Osoyoos Market on Main wraps up 2022 outdoor market season

As I headed off on my journey, it alternated between rain and sunshine. Near Cawston in the Similkameen Valley, a beautiful rainbow appeared. (Richard McGuire photo)

 

The Osoyoos Market on Main 2022 outdoor season is coming to an end this Saturday, Oct. 1.

I’ll be discounting all my photo prints in a season-end sale for this date only.

The market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Town Square, the park next to Osoyoos Town Hall.

This page shows a few of my popular photographs that are available at the market. For a more complete listing, visit my Flickr pages at this link.

To see a virtual gallery of 10 photos, click the thumbnails below and use the arrow keys to navigate:

A vineyard turns to shades of yellow, orange and red in late October north of Osoyoos, B.C. Behind is the north basin of Osoyoos Lake. (308) (Richard McGuire Photo)

An autumn evening in October descends on the town of Osoyoos and Osoyoos Lake. (Richard McGuire photo) (200)

Grape leaves turn colours as some of the red varieties still remain to be picked. (Richard McGuire Photo) (141)

The sun tries to cast a warm glow as storm clouds move in over Kilpoola Lake, west of Osoyoos, B.C., on a November afternoon. (Richard McGuire photo) (90)

As dusk falls, lights come on through the town of Osoyoos and illuminate a fountain by the lake. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The sun emerges from behind a mountain and a wall of clouds on a frosty winter day west of Osoyoos. Filtered by clouds, it almost looks like a full moon. (Richard McGuire Photo)

I spotted this young grizzly bear eating vegetation on the shoulder of the Alaska Highway just east of Haines Junction, Yukon. I watched discretely from my car on the opposite shoulder of the road and the bear saw me, but kept on eating. Only when some people in an RV pulled up a few feet away from it and called to it did it take off into the bush. (Richard McGuire photo)

Vancouver’s Granville Street is lit up in lights. The city’s abundant rain intensifies the colours of the light as it is reflected on the pavement. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Wildfire smoke from a blaze to the north fills the sky at the eastern entrance to Tweedsmuir Provincial Park. This area has seen fires in past years, as evidenced by the burnt bark on dead trees and the abundant fireweed growing below. This pink flower is one of the first to establish after a fire. (Richard McGuire Photo)

 

 

Osoyoos celebrates Cherry Fiesta/Canada Day 2022 – Part 1

A swarm of well-armed kids lets loose with a volley of water on the advancing firefighters in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware, which provided them with barrels of water to reload. (Richard McGuire Photo)

After a gap of two years due to Covid, Cherry Fiesta/Canada Day 2022 celebrations were back in Osoyoos. It seemed there was a pent-up energy waiting to be released, and the weather cooperated.

This was one of my favourite assignments when I worked for the paper between 2012-2018, so it was fun to get out and photograph the action — and a pleasant change from landscape photography.

This gallery is Part 1. The afternoon events will appear later in Part 2. Unfortunately, I was too exhausted to make it to the fireworks, but there’s no shortage of great fireworks photos from other local photographers.

Click on the thumbnails below to see the slide show and use the arrow keys to navigate:

Cherry Fiesta kicks off with the Rotary Club’s pancake breakfast. The Rotarians raise money for community projects. At its peak, the crowd was lined up down the block and onto a side street. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Cherry Fiesta kicks off with the Rotary Club’s pancake breakfast. The Rotarians raise money for community projects. At its peak, the crowd was lined up down the block and onto a side street. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Cherry Fiesta kicks off with the Rotary Club’s pancake breakfast. The Rotarians raise money for community projects. At its peak, the crowd was lined up down the block and onto a side street. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Cherry Fiesta kicks off with the Rotary Club’s pancake breakfast. The Rotarians raise money for community projects. At its peak, the crowd was lined up down the block and onto a side street. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Cherry Fiesta kicks off with the Rotary Club’s pancake breakfast. The Rotarians raise money for community projects. At its peak, the crowd was lined up down the block and onto a side street. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Frances Sologuk, owner of Osoyoos Home Hardware, was busy cutting cake before the parade to offer to people passing by her store. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Representatives of the Royal Canadian Legion handed out mini flags before the parade. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Members of the Indo-Canadian community in the Osoyoos area gave out samosas and bottles of water for Canada Day. Recipients could donate to the South Okanagan General Hospital. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Members of the Indo-Canadian community in the Osoyoos area gave out samosas and bottles of water for Canada Day. Recipients could donate to the South Okanagan General Hospital. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Members of the Indo-Canadian community in the Osoyoos area gave out samosas and bottles of water for Canada Day. Recipients could donate to the South Okanagan General Hospital. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Members of the Indo-Canadian community in the Osoyoos area gave out samosas and bottles of water for Canada Day. Recipients could donate to the South Okanagan General Hospital. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Children load their water weaponry in preparation for battle against the firefighters. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Many people waved small Canada flags, but not this guy, who attached a big one to a fishing pole. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Children load their water weaponry in preparation for battle against the firefighters. (Richard McGuire Photo)

