Lone Paddler

Living in The Beach area of Toronto, I sometimes wake early and head down to shoot the sunrise. Often it’s hard to tell what the colours and clouds will be like until just before dawn so it’s not unusual to find that, while the sunrise initially looked promising, clouds quickly roll in.

This day was exactly like that - a promising start but then clouds and showers moved in. I was packing up and ready to admit that it wasn't a morning for a memorable image when I saw a lone paddler heading towards me - in the rain and what was now a lovely blue dawn.

Like so many photographic opportunities, the conditions and actions of subjects are not often within our control. I hoped the paddler wouldn't call it quits and head back to the beach given the rainy weather.

As it turned out - the paddler kept paddling and the soft rain helped to create the peace and serenity of this scene. This lone figure on the vast expanse of Lake Ontario was a wonderful start to the day after all.

Click here to discover more nature photography from Canadian visual artist Christine Lundvall.