Have you ever been or traveled somewhere in your life that turns out to be completely not what you had expected it to be? Saskatchewan was that for me! From it’s naturally friendly people, magnificent skies, seas of durum wheat, canola and pulses to it’s old elevators, farms buildings and communities that have weathered the passing of prairie seasons which are all bound together by well maintained highways. It completely caught me by surprise! For me, Saskatchewan is a landscape photographers’ prairie paradise!
I was fortunate enough to have attended a family wedding, during which we met and reconnected with relatives who hosted us with open arms. They were happy to lead me to locations to capture to what I believe are images of just what Saskatchewan really is. I really hope that the images I have been fortunate enough to capture, have done them, and Saskatchewan justice. Those of you who read this blog who are from Saskatchewan or have spent time there please let me know if I have succeeded in the comments below. I would be happy to hear from you. I think more trips will be needed to fully appreciate and capture the magnificent beauty and soul of Saskatchewan.
We drove from Calgary following highway 9 through Drumheller, through to Kindersley (now highway 7) to Saskatoon. Saskatoon is a great place to visit and an obvious major business center in Saskatchewan. Featuring a magnificent park-lined waterfront, with the historic Bessborough, and even a farmer’s market on the weekends a relaxing stroll along the river pathway on a warm summer’s day can’t be beat. As many of you know I’m on a passionate quest/mission/obsession/possession to capture images of as many old and abandoned places (like barns, elevators, farmsteads, etc.) that I can and the historic buildings and numerous bridges that Saskatoon offers makes it irresistible for a photographer like me. If you know of or have a place for me to check out please, please email me and let me know.
I actually had a wonderful opportunity to spent time at the cottage of one of our relatives at Emma Lake. Emma Lake borders Blue Heron Provincial Park and Prince Albert National Park. Spending time there was a real treat for me as I have not spent time at a cottage since I was 12 years old! In addition to trying to capture images, our gracious relatives made us feel welcomed and for the first time in a very long time, I felt completely relaxed and in touch with the nature that surrounded us. I know it may sound strange to many of you but I think I understand now (this late in my life unfortunately), why people who have cottages or places like them can’t wait to return to them. Maybe one day I will be fortunate enough to have that experience of spending time in a cabin once again. If you get the opportunity to go to Prince Albert National Park I highly recommend it.
All of my galleries have been updated with images from this wonderful place. I ended up taking over 1700 images that week. Many have not been included on my website but I hope you’ll find that the ones that I have selected to include in my galleries have captured a least a bit of what Saskatchewan is. Thank you for reading this post and if you have comments let me know. The featured image for this blog post was taken from under the Broadway bridge in Saskatoon. In this image, you can see the South Saskatchewan River and the iconic Bessborough Hotel on the it’s banks.
