurriedly packed up and began our hike out. The valley trail was brushy and muddy, and sadly lacking in maintenance. The 2000-foot ascent up to Little Giant Pass followed an equally neglected and partially eroded trail, but we had no problems staying on track the entire way. After crossing over the pass, the trail widens and has been extensively re-built in many places. Our excellent sub-alpine trek ended with an easy ford of the Chiwawa River and a short stroll up to the Little Giant Trailhead (5.5 hours from valley camp).

Approx. Stats: 30 miles traveled, 11,300 feet gained, 11,500 feet lost. 

Cirque Mountain from grassy trail on Liberty Cap 

Hiking toward High Pass 

Cirque Mountain and Triad Lake with Steve and Glacier Peak 

Luahna Peak and Chalangin Peak above High Pass 

Buck Mountain and Louis Creek Basin from Berge Ridge 

Fortress Mountain from Louis Creek camp 

Louis Creek Basin 

Clark Mountain from Louis Creek Basin 

North and middle peaks of Buck Mountain 

Scrambling to Buck Mountain summit 

Colorful group in Louis Creek Basin 

Napeequa Valley from Louis Creek

[terrymcdonald]

This morning, I led a one-on-one workshop for artist Susan Leite, a member of the Hamilton Camera Club, who missed my presentation of Creating Compelling Landscapes. Tiffany Falls Conservation Area in Ancaster, Ontario, is one of those near-ideal places to learn about landscapes. A well-maintained, and easily-walked side trail of the Bruce Trail leads up the valley, across two bridges to a platform in front of a class cascade waterfall – Tiffany Falls – some 21m (70 feet) high.

As the point of this morning’s workshop was specifically landscape photography techniques, we were looking for “classic” landscape views that would include a strong foreground element set in the context of the background, connected through the mid-ground with a leading line, a “pathway” that would help the viewer navigate through the photograph. Assembling these elements is the job of the photographer. They are “out there” far more often than many photographers realize; recognizing them and actively, purposefully composing the photograph to include them is what makes them work.

At times, though, it is a challenge: as we noted this morning, much of the valley and river bank has the scrubby-looking remains of cut trees. Trees that naturally fall have an organic look to them; cut trees have sharp, rather obvious and totally un-natural edges where they were chain-sawed. There were also many parts of branches left from the cuttings that have not decomposed as one might expect leaves and small branches would do over a season or a year, so they, too, left (to my eyes anyway) a bit of a slash-and-burn eye-soar to an otherwise beautiful valley.

So, that’s a bit of the context of the location. The morning, itself, was overcast and still, making for near-ideal conditions for photographing in a forest. The contrast was easily managed; just the sky, filtering through the upper canopy, created difficult lighting. Photographers learn quickly, though, the importance of being flexible and working to the conditions provided by Mother Nature: when given a white sky, work to eliminate it from photos – and that’s we did.

This morning, thanks to the recent rain, Tiffany Creek had an excellent flow. It’s been a cool, wet spring – ideal for gardeners and photographers of nature and landscapes . So often, the rivers and waterfalls of southern Ontario suffer from a lack of water. Not this spring – the rivers have been well-flushed!

The Basic Set-up

Both Susan and I were using “bridge” style cameras – hers, a Lumix FZ-200 with an excellent Leica lens, and my Sony RX10iii – on travel-style tripods (both MeFoto Roadtrips). We had both come to the same conclusion regarding carrying equipment in travel-style conditions: less is more! We were both using ND filters and my Polarizing filter. The ND filters slowed shutter speeds to capture more movement in water; the polarizing filter reduced the glare off the water and foliage (see comparison photo).

