Photo of the Week 2026-03-09

 

Sunsets over Lake Huron rarely disappoint and when the weather cooperates to open up a view, it can be truly spectacular ...

 

' curtain call '

With the warm temperatures, rain and then sun in recent days, the snow has melted significantly in my neck 'o the province. At home, just the remainder from the deepest piles lingers. The cottage, from what I see on our cameras, is not quite as thawed.

 

For the shot above, the bay was still frozen quite solid all the way out to the channel but I expect to see different when I'm up next. It's early March, so there's still the possibility of some nasty weather yet. She came in like a lamb. How she will go out remains to be seen.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2026-02-23

 

Ice, Ice, Baby ...

 

' ice white '

Yet again, all the blunder and warnings and overreaction for another storm that never was :-/

 

One can only imagine the costs associated with closures, rescheduling, postponements, delays created when alarmist forecasts scare the public into overreaction mode. Yes, sometimes they get it right. Perhaps one in one hundred times the storm is actually what was predicted. Mostly, it's much to do about nothing and the blame falls on the "weather prediction computer models". Maybe the modellers should send out satisfaction surveys ... everyone else does. That one I might just fill out :-[

 

Well at least I was able to get out and work with my 105mm Macro lens to get some close ups of the results of what freezing rain there was. My truck as pebbled with a thin coating and there were some small icicles forming on door handles. I also walked a neighbourhood near where Lynn had an appointment, making images of ice on bushes, branches and other 

  

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2026-02-16

 

It's time for some "behind the scenes activity" related to my photography. After nearly 10 years, time has come to replace the computer(s) I use for storing and processing my images. While it may not sound like a big deal, it actually is, well at least for the approach I'm taking.

 

Moving to Windows11 from the now unsupported Windows10 is one of the main reasons to take on the project at this time. Another is to get in front of the escalating price of memory chips. I utilize 2 PC's and with some little annoyances cropping up, one sound channel not working and short life on the replacement battery on the laptop, it's time had come. The desktop had started having an issue on start-up now and then that had me beginning troubleshooting actions. With this in mind I decided to update both to remain consistent with Windows 11 for both machines and avoid what could be significant price increases to new stock when current inventories are depleted.

 

The desktop lives in the home "studio" (i.e. basement) and I use the laptop at the cottage or when I'm otherwise mobile. The laptop also does double duty for the personal stuff of everyday life. So in addition to the additional expense in acquiring 2 PC's, there was a fair bit of prep work researching suitable machines before the heavy lifting started. Not wanting to carry over any unwanted baggage from the previous machines, I'm now waist deep in 2 fresh installs of Windows OS and the significant number of applications I use. I'm not rushing the project because the older machines are still working and I have backups of critical files should they be needed.

 

It may sound daunting, but I enjoy learning through the process and it gives me a great opportunity to start fresh. Plus, I like to know the PC's I use and how they work in some detail which is unavoidable the way I approach this.

 

' winter sunscape '

... and this week's photo. 

 

It had been a while since I'd captured sunset across the frozen water of Lake Huron ... supper was timed so that I could spend some time out on the shore with camera and catch some of the colour. There was a heavy band of cloud low on the horizon and whispy high level clouds all reflecting the orange glow of the last sunlight of the day.

 

DJE 

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 2024-04-22

 

' 2024-03-01 18:16:02 '

 

Still on hiatus from normal photo activities, so enjoy another late winter sunset ...

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-04-15

Odd as it may be, I haven't made any photos yet in April. No I was not among the throngs of photographers that shot the eclipse (a story for another time perhaps), and after returning from a golf getaway before Easter, I've been working my way through images made of sunset on March 1st.

 

' burning feather '

' vanes of fire '

' smouldering aftervane '

After capturing images of the much wider scene, I switched camera bodies to one with a longer zoom lens and concentrated on the unique cloud details of this particular sunset.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-04-08

 

Still working through the shots from sunset in the icy waters of Hay Bay just over a month ago ... 