This boy was wearing Canadian flags on his head, back and fan. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A Mexican sombrero adds a touch of spice to a Canada Day outfit. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Wearing costumes and armed with hoses of all sizes, local firefighters advance on the ‘Water Zone’ to face an army of kids of all ages. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Wearing costumes and armed with hoses of all sizes, local firefighters advance on the ‘Water Zone’ to face an army of kids of all ages. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Wearing costumes and armed with hoses of all sizes, local firefighters advance on the ‘Water Zone’ to face an army of kids of all ages. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Wearing costumes and armed with hoses of all sizes, local firefighters advance on the ‘Water Zone’ to face an army of kids of all ages. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Wearing costumes and armed with hoses of all sizes, local firefighters advance on the ‘Water Zone’ to face an army of kids of all ages. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Local firefighters engage in battle with swarms of kids of all ages. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Local firefighters engage in battle with swarms of kids of all ages. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A swarm of well-armed kids lets loose with a volley of water on the advancing firefighters in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware, which provided them with barrels of water to reload. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Firefighters charge at kids with hoses, or pause for a refreshing drink in the water fight at Osoyoos Home Hardware. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Firefighters charge at kids with hoses, or pause for a refreshing drink in the water fight at Osoyoos Home Hardware. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Firefighters and kids engage in pitched battle on Main Street in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Firefighters and kids engage in pitched battle on Main Street in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Firefighters and kids engage in pitched battle on Main Street in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware. (Richard McGuire Photo)

This firefighter brought out heavy artillery to soak anybody not yet wet. (Richard McGuire Photo)

This firefighter brought out heavy artillery to soak anybody not yet wet. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A swarm of well-armed kids lets loose with a volley of water on the advancing firefighters in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware, which provided them with barrels of water to reload. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A swarm of well-armed kids lets loose with a volley of water on the advancing firefighters in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware, which provided them with barrels of water to reload. (Richard McGuire Photo)

As the fire trucks move on, a few firefighters conduct a mop-up operation on kids and spectators. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A swarm of well-armed kids lets loose with a volley of water on the advancing firefighters in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware, which provided them with barrels of water to reload. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A swarm of well-armed kids lets loose with a volley of water on the advancing firefighters in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware, which provided them with barrels of water to reload. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A couple of “cherries” lead off the parade marking 72 years of Cherry Fiesta in Osoyoos. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Representatives of the Royal Canadian Legion, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and pipers lead off the Cherry Fiesta/Canada Day parade on Main Street Osoyoos. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Bagpipes wailed as pipers march in the Cherry Fiesta parade. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff waves at parade watchers as she descends Main Street. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Young women wave from the Osoyoos Festival Society’s float in the Cherry Fiesta parade. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Oliver Ambassadors do their well-rehearsed “royal wave” as they ride down Main Street Osoyoos in the Cherry Fiesta parade. (Richard McGuire Photo)

This Kelowna float features Ogopogo, the aquatic monster of Okanagan Lake. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The firefighters were long gone when a gangster fired water from the Tumbleweed Distillery float. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Osoyoos Desert Society president Lee McFadyen waves at parade watchers. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Members of the Indo-Canadian community wave from a tractor in the Cherry Fiesta parade. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Members of the Osoyoos Lake Paddling Club and Desert Spirit guide a giant dragon down Main Street. (Richard McGuire Photo)

With his trademark hat and handlebar moustache, Clint Hawes rides in the Cherry Fiesta Parade. The MC of the Osoyoos Street Dance says there won’t be a dance this year, but he’s hoping for 2023. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Volunteers with the Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society ride their boat float, releasing giant bubbles. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Rob Tinsley has ridden a 6-ft unicycle for 30 years in Cherry Fiesta parades dressed in clown costume. This year he announced his retirement. Pictured here, he takes a bow as his dedication is acknowledged. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Mickey the Clown marches down Main Street in Osoyoos. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Queen Amrit waves from the Penticton Peachfest float, which promotes the August festival. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Temperatures reached the low 30s — not as hot as some previous Cherry Fiestas — but bottles of water given out from the Kailay float were appreciated by many. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Hundreds of people lined the side of Main Street Osoyoos to watch the Cherry Fiesta/Canada Day parade. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Vince Sam trailed the horses with shovel and wheelbarrow to clean up after them. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Oliver firefighters returned at the end of the parade to soak more parade watchers. (Richard McGuire Photo)

 

 

 

Seasons of Osoyoos, the South Okanagan, Similkameen and Boundary

There was lots of snow at Mount Baldy in mid-October, but it was still autumn, with yellow larches in the valleys below. (Richard McGuire photo) (194)

 

There are few parts of Canada with such a diversity of pronounced seasons than the area surrounding Osoyoos, BC. Winter temperatures sometimes drop to around -20C, although the norm is in the -10C to +10C range. Summers are often in the high 30s, though temperatures climbed to 47C in the summer of 2021.

