Photo of the Week 2026-01-05

 

Happy New Year & Welcome to 2026 !!!

 

' 1811 N '

I see many interesting farm scenes on my travels through Wellington County, Waterloo Region and on my regular treks through Grey and Bruce Counties on my way up to the cottage. Some time ago, I photographed one rural home and experimented with a processing style inspired by work I had seen from a watercolour artist. From that, I created a high key, heavily vignetted minimalist look and created my 'Rural Winter' series. Over time, as I've added to the series, I've become more aware of the type of scene that has potential and keep my eyes open for just such scenes.. 

 

A few weeks back, on a trip to the St. Jacobs Market, I found one that made me pull over to the shoulder, park and walk back 100m or so working on various compositional options. 

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Sidebar here ... I'm always entertained by the expressions of passing motorists as they try to see or figure out what the hell I see.

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This farm with lane-side trees casting shadow down the snow covered slope leading to the field was just right for the next addition to the series. 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2025-12-29

 

 

' sun worship '

After a second full day of shooting between Superior Provincial Park and Wawa, we arrived at Government Dock Beach to set up for a sunset session. 

 

Another group of visitors showed up shortly after us and photobombed my composition and I waited to see what I could make of it. I had already selected my set up position to have the rugged rock and water pools dominate the foreground with the sun positioned central R to L. Moving to another spot to compose without people in frame was an option, but the others were roaming about and I did not want to miss the sun dip below the horizon.

 

Ultimately I turned to the tools available in post processing to 'remove' one or two people who were distracting, but chose to leave one expressive character for both scale and additional interest.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2025-12-22

 

With some time before sunset at another location, we drove to the marina area and on the way back found a high vantage point looking out over a winding section of the Michipicoten River. The location afforded a view of Mission Falls  but the sun had fallen too low and the falls were shrouded in shade by the time we arrived. Fortunately, there was more ...

 

' Fall Evening on the Michipicoten '

Light from the evening sun was kissing the trees along the banks of the Michipicoten making the golden tamarack glow. Shooting with a telephoto through the slight haze that had moved in softened the distant trees enhancing the mood of the scene.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2025-12-15

 

An argument can be made that one should only show their best work and I understand the point in a professional context, in the context of presenting a portfolio for evaluation by galleries, clients and publishers. An amateur, in the literal sense of the word, I'm not motivated by obtaining clients, making an income from my work and though a gallery show or being published would be welcome, these are not my goals.

 

My pursuit is to continually improve my process of creating photographs and photographic art. I get an extraordinary amount of enjoyment and satisfaction from studying and learning all aspects related to capturing, processing and presenting images. It has become a very large part of my life these days. To call it a hobby no longer comes close to describing the place photography occupies in my life. It's a passion, an obsession, a large part of my daily routine, and while I try to share good images, I certainly do not limited them to my very best work.

 

That said, every once in a while it all comes together (or the blind squirrel finds a nut) and I come up with and get to share something that I consider truly special ...

  

' lone tamarack '

... an image that I would include in a collection of my "best work". One I give a 4 star rating (because to date I've never rated one of my images as 5 star, that to me is the pinnacle and 99.9% perfect). One that that represents what I saw, heard and felt, what made me stop, raise the camera to my eye, compose and press the shutter. One that will rekindle the experience of the moment whenever I see it. 

 

' lone tamarack ' might just make the grade to 5 star but I need to live with it for a while before I'd elevate it the final step. For that, I will be printing it large and framing it for the wall.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Weeek 2025-12-08

 

I guess my 'disappointment' with weather upon arriving at Coldwater Cove was unfounded because I managed to come away with some decent captures. Perhaps because conditions were not what I had envisioned, I had to put more effort into finding and making images there that day. In doing so, I realized that I had to switch off auto, me not the camera, and open up to what the location was offering.

 

Since last weeks post, I've managed to publish another 8 images from Coldwater to my social media steams and in addition there is this trio ... 

 

' Turtle Rock III '

' Turtle Rock II '

 

' Turtle Rock I '

... from some time I spend shooting an interesting rock formation that I've named 'Turtle Rock' owing to it's resemblance of a turtle's back as it submerges below the water surface.

 

I'm sure not everyone will agree with me but hey, beauty is in the eye of the ... in this case photographer.
 

DJE