 

' spring breakup '

 

Breakups are hard ... but saying goodbye to scenes like this for another year are especially tough ;-)

From a series of images made working the sunset on 2024-03-01

Photo of the Week 2024-04-01

 

Spring may have arrived and we may be entering April, but I am still working on late winter images. In particular, I have a set of images from Sunset on March 1st that have me remembering ... reliving ... a glorious display of fire and ice.

 

' sunset on the wing '

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-03-11

 

' morning pink to the west '

I've been processing the backlog of images made this winter and decided to work with a little colour-grading in Lightrroom Classic. Based on some examples I encountered and liked online, I decided to work on my own blue-tone preset to use as a starting point for my processing.

When I applied the preset to this image, there was still a little pink left from sunrise reflecting in clouds to west and I decided that it should stay, subdued though it was.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-02-26

' winter's wide expanse '

Enjoying my relatively recent foray into the realm of ultra-wide angle landscapes, I marvel at the way expansive skies are captured. They appear gathered from the edges of sight, pulled into the frame to compliment the earth below, particularly when I'm photographing along the shore near our cottage. Often, as in the image above, the textures in the sky and cloud mirror the patterns and shapes in the rock above and below the waters of Hay Bay.

I'm looking forward to many more outings with the ultra-wide focal lengths and the opportunity to hone my skills while creating compelling landscapes.

 

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 2023-02-20

' sky pyre '

The final image in a series where I 'zoomed' closer and closer capturing sunset on the Huron horizon.

 

With sunset photography, scouting or knowing the location in advance helps me form a plan of how I will shoot. I use that plan as a guide only and adapt as I respond to what the scene is presenting.

 

I 'scouted' this familiar location along our cottage shoreline earlier in the day for ice formations with the idea of using sunset reflecting through or from them. I used The Photographer's Ephemeris to determine that sun would set almost perfectly centred behind the mouth of our bay. But conditions did not turn out as I had anticipated and my response was to shoot a series of images using the lens to zoom in tighter and tighter into the point where the sun had fallen below the horizon.

 

Here are the other images from the series ...

 

between the ice and sky - still  closer

 

 

 

 

 

 

between the ice and sky - closer

between the ice and sky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

scouting the probability of sunset - II

DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-02-06

 

Happy that winter, or at least a few winter days have arrived, I've been wanting to get out with camera as much as I can to capture all of the beauty I can ... while it lasts.

 

I had spent some time in Eastern Ontario, in Rideau Lakes near Perth, and enjoyed exploring and photographing in the area a little. The shortly after I returned home, the urge to get up to our place on 'the Bruce' won out and I was off again in search of winter scenes to capture.

' Mermaid's Winter Veil '

Relatively warm, open waters and frigid air temperature combine to shroud the shore of Mermaid Cove in winter fog and create this scene for me to stand and admire before making this capture.

 

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-01-16

 

... still publishing from the archives until I'm motivated and able to get out on some new photographic adventures. This from a year ago ...

 

' an ice gremlin watches '

 

... as water flows and ice closes in over one of the many small creeks around Silvercreek Conservation Area, Halton, ON
 

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2023-01-09

 

I haven't been out shooting much in these grey, dull first days of 2023 ... the absence of winter wonderland scenes and scapes finds me devoid of inspiration. While I reboot and reset my expectations, here is an image from a few years ago as a winter storm approached over the ice forming on Hay Bay.

 

' winter cometh '

What does mother nature have in store for us? There is still time for her winter witchery ... I hope.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2022-04-11

I haven't picked up a camera in a week, but there are plenty of images in the queue. These are from a few weeks back when I rushed to get some shots of four Bald Eagles that were out on the ice near the far shore of the bay.

 

An adult Bald Eagle seemed to be teaching class. I think it was 'Flying in the Wind 101' because it took off before I could grab a shot of the 4 birds together. Then each immature bird took a turn trying to emulate what they were shown. There were varying degrees of success but all eventually made it and out of my sight line.

