Photo of the Week 2025-10-20

 

With any luck, today I should be on my way home with a 'bucket load' of images from a return Algoma Getaway with some photographer friends. Last time was 2023 when we attended a guided photography workshop. This time, with knowledge from the last trip and the collective mind of our group we planned our own. Images from this recent trip will surely follow, but since I'm up and on the road, here's a previously unpublished image from last time ...

 

' persistence '

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 2025-04-14

 

Sorry (not really) to take you back to winter when spring is really just arriving but I knew I had another Snowy Owl image in the RAW reservoir ... 

' snowy in a snowstorm '

I was out with the then recently acquired RF 200-800 to gain more familiarity with it and work on my wildlife shooting. Approaching the location where I hoped to see a Snowy Owl, the weather worsened with snow falling very heavily by the time I arrived. It was difficult seeing the road ahead at time so wasn't sure how things would be for shooting.

 

Driving slowly along the sideroads, the tires were kicking up the freshly fallen snow and it was accumulating on the side windows of the vehicle. Every so often I would get out and brush off the snow for a clear(ish) view of the fields outside. Deciding to head down a little used track where I'd had success previously and that I knew would be closed to traffic for the season in the next couple of weeks, I stopped to clear the windows and strained to see across the field to a line of wrapped hay bales along a distant fence line.

 

... and there it was !

 

Across the field in heavy blowing snow with the 200-800 at it's maximum, I would shoot short 3 or 4 frame bursts between gusts of blowing snow. I was trying to time the shots such that my subject would be less obscured and managed it a few times.

Notes:

- for context, the top image is original width, just cropped top and bottom to 16:9 ratio 

- this lower image in approx. a 100% crop to show the detail I was able to get at 800mm across fields of blowing snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-03-06

 

' A visit from Oakley '

Almost 9 years ago to the day, I had my first close encounter with Oakley on the ice of Hay Bay. Today, Oakley made a return visit, or it could be Oakley Jr. given the time gone by. In any event, it was a great experience to see and observe the activity of this critter.

 

Lynn and I had just finished out morning walk with Murphy, which he concludes with a trip "down to the water" (or ice as it is in winter). I hadn't always joined them but since seeing an otter far off across the bay a couple of days before, I made a point of following to see what was going on.

Looking out over the ice, I noticed a far off dark spot and watched it for a while until I saw movement. That was enough to send me back to the cottage for a camera with my longest lens mounted on a monopod. When I returned, I framed up on the spot and made a number of shots from the treeline before moving closer and potentially spooking the whatever it was. I could see it was an otter and wanted to get closer. I re-positioned out on the shoreline where I was quite visible, framed up again and could better see the otter grooming as it lay near what I assumed was an opening in the ice.

It seemed quite content to continue with a wary glance now and then to keep an eye on me. EXIF data from the first series of captures at the treeline showed I was focusing to a distance of more than 150m. After repositioning twice more, I managed to get within 100m but that was as close as I could get in a direct line between me and my subject. I was at the edge of thin ice along the shoreline and took my eye off the subject to assess other options to get closer. When I looked back to the otter it was gone, off under the ice heading somewhere else on the bay. I remained there for several minutes scanning the ice from left to right, near and far without any sign of my subject.

Thinking the encounter was over, I collapsed the monopod and trekked back across the ice to our place, always looking down, my footing (no time to put on ice cleats). As I approached the snow covered shore at our place, I glanced to my left and there was the little bugger had come out of an opening in the ice in front of our neighbour's. Unseen, I froze, raised the camera and grabbed a few hand held shots. Trying to keep stable on the uneven spot where I had abruptly stopped rather than look for something flat, less slippery and risk losing this closer photo opportunity, I cautiously extended the monopod, framed the subject, zoomed in to the max and fired off frames at maximum burst speed. Unsteady and trying both to keep my balance and capture Oakley bounding towards shore at our neighbours, I was spotted. It froze for just a second, turned to stare at me, then hurried back to the safety of water, keeping one eye on me. Stopping for one last look before slipping back below the ice, I was able to grab some final shots with the subject well lit by morning sun over my left shoulder.

