Calgary Through the Seasons
 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/1...48bc5119_b.jpg
DSC_1024 by eibbor7, on Flickr

I’ve been wanting to do a photo thread for a while. I’m somewhat of a newcomer to photography, and have been spending the last 1.5 years or so honing my skills. For the gear nerds out there: Most of these photos were taken with a Nikon D7000, a few with a D3100, a variety of lenses (35mm, 16-85mm, 18-55mm, 55-200mm) and a few more with an iPhone 4S. Everything has been edited in Lightroom 5.

My goal with this set is basically to showcase Calgary throughout the year. Most of the photos were taken in 2013, but a few in 2012. Calgary has the potential to be a truly beautiful city, but it can also be pretty bleak (ie. when the weather sucks). I’ve tried my best to find some beauty in everything, while keeping it fairly honest.

Enough blabbing. Here are my photos. Hopefully they’re worthy of this forum and do my city justice!

Autumn

Yep, I only have three fall photos of the city. And one of them is of a train station. Why? Autumn here is bloody short, and I was apparently too busy doing other things to realize I should take more photos.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3673/1...bb08a934_b.jpg
DSC_0001 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/1...b00559b0_b.jpg
DSC_1286 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3771/1...ff75095a_b.jpg
DSC_1270 by eibbor7, on Flickr


Winter

It’s not a secret that Calgary can be a rather cold place. Personally, I can’t stand it. But, there’s one thing photography has done for me: It’s allowed me to see the beauty in damn near anything. So, hopefully I’ve managed to extract said beauty, without chilling you to your core.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/1...797aaab1_b.jpg
DSC_1494 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7401/1...9054dddb_b.jpg
DSC_0113 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3801/1...2a16c74a_b.jpg
DSC_1433 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Obligatory photo of the Bow.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7423/1...f70a823c_b.jpg
DSC_1496 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5532/1...9eca90dc_b.jpg
DSC_1480 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/1...92e768ed_b.jpg
DSC_1447 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5531/1...0e8a8966_b.jpg
DSC_1498 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3782/1...61b08d9c_b.jpg
DSC_1487 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Obligatory Peace Bridge Photo

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7326/1...d592c5d5_b.jpg
DSC_1489 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Obligatory Photo Down the Centre of the Peace Bridge

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/1...29812802_b.jpg
Calgary Skyline Winter HDR by eibbor7, on Flickr
My first attempt at an HDR photo. Hopefully I didn’t go overboard.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7389/1...8a76c6a0_b.jpg
DSC_1459 by eibbor7, on Flickr
A suburban winter view.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/1...85972a07_b.jpg
DSC_1484 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/1...f6fe039a_b.jpg
DSC_1423 by eibbor7, on Flickr
The Calgary Tower on the Eve of Remembrance Day - All Instagram-ish

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/1...1cff259b_b.jpg
DSC_1368 by eibbor7, on Flickr
The mountains as seen from my upstairs window. I love how arguably the best photo I’ve taken required quite possibly the least amount effort.

That Weird Mess of a Season that Exists Between Winter and Spring

The title says it all. Thanks to the Chinook winds here, the earlier months of the year are kind of a mess. The weather changes back and forth from full-on winter to some weird kind of spring over and over again. This section is leaning more towards the latter, but you can bet that I was fairly cold taking a few of these photos.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/1...da01a711_b.jpg
DSC_0371 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2888/1...b71d5369_b.jpg
DSC_0401 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3695/1...4ce24309_b.jpg
DSC_0719 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Parking garages can be pretty great. This view will be gone in the next year or two, as Brookfield Place, our new tallest at 247m rises.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3811/1...2dff7224_b.jpg
DSC_0782 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5539/1...21fb63a3_b.jpg
DSC_0786 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5497/1...1284ea5e_b.jpg
DSC_0868 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3833/1...397cbbe9_b.jpg
DSC_0114 by eibbor7, on Flickr


Summer

This is the biggest section, which is hardly honest. But, can you blame me? I’m generally more inclined to take photos when it’s nice out.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7332/1...4ec7b073_b.jpg
DSC_0431 by eibbor7, on Flickr
As many of you must know, Calgary experienced one hell of a flood this year. I have exactly zero photos of it. I opted to stay on much higher ground (ie. at home) during the worst of it. Instead, here’s a photo of the river as it flows through Prince’s Island Park in downtown Calgary, just a month and a bit before the big flood. Quite the contrast, no?

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3695/1...9810a377_b.jpg
IMG_0489 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/1...094c3b7b_b.jpg
IMG_0495 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5472/1...32dde75a_b.jpg
DSC_7189 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Obligatory Bay Photo

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7385/1...4c2fb841_b.jpg
DSC_7266 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Car2Go Cars - They seem to be doing pretty well!

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/1...24b9f115_b.jpg
DSC_9792 by eibbor7, on Flickr
While we’re in an alternative transportation mood, here’s a new bike lane!

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2891/1...d12ebc1f_b.jpg
IMG_0080 by eibbor7, on Flickr
And our first underground train station!

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7390/1...36e1d3c3_b.jpg
IMG_0087 by eibbor7, on Flickr
And our first elevated train station!

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7416/1...724bb3b0_b.jpg
DSC_7673 by eibbor7, on Flickr
The view from a different parking garage.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2892/1...c598f11a_b.jpg
DSC_8196 by eibbor7, on Flickr
A Gosling (not Ryan)!