 

' flying low '

' three immature baldies - waiting their turn '

I hope this family stays around and I'm able to photograph them again in the coming months.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2022-03-28

 

With winter still close in the rear view mirror, I turn my lens to scenes of an emerging spring. On 'the Bruce' these last few days, that has been a bit of a mixed bag. With accumulated snow disappearing I had expected to focus on something related entirely on the melt, dripping ice, running water or something of the sort.

Then morning came with a drop in temperature and a dusting of snow overnight and the spring melt was halted temporarily. Pools of accumulated snow melt had begun to crust over with ice again, and for a moment, I was back in my winter happy place ...

 

' halted '

The following day saw the snow melting again and waters of the bay opening more as the wind blew in off Lake Huron. One more day and the wind was up and blizzard conditions returned ... welcome to spring, not spring in Ontario.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2022-03-21

With spring on the doorstep and a decreasing number of days for snowshoe hikes out on the ice before it gives way to open water, I took advantage of a sunny afternoon ... and of course I took a camera.

 

' ice breaker '

There was much to enjoy as I trekked along the snow and ice covered shoreline. Smaller areas  of open water were beginning to appear in locations where the currents work their way around shoals and exposed rock. Sunlight sparkled off the wind blown ripples of these surfaces. There were interesting patterns and shapes sculpted in the surface the snow by winds off Lake Huron. There were huge mounds out at the edges if the shelf ice further from shore where I dared not tread.

The crunch of my snowshoes on exposed ice became a muted "crump, crump, crump" when I transitioned onto patches of powdered snow. Otherwise the only sounds were from my own heartbeat and breathing. For a while, I sat on an exposed rock and just took it all in.

 

Knowing that this may be the final opportunity for such a trek this winter, I made my way around into China Cove but not before stopping where waves had crashed up driven by the north-west wind as winter strengthened it's grip months before. Now with snow cover gone, melting in the warmth of a bright sunny day, one spot reminded me of a breaking wave frozen in time. 

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2022-03-14

Revisiting favourite locations at different times of day, in different light, different weather conditions and different seasons provides opportunity to capture some very different images.

I love the view out towards Lake Huron from our location on Hay Bay. Regular followers will recognize it from the many images I have shared here and elsewhere in recent years. So it should come as no surprise that I made several treks out onto the ice this winter in search of compositions of interest.

 

A month ago, I made an image with the setting sun placed behind a crack and thrust up slab of ice. Two weeks later, and at sunrise rather than sunset, I was in that exact same spot, composing images around that same crack and slab of ice.

 

' crack 'n morning sky - H '

 

' crack 'n morning sky - V '

With the sun behind me and obscured by clouds, instead of blazing into my lens, the resulting images are night and day apart. 

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2022-03-07

Purple and Gold, the colours of royalty

 

' Regal Pageantry '

When I photograph out over Lake Huron, I quite often used a longer focal length to capture at least one image without any of the headlands or islands present. Some time after I began this practice I was introduced to the Seascape photography of Hiroshi Sugimoto, his exploration of the boundary between sea and sky.

"Water and air. So very commonplace are these substances, they hardly attract attention ― and yet they vouchsafe our very existence. The beginnings of life are shrouded in myth: Let there water and air. Living phenomena spontaneously generated from water and air in the presence of light, though that could just as easily suggest random coincidence as a Deity. Let's just say that there happened to be a planet with water and air in our solar system, and moreover at precisely the right distance from the sun for the temperatures required to coax forth life. While hardly inconceivable that at least one such planet should exist in the vast reaches of universe, we search in vain for another similar example.  Mystery of mysteries, water and air are right there before us in the sea. Every time I view the sea, I feel a calming sense of security, as if visiting my ancestral home; I embark on a voyage of seeing." 

                                                                                                                       - Hiroshi Sugimoto

 

I've contributed a number of images to a flickr group "Following Sugimoto" dedicated to the genre, this is yet another.

 

DJE