 

What a great encounter! Another for the memory bank.

 

Note: EXIF data from this last series of shots indicated a focus distance of just over 40m. I was shooting at 400mm with a 1.4x converter on full frame for an equivalent focal length of 560mm to get the lead shot for this post. I cropped the image about 5% to remove some foreground for better balance but that's about it.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2021-03-08

 

Always on the lookout for wildlife as I travel to and from Tobermory, this time of year has my "eyes peeled" for snowy owls. I usually see at least one, sometimes more. But last week, as we drove out of the hot spot for owl sightings, I was about to take a break from scanning the area to either side of the highway when I noticed something large perched in a tree.

 

Nicely perched, this bald eagle was close enough for me to park roadside and shoot from the vehicle without disturbing it too much. Though it is quite evident that it knew I was there, I did not approach any closer than other passing traffic and got what shots I could without causing it to fly off.

 

I make a point of describing how I approached photographing this magnificent bird because I've seen first hand how others with camera (I hesitate to call them photographers) are far too careless and disruptive in their approach. It's not just about getting the shot. It's about capturing a genuine wildlife moment with as little stress to to the subject as possible.

 

note: these images are 35% crops from the original captures, even with my 7DII, EF100-400 II and 1.4x Extender for a effective focal length of ~900mm

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2020-05-18

Oddly, with all of the "stay home', closed trails, closed parks, essential outings only drilled into us over the past couple of months, I don't find myself bursting to get out for photography as much as I thought I would. The lone-wolf type of shooting that I had been enjoying is perfect for these times of social distancing.

Maybe now that restrictions are relaxing, with parks and trails opening up, and my intention to begin regular visits to the cottage, I will ease back to photographing on a regular basis.

For now, another 'from the archive' ...

Revisiting the Badlands - from the archive

This, from a 2012 visit to the Cheltenham Badlands in Ontario, now cordoned off to protect them from excessive foot traffic.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2018-10-22

Photography featured prominently in my plans as I approached retirement, as did the cottage and enjoying the outdoors. For me these are year round pursuits. Fortunately the cottage is a 4-season structure and I'm not yet phased by rainy days or the winter here in Ontario.

So when planning to replace having a company vehicle (for 33 of my 35 year working career), I decided on a 4x4 truck that would let me haul 'stuff' to the cottage, you know wood for odd jobs, tools and such, in addition to hauling me and my photo gear anywhere I go. It is also great for exploring back-roads Ontario Spring, Summer, Winter or Fall ... ahhhhhh Fall ...

On a recent solo trek north for some fall colour photography, there were many stops, some U-turns and when the sign said "This road not maintained", how could I resist?

Now I had barely started down this one-lane dirt 'road' when the sun came out and the colours just exploded.

Off the Beaten Path I

The road itself was in decent shape with just water puddling in the low spots here and there so the truck was a convenience as opposed to a necessity, but it sure let me forget about whether I should keep going or not.

Off the Beaten Path II

While stopped at one point, I made a couple of shots with the truck in the frame ... it was barely even dirty from this adventure, but then I wasn't blasting through the puddles, mud and gunk ... this time.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2018-03-05

A recent client inquiry had me looking back through the image catalogue, an experience that I always enjoy, and one, as I've written before, that stirs memories and often results in (re)discovering some hidden gems. This time the quest took me to shots from the La Cloche area I had visited on a business trip to Manitoulin back in 2010.

La Cloche Reflections

It had likely been 40 years since my last visit to Manitoulin, then as a young hockey player travelling for a tournament. In 2010 the focus was on work with some personal time set aside to explore and photograph in the area of Willisville.