We set our cameras to Aperture Priority, using Exposure Compensation to adjust exposure when clipped highlights showed in the histogram. In these situations, shutter speed is less important than the need for adequate depth-of-field to maintain sharpness from foreground through the background. Obviously, in breezy conditions, shutter speed matters, but with the still morning, we had some leeway. With small-sensor bridge cameras, this is achieved in the ƒ5.6 range. On the 1″ sensor Sony, ƒ5.6 is equivalent to ƒ15 on a full-frame system; with Susan’s FZ200’s 1/2.3″ sensor, ƒ5.6 is the same as ƒ31 on a FF system – plenty of depth of field for most landscapes! Any smaller than ƒ5.6 will result in increasingly unsharp edges due diffraction, the bending of light through the smaller aperture.

We also had a discussion about ISO. To maintain the highest image quality, I always recommend using the lowest ISO that will provide the maximum dynamic range (the difference between pure white and pure black). For many DSLRs, it’s ISO200. For the Sony RX10iii, it’s ISO64; the FZ200, ISO100.

Susan also set up her self-timer to delay each exposure by 2 seconds to eliminate camera shake from shutter activation by hand. Using tripods that were shorter than normal for comfortable viewing, we also chose to use the LCD for final compositions. However, working on a tripod can be very restrictive when composing, so I always recommend using the quick release to remove the camera and actively compose “free-hand” by moving in and out, up and down and side to side. You really need freedom of movement to find that compositional “sweet-spot”, then set-up the tripod to match that precise location.

In the field…

Now for some photos. We both agreed, the ferns and other greenery along the river bank were great foreground objects with lots of detail. As well, the river itself provided and natural pathway through the various scenes. When the river seemed rather straight, it was important to manouevre to “help” it into a more diagonal position; diagonals are always preferred for compositions as they create more dynamic movement than straight lines.

ƒ5.6 @ 1sec., EV-1, ISO64 w/ Polarizing filter and ND filter

Wandering up the trail took us to this point, where we could just begin to see the waterfall through the trees. The foreground element was in place with the greenery and rocks and the curve of the river became the natural pathway through the scene.

The 1-second exposure provided appropriate movement to the water while the -1 exposure compensation was required to prevent the highlights in the distant waterfall from clipping.

I highly recommend this method of exposure, where you expose as “high” as possible on the histogram without clipping the highlights – commonly referred to as ETTR or Expose To The Right. This allows more photos to be recorded in the shadow areas, reducing the amount of noise when the tonal values of shadow areas are lifted. Due to the beautiful, lower contrast lighting of the morning, this technique wasn’t absolutely essential, but it is good practice to get the most out of any sensor.

The overall appearance of this initial exposure is a bit on the dark side. The shadows are open, and the whites are near white, but the mid-tone greens appear drab rather than lively. That’s okay! The camera is simply a tool for recording a file that can then be processed – just like negatives were processed – into a final photograph that matches the way I saw the scene. The camera can’t do it all. Jpegs from many cameras are excellent, but there are still techniques that can be applied to further improve the photograph. This is way shooting raw files has become the default, especially amongst fine art photographers. It’s the difference between a “machine print” from a negative and a custom print, made by yourself or a professional printer. Learning a few simple manipulations in an app like Lightroom can go a long way to improving your photographs.

On Screen…

Back at home, in Lightroom, I made the following adjustments. Lightroom is designed to be handled “top down” starting with White Balance then moving through Exposure, Contrast, etc. I often start with Whites and Blacks, using Lightroom’s “Auto-Whites” and “Auto-Blacks” feature (NOT the “Auto” button you see there) to pin down the darkest and brightest pixels. Holding the Shift key and double-clicking on the word “Whites”, then doing the same on “Blacks” will do just that.

From there, I move to Exposure. Now, you might think “Wow, +1.20 in Exposure is a lot!”, but it really isn’t. Exposure in Lightroom lifts the mid-tones – exactly the tonal range that needed lifting. Rather than using the sliders, which can be rather clunky and imprecise, I use the number boxes and increase exposure using the cursor key while looking at the photo (not the adjustment slider!). The Cursor will raise the value by 0.10 each time; holding Shift and pressing the cursor will raise the value by 0.33. When making adjustments, it’s better to start out with big leaps and going past the “ideal”, rather than trying to creep up to it in small hops. Once you beyond what”looks good” you’ll know right away; you can then use the fine tuning of 0.10 increments to nail down the ideal increase.

