by J. Gracey Stinson

Working again on my series of imagery from Orillia I’ve been out in the early evening to shoot this scene:

I spent a few days prior to taking this image scouting the best place along the ridge to get a good view, and testing the lighting at various times of day. Doing the legwork ahead of time is a good idea, when you can afford the time. Many times the most beautiful of images can be taken by chance, but in trying preserve a record shot (by that I mean one which records the scene as it may be viewed at any other time during the same season - an image that can be a historical record, for instance) of Orillia in autumn I found that the early evening (around 5:00pm) light was a good choice. It gives a mellow warmth to the scene that bright afternoon light does not, while it still reveals many small details of the distant view across the lake (in the large print).

This is a scene I’ve passed by on many occasions - it is, in fact, on the “back road” to our subdivision. I hope to take this scene again during each of the following seasons so there is a complete set of four. Who knows what physical changes may take place (buildings for instance) during that time.

Had I taken this 10 years ago, the OPP Station would not have been standing here; in it’s place would have been the HRC farm, with it’s barn and silo. The Industrial Park would not have been here either.

In the growth of a small town, historical views can be important to preserve, so in producing this image I have made very little change to what came off the camera, save a slight colour correction and some cropping.

In terms of “artsy fartsy” it is a very plain image, but there is always a satisfaction for the photographer in creating a good “record” image - one that includes a lot of detail, yet is still pleasing to the eye.

Don’t overlook these type of shots in your quest for art; include them as part of your art, for doing this well can be an art in itself.

Visit the Naked Genius Group on Redbubble or my own site on Redbubble (from the Orillia Gallery, which contains numerous other images from the Orillia Series) to view more or purchase prints and cards of this image for your collection.

Postcards of this view (along with other Orillia scenes) can be purchased from my site here.

Over Orillia Postcard

A canvas print of this image may be ordered directly from me for local purchasers. Click here to contact me directly.

Read the story associated with the photo here.

Happy Shooting!