Most people from elsewhere think of the busy summer season when they think of Osoyoos, but my favourite seasons here are spring and autumn. It’s less crowded, and in spring there are beautiful blossoms in the orchards, and in autumn the orchards and aspens turn golden.

Winters are generally much milder than the Prairies, but the Okanagan Valley is often socked in by clouds, sometimes the result of a thermal inversion. The valley is overcast, or even thick with fog, but you can drive to a higher elevation and blue skies.

I’ve been photographing the ever-changing seasons of Osoyoos, the South Okanagan, the Similkameen and Boundary for almost 10 years. This is a collection of some old favourites and new material on the theme of Seasons. All 38 of these photos are available exclusively through The Art Gallery Osoyoos during the Summer Artisan Market of 2022, although only a smaller subset are displayed on the walls.

Please see the slideshow by clicking the thumbnail images below and using your arrow keys.

You can also see a slideshow on Flickr at full screen without captions, or see the images below with captions.

A bee feeds on nectar in an Okanagan orchard. (Richard McGuire photo) (124)

In April, the orchards of the South Okanagan bloom with the pink blossoms of cherries and other fruits. (© Richard McGuire Photo) (284)

From late April until well into May, a yellow flower blooms on the mountains and grasslands of the South Okanagan. Arrowleaf balsamroot is a native species related to the sunflower. (© Richard McGuire Photo) (280)

The rushing waters of Ashnola River rage down in the May freshet – the time when snowmelt in higher mountains plunges down this creek, swelling its size. The Ashnola is a tributary of the Similkameen River near Keremeos. (© Richard McGuire Photo) (295)

It’s called Blue Lake, but this lake next to Kruger Mountain Road is very green in colour. It is surrounded by flowering bushes. (Richard McGuire Photo) (126)

Kilpoola Lake is a small lake surrounded by grasslands. On a May weekend, a number of people came to fish for rainbow trout, which the lake is stocked with each year. (127)

Yellow balsamroot, a cousin of sunflowers, is abundant in the South Okanagan Grasslands in May. (Richard McGuire Photo) (218)

Osoyoos Lake is calm on a summer evening in a view that shows the Main Street bridge, Hotel Row, the Cottonwood area, Nk’Mip Campground and Spirit Ridge. (© Richard McGuire Photo) (227)

In summer, the population of Osoyoos swells as tourists move in. Through traffic also clogs Main Street, making it hard to find parking spots and harder still to make turns or drive or walk across the street. (Richard McGuire Photo) (250)

Haynes Point (Swiws) stretches out into Osoyoos Lake with vineyards and orchards of the Osoyoos East Bench in the background. (Richard McGuire Photo) (238)

There were some incredibly moody skies Wednesday evening as a storm passed over Osoyoos Lake. We weren’t hit, but we saw rain falling and lightning in the distance. (131)

As I headed off on my journey, it alternated between rain and sunshine. Near Cawston in the Similkameen Valley, a beautiful rainbow appeared. (Richard McGuire photo)

The Similkameen River winds through yellow trees in the autumn of November in the southern B.C. Interior. (144)

An autumn evening in October descends on the town of Osoyoos and Osoyoos Lake. (Richard McGuire photo) (200)

A vineyard turns to shades of yellow, orange and red in late October north of Osoyoos, B.C. Behind is the north basin of Osoyoos Lake. (308) (Richard McGuire Photo)

Grape leaves turn colours as some of the red varieties still remain to be picked. (141)

Fallen leaves lie below the trees in an orchard near Osoyoos. (Richard McGuire photo) (195)

This old house near Anarchist Summit east of Osoyoos probably saw many Thanksgivings over the years before it was abandoned. I’ve photographed it in many seasons, but it looked particularly appealing in the glowing autumn sunlight with yellow aspens behind. (Richard McGuire photo) (193)

Aspens give off a golden glow in the grasslands above Osoyoos on an October afternoon. (Richard McGuire photo) (201)

The sun tries to cast a warm glow as storm clouds move in over Kilpoola Lake, west of Osoyoos, B.C., on a November afternoon. (Richard McGuire photo) (90)

Viewed from Anarchist Lookout, a massive sea of cloud covers the Okanagan Valley and Osoyoos. It’s the result of a thermal inversion in which fog fills the valley, but there is sunshine and blue sky above. The rays from the sun are an artifact of shooting at an aperture of f/14 to obtain a deep depth of field. (Richard McGuire Photo) (318)

Thick fog fills the Okanagan Valley and covers Osoyoos as the result of a thermal inversion. Above, peaks of hills poke through and a bright sunset lights up the scene. (Richard McGuire Photo) (319)

Osoyoos was socked in with a thermal inversion in January 2021, saturating the valley bottom in thick fog while a brilliant sunset scene shone above. Cars descending from Anarchist Summit entered the pea soup just below the Anarchist Lookout. (Richard McGuire Photo) (320)

