Cool Air and Warm Water

Caffeinated Sunshine

Cool air and warm water—Warm air and cool water… Either combination often results in fog. Fog forms on large lakes, small potholes, rivers and streams. Fog is especially prevalent during the spring and fall, but it can form any time of the year and in almost any part of the country. I enjoy getting out early with my cameras at this time of the year for the fog that is a guarantee on most mornings. Knowing that I had to be in Banff for 10am as I was meeting with a guy that I was delivering a package to and with sunrise at 7am I was underway by 6:30am. Of course I had to stop for a coffee to go and actually cleared the outskirts of Calgary just as the sun was clearing the eastern horizon. Off to the west the Rockies were outlined clearly against the sky, as the clouds and showers that we had experienced overnight had given way to clear skies. I knew that fog was guaranteed with the showers we had and was not surprised to see low lying fog on all the potholes along the highway. Fog usually forms toward evening and often lasts through the night and into the following morning. Normally we consider early morning or late evening the best time to photograph, the time of “sweet” light, so fog may seem to be a frustration when we’re hoping for the best possible light conditions. However, when you get up in the morning and the fog is so thick that you can’t see across the street, don’t put your camera away, and don’t roll over to sleep for an extra hour. Grab your equipment, and make use of nature’s soft box. Making a number of stops along the way was probably the best thing that I could have done, as I had just cleared the Banff Park gates a few kilometers back when I noticed several vehicles pulled over at the side of the road. I had just pulled up to a stop when a Grizzly meandered across the road in front of my truck. The lighting wasn't great but I managed to get several photos before he disappeared into the bush. I made it into the town site of Banff with time to spare, so I spent the time shooting more captures with stops at Vermilion Lakes and Bow Falls. Once I was finished conducting the business that had brought me to Banff, I headed east towards Calgary as I also was meeting with a fellow Ham who was coming in from the south and was expecting me to meet him at NTF Communications in northeast Calgary. I made the turn at Canmore onto Highway 1A which would take me in to Calgary via Morley, Ghost Lake and Cochrane.I enjoy this drive and notice different subjects to photograph each time I make the drive, whether I am driving it going east towards the flat lands or west towards the Rockies. Sailboats were sailing the waters of Ghost Lake with their sails fillled with wind from the westerlies blowing out of the Rockies. Before long as winter sets in the Ghost will still be subject to sailing in the form of Iceboats also sailing before the gusting winds that stream down from......

Driving the 1A just west of Morley with the Rockies bringing up the rear







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