Wallpaper March 2010

It would seem that many of you need to get out a little more to explore this summer. Only a few clever souls were able to identify this scene, but in truth, it is a tricky one. It is Crossover Island, famous for its historic lighthouse, but with it totally hidden behind the tree at the left end of the island, it’s little surprise so few identified it. Kudos to those who did, including my good neighbors, the Toltons.

“When I saw the February Wallpaper, I thought that I was looking out our front window with Crossover Island (Nine Mile Light) against the American shore. If you turn off the angle between the silos and Crossover it suggests that you were on very familiar ground (Raleigh Island) when you took the photo. Once in a while, when the fog (sea smoke?) is lying just on the surface of The River, we have a ghostly sight of a passing freighter with only the pilot house and the stack showing.

The silos replaced a large bank barn. One Sunday morning, many years ago, we watched as it was consumed by fire - the silos replaced it, one silo each year. A visiting friend from Philadelphia (an economist) looked out and saw a "Bar Chart", with the height of the silo indicating the success of the farmer each year. Everyone sees the Islands in a different way.

A couple of very quiet cold nights ago,The River froze like a mirror. The full moon provided a very eerie sight. We look forward to spring.

We do enjoy your great pictures and the anecdotes that accompany them. Thank you. Be well.”

Ruth Anne & Tub Tolton, Mallorytown, ON

At this moment in time, a little drama is playing out which I’ll share with you. I’m in the process of publishing a new book, the 5th of photography of the region and it will be the last and I hope, the very best of all.

Each of the others drew from more limited libraries of what I had captured initially or since the previous book. This will be the very best from all of the 15 years I’ve been photographing the River. Because it’s four years since the last book, I’ve managed to capture quite a few new images which have earned their way in on merit, not simply because they are new.

Half of the book’s images have never been published before. The other half “cherry picks” from the very best of a library that now exceeds 30,000 images. If this then is to be my last book of photography (that I mean it is borne out by the fact I’ve sold my plane), I want it to be the very best in every way, including physically. The exceptional quality of the Thousand Islands deserves it.

The best way I know to display an image is as a backlit transparency. That’s not possible in a book (yet - keep an eye on Apple's iPad), so I have turned to the next best way I know - applying extreme high gloss. Extreme gloss is sometimes used on quality book covers and occasionally on very high-end magazine covers for exactly this reason - to make them stand out. I've only ever seen it inside a book once, on three page spreads of an Aston Martin sales book. I guess when you're selling cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, you present them very well. But to my knowledge it has never been used throughout an entire book. That fact was confirmed while looking for a printer who could do it. It literally took a search around the globe.

That search was finally rewarded. I’ve looked at the tests and they are gorgeous, so now the book is in production, but all this took a lot more time than expected, putting the schedule way behind. It is nip and tuck if it will be here in time for two events which will serve as launch parties (or perhaps if necessary, previews) for Canada and the U.S. which I’m hoping you’ll attend.

I’ll share more details as the events get closer, but for now I’ll mention the dates, (both evenings) - June 4th at the Brockville Arts Centre and June 26th at the Clayton Opera House. These are going to be very special celebrations of the Thousand Islands through pictures and music. I am honored that both will include a live concert by the internationally acclaimed band Great Lake Swimmers who have developed a strong connection to our region and are telling the world about it. Just Google Great Lake Swimmers and either spelling of 1000 Islands to understand.

If you’re going to be in the area at that time, I hope you'll put one or the other on your calendar now. Tickets for Brockville's event are available by RSVP only from the Tall Ships Landing waterfront condominium project (TallShips@Fuller.ca), the evening's presenters. Tickets for Clayton which will be the feature event of Clayton's River Festival are available from the Clayton Opera House.

Here’s your March wallpaper image. I’m hoping you’ll have some great stories to share. As with February's I'll have a set of 6 prints ready for the winner with the best story.

Enjoy,

Ian Coristine

Download wide-angle version

Comments

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---