When the level of Osoyoos Lake is lowered in winter, a long sandspit extends from the end of Haynes Point almost across the lake. (152)

The lines of vineyard rows slice through the snowy rural landscape north of Osoyoos. They tumble down the bank to a frozen Osoyoos Lake. (Richard McGuire Photo) (315)

The Ashnola River surfaces from under a thick bank of snow and ice on a cold day in early January. Icicles form like stalactites of jewels around the edges. (Richard McGuire Photo) (317)

Horses feed on hay next to an abandoned house near Anarchist Summit to the east of Osoyoos, B.C. Snow falls gently at this higher elevation, even though there is no snow in the valley below. (149)

A December dusting of snow covers the old 19th century buildings of Haynes Ranch, just north of Osoyoos, BC. With a semi-arid year-round climate and a relatively mild winter, Osoyoos gets less snow than many parts of Canada. (Richard McGuire Photo) (59)

This old log barn adds a photogenic feature to a country road landscape near Anarchist Summit, east of Osoyoos, B.C. In the distance, clouds rise from the overcast Okanagan Valley, but this area is in sunshine. Fifteen minutes later, this area too was engulfed in a dense fog. (Richard McGuire photo) (162)

An old log barn on Wagon Wheel Rd. sits in a farmed area with many evergreen trees all around. On this late December day, the top edge of a foggy thermal inverson was lit by the afternoon sun. The Okanagan Valley below was covered in clouds and fog. (Richard McGuire Photo) (259)

The sun lowers on a clear afternoon in early January, casting shadows of a tree onto the deep snow in the foreground. The 2021-22 winter was more severe than usual, and there had been several recent snowfalls here along the hiking and biking trail that follows the Okanagan River channel north of Osoyoos towards Oliver. (Richard McGuire Photo) (316)

The fountain by the bridge in Osoyoos has frozen in interesting shapes in the blast of cold weather. When we stopped by on Thursday, there were photographers practically lining up to photograph it in the glistening sun. Those strong north winds were very nippy, even if the thermometer was only down to about minus 3 at the time. (Richard McGuire photo) (204)

It may have one of the warmest average annual temperatures in Canada, but a white Christmas in Osoyoos is quite common. Most of Osoyoos Lake is still open water, but there are large areas that are now frozen, following a recent cold spell. (Richard McGuire photo) (196)

Two people walk on the ice of Osoyoos Lake near open water on New Year’s Eve of 2021-22. Current passing under the Highway 3 bridge keeps the water open and the ducks happy, but it can mean weak ice and danger. The long lens compresses the distance and makes it look like the people were closer to the water than they actually were. (Richard McGuire Photo) (314)

In February in the South Okanagan, sometimes the cloudy skies break up to let in sunlight. Spotted Lake, which is sacred to Okanagan First Nations, is already a magic place. This day was especially magic. (Richard McGuire photo) (207)

A horse took a walk through virgin snow onto a small lake outside Osoyoos. Surrounded by snow-covered ice, the horse teaches about “negative space” in photography.. (Richard McGuire Photo) (321)

 

 

 

Winter in Osoyoos

It was a sunny morning on winter solstice and I photographed Osoyoos from Anarchist Lookout. It’s a view I’ve taken many times, but I liked the light and open water in this telephoto view of the town. (Richard McGuire Photo)

 

I’m not a winter person, and in fact one of the reasons I chose to live in Osoyoos is the winters are relatively short compared to other parts of Canada.

Still, I’ve learned that the best way to get through winter is to embrace it whenever you can. Glorious, sunny days are in the minority between December and February as most days are grey and overcast. When sunny days do occur, as happened on December 21, 2021, the winter solstice, you appreciate them that much more.

I’d just purchased a new lens for landscape photography and this was my first opportunity to try it out, so I visited a few very familiar vantage points providing views of Osoyoos. It was morning, and the light was great. I especially liked that there was a thin layer of snow, but Osoyoos Lake was mostly open.

I’ve also thrown in a nighttime photo I took a few days earlier also taken from Anarchist Lookout under a nearly full moon. The combination of moonlight and snow made the nighttime landscape very visible.

Enjoy.

