2010 Olympic Torch Relay

2nd (or 3rd?) olympic torch bearer on fraser highway

     Had the opportunity today to photograph the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay in Aldergrove, BC.. There hasn’t been a torch relay through here since the 1988 Calgary Olympics and I don’t remember all that much about the brief glimpse I saw of them running by in the dark 22 years ago. However, I had the perfect lens for this and Aldergrove is not one of the centres where I expected a ton of people to show up. I also studied the route map so that I could get in and out fairly quickly – and even catch the torch twice on its Aldergrove journey.

Initially I had picked a spot along the route that apparently was well before the actual start point. This resulted in some quick running down the street as all the official torch relay trucks/support vehicles sailed on by. This did allow me to watch the torch being lit for this leg of its journey, however.

crowding the torch bearer salute the olympic torch relay corporate overlords!

First Torch Bearer: Coleen Christie

first olympic torch bearer before torch lighting first olympic torch bearer before torch lighting first olympic torch bearer before torch lighting

The torch is not run throughout the whole route – it gets a ride in one of the support motorhomes. In the photos below you can see the small thermos sized lantern that carries the flame the rest of the time.

lighting the olympic torch lighting the olympic torch lighting the olympic torch

lighting the olympic torch lighting the olympic torch lighting the olympic torch

aldergrove olympic torch run begins aldergrove olympic torch run begins

At this point I was able to turn and run through an apartment complex parking lot to Fraser Highway where the torch came around the corner and passed me again.

The highway was lined with a lot of people wearing red, and school children in red ponchos. I have no idea what this guy was wearing but it looked interesting.

no I dont know what this g

This time we have a new Torch Bearer – Keary Bott.

3rd olympic torch bearer on fraser highway 3rd olympic torch bearer on fraser highway 3rd olympic torch bearer on fraser highway

3rd olympic torch bearer on fraser highway 3rd olympic torch bearer on fraser highway

The torch was followed by a school group with flags of the participating countries.

school parade of olympic country flags school parade of olympic country flags

school parade of olympic country flags olympic torch relay crowds

Further down the route towards 272nd Street there was a stage setup. Im glad I was able to avoid these crowds – I had enough issues with heads in the way when there were only dozens of people around the torch!

olympic torch relay crowds

North Vancouver Sulphur

North Vancouver Sulphur. 3 exposures stitched, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro

In a way it looks like a roller coaster that dumps you into the inlet right after you go over the piles…

Click for larger version…
mt baker from artist point

Bagley Lakes & Tabletop Mountain

Bagley Lakes and Austin Pass Lake (right) near the Bagley Lakes trail at the Mt. Baker Ski area. Tabletop Mountain is on the left in the first image.

Wildflower below is Tolmie’s Saxifrage ( Saxifraga tolmiei ).

tabletop mountain austin pass lakes tolmies Saxifrage saxifraga tolmiei

bagley lakes

Vancouver Pt. 2!

A few more from downtown Vancouver at night.

deadman island in coal harbour vancouver vancouver new convention center

Not entirely happy with the traffic shot on the Lions Gate Bridge. Version I did many years ago (on film no less) had a much nicer outcome (especially when printed). There was just very little traffic after midnight. I guess in order to get a lot of traffic you’d have to be there earlier in the evening, and in order for it to be dark then, it would have to be winter. So in short, good Lions Gate Bridge shots = freezing your face off.

lions gate bridge lions gate bridge

Mt. Shuksan & Mt. Baker Artist Point 360° Panorama

1. 31 exposures stitched, Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 USM @ 20mm

Major mountains I can ID in this photo: American Border Peak, Mt. Larabee, Winchester Mountain, Goat Mountain, Mt. Sefrit, Mt. Shuksan, Shuksan Arm, Mt. Baker, Tabletop Mountain

Click for larger version… (may take a bit to load – this one is big)
mt baker from artist point

2. Another version of the same panorama. This one is cropped to 1) include less of the “superfluous” scenery and 2) to preserve the potential idea that I hiked my ass off to get up there by cropping out the parking lot!

mt baker from artist point

Vancouver Pt. 1

I have to make more trips to downtown Vancouver at night. Here are a few from August, 2009. First we have downtown Vancouver at Coal Harbour, HMCS Discovery on Deadman Island and Yachts in the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club

downtown vancouver and coal harbour hmcs discovery - deadman island

warp speed vancouver coal harbour boats

hmcs discovery - deadman island coal harbour boats

Artist Point

A few more from Artist Point in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

mt baker from artist point american border peak

road to artist point mt shuksan from artist point

mt shuksan from artist point rocks artist point

Picture Lake

I have taken a lot of pictures of Mt. Shuksan at Picture Lake near Mt. Baker. I am still looking for that shot that tells me I don’t have to keep shooting it. Now that I have my foot in the door on a real neutral grad, I expect my shots will get better and I won’t have to try to apply a fake ND in post. One more tool in my bag that makes me think about retaking shots I’ve taken many times already.

mt. shuksan at picture lake mt. shuksan at picture lake

mt. shuksan at picture lake

American Border Peak

Shot of American Border Peak from the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest.

american border peak

Mt. Baker Sunset

Headed out onto Sumas Prairie today to try to get some sunset shots of Mt. Baker. I didn’t get exactly what I’d planned, but this turned out rather nice regardless.

Mt. Baker. 6 exposures stitched, Canon EF 7-200mm f/4 L USM

Click for larger version…
mt baker from artist point

Harrison Lake

Harrison Lake at Green Point Beach.

harrison lake

Belcarra Regional Park

A bit of rain between me and the clouds so its a bit grainy but for a cold foggy and rainy day that seems appropriate. This was taken from Barnet Marine Park but these hills are actually in Belcarra Regional Park

belcarra regional park

Cupid’s Dart

Cupid’s Dart aka Catananche caerulea from the backyard.

cupids dart catananche caerulea cupids dart catananche caerulea

cupids dart catananche caerulea

Mt. Baker from Artist Point

In August I travelled further up the road from Picture Lake at the Mt. Baker Ski area for the first time. Artist Point is just a few minutes away from Picture lake yet I had never been there. Unfortunately, the road closed in late September for the season and I won’t be able to return until June or July when the road reopens.

Artist Point in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. 7 exposures stitched, Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8

Click for larger version…

mt baker from artist point

Backyard Lilies

Unknown white Lily from the backyard

backyard lily backyard lily

backyard lily backyard lily

Daylily “Summer wine” Hemerocallis sp.

daylily summer wine hemerocallis daylily summer wine hemerocallis

daylily summer wine hemerocallis