Meditations on the Rideau – Field Note 003
[ Pinhole photograph, Ondu 4×5 camera, Ilford Delta 100, 45 seconds, digital cyanotone ]
Early winter brings a different kind of stillness to the Rideau Canal. At Haskin’s Point, the first thin layer of ice settles across the water, changing how the place feels and how the light moves through it. The staircase that usually leads into open water now meets a surface that looks solid but remains uncertain. It’s a quiet reminder that transitions don’t happen all at once.
Taking my time, I pause and take in the shift. The air is cold, but calm. The landscape is familiar, yet slightly altered. I am learning to notice those subtle changes, to be more in the moment, and to appreciate the subtle beauty in nature.
This image belongs to Meditations on the Rideau, a mindful exploration of the Rideau Canal as a landscape of transition. With this approach, each frame asks me to slow down, pay attention, and allow the scene to reflect something about where I am in my ongoing adjustment to life as a veteran living with PTSD.
Published: 5 December 2025
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Scott Murphy – Photographer 