Photo of the Week 2026-07-13

 

Down with a summer 'crud' cold, photographic activities have been limited this past week. Catalogue organization and processing some images from the archive along with listening to some online programming has been the limit for me. I did dig out a vintage (nearly 20 year old) digicam after being inspired by some discussion in a podcast I listened to. There seems to be a fledgling resurgence of their popularity and I have 2 in particular that I want to get out and shoot with out of curiosity of what I may be able to create with them. More on that in coming weeks.

 

For now, here's an image from almost 10 years ago that again caught my eye while digging through the library ...

 

' mimicry '

So often, I find the sky mimicking the land and waters below ... 

 

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 2025-11-10

 

Waiting for sunset, I worked compositions of the shoreline and rock outcrops at water's edge, Stone Beach, Lake Superior, Algoma District, ON

 

' formations '

It often happens after arriving at a location for a planned photo opportunity, there is time available to explore further. Whether waiting for others in the group, for a planned shot to develop, or quickly getting the planned shot, I try to make best use this extra time and opportunity.

The image above was captured during this "extra time", waiting for the sun to set across the vast Superior horizon. 

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2025-10-27

 

I don't use my cell phone for any 'serious' photography. They may be a large community of people using their phones as a primary camera but I prefer the form factor, creative control and quality of results from one of my cameras. That is unless all I have with me is my phone and the scene is so fleeting that heading back to the vehicle to unpack my R5 would make me miss the shot ...

 

' Mirrored on the Michipicoten '

After a full day of shooting on our way from Batchawana Bay to Wawa. We had checked into our accommodations, made a dinner reservation at a highly recommended restaurant and arrived to this scene from their outdoor deck looking over the Michipicoten River. Afraid the scene wouldn't last until I went back to the vehicle to grab my camera, I shot this with my phone.

  

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2025-02-10

 

Well this feels a little different ...

 

After 4 months of working through images made during a trip to Scotland last September, I came to the end. Interrupted only thrice since returning, my posts to social media have showcased of images from 11 days of the trip. I first paused for a few days to showcase the awesome images captured during the 'once in a lifetime aurora event' 2024-10-10. The second time was to celebrate the return of Snowy Owls to the Bruce Peninsula after an absence of 3 years, the third, to say farewell to 2024 and ring in 2025 with the annual 'Last Light' - 'First Light' images (though these did not make it to all of my social streams).

 

So it feels different not writing about Scotland, my experiences and my time there. It is a truly magnificent place to visit, the people are incredible (even if some in the tourist hordes are not - such seems the case most places these days). Will I go back? I certainly plan to, maybe for a photo specific visit, maybe more of what I did this go round.

 

Now where am I ... oh ya, back at home in Canada. She's certainly a beauty as well. Let me turn to the images I've been making back home in Ontario. How about we start with a pair of bookends ...

 

' 2024-09-28 08:16:34 '

 

' 2024-09-28 19:23:37 '

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-11-25

 

' A Birsay Bay Tearoom View '

On our second day on Orkney, after arriving in Birsay and making a number of images from a seaside parking area, I parked the car at the tearoom and stowed the camera gear for lunch. As luck would have it a grand scene developed outside our table-side window ... and me with only my cell phone :-/
 

I posted this shot at the time, direct from the phone complete with reflections in the window. Here, I've cleaned up the reflected lights, added a touch of processing magic and cropped more to my liking.

 

A few minutes later, it looked like this :-O

 

It was a great day, a great lunch and a great view !

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-08-26

For the fourth week, I'm presenting images selected from the sunset series captured  over a period of more than 40 minutes on 2024-08-02. The progression of colour and texture in the sky was sublime, subtle across the passing of seconds, dramatic overall.

 

In the final stages, the cloud structure softened as if by the touch of an artist blending bands and patches of pastel ...

' subsequent softening '

 

' subsequently softened '

I am obsessed with the sunsets over Lake Huron as seen from our shoreline. They are stunning from any location and so seductively available with just a short walk down to the water.

Here's a screen capture from my Lightroom catalogue of images illustrating the progression that always pulls me in.

 

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-08-19

A few minutes after official sunset, the cloud structure started to diffuse, softening in the evening sky, as a trio of kayakers return home.

 

' the home stretch '

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-08-12

 

' 'V' for Vivid '

Up at the cottage to make some progress on 'the shed project', there was some time to take in one of those glorious Huron Sunsets. Standing at the shore, as the minutes ticked off, colours in the clouds were intensifying.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-08-05

' blowin' smoke '

 

After a full day of work on the waterside shed, I 5took some time to relax and take in this gorgeous sunset. Over the course of almost an hour, 30 min before official sunset to almost 30 minutes after, I moved around the shoreline for different compositions making a number of exposures.

 

Sometimes it's not until after making the exposure and looking at it on a larger screen, that I see images in the clouds ... I see the profile of a man with smoke coming out of his mouth ;-)

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-05-20

 

I'm still working through images from a couple of weeks ago in Algonquin with Jesse Villemaire of Follow Me North Photography. During our stop at the Lake of Two Rivers campground where I made last week's image, I took time to work some interesting compositions along the sandy shoreline.

