Shoal Point

Here's another archival shot from January 2010. This was my early exploration of long time exposures - this one was a 30 second exposure in the pre-dawn darkness. At the time I was quite pleased with the result and now, from a distance of 7 years, I still like this photo.

From Songhees Point - 2

Yesterday's post was a photo looking eastwards from Songhees Point. Above is the view looking westwards. The large building is the Shoal Point Condominium complex.

In the Mist

These foggy, misty shots continue to interest me - what I like about this one is the diminishing contrast as the eye moves from the foreground to the background and the way the Shoal Point Condominium seems to float or hover in the background.

Winter Morning

Though it seems to me that Victoria's winter has been wetter than usual this year it has been quite mild with the temperature hovering around freezing - sometimes above and sometimes just below. When I took this photo, however, we had just had a hard freeze.

Gray Dawn

I went out this morning before dawn hoping to capture one of those warm orange sunrises over the Inner Harbour. No such luck. Lots of damp, gray days lately and this morning was no exception. Oh well this is a dramatic view even under these glowering clouds.

Shoal Point Revisited

Here's a view we've seen before, in part because it is very close to where my street meets the shoreline, but also because I like it. It often ends up as the "test" shot when I want a sunrise picture because I find it difficult to get out of the house when it is still dark. Consequently, the earliest sunrise pictures I have are almost all taken from this spot. What I was particularly interested in here was how multiple polarized filters (2) affected the dawn colors.

Pre-Dawn

I'm not actually getting up any earlier. It's mostly that dawn comes later and later these days. This view, which we have seen in various moods before, is so commonly featured here because the street where I live meets the ocean at this point. One of the blessings of Victoria is that one is never very far from the ocean.

Vic West Sunrise II

Here's another shot from my recent foray out at sunrise. It's taken from almost exactly the same spot as this one, but looking a little bit more towards the east.

Vic West Sunrise

Once again, while the rest of you were still drooling into your duvets I was early-birding it before sunrise to bring you this morning's fresh photos. Actually, the doctor has ordered more exercise so I went for a walk early to get it over with and discovered all sorts of lovely things I have not shown you before. This sculpture is part of a beach installation by Rich Rico. That's the Shoal Point condominium in the background there, with Fisherman's Wharf just to the left of it. Below is a video of Rich Rico that shows a bit more of his beach creation.

Dawn II

Yesterday's photo was taken from Songhees Point, one end of the Westsong Walkway, the other end of which is Westbay Marina in Esquimalt. Today's photo was taken from the same place at the same time but facing more westerly towards the houseboats and fishing boats of Fisherman's Wharf. That's the Shoal Point Condominium in the background.

Shoal Point at Sunrise

Here's another shot taken yesterday early in the morning. This is a 30 second exposure.

More Westsong Walkway

Rainy, gray days lately so I've been catching up on housework and looking a little more closely at photos I've taken over the last few weeks. This is one from a short stroll I took down the Westsong Walkway, which provides a different beautiful view with nearly every step.

Shoal Point Condominium

I've posted other photos of the Shoal Point Condominium in the past but usually as it is seen from the Inner Harbor. Here's what it looks like from the other side. This is one of those buildings that people either love or hate. I wish all our condominiums had so much eye appeal.

Westsong Walkway Revisited

We finally arrived at summer this last week, with genuinely hot and sunny days. Here's another favorite view of mine, taken from above the Westsong Walkway looking across the harbor towards Shoal Point. I've posted photos taken from this spot before but I like this one particularly because it has one of those lovely great cruise ships in it, visible at its Ogden Point berth. You can also see a whale-watching excursion boat (small and yellow) in the right center of the photo, another characteristic of summer in Victoria.

Shoal Point Decorative Motifs

One of the things I like about old buildings is that often they have details whose only purpose is to delight the eye. Modern buildings are generally well finished but lack those decorative little grace notes on the corners and edges. The condominium development at Shoal Point in James Bay is a fine exception to this as can be seen in this selection of images from the decorative cement work there.

This condo is directly across the harbour from where I live so it has inevitably appeared in some other postings, here and here. If you want to live in Shoal Point you must be pretty well-heeled. There is currently a one bedroom for sale at $479,000. (Actually not as expensive as I had imagined.)

Not everybody likes this building. Click here for a another point of view.

Shoal Point

After looking at some recent photos here a commenter asked if the sun ever shines in Victoria. January has been a very gray and cloudy month but the sun has come out a few times and given us some glorious sunsets.