I finally managed to get out shooting again, this time at the Toronto Zoo.  Although not my most successful trip there, I did come back with some keepers.  This is one of them.

The original colour version

These are moon jellyfish, lazily swimming/floating in their tank at the Toronto Zoo’s Australian Great Barrier Reef exhibit.  I really love the black background and translucent nature of these fish.  There is so much texture in the fish, yet with subtle tones.

I had a tough time deciding on the monochrome black & white version, or the original colour version.  You can let me know if you agree or not in the comments below.

It’s hard to believe that jellyfish can be so beautiful, yet potentially so deadly (I don’t think moon jellyfish are terribly dangerous, but there are other jellyfish that are much smaller and much more lethal).  The box jellyfish is feared in Australia as it is one of the most painful and deadly jellyfish on the planet.  After being stung, severe agonising pain will ensue, which can be followed by cardiac arrest leading to death.  But they sure are pretty to look at!

X4FMGEB6VY2X

Fall colours at the lower gardens of Hase temple in Kamakura, Japan.  The Japanese really have beautiful gardens, and they come to life during the fall/winter seasons when the leaves turn spectacular colours.

Tokyo is famous for “scramble” intersections, where all directions of traffic stop and allow pedestrians to cross any way they wish. It is quite a sight to see. We have a couple of scramble intersections in Toronto, but they pale in comparison to the sheer volume of people in Tokyo.

Most major intersections in Tokyo are of the scramble variety, which is quite convenient if you’re a pedestrian. The one pictured above was not very busy in comparison to others, such as Shibuya crossing. Only a hundred or so people were crossing at each cycle here. In Shibuya, there are likely thousands crossing at every cycle. Absolutely amazing.

One detail you can’t see from this image is a police stand/lookout on the adjacent corner. Each cycle, a police officer would blow a whistle prior to the signals changing. This is essentially a warning to those still crossing to hurry up before the signals change and the traffic begins. In a city so technologically advanced, with automated machines everywhere, they still rely on officers to blow the whistle every few minutes. Weird.

I shot this photo hand-held, which isn’t too tricky with an ultra-wide angle lens. I probably annoyed a few locals by standing still on the corner when the signals changed, and everyone expected me to start crossing. I think my 6’2″ stature and pale white complexion was a clear indication that I was a tourist. That and my camera strapped around my neck.

I was really lucky to snap a shot of this traditional Korean warrior. While waiting for my Korean tour guide to finish her Korean spiel on the site, I turned around to see this warrior on horseback riding past. Apparently I had just missed some reenactment of some sort and they were leaving. Luckily I had camera in hand and was able to snap a few quick shots!

These Canadian geese did a low altitude fly-by in front of me while I was photographing the Canadian International Airshow in Toronto. I guess they were feeling left out and wanted some attention as well!

Luckily for me, the camera was set to AI servo and was able to focus quickly as I panned to catch the birds in my viewfinder. A lucky shot indeed!

A bed of lush green fern found on the Fundy Trail. Slight exposure and saturation boost was employed.

Located on the Bay of Fundy, the Hopewell Rocks are unique formations that can be explored both by sea kayak or on foot, thanks to the world’s largest tides. I managed to arrive at low tide (or slightly thereafter) and was able to walk around the many “flower pot” formations, such as the one pictured here.

Of all the shots I took today, I think this is my favorite. In general, the lighting was difficult with the sun casting most of the rock formations in silhouette. The masses of tourists also didn’t help, as they were constantly in the shots. The location of this formation allowed it to be lit from the side, providing some detail in the rock. It was also located away from most of the other formations so the tourists didn’t find it (except for me of course!).

On my way out the door to catch an early flight, I noticed the sun rising over the city. The sky was a brilliant orange-red colour and I just had to capture it. Screw the waiting taxi, I thought. And I grabbed my camera.

Just as luck would have it, a flock of birds flew across the scene, adding some life to the image. I’m really happy with this one!

This image is unaltered, except for being cropped. It was shot through my living room window, in manual mode (which is rare for me to use, but was a lesson learned from my shots of the sun rising over Uluru in Australia). I basically set the aperture and adjusted the metering until the results met my liking. My lesson learned from this shot: I should have used a better lens, like my 70-200L. Oh well, next time…

Winter is dragging on… I wish spring would hurry up and get here, or I were at least some place a little more tropical and interesting (yes, I’ve been longing for Australia again…)

This photo was taken in Ottawa at last year’s annual tulip festival.  Ironically, they’re having a worse winter than we’re experiencing here in Toronto.  Nothing special about the photo, I just thought the colours were cheery.

A Scottish Terrier pulls on his leash next to the Rideau Canal, in Ottawa.

The tops of plants stick out of fresh snow in a marshy area next to Lambly Lake, outside Kelowna.

I found these pine trees covered in fresh snow at the bottom of Big White ski resort, near Kelowna, B.C. 

The shot was taken at night and the lights of the village and gondola lifts combined with the low clouds to create an interesting background behind the trees.  The image was shot hand-held.

A small butterfly takes a rest on a rock at Josephine falls in Australia.  This little guy was being quite cooperative as it took me quite a few shots to get the focus, composition and exposure right.

A D.-V.A.S. jammer (aka prey) fights off an attack from a Death Track Doll sporting a cheetah helmet while an onlooking zebra referee hangs back.

This is another shot from a recent Toronto Roller Derby match last weekend.  A lomo preset was used to add an interesting effect.

P.S. Sorry for the wildlife references… the image just reminds me so much of a cheetah hunting prey with zebras in the background.  No offense to anyone, the outfits are cool!  Too many nature programs for me, I think!

I attended a Toronto Roller Derby match last weekend.  The Death Track Dolls vs. The D.-V.A.S. (Deadly Viper Assassination Squad–pronounced ‘divas’).  In this shot, the jammer (with the star on her helmet) leads the pack (the rest of the blood-thirsty skaters behind her) in one round, scoring a few points.

The match was quite entertaining and I highly recommend attending.  I liken it to a human form of NASCAR, but it’s all-women and they’re on roller skates.

*A lomo preset was used.

A young dog nervously watches a man about to cross the street.  The man was quite nice actually, but when he went to pet her, she backed away.

Shoppers going about their business at the Eaton Centre in Toronto.

The sheer yellowness of these flowers caught my attention, so I snapped a few shots of them.

White roses in a flower shop in Bloor West Village, Toronto.

Some flowers on the street at one of the local flower shops in the Bloor West Village, Toronto.  After a long almost record-breaking winter, most of us are ready for the spring.