Photo of the Week 2025-09-01

 

Driving north solo recently, I used the opportunity to visit and photograph at a series of historical mill sites in Grey and Bruce Counties. It was a very productive outing photographically, resulting in more than two dozen images I later processed and have or will publish for my ongoing 'Mills of Ontario' project.. 

 

' Arranvale Dam Remains '

As spirit moves me, I research and map potential photo locations for outings such as this using Google Maps. I create 'lists' for different geographic locations and themes. My spirit is stirred when I'm told about a location, see one through others work, or otherwise hear of one, then I note it down or map it at the time.

 

I find Google Maps particularly useful for this because it's always available on my phone providing there is signal and I can use it as a navigational aide for driving. It's been my 'go to' for trips abroad as well as here at home.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2025-08-25

 

On a solo drive up north with plans to pick up some supplies in Tara, I used the opportunity and took a scenic route, visiting several historical mill sites in Grey and Bruce Counties along the way.

 

I made a number of stops, the last being near Park Head where the remnants of the chopping mill proved difficult to capture in an image. They sit on private property, back from the road with an obstructed view from the bridge over the Sauble River. Across the river the property is also private and an occupied residence, so my selection of viewpoints was very restricted. 

 

' Park Head Chopping Mill Ruins '

Working in mid-day sun, I also had an infrared converted camera along and it provided some of my favourite images form the day. Here, shooting from the bridge approach where a path dropped down to river level (for fishing access I suspect), I was able to compose through an opening in the leaves to show a glimpse of the deteriorating structure. Processing the image in high contrast B&W, sets the wood and masonry out in dark nicely against the white foliage.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2025-08-18

 

I feel my increased awareness of scenes, subjects and the surrounding world around is a symptom of having caught "photographer's eye". 

 

' morning light on small spruce '

Just when, during this journey I caught it, I'm not certain. Though I am certain it is not fully advanced and likely never will be. There are assuredly stages of the condition, mine moderately advanced I think.

 

There is no clinical test to verify the condition. One must just accept the visual joy of distractions such as morning light on a small spruce.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2025-08-11

 

I've come upon an unexpected, though not entirely surprising fork in the road on this leg of my photographic journey. Returning to film photography required a return to some older, in fact vintage gear, some of which I've mentioned in previous posts.

 

Today's image started with an opportunity to acquire (at no cost) a few Canon FD film camera bodies and lenses. This led me to pick up an adapter that would enable me to use the lenses on my current digital bodies. I'd intended the set up to be used mainly for quickly testing performance and operation of the vintage lenses which can suffer from a number of issues relating to age and poor storage conditions. Initial test shots using our Wheaten Terrier, Sullivan, as captive subject were very successful and inspired me with something else to explore.

 

And explore I did ...

 

' dreamy knapweed '

One of the vintage lenses in my arsenal is a 1971 vintage Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 Chrome Nose and ... what's the sense in having a f/1.2 lens if you don't shoot it wide open? 

 

Right?

 

Right!

 

This image captured in mid day sun, along a local concession road where chicory and knapweed are in abundance. Shot with my lovely, very clean copy of the 55mm f/1.2 on my 2020 vintage Canon EOS R5.

 

Using vintage lenses means manually focusing and wide open at f/1.2 near the lenses closest focus distance proved a challenge hand held. The conditions may have been better suited to using a tripod to steady the camera and using the rear LCD display magnified to focus because the depth of field is very, very thin.

 

And what does a 1971 vintage Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 Chrome Nose look like. This ...

 

It's a hefty beast for a  'standard' lens, weighing in at 565g (1.25 lbs) due to it's all brass, metal and glass construction typical of the day. By comparison a typical 50mm standard lens today can weigh half as much. Of course comparable premium lenses are comparable in weight but without the solid feel and tactile helicoid focus system.

 

With results like this, there just may be a return to the shallow DoF style that some knew me for a few years ago.  

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2025-08-04

 

I may have dipped back into film photography but I have no plans to abandon digital. They are both part of the process and journey as I continue to explore photographic horizons.  

 

' wildflowers at sunset '

 

' shoreline at sunset '

In summer, the sun sets north of the bay mouth and can't be seen directly from the cottage shoreline. Still, the colours still echo to the south, bringing the scene to life.

 

As I worked on these images a familiarity stirred. Not just of the of the location but of a moment almost a dozen years ago, with a very similar sky, when it was very new to me and a new chapter began ...

 

 

DJE