The few years of involvement with sites in Northern Ontario exposed me to the beautiful scenery that so many had already known, written about, painted and yes, photographed. Few opportunities to return have presented since ... and now as retirement approaches, I'm already thinking about how soon I can hit the road with a full complement of photo gear and time ... 

'the Road'

DJE

Photo of the Week 2017-01-30

Ontario Parks recently posted a great article on etiquette for nature photography to their Facebook page. I shared and posted the following to my Photography page:

"Great article from Ontario Parks that made me do a quick "gut check" on my practices when photographing. I never bait, work to maintain a suitable distance, never chase/follow wildlife, don't use recorded calls, don't destroy habitat ... but I admit I could improve by always sticking to the marked trails.
My wildlife and nature photos may not be as "impressive" as some of those from others ... but I'm OK with that. And I'll keep working in a responsible way to get better ones."

So this weekend, while up at my 'happy place', armed with some intel on the location of a male snowy owl (code named Popeye ;-), I headed out early Saturday morning making the drive to said location. Arriving just after sunrise on a very overcast day with intermittent snow squalls, I prowled the grid if rural concessions and side roads in search of my target. Driving with 3 cameras on the front passenger seat within reach should something catch my eye, also keeping an eye out for other cars approaching from behind, I edged over to stop and frequently scan the surrounding area with binoculars (a little more convenient that using the camera).

Only 40 minutes or so after arriving in the area, I spotted something white on top of a leaning utility pole up ahead at the edge of a narrow side road. Stopping the car, I grabbed a camera and zoomed in, Yup ! It was a male snowy. Zipping up my jacket and putting on hat & gloves, I grabbed some gear (spare battery too when it's cold) and got out to slowly approach, stopping to snap shots at various points.

Staying aware to maintain suitable distance from the owl in my eagerness to get a good image, I stopped to make the image below, which I call 'Q-Tip'

Q-Tip

The image was made at 400mm on my 7DII so he's still a good distance away. I had checked the frame on the camera LCD and was satisfied that I had at least one decent shot so I decided to stand and wait for a bit and observe the bird's behaviour. He remained settled in position, feathers ruffling with the wind, swivelling his head from side to side as they do while listening, hunting for prey. I waited a good 5 min without moving, then decided to move another 20m or so closer. I looked down to be sure of my footing on the icy road and when I looked back up he was in flight dropping down to skim across the field behind some bushes at the edge of a drainage ditch. I had no chance to catch him in flight but walked up to the pole where he had perched to have a look around. I managed to locate him again, far off, perched on a fence post out in the middle of the fields. I stayed and watched, just taking in another experience with these lovely birds.

The tech ...

Using high-end gear for photography has many benefits ... and it's not all about the megapixels. My 7DII has a 20.2 MP sensor, high by some standards but not others considering the 36,42 and 50 MP sensors available in the highest end DSLR/Mirrorless cameras these days. Still, the 7DII captures an file that can be cropped significantly and still provide a quality image. 'Q-Tip' as shown above is roughly a 90% crop (for compositional purposes) of the the original 20.2 MP image. To show the extreme crop possible with high quality images from this (and other high-end cameras), consider the image below, cropped from the already 90% image above. This is cropped to roughly 20% of the original (and then upscaled in Lightroom to 1200x1200 for web viewing) and still shows nice detail.

Q-Tip (crop)

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-06-20

My father always photographed flowers, the flowers in his own garden, the flowers during his travels, wherever he encountered them. So what better to do on Father's Day than pay a visit to a patch of Indian Paintbrush and spend time remembering the man that gave me so much ... including a love for photography.

Spring on the Bruce brings a unique array of wildflowers to brighten the landscape. Most well known are likely the Lady's Slipper Orchids. I've been studying these in books and online resources along with my cameras. A favourite that I look for every spring is the Indian Paintbrush.

