Photo of the Wek 2026-02-02

  

' Singing Horizon I '

' Singing Horizon IV '

Digging into the archive this week for a couple of images made at Singing Sands, BPNP, Northern Bruce Peninsula, back in February 2020 ...

 

I've been reviewing the image catalogue lately, particularly shots that I've processed and marked ready for posting. Some go back over a decade and it's interesting to revisit these waypoints from my journey. Images selected for this week suggest what I might find when I get to the cottage in a few days. Ice stretched far out from shore over the shallow water of Dorcas Bay at Singing Sands, the textures, patters and tones mirroring those in the sky.

 

While locating the image files and seeing the collection of shots I made that day, I encountered of some personal favourites that are now printed, framed and displayed on walls at the cottage. Actually, some of my all-time favourite work. 

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2022-01-03

 

WELCOME TO 2022 !!

 

Here starts another calendar year for the blog ...

 

With a snowstorm hitting areas of the province south of us, Tobermory was getting just a dusting of the 'white stuff' as the second day of the new year got underway. It was however getting colder (-10*C) and while time will tell if winter is truly ready to settle in, I decided that I needed to get out in the fresh air, so I asked Lynn and Murphy to come with me for a hike to Indian Head Cove. It wold be our fist visit in almost two years.

 

Indian Head Cove 2022-01-02

For the outing, I packed up a variety of photo gear and included the 14mm Rokinon f/2.8. It's not a lens that has seen a lot of use and I intend to work with it more in 2022. Ultra Wide Angle lenses can be utilized to provide some dramatic perspectives and exceptional compositions. They can also be quite challenging to wield given their expansive field of view. Unwanted elements like branches, feet, and tripod legs tend to creep into the edges of the frame when the photographer is not watching 'the edges' closely. There are a host of other considerations a photographer must keep in mind when a UWA is mounted and perhaps I'll discuss these in future posts as I encounter and utilize them.

 

As a beginning, I figured it could inject some interesting creative changes to my process and push me to see and create differently. What a great way to start a new photographic year!

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-11-01

Welcome to November ...

 

It was last month when I ventured into Bruce Peninsula National Park for the first time in 2021. It had been a couple of (long) years... with "stay home" orders, park closure and overcrowding, my visits to BPNP had been nonexistent. I decided it was time to see if the area still had a place in my heart and the ability to stir the creative spirit ...

 

It started with an afternoon visit to Halfway Log Dump. Short though it was, the location definitely speaks to me and I managed to capture a set of images showcasing the spectacular shoreline and waters along this section of the Bruce Peninsula.

 

Later in the month, I made a point to visit Singing Sands one afternoon to enjoy the spectacular skies over calm waters and the sandy shoreline. The outing produced a set of 12 images that I've begun adding to an album titled mid-day medley. The series is the result of an exercise in altering position, POV, placement of horizon, foreground interest an portrait vs landscape aspect ratio that showcase the sand, shore and sky in concert.

 

I've chosen one from the middle of the series as this week's POTW.

 

mid-fay medley - VI

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2019-02-11

Disappointment turned into a nice little series of images ...

Arriving at a location with thoughts of a particular image, anticipation can quickly turn to disappointment for the photographer. Particularly with outdoor photography, weather can offer an alternate scenario and as the old adage goes "when life gives you ... " you make art.

Expecting cold exposed water with chunks of ice floating up and down on the waves, I had brought my tripod and ND filter along anticipating some long exposure shots with an ethereal look to them. As I made shore at the bottom of the access trail, disappointment welled up ... initially. And then I got on with it, making a nice little series of images, my favourite being 'wrapped in winter', panorama that I've printed 35" wide for framing.

wrapped in winter

Others from the series ...

... the lead image being printed

... the final print

DJE

Photo of the Week 2018-11-12

Last in a series of 'Fall Tamarack' images from Singing Sands, BPNP that I've been releasing on social media over the week. I saved this for the finale as I think it's the best of the bunch ...

'Fall Tamarack VIII'

Go back through the D J England Photography Facebook page, to see the previous images and let me know what you think.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2018-09-24

Adding a human element in a photo can provide a point of reference, a connection that helps convey mood and emotion. The lone figure in the image below was intentionally included for just these purposes.

'watching sunset'

Even an image comprised of 15 separate captures, merged in Lightroom to create a sweeping panorama of the view from Singing Sands as sun sets out over Lake Huron can benefit from the inclusion of a lone, unidentifiable, solitary figure, sitting contemplating the wondrous view.

I waited until the person, who had been walking along the shore, sat back down on the picnic bench at water's edge so they would be in the same position over multiple frames before staring the capture sequence. Small as they are, when the viewer notices them, the image takes on new meaning.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2018-04-23

4AM wake up alarm, toast and a quick coffee, grab photo gear, drive to the park, arrive in the dark, meet up with photo buds, 45 min hike ... and this is what was watiting !

Georgian Peach Sky

It can take a prod by others to finally do something that has been on the photo bucket list for some time. Thanks to an invitation from a couple of young(er), hardi(er) photographers (who were winter camping in the park and had been up all night shooting the Milky Way and Aurora Borealis) I joined them on an early morning trek out to the Georgian Bay shore for some sunrise shooting ... and I`m so glad I did.

This won`t be the last time ...