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3811/1...d59b0cdc_b.jpg
DSC_0258 by eibbor7, on Flickr
The suburbs can still provide some pretty great views of the city. Nose Hill Park in the foreground.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5479/1...44837ab0_b.jpg
DSC_8534 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Another!

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2888/1...a87a7e2d_b.jpg
DSC_8550 by eibbor7, on Flickr
And another!

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5479/1...b4e47641_b.jpg
DSC_8825 by eibbor7, on Flickr
There was some crazy lightning going on for a good half hour, visible from my front door. It was far enough away that it was dead silent, but the sky was still doing some crazy things. In my pyjamas, I ran outside and balanced my camera on top of a nearby mailbox to catch some long exposures. Annoyingly, this is the best one. Pardon the lens flare. I’m not J.J. Abrams.

During the warmest of the summer months, I spent several lunch hours walking around and taking photos of people and such.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/1...c4c05c59_b.jpg
DSC_9831 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5477/1...ed05c1ca_b.jpg
DSC_9843 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2830/1...468ce97c_b.jpg
DSC_9848 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7412/1...7663401f_b.jpg
DSC_9851 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7306/1...6a3bc861_b.jpg
DSC_9861 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5543/1...4ab98ac3_b.jpg
DSC_9866 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2818/1...7da94328_b.jpg
DSC_9929 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7400/1...ac0f0d93_b.jpg
DSC_0997 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5540/1...c5ff1952_b.jpg
DSC_1036 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7291/1...e32ce7f9_b.jpg
DSC_1008 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5483/1...61dd36c5_b.jpg
DSC_0339 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3802/1...397184bf_b.jpg
DSC_0254 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2817/1...a398e6ba_b.jpg
DSC_0117 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2887/1...d45dec9a_b.jpg
DSC_0379 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7323/1...ee16f31d_b.jpg
DSC_9939 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3733/1...f16c608a_b.jpg
DSC_0164 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2826/1...f7027d05_b.jpg
DSC_0784 by eibbor7, on Flickr

I also spent a fair bit of time looking up.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3668/1...bd45e0d3_b.jpg
DSC_0087 by eibbor7, on Flickr
The Bow, again.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7314/1...0b09b897_b.jpg
DSC_0094 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Eighth Avenue Place

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2879/1...b73622d7_b.jpg
DSC_0098 by eibbor7, on Flickr
One of the Keynote Condo Towers

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5511/1...384576e0_b.jpg
DSC_0172 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Eighth Avenue Place, again.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/1...9ff11b12_b.jpg
DSC_0180 by eibbor7, on Flickr
And again.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7326/1...60ca3aaf_b.jpg
DSC_0197 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Canterra Tower and Centennial Place

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3819/1...a15a324a_b.jpg
DSC_9937 by eibbor7, on Flickr
Hotel Le Germaine

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2816/1...1b4de1c5_b.jpg
DSC_9854 by eibbor7, on Flickr
The Bow… again…

I’m quite a fan of Calgary’s skyline. So, here it is a few more times… from very similar vantage points:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7431/1...1f34183e_b.jpg
DSC_0817 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/1...48bc5119_b.jpg
DSC_1024 by eibbor7, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5524/1...b1af7563_b.jpg
DSC_0309 by eibbor7, on Flickr

There you have it. I hope you enjoyed it! Comments and criticism are most welcome!

I love that photo of the Family of man sculpture with the moon.

Excellent photo tour!

Really nice images!

Great photo tour.
Best photo of Keynote I've ever seen, really cool.:tup:

Great photography floobie...need to add you to my Flickr list!

Wicked photo set! Great job! We have a wonderfully photogenic city! Thank you for sharing!

Phenomenal!

Spectacular phototour along all the seasons in Calgary! I´ve enjoyed a lot seeing your beautiful shots.

Calgary is a very nice city, I really like it, and I´d like to visit it. I´d love to experience a winter there, because I like true winters.

You did a great job! Thanks a lot for all your pictures, floobie.

Congrats and greetings from Madrid, Spain.:cheers:

Great set! Calgary is looking good!!

Great set! I also loved the Keynote photo showing how jagged it really is..

Ahh...Beauty eh? Love the shot of the girl on a suburban hill walking toward the skyline.

I have (almost) literally the exact same EAP photo as you.

http://i.imgur.com/nlAiUCj.jpg

Edit: if I could just offer one critique. When using HDr, the moment you start to notice highlighting around darker shapes (like buildings), stop.

That first photo makes Calgary look like a beast. Nice photos.

I just blew up your Flickr. This stuff is that good.

Fantastic work!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26492559@N03/10996889953/ <-- Wow!

Calgary has some meat on it's bones. Nice skyline and contrast between single family homes and skyscrapers.

Great pics! Thanks for posting!

For real though, really great shots in your sets. Well done.

Thanks to all of you for your words of encouragement! It really means a lot!

There are still editing errors that bother me in some of them, but I decided I should stop stalling and just post the damn things so I can move forward.

Really good photos! And interesting! :)

Funny that I just did thread about my city in the nearly same manner - one city portrayed through different seasons of the year.

Wow. Stunning work. I love the downtown "glamour shots" but the pics capturing street life (and wildlife) are terrific too. Well done. :cheers: