Photo of the Week 2026-06-29

 

' St. Lawrence Sunrise - L'Islet-sur-Mer '

On the way home from PEI, we stopped overnight in L'Islet-sur-Mer, a quaint Quebec village on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River not far from Quebec City.

Of course I had my phone with me for some photos while I was out on the course, but I also took a "proper" camera to take advantage of any special opportunities that arose. Up early on our day of departure, I grabbed the camera took a walk down to the wharf on the St. Lawrence River ...

 

I stepped off the break-wall to walk along the cocky shoreline. Moving east, just past the concrete wharf face, I saw a lone tree perched higher up on the riverbank and framed a shot with it back-lit by the warm clouded morning sky.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2023-08-07

 

' birch in evening light '

I just love how the evening light was kissing these dual birch trucks off the waterside deck at our cottage.

We have this birch one one side and another with triple trunks at the roadside. Both catch my eye every time I walk by (which is often) and I feel like there is always something to capture with my camera.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-04-24

 

' pietà '

 

The local photo group I belong to made arrangements for access to the interior of the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate. With some restrictions, we were generously allowed to roam about and photograph at our leisure for a couple of hours during one of the quieter times. 

 

When we arrived, I dropped my gear off in a corner that would not interfere with the others, set up for a pre-planned shot of the main ceiling and then wandered around. As I explored, I noticed sunlight through the stained glass windows was creating coloured pools at various points around the interior. I watched these points and waited until the late afternoon sun reached a position where light from one window spilled onto this sculpture.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-10-04

 

' in the right light ... '

In the right light, the ordinary becomes the extraordinary.

While having breakfast, alone at the cottage recently, I paused to watch sunlight coming through the sliding door to our deck, as it slipped across the corner cabinet doors. It's a photographer thing.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-05-17

 

Continuing with images from Casa Loma back in 2009 ...

It's been quite some time since I've visited locations like this to spend time exercising a creative eye.
Working with an ultra-wide-angle lens inside allows for some interesting perspectives and points of view.

up and to the left

Here, I've used leading lines, convergence and brightness level to draw the viewer up and into the image.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2019-10-14

Capturing the feel, the true feel of a forest scene is challenging ... an understatement to say the least. 

Once their eye detects "something", that "something" that eludes description, a photographer must decide where to direct the lens and from which vantage point. They must choose whether to "go wide" and pull in an expanse of the scene before them, to "zoom in" and pick out specific details, or something in between. They must decide what, out of a myriad of possible elements to include, what to exclude, what elements work together to build that "feel". 

And, the photographer must make choices that are more technical, focal length aperture, shutter speed, ISO, exposure that align with their vision for the image.

fall forest shadows

Getting all aspects to come together, in harmony that moves a viewer to "feel" what the photographer feels is the ultimate goal. Success is elusive, seldom achieved, ever enticing ... for me anyway.

I will continue, undaunted, as time spent in the forest is something special in itself.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2018-04-09

curious dark 'n deep

Walking along the edges of the forest, my eye is always drawn further in, past the sunlight, and deeper into the shadows.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-08-22

Sometimes it's the everyday sights that catch my eye, sometimes it's simply the light at that moment, often it's the convergence of a number of things at just the right moment.

Early one morning, after spending time on the lakeside deck to finish morning coffee followed by a bit of yoga to stretch out a tight back, I noticed the simple way dappled sunlight streamed through the trees to illuminate an old orange cottage chair.

I decided to apply some creative filter work and create a painterly ethereal feel for the simple scene.

old friend

I'm sure the sound of wind and waves accompanied by birdsong and the smell of cedar and spruce mingling with fresh air off the lake together combined to enhance the scene in a quieted mind's eye.

DJE    

Photo of the Week 2016-07-18

“Life consists with wildness. The most alive is the wildest. Not yet subdued to man, its presence refreshes him.” 
- Henry David Thoreau, Walking

sanctum natura

... too long without a walk in the woods and an uneasiness sets in. For me, the remedy is simple ... fresh morning air, a trail, the sights, sounds and smells of the forest.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-04-18

Photographically Speaking ... it was a busy weekend.

The Latow Photographers Guild held their annual seminar April 17 & 18 in Burlington. This year it was:

“PHOTOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING” — A DAY OF INSPIRATION AND INSTRUCTION WITH DAVID DUCHEMIN

I have been following David somewhat regularly for several years, since around the time he released his first book, Within The Frame. Though I have heard him online, this was the first time I have seen him speak live and had the opportunity to talk to him in person.

Photographically Speaking - David duChemin

The weekend consisted of a full day seminar on Saturday with 3 mini-seminars on Sunday for a full weekend of discussion around Light, Line and Moment (yes, I got the message David). I took in the complete package and despite chairs that were designed to torture your butt and back, I stayed glued to my seat the whole time.