DJE

Photo of the Week 2018-01-15

Winter on 'the Bruce' is magical ... I'm sure some of the full time residents may have a slightly different view, particularly when the have to slug to work through the winter storms and snow squalls ... but for me as one who visits regularly to get away from the daily grind and recharge, it is truly magical.

Late Afternoon - Indian Head Cove to Overhanging Point

With sun beginning it's descent in the sky, our snowshoe trek out to Indian Head Cove began from the winter parking lot in BPNP. Following the groomed well travelled trail, we trekked through the campground until it turned toward Cyprus Lake and then hugged the shore until we crossed the bridge where the lake outflow cascades into Horse Lake.

From the bridge, we followed the Georgian Bay Trail to Indian Head Cove where we took off our snowshoes and wandered about exploring ... my companions on this trip, Matt, Claire & Jordan, had not seen this area in winter before and it was great to hear that they were not disappointed.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-12-19

A solo jaunt up north this weekend settled my separation anxiety and provided some much needed time to decompress. Yes, I need to get up north regularly lest I become restless and fixated on getting to my 'happy place'. It seems the more I'm there, the more I want (and maybe need) to be there.

With "the whole" weekend to myself, I had plans to take advantage of the many photo options available and to get a handful of items completed to be sure things were ready for our annual winter getaway between Christmas and the New Year. Oh where did the time go .....

On the photo front I decided to take a drive down some side roads I hadn't travelled in a while to see how winter's early snow had transformed the scenery ... but first I stopped at the Park Visitor Centre. I've had moderate success with multi-image stitched panoramas so I decided to climb the observation tower and capture the angry skies out over the islands and Huron.

Tobermory Skies 2017-12-17

Oddly enough, it was very calm while I was up there. Perhaps the calm before another squall came through because I could even hear bird life in the treetops. At one point I heard an eagle's cry but failed to put my eye or lens on it.

I stood at the top of this tower in  howling winds at -25* with the windchill for a photo on New Years morning a few years back ... maybe a panorama this New Years for "First Light". Hmmmmm .....

... and then it was off for a drive.

Photo of the Week 2016-10-10

On a rainy fall day, Jordan and I decided to hike the Burnt Point Trail, BPNP/FFNMP, Tobermory in search of mushrooms and were overwhelmed. There were more types and sizes all along the trail ... so many in fact that I had to stop making photos and finish our hike or I would still be there ...

lil' puffers

... and here's a collage showing many of those I managed to photograph.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-04-04

... very pleased to have been contacted by Bruce Peninsula National Park / Parks Canada recently, regarding my photography.

After seeing some of my recent winter images of the Grotto and Indian Head Cove, they wanted to know what else I had that might suit their need for a wall display at the visitor centre and an upcoming project that I'll keep quiet until it's launched.

I attended an open house at the visitor centre this past weekend, where staff provided updates on the changes planned for BPNP / FFNP.  And was surprised to find one image they had licensed, already printed and displayed.

The park had a record year for visitors in 2016 and many had to be turned away from Cypress Lake, the Grotto and Indian Head Cove as the location can't take traffic at the level of demand experienced. This was part of the reason for the open house as park staff discussed potential improvements and plans to address the increased popularity while protecting the natural environment.

Along Burnt Point Trail

My image above of Burnt Point, was selected for display to show arriving visitors some of the other scenery accessible along the trail network in the park.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-02-29

On a blustery winter morning, with unseasonably warm temperatures melting what little snow was left, a visit to a favourite location, was in order. Cold damp winds off Georgian Bay buffeted us as we reached the shore and emerged from the protection of the trees. It wasn't long before I was tugging at my coat's zipper, pulling it all the way up to keep the chills away.

When photographing at familiar locations, the challenge can be coming up with something different. This was certainly the case during this outing. Skies were grey, overcast and mostly uninteresting. There were no interesting shore ices formations to speak of and I walked about, trying to find something of interest. After a while, I found myself standing, mesmerized, watching the waves break over a large rock at the edge of the water.

'waves at shore'
Little Cove 2016-02-21

I decided to set up the tripod and attempt to capture the 'feel' of the breaking waves by not freezing the movement with a fast shutter speed, but rather allowing a bit of blur to convey a sense of motion. An ND filter would have come in handy if only I hadn't left it in my large kit bag back at the cottage.

Exposure info for those interested.
0.5 s, f/22, ISO 100 @ 26 mm

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-02-15

Good 'ol Canadian winter finally arrived in Ontario, with temperatures of -27*C showing on the outdoor thermometer at 0-dark-thirty Saturday morning at the cottage. The snow was making that familiar 'crunch' under foot as I took Murphy out for his morning routine, after getting my day started with a couple of mugs of cottage brew ... and then there was the sensation of nasal passages freezing as I inhaled the fresh, clean, crisp morning air .... ahhhh Canadian winter ... where have you been? I've missed you :-)

Sunday morning, temps were on the rise and were a balmy -13*C when I finally made the winter trek to Indian Head Cove to be rewarded with scenes like the one below, for a mid-day photography session.

frosted shores I

This is a trek I've been wanting to do for a couple of winters and I just never got around to doing it until now. Conditions were not ideal for photography, with bright mid-day sun beaming off the fresh white snow, but I was able to compose to exclude shadow areas which made exposures manageable.

... next, I want to visit here when winter waters are angry and lashing at the shore :-)

DJE