The morning shadows are long this time of year. Frost is a frequent visitor, often taking hours to dissipate, especially in areas that are shaded. The tone of the natural light also takes on a different feel, creating landscapes that are distinctly Canadian and distinctly winter. People are often amazed to learn that we hardly get any snow here on Vancouver Island even though we are part of Canada. Even with that being said, many a day we find cold landscapes and vignettes that show the true character of this island we love so much. Today we are going to explore a wonderful red barn that faces the rising sun as if it reaches out to greet the morning and herald in a brand new day.
Red Barn – Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
The shadows creep along the field’s floor, reaching out towards the wonderful red barn that adds a dash of color to the frigid vista. This farm is well-known to folks familiar with the Cowichan Valley area, presenting itself as you come around a gentle bend on the highway. In the far distance we see a tree covered hill speckled in the last vestiges of frost from the cold night. In a few hours, it would all be gone. Why are we drawn to scenes like this? Are they connections to our past, to simpler times, that we all yearn for? It’s easy to romanticize pastoral settings like this one, longing for a time when technology didn’t exist let alone run our lives. These days scenes like this are so easily overlooked as we all whiz by at breakneck speed with our heads down checking out the latest text message or email from a friend.
A closer look at the Red Barn – Red Barn – Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
A closer look reveals a waft of smoke from a fireplace in the area, just behind the roofline of the barn. Details present themselves that speak of a hard life on a farm. In our modern times competition and big agricultural business are dominant forces, making it much harder to make a living with this lifestyle than it did even just 50 years ago. We often wonder if one day this way of life will disappear forever.
In this day and age it’s so easy to overlook the obvious, to not see things that are right in front of our very own eyes. Perhaps this is why so many of us yearn for connections to our heritage, almost as if hanging onto these memories by a thread will bring them back to life.
What do you see in the old barn in the field?
Photo Credits
Photos are © Scott Johnson – All Rights Reserved
Originally published at Toad Hollow Photography
Guest Author Bio
Scott Johnson
Inspired by both my mother’s vision and my father’s technical and photographic aptitude, when they passed away I was motivated to share the charm of Vancouver Island with others through my photography. As I developed my own personal style, I quickly came to realize the limitations of modern SLR photography and spent a year studying High Dynamic Range (HDR) processing techniques. These techniques allow the finer details to be seen that would otherwise be lost in the shadows. The result is an image that best reflects exactly what I see when taking the picture.
We are located in the scenic Cowichan Valley, and are actively involved in both our local and artistic communities. We are proud to work together with various individuals and organizations to bring awareness to many relevant issues. We are a regular contributing author to LightStalking, a prominent on-line publication, and have been featured in Shutterbug magazine, in addition to hosting a popular photoblog. We focus on local architecture, land and seascapes, historical sites and artifacts, and various other sorts of sundries uniquely Vancouver Island.
Read Scott’s full Artist Statement
Connect With Scott: My Personal Blog | Scott’s Gallery | On Flickr | On StumbleUpon
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