Anyone who has been to Barrie has likely seen The Spirit Catcher. It towers above the Western end of Kempenfelt Bay on Lake Simcoe. What a sight to behold in it’s iron glory.
Sunrises and sunsets have been captured with this structure maintaining the foreground, with the glowing sun showing the outline.
The majority of photos of the Spirit Catcher are seen either up close or with the water or city as the backdrop, showcasing it with the surroundings and a view from the ground. What can I do that is different? Where can I capture it from a unique angle?
It was pandemic time and traffic was at a minimum. A few cars here and there, but not the usual volume that is generally everywhere.
My daughter and I were driving along a usually busy street higher above the lakeshore, when she calmly said “Have you seen the Spirit Catcher from here?”. What? What do you mean? Of course, we had already passed the view down the street.
Two days later, I was on a mission to find that view!
Winter driving in Canada brings about slippery roads. December of 2020 qualified for that!
Often when I’m out taking photos, I travel alone. Nighttime is generally the only time I coerce a companion to come along. It can be a teeny bit boring for whoever doesn’t have a camera, so that’s often a hard sell. Playing the safety card brings on the volunteers.
This crisp morning was a solo day, and for some reason I anticipated no issues at all. Pondering the view down the road that was now in front of me and then capturing it in epic fashion was already playing in my head.
As always, the reality of my surroundings seeps into my psyche and I am keenly aware of the sights and sounds. I had parked my truck and was about to stand in the middle of the road with my camera and tripod. In the winter. On a hill. With snow. At the comer of a usually busy road.
Yeesh.
Well, I was on my own here, and I had to make the very best of it. Safety first. At least the consideration of safety first.
A car came around the corner behind me, and the reality of that possibility was staring right at me. I should’ve had a spotter!
I looked down the hill and there were very few cars along the road and in the lot below the Spirit Catcher. This might be my best opportunity.
The camera settings needed to be ready before I set up in the road, since taking that time when shooting wasn’t realistic.
After a look all around me, I made my move. Middle of the road, place the tripod and kick the legs out, level the camera, and ready! Another look around before hitting the shutter.
Carrrrrrr!
That’s a popular term in Canada when playing street hockey. It means “Game off! Get outta the way. Now.”
As the car made its way down the hill, I positioned myself once again and waited (mostly) patiently for the car to turn on one of the streets between here and the bottom. A turn signal! First street! Hurry up now! As the last of the car was visible, I put my finger on the remote release. I immediately hit the shutter when the car disappeared. And once again for good luck.
I quickly grabbed my equipment and scurried off to the side of the road as yet another car turned the corner towards me. What’s with all the cars??!!
I had to look and see what I’d captured. As I peered at the viewfinder, all the elements of the photo came into view. It was in focus and with the proper exposure. Perfect.
As I packed my camera and tripod, placing them in the truck, I began to ponder the possibilities. It was then that I decided that black and white would give this scene just the right winter feel and take away any distractions from the star of the show.
Enjoy this quiet version of Barrie's Spirit Catcher with a slight painterly look. The different elements of the city are visible if you look around and study all that is captured. Not everyone has seen the iconic structure this way!