Click on the thumbnails below to see a slideshow, or scroll down to see the images with descriptions:

 

 

Mist rises from Osoyoos Lake on a cold morning in December looking at Haynes Point (swiws) from Pioneer Walkway. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A light layer of snow covers the vineyards east of Osoyoos on a sunny morning of the winter solstice. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Haynes Point (swiws) is viewed from the Osoyoos east bench on the morning of winter solstice. Very little ice has formed and Osoyoos Lake is mostly open water. With the lake lowered to its winter level, a long sandbar is visible from the end of the point almost to the east shore. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Chopaka and Snowy mountains rise above the Similkameen Valley in the distance in this view of Osoyoos Lake from Anarchist Lookout. About a third from the left is the Canada-U.S. customs building. (Richard McGuire Photo)

It was a sunny morning on winter solstice and I photographed Osoyoos from Anarchist Lookout. It’s a view I’ve taken many times, but I liked the light and open water in this telephoto view of the town. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The landscape around Osoyoos is clear at night, illuminated by a full moon reflected on a recent snowfall. (Richard McGuire Photo)

‘Colours of Autumn’ is theme of my new display at The Art Gallery Osoyoos Christmas Artisan Market

Colourful autumn leaves are collected in a small pool in a Japanese garden in Memorial Park at Hope, BC. This photo was the winner of the Osoyoos Photography Club’s Monthly Photo Challenge on the theme of autumn colours. (313) (Richard McGuire Photo)

 

“Colours of Autumn” is the theme of my new photography display at The Art Gallery Osoyoos Christmas Artisan Market. The market features the work of about 25 local artists and artisans and it runs until December 20, 2021.

The gallery is located at 8713 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC — just up the street from town hall — next to the quail sculpture.

The gallery is now on non-summer hours and is open from noon to 4 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday. On Saturdays when the Market on Main is open at the Legion Hall — November 13, December 4 and December 11 — the Christmas Artisan Market is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition, the market will be open on Sunday, December 19 and Monday, December 20 for those wanting to do some last-chance viewing and shopping. Covid precautions are in effect.

See more about the gallery’s Christmas Artisan Market 2021 at this location.

Colours of Autumn

“Colours of Autumn” is my own show within the Christmas Artisan Market. Due to limited wall space, only a few of these photographs will be shown on the wall framed. Most of the rest should be available at the gallery either as prints or photo greeting cards. Any sales must be handled by The Art Gallery Osoyoos during the show.

These photos were mostly taken this autumn in the Osoyoos and Similkameen areas. There are, however, two photos taken around Hope, B.C. when I was there in late October.

Those familiar with my landscape photography know that it is often about changing seasons, weather and light.

Some of my other popular photos are also available as matted prints or cards, and some may be shown on the wall at times during the market.

Enjoy!

Click on thumbnails to view as gallery with larger images:

 

Two people fish from a small rowboat on Kilpoola Lake in the South Okanagan Grasslands. (303)(Richard McGuire Photo)

Aspens transition from green to yellow in early October around a waterhole where cattle graze. Afternoon sunlight highlights the blend of grasslands and coniferous trees — some of which have burned in past wildfires. (304) (Richard McGuire Photo)

Cumulus clouds start to darken as they drift high over the South Okanangan Grassland. Patches of yellow aspens grow in the gullies and add a touch of colour to the dry sagebrush. (305) (Richard McGuire Photo)

The water between Haynes Point and Hwy 3 through Hotel Row in Osoyoos is dead calm on a sunny autumn afternoon. The provincial park is now known by its Sylix name “sẁiẁs.” (306) (Richard McGuire Photo)

Yellow aspens reflect in a small lake west of Osoyoos, B.C. in mid-October. (307) (Richard McGuire Photo)

A vineyard turns to shades of yellow, orange and red in late October north of Osoyoos, B.C. Behind is the north basin of Osoyoos Lake. (308) (Richard McGuire Photo)

The Similkameen River meanders in the late October sunlight downriver from Cawson, B.C. (309) (Richard McGuire Photo)

Fruit trees turn a golden yellow in an orchard near Cawston, B.C. In the background, a dry, rocky mountain climbs, as clumps of sagebrush cling to a gravelly slide area. (310) (Richard McGuire Photo)

Moist air slides through the Similkameen Valley on a late October day east of Princeton, B.C. (311) (Richard McGuire Photo)

Mist rises from Silver Creek on a morning in late October south of Hope, B.C. This was a precious sunny day after a long spell of rain. (312) (Richard McGuire Photo)

Landscape photography still on display at The Art Gallery Osoyoos Summer Artisan Market

Bands of late afternoon sunlight strike the raging waters of Ashnola River during the May freshet – the time when snowmelt in higher mountains plunges down this creek, swelling its size. The Ashnola is a tributary of the Similkameen River near Keremeos. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

There are still three weeks left to see a selection of some of my landscape photography at the Summer Artisan Market at The Art Gallery Osoyoos. The show, which includes a number of other local artisans and artists, closes on Labour Day.

The gallery is located at 8713 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC — just up the street from town hall — next to the quail sculpture. Opening hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday to Friday. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

See more about the gallery’s Summer Artisan Market 2021 at this location.

Spring in the Okanagan-Similkameen

“Spring in the Okanagan-Similkameen” is my own show within the Summer Artisan Market. Due to limited wall space, only a few of these photographs will be shown on the wall framed. Most of the rest should be available at the gallery either as prints or photo greeting cards. Any sales must be handled by The Art Gallery Osoyoos during the show.