This same principal is true for all the other adjustments: use the cursor keys for +/- 1; Shift-Cursor changes it by +/- 10. The Shadows improved with a small bump to +20. Clarity – the adjustment to raise or lower local contrast – is great for giving very fine separation between light and darks, such as the edges of leaves or the bright water agains the dark. But too much clarity can make the photograph look artificially etched, so +10 “worked”. Bumping the Saturation to +10 gave the leaves just a little more punch.

With the gross changes made, it was now time to look at how I might shape the photograph using graduated filters and local adjustment brushes. Here is the photo with those initial tonal adjustments. It’s bright and has a three-dimensional presence. But, to me, the foreground area in front of me seems just a bit too bright. Pulling in a Graduated Mask with decreased Exposure, seemed to work except the greens seemed dinghy, so I increased the Clarity and Contrast. This allowed the greens in the mask to better match the greens in the rest of the photograph.

This shows the area that was masked, followed by the resulting photo.

This is an improvement, but now the water in the river seems a bit dinghy. I felt the whites of the turbulence should have better separation from the darker river bed. Using an Adjustment Brush, I painted over the river water, adding additional contrast (30), reducing the shadow values by -30 and increasing the clarity by 40 to provide that local contrast separation. lastly, I made the tones cooler using the Colour Temperature adjustment. I find the rock of the river beds in this area to be rather yellow, often with algae; cooling it down a little helps to “restore” the river, if only photographically.

 This photo shows the area of that was “brushed”. These Grad Mask and Adjustment Brush features of Lightroom allow an almost infinite series of adjustments, that I find even more intuitive than Photoshop layers. As well, they add virtually nothing to the overall file size as they are simply instructions in a text file as opposed to pixel-level changes. To accomplish the same “feats” in Photoshop, would bloat the file to be 3, 4, 5, even 10x larger than the original. It’s the beauty, and simplicity, of non-destructive  editing.

Crop and Transform to straighten

Finally, the photograph was coming together, but needed a little more “massaging”. First, I’ll take you back to my printing days in the darkroom. Often we would introduce a very light vignetting of about 10%. It’s not apparent to the viewer, but it acts in an almost subliminal way to contain the eye within the photograph, especially in prints that would be matted in white then framed. The white mat draws the eye to the outside; the vignetting helps to pull it back in again. Lightroom has Vignetting under “Effects” and, really, -5 to -10 should be enough, but not too much to make it obvious.

Lastly, I felt the scene could use a little cropping and straightening, as shown in this photo. Ideally, this is done in the field and I lament having to do so on screen, but adding a slight “Transform” of -10 on the Horizontal and +20 in Aspect returned the image to what I remember of the scene. There is, now, a progression of light from the top, where one would expect it, gradually dimming to the bottom, where one would expect it to be darker, given the canopy of trees above.

In the gallery below, I’ve included the four progression images so you can see the subtle changes that may not be apparent looking at them separately as they are presented above. As well, you’ll find a few other photographs from this morning. If you have any questions, be sure to add them to the comments below.

ƒ5.6 @ 1sec., EV-1, ISO64 w/ Polarizing filter and ND filter

Basic Tonal Adjustments

Graduated filter added

Finished!

Tiffany Falls, May 2017 This morning, I led a one-on-one workshop for artist Susan Leite, a member of the…

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In Girona – The Historical Time Capsule of Costa Brava, Spain

There’s more to Catalonia’s independent streak and unique customs than its brimming capital of Barcelona. 90 minutes away, the old city turned Game of Thrones film set of Girona has a deep-rooted historical charm and culture dating back more than 2,000 years. And it’s just as deserving of attention. Girona is a preserved pocket of history that is also a gateway to the surrounding region of Gironés, which unearths the beautiful patchwork of the countryside and villages of northeastern Spain.

