The Gathering (Colchester Beach), a photo by photographerpainterprintmaker on Flickr.

Labour Day is two weeks gone, kids are in school,  the beach is deserted, and the air is crisp.  I walked down the beach to get closer to the Canadian Geese. I wanted to get photographs of them in flight. White caps crashed on the shore as the wind played havoc with the lake. I slowly approached the geese… camera ready. Wary of me they waddled down the beach a few honking their displeasure. They finally decided I was too close and took flight out into the lake a few yards away. The waves violently tossed them around, and I became concerned for their safety. What if one drowned because of my desire of a perfect photo? I gave them their space, and they safely returned to shore. I will think twice about disturbing wild life for the perfect shot.

A good part of the morning is always spent discovering the perfect composition. I was very fortunate to find a sheltered area. It was a lovely spot at the edge of the road looking through some trees. Wind and Plein Air painting quite often yields disaster. Many a painter has found hand prints in their work, broken easel’s, or had to chase their paper down the road or even into the lake! Winter is fast approaching. I hope the beautiful fall weather holds out. I love painting in the fall. However, I do hope we have some snow this winter. Winter painting needs snow and in Essex County, the most southern part of Canada, we had very little last year.