These photos were mostly taken this spring in the Osoyoos and Similkameen areas. There are a few others including a photograph on canvas of Osoyoos on a May evening, now on the wall, and other old favourites available as prints and cards.

In landscape photography, I’m drawn by seasons, weather and light — these are constantly changing and they give a landscape character. They also convey a sense of time — of day and of year.  It’s a theme in all my landscape photography.

Enjoy!

Click on thumbnails to view as gallery with larger images:

The rushing waters of Ashnola River rage down in the May freshet – the time when snowmelt in higher mountains plunges down this creek, swelling its size. The Ashnola is a tributary of the Similkameen River near Keremeos. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Oregon grape grows in the right conditions throughout the South Okanagan and in this case the Similkameen. Botanists call it Mahonia aquifolium. In this view, in mid-May, the yellow flowers contrast with red and green of the leaves. It has holly-like thorny leaves. The yellow flowers will develop into purple berries, which are not true grapes. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Fluffy cumulous clouds and the sinking sun of later afternoon in May light up a rocky ridge. The landscape here is rugged, and the Ashnola River narrows into a canyon. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

The evening sunlight plays with the contoured landscape on the mountains south of the Similkameen River near Cawston and Lower Similkameen Indian Band land. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Sun strikes Osoyoos Lake and the vineyards above Osoyoos on an evening in late May.

In April, the orchards of the South Okanagan bloom with the pink blossoms of cherries and other fruits. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Sprinklers shower a cherry orchard with droplets in the late afternoon sun of April near Osoyoos, B.C. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

A band of pink cherry blossoms rises above the highway north of Osoyoos, while white apple blossoms grow above. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

The Red Bridge west of Keremeos was built in 1907 for the Great Northern Railway’s Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern (VV&E) line. Since 1961, it has carried vehicular traffic instead. The bridge underwent restoration in 2005 and in 2019 appeared on a Canadian postage stamp in a series on covered bridges. It is not a true covered bridge as it is open at the top. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

The brittle prickly-pear cactus, or Opuntia fragilis, grows in the South Okanagan. It’s different from other prickly pears, which have a larger blade. These things have long “quills” – the word “spine” doesn’t do it justice – that can’t go through armoured steel, but can puncture almost anything else. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

For a short time in the sping, the wild cacti are in bloom around Osoyoos. I believe these are brittle prickly-pear cactus, or Opuntia fragilis (© Richard McGuire Photo)

This gopher snake was relaxing on the Canal Walkway path in Osoyoos. They are non-venomous, but sometimes they are mistaken for venomous rattlesnakes. I took this photo from a distance with a long lens, but when I did get closer, it hissed at me. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Seasons, Weather and Light – Views at Home and Around

Sun catches the tops of trees on a January day on Mount Kobau near Osoyoos. Many trees were killed by forest fire in 2015, while others nearby survived. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

My local landscape photography will be displayed at The Art Gallery Osoyoos during the “Up Close And Personal” show and sale by the Osoyoos Photography Club (OPC).

The show runs from Thursday, March 4 to Saturday, March 27. The gallery is located at 8713 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC — just up the street from town hall — next to the quail sculpture. Opening hours are noon to 4 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday.

The work of more than a dozen other local photographers who are OPC members is also on display during this show. See the Osoyoos Photography Club website.

Seasons, Weather and Light – Views at Home and Around

“Seasons, Weather and Light – Views at Home and Around” is my own show within the OPC show. Due to limited wall space, only a few of these photographs will be shown on the wall framed. Most of the rest should be available at the gallery either as prints or photo greeting cards. Any sales must be handled by The Art Gallery Osoyoos during the show.

These are photos I’ve taken over the past three years in the South Okanagan, Similkameen and Boundary District of southern British Columbia. There are also a couple from an OPC trip to Palouse, WA in early 2019.

In landscape photography, I’m drawn by seasons, weather and light — these are constantly changing and they give a landscape character. They also convey a sense of time — of day and of year.  It’s a theme in all my landscape photography.

Enjoy!

Click on thumbnails to view as gallery with larger images:

 

After an early February warm spell, the Similkameen River is carrying chunks of ice downriver. (Richard McGuire photo)

 

Winter is not my favourite time of year, but getting outdoors helps you make the best of it. By February there are usually signs of relief in the southern BC Interior. Ice melts, days get a little longer and there are more days of blue sky. Weather inversions still hold fogs in the valley and mountains, making for moody atmosphere.

A man walks a dog at Haynes Point (swiws) Provincial Park in Osoyoos on a mild February day. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

A mallard duck showers by flapping his wings in Osoyoos Lake. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

A Canada goose loudly expresses an opinion while another picks through snow on the shore of Osoyoos Lake. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

In February in the South Okanagan, sometimes the cloudy skies break up to let in sunlight. Spotted Lake, which is sacred to Okanagan First Nations, is already a magic place. This day was especially magic. (Richard McGuire photo)

Other winter months — December and January — can be flat and almost monochrome, crisp and cold, foggy and freezing.