In Girona – The Walkable, Historical City

Even if you are day tripping or just squeezing in an over-night stay, Girona is compact enough to navigate and get your fix of ‘preserved city’ feels. I spent two days in the city taking in its scenic and culinary highlights, before exploring the green that surrounds it.

Girona is easily explored by foot and the Barri Vell (Old Quarter) – also known as the Golden Triangle – is the best place to start your journey through time.

Girona is well-known for its medieval history, however it also has a Roman past. The Força Vella Fortress was built by the Romans in the first century BC, which was very well protected by a defensive rampart. It remained unchanged until the year 1,000, and today you can still see parts of the walled fortress.

The other fortified enclosure is the Medieval Quarter, which was an extension of the existing Roman walls in the 14th and 15th centuries. With newer ramparts constructed, you can also see sections of these as you get the opportunity to wander the along the city’s walled walkways.

At the heart of the Força Vella is the Cathedral. Built between the 11th and 18th centuries, this place of worship is a unique place to view a variety of different artistic styles.

From the Romanesque tower and cloister to the baroque façade and steps, the cathedral is a worthy visit to journey through the ages. Take note of the gothic nave built between the 15th and 16th centuries, the widest of its kind in the world at 23 metres.

While you are in the Força Vella, a labyrinth of narrow streets will highlight your arrival in the Jewish Quarter. These lanes and alleys were home to Jews from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Still maintaining much of its medieval atmosphere, it is one of the best-preserved Jewish Quarters in the world and signifies the importance of the culture in Girona.

As you wander these beautifully preserved streets, take the Cúndaro or Sant Llorenç streets to enjoy views from above. Staircases will lead you to the highest part of the city to enjoy the old city panoramas.

Another picturesque spot is to stand within the curved architecture of Arab Baths, built by Christians in 1194. Modelled on the stylish Islamic baths at the time, a siege almost 90 years later significantly damaged the baths, which were eventually restored to their former glory in 1294.

During the 15th century, the baths were sold off privately and in 1617, nuns transformed it into a pantry, kitchen and laundry. It was only in 1929 when the baths were purchased under public management and renovated, that the public were once again able to enjoy its historical surroundings.

Its most stunning elements include the entrance, once used as a changing room and relaxation area and the cupola over the central pool which is supported by ornately decorated columns. It’s good to visit in the afternoon for some welcome shade from the Catalonian sun.

Over time the city extended towards the river and a stroll across the water will transport you to the contemporary side of the capital. Girona’s well-photographed brightly painted houses hug the River Onyar, both sides of which are accessible by its 11 bridges.

However, the Peixateries Velles Bridge steals the limelight. The Eiffel Company built the red iron bridge in 1827, and it will be easy to see the resemblance when you stop to admire those picture postcard views.

Girona – World-class cuisine

Wandering the historical sights, there are plenty of places to stop to refuel and Girona is the ultimate place, known for its world-class cuisine.

To truly unearth the culture behind Spanish cuisine, we spent an afternoon at the Girona Culinary School, or Escola d’Hostaliera de Girona. Held within Girona’s indoor market ‘el Lleó’, chefs cooked up a range of signature tapas dishes using fresh local produce.

Our tapas lunch included grilled vegetables (escalivada), a delicious salted cod salad (esqueixada), sweet sausage with apple, as well as a variety of seafood, which we paired with local wines. A proper foodie’s delight, the culinary experience finishes up with dessert, including traditional curd with strawberries.

Of course, we made room for some ice cream – the very famous ice cream of the city. Rocambolesc is owned by the Roca brothers who produce the finest iced flavours you will ever experience, and that’s coming from a huge ultimate ice-cream enthusiast. A rainbow of colours and flavours, with toppings to match, and you might find yourself having cheeky seconds.

The brothers are well-known Michelin chefs as part of their restaurant El Celler de Can Roca, which was voted the best in the world in 2015. Needless to say, a divine experience awaits at both.

