Some sweet forget-me-nots taken while visiting the cemetery. I’m so glad that I had my camera on me and that I took a few photos when I did. When we visited a week later, they were all gone! I feel like that has been a common theme with my flower photography this year. I’ve been seeing more and more hydrangeas this year and haven’t photographed any yet. I should get to that before history repeats itself!
Spring sunsets usually aren’t as intense as those in summer but I always look forward to when the sky lights up more and more often. It means summer is truly on its way!
The last lilac blooms of the season! Aren’t they gorgeous? I’m so glad I got to photograph them in the late afternoon/early evening light. I was really happy with the way the soft warm lighting illuminated the blooms. The last photo especially is one of my all time favourites.
I’ll never forget photographing this series for a very specific reason. While I was shooting these, I kept hearing footsteps in the grass across from me. I wasn’t able to see what it was since the lilac tree was pretty tall and there was a tombstone blocking my way. I thought nothing of it and automatically assumed it was my mom, playing a joke and coming to sneak up on me. I told myself not to jump when she inevitably would shout “boo!” Except… it never came.
I finished taking my photos and walked back to where my dad and brother were standing a little ways away. I asked my dad where mom was because I kept hearing those footsteps. While asking, I turned around and there she was, behind me, a few metres away. My dad joked that maybe it was a ghost, curious, and wanting to see my photos. I laughed it off and grabbed my mom, wanting to show her the pretty lilac tree. Only… to be greeted by a coyote!
Yeah, that’s right!
He was a few feet away from us (thanks for social distancing!) and turned around to look at us before trotting off. At first we thought he was someone’s pet but there was no leash and no other human around and he did not look like a domesticated dog. We’ve seen another coyote in the area but that one was very malnourished looking with a damaged tail. This animal was big and clearly capable.
I wanted to take my phone out to record everything but I was rooted to the ground. My brain shut down, total deer in headlights mode, until my brother yelled at us to get to the car and to go now. So that’s what we did, being careful that we weren’t in eyeshot of the coyote. We’ve visited a few times since then and we haven’t seen the coyote since. It’s funny to think that while I was taking photos and thinking it was my mom playing a joke on me, it was actually a coyote very close by.
Dandelions in sunlight. Yes, they’re weeds but they’re so gorgeous when the sun shines down on them. There were so many and their tops were illuminated so nicely and looked like tiny little halos.
The Toronto skyline during late spring and the skyline during twilight. The sunset wasn’t as intense as I was hoping but I’m really happy with the skyline shot. I looked over and saw all the pretty white flowers and I knew I had to snap a photo. It was such a spring scene and it made me so happy seeing it in person. We came back around a week later and the hill was completely grassy, no white flowers. Just goes to show how anything in spring disappears so quick if you aren’t fast enough.
Soft lilac with a shallow depth of field. I don’t know what it is this year but I feel like I have flower mania. I see a flower and have this urge to take a million photos of it.
I am not quite sure what flowers these are but if I see pretty flowers, I take a photo. The cloudy sky provides a nice contrast against the dark purple blossoms.
Gina Staios Photography 