A bird rests on ice next to the raging Ashnola River near Keremeos. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Burned trees near Rock Creek are shrouded in fog on a January day. A vast area of forest burned in the wildfire of 2015. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Horses graze on dry vegetation through the snow near Anarchist Summit, east of Osoyoos, B.C. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

An old log barn on Wagon Wheel Rd. sits in a farmed area with many evergreen trees all around. On this late December day, the top edge of a foggy thermal inverson was lit by the afternoon sun. The Okanagan Valley below was covered in clouds and fog. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Mount Baldy is covered in January snow as seen from the Okanogan Highlands near Molson, WA. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Horses graze on dry vegetation through the snow near Anarchist Summit, east of Osoyoos, B.C. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

A man walks his dog along the road through swiws (Haynes Point) Provincial Park at the end of December. Much of the lake is still open water. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Burned trees near Rock Creek are shrouded in fog on a January day. A vast area of forest burned in the wildfire of 2015. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Burned trees in the Similkameen rise from the snow on a January day. This file occurred in 2018. (© Richard McGuire Photo) (276) (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Spring, summer and fall round out the year. For more from those seasons see some of my previous shows. Here are a few:

The setting sun casts shadows on the undulating land of the Palouse, Washington as seen from Steptoe Butte in late April. Isolated rainstorms create moody skies. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Several members of the Osoyoos Photography Club met up in Palouse, WA and drove up Steptoe Butte for sunset — a popular spot for photographers. The weather and light this evening as the sun went down were amazing.

The setting sun casts shadows on the undulating land of the Palouse, Washington as seen from Steptoe Butte in late April. Isolated rainstorms create moody skies. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A flower has gone to seed in a burned forest on Mt. Kobau that is now regenerating after a fire a few years earlier. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

From late April until well into May, a yellow flower blooms on the mountains and grasslands of the South Okanagan. Arrowleaf balsamroot is a native species related to the sunflower. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

Warm sun lights the mountains in gold as seen from the boardwalk at the Osoyoos Desert Centre. (© Richard McGuire Photo)

There are rainbows everywhere in Vancouver’s Davie Village, the heart of the gay community. From my 11th floor balcony at the Sandman Inn, I looked out on the action. (HDR with composite of rainbow) (Richard McGuire Photo)

When you book a discounted hotel room through a popular site — Hotwire — you often don’t know the hotel you are getting. You just know the class of hotel and the general area. I drew three nights at the Sandman Inn in Vancouver’s Davie Village at the end of October 2019. It was a lucky draw because this area has dozens of great restaurants of every ethnicity and style, and it’s an active part of the city. It’s also the heart of the gay community, and crosswalks and posts were decorated in the colours of the rainbow. As my visit coincided with Halloween, many people were dressed up. As I went up to my 11th floor room, I shared the elevator with a group of men in drag. I photographed the scene at night with a tripod on my tiny balcony, only looking down through the viewfinder.

I normally don’t manipulate photos beyond basic exposure and contrast adjustments, but I had fun afterwards layering images taken at different time exposures and compositing in a much bigger rainbow. Below is a detail of the crosswalk on the lower right of the larger image:

There are rainbows everywhere in Vancouver’s Davie Village, the heart of the gay community. From my 11th floor balcony at the Sandman Inn, I looked out on the action. (Composite HDR with multiple time exposures) (Richard McGuire Photo)

 

Photos on display at Jojo’s Café, Art Gallery Osoyoos

Richard McGuire’s photography is being featured through August at Jojo’s Café in Osoyoos, B.C.

A selection of 10 of my photos is featured this month at Jojo’s Café as part of the “Celebrating Local Art: Six Feet Apart” series.

The show launched on July 25 and runs until Aug. 28.

The popular café is only open for take-out due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The photos are displayed on the east wall, which people pass as they get into the line.

This show is in addition to a display of several other photos at the Summer Artisan Market at The Art Gallery Osoyoos, which opened June 13 and runs to Sept. 7. The Artisan Market also features the work of other local artists and artisans.

The 10 photos are landscapes from the Osoyoos area, with one exception – an image of coloured street lighting reflected at night in the rain on Vancouver’s Granville Street. That photo was featured in my last exhibition at Jojo’s in December 2016.

I have opted this year not to participate in the Market on Main, which is open this summer with appropriate safety measures. For more about this decision and how you can obtain photos from my market selection, please visit this page.

For more information about the Jojo’s show and the Summer Artisan Market, please visit this page.

See gallery of highlights from the Jojo’s show:

(Click on thumbnails to see images in gallery)

Osoyoos Christmas Lite-Up marks start of Christmas season

Margaret and Mike de Salaberry once again brought Mrs. Claus and Santa Claus to life in the Osoyoos Christmas Lite-Up parade. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Osoyoos Christmas Lite-Up marks the start of the Christmas season in Osoyoos, even though some stores elsewhere put up lights and play Christmas music as soon as Halloween is over.

