Spring has sprung...
And with it the week by week symphony of changing colour and texture.

The new leaves are just budding along Lynn Creek.
Bronica ETRS, 150mm F3.5 Lens, Fuji Provia 100 film

"From dust to dust,
Go all living things..."
Here, a dead cedar tree laying on it's side becomes the food for new growing things,
the ultimate recycling program...

Capilano Canyon, North Vancouver
Bronica ETRS, 100mm F3.5 lens, Fuji Provia 100 film

I believe black and white works for this image of a dead tree as the fungi take over.
"From dust we are born and to dust we return"

Bronica ETRS, 100mm F3.5, Ifford Delta 100 film

In my recent wanderings in the forests on both sides of Lynn Creek in North Vancouver, I often switch from black and white to colour for similar images. Because our brains see in colour, it seems the obvious choice especially considering the riot of shades of green, blues and earth tones which fill the forest. Black and white, however, is simply light, dark and the shades in between. Instead of responding to colour sensations and combinations, I find this limitation forces my eye to seek out abstractions, details,  patterns and simplicity in form, line and light.
With the advent of digital technology, we can fairly easily convert colour files to black and white ones, however I still find nothing quite resonates like the tonal range in black and white film especially in the larger sizes.
Here are two images where I switched film backs for the same image...

I know this is old technology now, but 20 + years ago this was pretty amazing to be able to carry 3 different film types in separate backs and switch mid roll depending on what image you were after.
Bronica ETRS, 75mm F2.8 lens, Fuji Provia 100 and Ilford Delta 100 film.

A couple of weeks ago we had one of those special days,
It had rained for days, (a typical North Vancouver spring),
Then early one morning the sun came out...

This is Lynn Canyon again. I hosted a 'last minute meet up' for several members of 'Vancouver Photo Walks' who braved the potential of rain and experienced this instead,
a magical day...
Bronica ETRS, 75mm and 150mm lenses, HP5 400 film

And it is one of my favorite places,
because every visit feels like a first visit...
as the forest and canyon seem to reveal a new face,
and new personality each time...

Bronica ETRS, 75mm F2.8 lens, HP5 400 film

Spring has come, growing things and pollen fill the air...

And with fellow photo walkers,
we have had several photo wanders through Lynn Canyon,
one of my favorite places...

Bronica ETRS, 100mm F3.5 macro lens, Fuji Provia F, 100 film

Lynne thinking...
Which she does,
a lot.
And,
She has a bright idea...
Hmm......

Kelowna, British Columbia.
Nikon F2,  85mm F2.0 Nikkor lens, Kodak Tmax 400 film

Allen's hands...
Once a client, now a friend,
and fellow world explorer...

Panasonic GF1, 20mm F1.7 lens.