I first saw these several years ago when Lynn and I would drive the roads of the peninsula exploring and looking for a property. As we made our way west along one stretch, I noticed a swath of brilliant orange-red in the roadside ditch and immediately stopped. I took out the camera (remember, you always need to have a camera with you, right) and got down on my hands and knees in the ditch, much like I did again this weekend, and made a number of images. Once back home, I researched online to find out what these strange colour topped stalks were and was introduced to the Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja affinis).

morning paintbrush

This patch of paintbrush were along hay Bay Rd. on the way to Simpson Ave. and the cottage. I lost myself in creative pursuit and reflection, alone, down on my hands and knees, along a quiet road, and I swear someone's shadow kept getting in the shot.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2015-06-22

Dad always liked taking pictures of flowers. I recall looking at the large number of prints and slides when he would return from vacation. Florida, Hawaii, anywhere he went you could bet there would be lots of photos of the flowers he saw. So thinking of him on yet another Father's Day, I decided to work on a recent flower image of my own.

It's the time of year for photographing orchids on the Bruce Peninsula, but I was home this weekend to spend some time with Lynn and the boys for my birthday and Father's Day .. can't think of anything better to do on these occasions.

What I did manage to slip in on Saturday morning, was a visit to a local spot a friend showed me last year and capture some images of a Showy Lady's Slipper .
 

a showy pair

Given the time of day and limited access to the flower(s), I had to be content shooting from the road shoulder, across a (cold) creek, around and under some branches with my 7DII, 300mm f/4 with 1.4x extender. The resulting capture was less than spectacular so I pushed the file around in post considerably to create this rendition.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2013-07-15

This weekend, my photography outing on Saturday morning took me to Fletcher Creek Ecological Preserve, a Hamilton Conservation Authority property.

I was introduced to this place several months ago by Patrick and have since taken advantage of the fact that it is close to home. On this occasion, I arrived about an hour after sunrise and was fortunate that there was still moisture from a light dew hanging around.

Patrick and Alan, two of the other photographers that I get out with regularly, both are able to identify far more of the plant and tree species than I can, a fact that is a regular source of entertainment (at my expense). Nevertheless, I have set a goal for myself of slowly learning to identify more of the plant species in Ontario.

Along the east pathway leading into Fletcher Creek, I stopped to capture Silene Vulgaris, the Bladder Campion. No longer a "weed" to me, this wildflower is abundant to say the least, and proved to be a worthy subject adorned with morning dew droplets.
  

Bladder Campion

In addition, I saw St. John's Wort, Nodding Onion, Chicory, and a few others who's names I have forgotten for the moment ... a few at a time and I'll get there ... enduring the snickering along the way ;-)

DJE

Photo of the Week 2011-07-11

the look

On the way home from the Listowel recently, I saw a young daughter and her father working at the end of the lane to their farmhouse. I had passed by but decided to turn around and grab a few images. By the time I got back they had moved quite a way from the road. My 70-200 did not have enough reach for the composition I wanted so this is a significant crop.
The heat haze and a bit 'o post gave me what I was going for ... of course the little lady provided "the look".

Opportunities like this are precisely why I always travel with a camera. It may not be my DSLR with a full range of lenses, but I can say that I never knowingly or willingly travel without at least a compact digital camera. As it happened, I had a photo backpack with some of my better gear with me on this occasion and as already stated, even that did not provide the framing I wanted for this image ... so I made use of the digital darkroom and cropped the portion of the image I visualized at capture.

I made few other exposures of the rural Ontario scene before me, trusting that I was able to capture what I needed in a couple of images. The subjects were retreating up the lane to the farm house and quickly, the moment of interest passed.

up the lane


DJE

Algonquin Scenes

I wanted to put up some more images from my recent trip to Algonquin Park. I have not yet completed reviewing and cataloguing all of the images I made ... if I wait that long, I may never get them up to share :-)

rowboats reflected


Algonquin stump


Labrador Tea


calm & reflected (uncropped version)


Enjoy
DJE