This year’s event, including the parade down Main Street, was held on November 29, a little earlier than some years.

Photographing this event is always a challenge because it’s dark out and fingers get frozen easily in the cold. Over the years that I photographed this event for the Osoyoos Times, I developed a technique that combines low-light, high-ISO photography with a bounced flash.

This year the photography was especially challenging because the event was barely a week after I had cataract surgery and I was shooting with my operated eye for the first time — and it’s not my normal photography eye.

It’s now been more than a year since I left the Osoyoos Times in November 2018 and have, in part, been supporting myself with my photography. Thank you to the many people, both in Osoyoos and elsewhere, who have helped me move forward with this dream.

Richard McGuire

Click on thumbnails to view as gallery with larger images:

The Okanagan International Chorus conducted by Lloyd Fairweather sang Christmas carols in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware before the Christmas Lite-Up parade. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The Okanagan International Chorus conducted by Lloyd Fairweather sang Christmas carols in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware before the Christmas Lite-Up parade. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The Lowther Electric float in the Christmas Lite-Up parade featured colourful costumes and a lit-up tree. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The Osoyoos Festival Society float carried Santa and Mrs. Claus, Osoyoos Ambassadors and a few reindeer. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The Osoyoos Festival Society float carried Santa and Mrs. Claus, Osoyoos Ambassadors and a few reindeer. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Children waved from a fire truck at the end of the Osoyoos Lite-Up parade. (Richard McGuire Photo)

People watch the Christmas Lite-Up Parade from in front of Osoyoos Home Hardware. That tree with lit up branches was a new feature this year. (Richard McGuire Photo)

 

Christmas Artisan Market at The Art Gallery Osoyoos

As I headed off on my journey, it alternated between rain and sunshine. Near Cawston in the Similkameen Valley, a beautiful rainbow appeared. (Richard McGuire photo)

The Christmas Artisan Market opens at The Art Gallery Osoyoos on November 9 and it features the work of several dozen local artists and artisans. It runs until December 22, 2019.

Items at the market are perfect for unique Christmas gifts.

I’m participating this year for the second time and am showing a selection of recent photos, as well as several others I’ve never shown before. Because space for each artist is limited, I’ll be rotating the featured photos throughout the exhibition, but all are available and can be seen in the web gallery below. I’ll also have a special selection of cards and matted photos on display.

The Christmas Artisan Market, “Christmas Treasures,” kicks off with an open house on Saturday, November 9 from noon to 4 p.m.

The gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesday to Saturday. It’s located at 8713 Main Street, Osoyoos, just west of the Town Hall.

Richard McGuire

Click on thumbnails to view as gallery with larger images:

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Spotted Lake, to the west of Osoyoos, B.C., evaporates into hundreds of mineral pools surrounded by mud rings in the late summer.

Spotted Lake, to the west of Osoyoos, B.C., evaporates into hundreds of mineral pools surrounded by mud rings in the late summer and into the fall. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Late afternoon sunlight bathes some vineyards on the Osoyoos East Bench. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Haynes Point (Swiws) stretches out into Osoyoos Lake with vineyards and orchards of the Osoyoos East Bench in the background. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Part of Osoyoos is seen in this view from the Osoyoos West Bench. Noteable landmarks shown include Osoyoos Baptist Church, the Sun Bowl Arena and Curling Club, Watermark Beach Resort and White Sands. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The Okanagan River passes the Oxbows in a channel and empties into the north end of Osoyoos Lake. Vineyards are turning yellow. (Richard McGuire photo)

Vineyards cover the South Okanagan making the antelope brush and sagebrush dry vegetation in the foreground more scarce. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The Cottages on Osoyoos Lake have mostly been built over the past six years. They are on Osoyoos Indian Band land with a long-term lease. (Richard McGuire photo)

The waters of Kilpoola Lake add some blue to the arid autumn landscape. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A cluster of golden aspens zigzags up a slope from a small pond west of Kilpoola Lake. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The last glow of golden hour strikes the trees and wetlands vegetation at Blue Lake, west of Osoyoos. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The sun emerges from behind a mountain and a wall of clouds on a frosty winter day west of Osoyoos. Filtered by clouds, it almost looks like a full moon. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Osoyoos spreads along the shores of Osoyoos Lake in this view from the Anarchist Lookout. (Richard McGuire Photo)

The sun casts shadows of trees onto the Kettle River between Rock Creek and Westbridge. (Richard McGuire Photo)

A log barn sits next to the highway to the west of Midway, B.C. (Richard McGuire Photo)

In summer, the population of Osoyoos swells as tourists move in. Through traffic also clogs Main Street, making it hard to find parking spots and harder still to make turns or drive or walk across the street. (Richard McGuire Photo)

Tall, rocky bluffs rise above the eastern shore of Vaseux Lake between Oliver and Okanagan Falls. (Richard McGuire Photo)