It’s been a minute.

Quite the summer in the eastern slopes.

What started out as a normal spring and summer quickly turned on it’s head as one of my favourite places succumbed to what everyone knew was around the corner and inevitable.

Jasper burned.

The park burned.

The town burned.

Fire crews from all over responded to fight and save the town. I have never seen so many first responders filling up hotels and entire side streets. The smoke was thick and relentless, at one time completely blocking the sun. It was as dark as midnight. It rained ash.

After the Jasper fire became out of control the helicopter activity was daily. Out of respect I choose not to fly my drone when fires are active, even if they are long ways off. Other events this summer put my photography pretty much to a halt. The park was closed understandably for the whole summer to the public and I lost the motivation to get out there even though for me photography is just a bonus to what I enjoy doing most, being out in nature.

I’m hoping through the winter to upgrade some equipment. See if I can continue to improve this craft. I know it’s not the gear that makes good photos but 30 year old lenses and 12 year old camera bodies have their limitations.

Throughout this wild and difficult summer I have come into the possession of a 70 year old camera. A voigtlander vito. Holding this camera makes me wonder what the lens has seen and the places it’s travelled. I can’t help but think about a traveler seeing new places for the first time. No phone and internet. Just a camera in a leather case and a journal to document the experience.

The camera is completely functional. right down to the mechanical light meter. I plan to take this to places it’s never seen, let it gather light and freeze a moment in time once again. In a world where the constant bombardment of information and instantaneous feedback and results, It will be nice to have moments to slow down and look through this simple lens. Live in the moment.

One click at a time.