Autumn On Burnt Island Lake - 30" x 40"

This beautiful lake in Algonquin Park has many scenic bays that reflect a blaze of colours in the late days of September. As a result of the logging of the late 1800's, this and other lakes' water levels were and still are controlled by outlet dams. It also resulted in countless submerged logs and remnant stumps, some of which are exposed every autumn when a handful of the lakes are lowered, to prevent damaging spring floods.

I came across this scene while exploring with my camera and tripod. My eye was instantly drawn to the range of colours, most notably the contrast of the warm yellows of the driftwood against the cool blues of the water, and the repetition of this pattern with the far trees and the sky. The bonus was the magic of the movement of the driftwood's shadow across the sand and up on to the rocks. The darkness of the shadow also served as a visual device, amplifying the intensity of the colours.

Finally, the visual strength of the driftwood seemed to call out to me, like a sculpture trying to tell a story. Even though this lake has probably not seen a logger in over a hundred years, the story remains to be told, if one will only stop to listen and to observe.