Elk Lake

From Photo of the day 2011

I was finally able to get my dog out and about again on Wednesday after 2+ weeks house rest. She cut her foot while we were out hawking, so things have been a bit slow for me. Anyways, got her out to Elk Lake outside of Victoria for about an hour and a half, I had just got off work and the light was lovely. Took the camera in case I found something and took a bunch of shots. This one is shot from the Beaver lake side of the park looking across to "The Center of the Universe" observatory. Just the lighting and shadows made it work. I added a bit of warming colour temperature and highlights in Picasa.

From Photo of the day 2011

I also found this guy - a juvenile red-tailed hawk. I accidentally spooked him from a closer perch out of the sun before I could get a shot off, but he conveniently landed in the light on a higher perch. Made the angle a little funny, and he was a bit put out with me (as you can see in his expression) but looked pretty good all the same. This one is the last one I got before he got annoyed enough with me staring at him to take off somewhere else. I had a few of him in flight but all the branches were in the way or he was out of focus. Cropped this and Sharpened in Picasa.