© 2023 Romi Boon All Rights Reserved
928-821-1880
"Winter's Beauty Rest" In -38F (-39C) weather, I ventured out in the comfort of my Jeep, on some snow drift covered prairie back roads in search of “cold” images. Not only was it cold but the wind was incredibly piercing too! I was enjoying the sun filled day when this scene caught my eye. I loved how the highlight of the snow defined the branches; thankfully there weren't any leaves blocking the tree trunk and branches. Both my camera and my hands don’t work very well in those frigged temperatures, so I didn’t doddle! I love how abstract photography makes you look more intriguingly and inquisitively at it an image. The "art" in abstract photography however is much more than capturing what I see; it's first in observing beyond a first glance and then composing it in an artistic manner. Mother Nature produces some of the best abstract art!
In the spring, a grizzly bear’s diet consists of approximately 70% grass, to replenish their lack of proteins during hibernation. This is why you often see bears along roadways, where grass grows in abundance. Knowing this, I had my camera at the ready as I traveled along this (somewhat) remote logging road in the interior of British Columbia. I travel this road often and I see black, brown and cinnamon bears on a regular basis but this was the first time that I came across a grizzly bear. Grizzly bears come in many sizes, and this female (her cub was nearby) was relatively small. I once saw a grizzly that was at least 3 times larger (it was incredibly massive!) so I now have a sincere fear of them. I stayed with these grizzlies for approximately 10 minutes, and they didn’t seem to mind my presence. As I watched and gazed into their eyes, I felt at peace with them but I know those seemingly calm eyes are very deceiving and they deserve respect; I kept my distance. In this photo, she lifted her head to watch a vehicle drive behind me. Frightened by the noise of a bouncing utility trailer it was pulling, she and her cub scurried into the forest. Although I was disappointed that my photo session came to an abrupt end, I knew that this (my last photo) was going to be a keeper! Yay! I felt VERY fortunate by this opportunity. It's now a great memory and I’m thrilled to add it to my photography portfolio and here on my website.
"Bison Country" Elk Island National Park in Alberta is most known for its acres of roaming bison and elk, birds and ponds. While touring the park, I came across a group of bison; I enthusiastically followed and watched them for quite some time. At one point, I chuckled when I saw them roll playfully around in patches of well worn dirt (the patches had obviously been used many times). That said, unfortunately I didn't get a great shot of the humorous behavior but I'll know to watch and be prepared for it next time. I equate photographing this bison to taking a photo of a black dog in that their black fur, dark eyes and shaded crevices require good lighting illuminate and see their features. Just like the studio portraits I've done, I always look for defining highlights, soft frontal lighting and that sparkle in the eyes.
