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 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 fo the Week 2022-05-23

 

' morning aspen '

Well I'm pretty sure they're aspen but if not I'll pretend that they are ...

 

I'm digging into the archive this week because I haven't gone out with a camera recently. Life seems to be busy with other things right now. This image has been processed and sitting on the hard drive for a couple of years. I've always liked it and the memories it stirs of a morning drive when sun was strong and still low on the horizon.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2021-11-22

 

Robertson Tract in the morning ...

It was nice to get together with photo friends for an outing to the Robertson Track in Halton. The myriad of trails there lead you through a forest of changing scenery near the top of the escarpment.

 

Arriving shortly after sunrise, we were treated to morning light filtering though a light mist, highlighting tree trunks, rocky outcrops and mosses growing on the exposed stone. For this image, I was drawn to the depth of the scene, with the receding verticals of the trees.

 

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 2020-06-15

There are a number of forest scenes along the roadside that always catch my eye while on my morning walk. The light is always changing with time of day, time of year. I'm fascinated by the way it penetrates canopy to highlight areas below. Add to that the emergence of wildflowers in spring and it can be pure magic.

Slipper Patch

This particular area had a large number of Yellow Lady's Slippers out in full bloom. I happened to pass by at just the right time when morning light was spilling through an opening in the forest to wash over some of the patch.

DJE

Dawn of a second Decade ...

Committed to continue and looking for the way forward on this journey, a return to the past seemed a good start ...

de' light at dawn

On a morning walk along the Eramosa River, west from Rockwood to the mill ruins and Rockwood Falls, the arrival of light filtering through a thin morning mist provided a wonderful tranquil atmosphere. 

My presence startled not one but two Great Blue Herons into flight at separate locations along the way, prompting me to take note for a return in stealth, prepared with gear that might allow me to get a decent GBH image or two.

Continuing along the trail, memories of past visits played through my mind as familiar scenes and presented themselves. Blissfully lost in the moment, I turned around to see this ... simply delightful scene.

DJE

10 Years of Blog Posts ... Reflecting

Reflecting on a 10-Year Milestone ...

' a photographic journey ', this blog, has played no small role in my photographic life these past 10 years. Approaching this milestone post, reflecting on those years has opened up a flood of memories, thoughts and questions.

Memories of people, places, experiences and family have stirred. Alan, Grant, Andrew, Emma, Bruce and others. Some subjects, many friends for life. Rome, Florence ... ahhhh Florence, Ucluelet, Algonquin, Montreal, Albion Falls, Cathedral Grove, The Bruce. So many places. Out of my comfort zone at 'Help Portrait' - twice, a frigidly cold, dark, silent night on a back-road in Algonquin and that night sky, 'The Crack'. Dad ... and Mom. A wonderful flood of memories.

And some thoughts, of photographs yet to be made, a life without photography, life with photography, taking a hiatus, simply continuing, even calling it quits.

Then the questions ... ohhhh the questions. The silent kind that pop up while driving, having dinner, walking into the grocery store making you forget what you came for, lifting you up, bringing you down. As always, more questions than answers.

Have I made my "best" image? What if I have? Do I have better in me yet?

If I stop this blog how will it affect my photography? Will it continue? What would I do without photography?

Is the blog format even relevant for photography anymore? With the popularity of Facebook and Instagram attention spans have become minuscule. Who actually reads a blog these days? Does anyone read my blog?

Do I really have to come up with a photo and post every week? Oh shit ! I have to come up with something for this week ! 

Hold on ...

morning aspen

Why do I blog? My posts receive very few comments, over the years just a handful … so why even bother? Is anybody out there? Who is this for?

Weekly posts have motivated me to continue shooting regularly. The blog is sort of a journal for my photographic life ... slowly I realize, I do it for me !

Will I continue?

Photographing ... you bet !

The blog ... I think so.

See ya next week ... maybe.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2017-04-10

Sitting down by the water, enjoying morning coffee, looking up at the tangle of Tamarack branches with their little cones ...

spring tamarack

 ... bundled up against the stiff breeze off the bay listening to the song of a sparrow come to keep me company on a nearby branch (I'm still working to identify the sparrow). Mornings don't get much better.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-11-07

It was a great week for photography. Twice during the work week, I grabbed some time to make a few images while the light was inviting. 
First thing Tuesday morning I had dental surgery and booked the day off work planning to rest and enjoy the painkillers ... but on my way home the light in a local forest grabbed my attention so I stopped and wandered about with my camera, at least until the freezing started to come out ;-)
I've already shared a couple of the images from this outing on my flickr page here and here. Then there was another medical appointment first thing Thursday morning and on the way there crossing the Gordon Street bridge over the Speed River the scene was just too good to pass so I stopped and grabbed this and this before making it the the doctor's office on time.
By the time the weekend arrived you might think that my photo quota had been filled, but I was off to Tobermory to check on some mouse traps set the previous week (an excuse for a solo weekend in paradise). Before heading out for a photo outing on Saturday morning I grabbed this with my iPhone. When I got to my intended location for photography, I strapped on both DSLR's bandoleer style and went about capturing the fall colour on the fen at Singing Sands BPNP which shots like this.
So it's been a tough one trying to pick the Photo of the Week this week and I'm quite pleased that this is the case. There are sometimes when everything seems just right for photography and I'll take that whenever I can get it ! From the first outing on Tuesday (so I don't get too far ahead and forget about it)  ...

fall leaves in morning light

DJE