David is an enthusiastic speaker focused on the creative process of making photographic images and eschews the preoccupation with gear so prevalent in photographic discussions today. I'll refrain from trying to provide a synopsis of his photographic beliefs and approach, do yourself a favour and look him up online or just click this link and start there.

For the final session of the weekend, David talked about "The Visual Imagination". This was the 'abstract - impressionistic' session of the bunch. I have so many quotes written down to remind me of all the good discussion and suggestions from the weekend, but one from the final session will stick with me for a while ... concerning abstract / impressionistic art ...

"It's not meant to be got. It's meant to be felt."

                                                  - David duChemin -

From my own body of work, here (again) is an image from Venice, one that I spent considerable time post processing, working on a technique ... for me it just has the right feel.

portal through time

DJE

 

Photo of the Week 2013-06-03

Where to go and what to do ...

Spring weather has been unsettled to say the least, and plans for the weekend were dependent on a forecast that kept changing and as experience has taught, is unreliable. With an 80% chance of rain staring us in the face, Lynn and I made the call on Friday to cancel a Saturday outing to the Bruce Peninsula.

My fall back photo outing plan was to join friends Alan and Patrick on a trek to show Patrick  one of the local trails he had not seen. That plan too was slightly altered when morning brought traces of lingering mist and turned our photo thoughts to moody river scenes ... but again plans changed as the mist quickly disappeared and we settled in to battle the mosquitoes along the Eramosa River section or the Royal Recreation Trail.

We walked, no, strolled along the riverside trails, off the main path. Time passed unnoticed amongst conversation of yes photography, but also life, family and nature. Along the trail we encountered a toad, wild garlic mustard, Tamarack, Manitoba Maple, Giant Hogweed and geese with their goslings.

Of course there was the light ... photography is all about the light. It's always about the light. When the light is right, it stops a photographer in their tracks and commands them to take notice. It distracts and dominates. It speaks, it whispers it shouts, until it has their attention.

leafen glow

The glow on the fresh green leaves (that reminded Patrick of basil) reached out and grabbed me as I passed. It drew me in, literally into the area off the trail to catch the satin like texture of the glowing leaves ... and into a swam of mosquitoes (thank-you Deet).

DJE

Photo of the Week 2012-03-05

forest mist - forest light

I'm not sure how many times I have mentioned that if you are into photography, you should always be sure that you have a camera with you. Cell phone cameras may be very handy and there are some great images made with these and low end point and shoot cameras. I prefer to have a very capable P&S like my G12 of better yet a DSLR with me when I come across something worth photographing. The "better" the camera the more I am inclined to stop what I'm doing and take a few minutes to work with a scene to capture something special.

Stopping and taking the time to shoot ... that's the second thing you need to do if you are into photography. There are countless times in the past when I have said "look at that", I should stop and make a photograph. There are a very small number of images from those times in my library, because I seldom stopped, unless I was specifically out for photography.

This past Friday, I got a later start than I had intended and had skipped my morning walk, something I have recently started as part of a "get active" program, to make up for lost time. As I headed to my first stop of the day, I passed an urban forest park and was struck by the mist enveloping the bare hardwood trunks as they reached upward. I said to myself, "look at that", I've been waiting for just these conditions to make some images here ...

That was all I needed. I pulled into a parking area, grabbed the DSLR that I had stowed in the vehicle and headed out into the fog and forest clicking away as I paid no attention to established trails. I know this section of forest well enough so I just wandered from scene to scene, composing, capturing and clicking the shutter. Eventually I had worked through the hardwoods and found some fir trees with a beech still holding it's brown leaves. The beech was in a small clearing and I could see gentle shafts of sunlight beginning to break through overhead. If only the fog would linger a little longer and the sunlight would just ... CLICK !

Ahhh, that is why I need to stop when something catches my eye. That is why I need to be sure to keep a capable camera will me all the time. Now where the heck am I and how do I get back to the car ... ?

It all took 45 minutes. By the time I was back at the car the fog had lifted, it was still early and I had managed to get my morning walk in.

This one looks great printed. It's resting on my layout table just wating to be framed.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2012-02-06

morning light on trailside cedars


Each of the past three weekends now, I have taken my cameras along on successive sections of the the Cambridge Mill Run Trail. The weather forecast for Saturday suggested it would be less than inspiring for photography however a good friend was just getting over a bout of pneumonia and needed an outing that wasn't too strenuous. This relatively flat trail system had been providing some new scenery for my lens and as uninspiring as the weather may have been, new scenery is always good.

DJE

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Photo of the Week 2011-12-26

edge of darkness


... my recent obsession, trees. This image from a walk on a new (to me) section of the local trail network.

Whenever I am out hiking through or near trees I find myself stopping to look at patterns, textures, shadows and losing track of time ...

DJE