Girona’s Long-standing Tradition – The ‘Catalan Towers’ or ‘Human Towers’

Another notable visit and a true Catalan icon are the Human Towers. A long-standing tradition from the 1700s, the towers are often performed as part of Spanish celebrations, festivities and competitions. Requiring lots of training with many generations taking part in the custom.

In Girona there are more than three formations that are performed, so try to time your visit for this fascinating sight in the city. I was lucky enough to learn how it’s done at the Marrecs De Sel, taking part in a training session to see how everyone works together and plans out these spectacular formations. It’s a skill you cannot master in a few hours alone, but one that gives you a high as you join the ranks on the ground in helping to balance the tower.

Explore Gironas Country – The Wider Landscape From the City

To break out of the city and explore what the countryside has to offer, Gironés country has lots of offer in its 5000 years of settlement. It’s where the inland countryside plains and villages meet the sea and the mountains. The most popular areas include the Costa Brava and its secluded beaches (30 minutes away) or the Albera mountain range and the Girona Pyrenees at the foot of the mountains.

Rent a bike to discover the green fields between the Pyrenees and Costa Brava, following the route of a disused railway line. If you plan on a walking trail, the Santiago route reveals the unique characters of the outlying villages of Aiguaviva, Bordilis, Madremanya, Sant Marti Vell and Llagostera.

I took to a Segway instead, for a speedy thrill in Sant Julià de Ramis. We booked with Livetour Segway, and toured along the River Ter before trekking up Sant Julià Mountain. In addition to the spectacular panoramas, the area conceals the remains of the Iberian Castle – ‘Castellum Fractum’ – also known as Broken Castle and the mountain’s natural caves are believed to be the mythical home of fairies. Both are great vantage points to the wide views of the country and out towards the Costa Brava coastline.

While exploring the countryside, we stopped for a picnic, provided by the culinary experts at Local Market in Girona old town, whose ethos is to experience gastronomy, landscape and culture all at once. Our sumptuous lunch of local foods included fresh breads, cheeses, seasonal vegetables and artisan sausages, which we washed down with a locally crafted beer from Sarrià de Ter and Wine from D.O. Empordà.

To truly get to the heart of Gironés nature, a water trek in the village of Canet d’Adr with Aventura Girona gets you there. Trekking along the river, before exploring the forest paths of Canet Creek and its volcanic landscapes, we splashed, swam and took giant leaps along the water pathways, mostly in a fit of giggles as we trundled along. Arduous only in small parts, water trekking is a perfect way to get stuck into the stillness of nature and get completely off-track from the forest pathways in “Canet Creek”.

Followed by lunch at La Sala restaurant, combining the gastronomy of the Llemena Valley, known as ‘Remença’ with the landscape, we then ended our stay in the region with a magical trip to the ‘Gavarres Astronomic Observatory’ in the Gaverres Mountains for some stargazing. Also home to the Starlight Rural Hotel, make the most of your visit and stay the night as it maintains a fascinating history and was a firm favourite with Salvador Dali.

Girona might be a compact city, but the capital and its surrounding countryside offers a huge contrast of things to see and do from its historical beginnings to its flourishing outdoors. From city to landscape, above ground and below, I really got to see Gironas from all angles, and not in the shadow of the region’s capital. 

Things to Know

Getting to Girona

Girona is well-connected to neighbouring cities and regional hotspots. I booked a local bus from Barcelona’s main bus station on the day of departure.

Getting from Girona to Gironas Country

Even if you are short on time, there is a City Train (citytrain.es) that takes you through town and into the wider country… for a taste of the scenery.

Activities in Girona and Gironas Country

Trying your balance at a ‘Catalan Towers’ training session is a creative way to immerse yourself in local culture and long-standing tradition. More information can be found at the Girona Trips website.

The Segway and walking tour with Livetour in Sant Julià de Ramis is a great introduction to the wider area.

For the adventure explorer, Aventura Girona will get you from forest to creek as an alternative means of crossing the countryside.

For further information check out the Costa Brava Tourism Website, who helped facilitate my adventure in both Girona and Gironas Country.

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