 

' Algonquin Abstract '

I found this interesting driftwood log embedded at water's edge and worked the scene while the conditions were calm and clear.
 

 

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 2024-02-26

' 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 2024-01-15

At the cottage, it's almost always worth a trip down to the shore around sunset time, even if there isn't a sunset to be seen ...

 

' Evening Mood 2023-12-07 '

... and I still need the exercise developing my eye when using an ultra-wide (in this case 11mm) angle lens.

Recently, working with my 11mm Irix and 14-35mm Canon (at 14mm) has energized my creativity. I'm quite enjoying the process of seeing this wide, of seeking to find conditions, subjects, scenes, compositions that work for these focal lengths.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-11-06

 

Three different looks from one capture ...

 

When I framed this composition and made the original exposure, I was concentrating on the reflection. I wanted to keep as much symmetry as possible, with a low POV, bending down, camera hand held, not using a tripod, I was really just scouting the location at this point knowing that I would return in a day or so with a group of photographers.

 

What caught my attention later, while reviewing the day's images on the computer, was the difference in luminance between the clouds in the sky and their reflection on the calm water. After a minimal amount of processing on the original, I reworked the file to balance the luminance of the sky to that of the reflection and in addition, the reflection luminance to that of the sky ending up with three different interpretations of the scene, each with their own mood.

 

For reference and clarity, in the above trip-tych, the top image is the original.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-10-30

One week ago I had just returned from the shores of Lake Superior where I joined a handful of other photographers for several days of shooting immersed in the outstanding Algoma District of Ontario. The Lake Superior Wild & Scenic Photography Retreat hosted by Andrew McLachlan and operated out of Rock Island Lodge had long been on my wish list, or rather it's predecessor had. Since travelling to the area for work over a decade ago, then researching the area for solo photo exploits, I found it was home to an organized photo workshop and the seed was sewn.

 

The weeks and days preceding my return to this stunningly beautiful part of Ontario, had me struggling with my photography, feeling uninspired. Though it's happened before, given the time of year when fall colours were vibrant, I was in an odd place creatively and hopeful that the coming experience would see me through it.

 

The drive up Highway 17 from Sault Ste. Marie to Wawa, provided opportunity for stops at Chippewa Falls, Sand River and Old Woman Bay to test the waters and whet my appetite (puns intended). Though we would return to two of these locations in the coming days, I was able to get the creative wheel turning again ...

 

... then after arriving at the lodge, meeting our hosts and the other photographers, it was time for a first sunset shoot out on the shore.

 

' magenta moments '

You can find the images from this outing in my flickr album "Algoma" along with photos from my previous visits to the area. Most recent images will be added at the top of the album page and expect a few more over the coming days and maybe week or so. Yes the trip was that successful, I'm still working through the captures.
 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-10-02

 

Well ... another 12th of '23 has passed and the final quarter is upon us. Fall colours have arrived, in varying degrees depending on your location. Time is set aside to visit some of my favourite locations for autumn photography, the results of which will be shared in days and weeks to come.

 

My appetite for creating images is returning, slow but sure. Just putting myself in regular positions that have led to success in the past has been a big help in getting things to flow again. I returned to one of those places, and at a time I had been letting slip by ... early morning, near sunrise. What a quiet, still, glorious time it was.

' quiet moments '

An unusually quiet and still morning on Hay Bay, Tobermory.

DJE

 

 

 

 

Photo of the Week 2023-05-01

 

A favourite place to just sit back, relax and enjoy the show ...

 

' best seats in the house '

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2022-09-19

I prefer the off-season on 'the Bruce'. It's quieter, peaceful even, with the tourist hordes looking elsewhere for their day-trips. Once September arrives, temperatures are (becoming) more welcoming for my photo outings/hikes, bugs are (mostly) gone too. The further from summer, the more tranquil it gets.

On this last official weekend of summer, Lynn and I encountered two other couples out enjoying the sun and summer warm temperature on our mid-day hike south on the Bruce Trail from Dunks Bay. It was a shortish outing but every step enjoyable with no argument from my ankle sprain that has been bothersome in recent weeks. Sturdy boots, careful treading and moderation are the plan going forward as it continues to heal.

 

' North to Dunks Bay '

Last time we had been on this trail was early spring when I was looking to photograph a Trillium patch I had marked out. Harsh mid-day sun and mostly clear skies made exposure challenging so I decided to bracket and blend later in post. This image above is a Lightroom HDR blending without over doing things (I think). Though not a four-star capture, it makes me smile that I was back out on the escarpment trails with camera again ... bonus points is you can see the face staring back at the viewer in this ;-)

' South along the shore of Georgian Bay '

We met a young couple with their pup who enjoyed the accessible natural pool along the shore at this lovely spot.

 

A busy schedule in the coming weeks has me working hard to find some time I can allocate to more outings like this along the Georgian Bay and Huron shorelines.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2022-05-30

 

Every sunset is unique - No two are ever exactly the same 

 

' a slice of pink '

This, from a couple of weeks ago ...

 

As I grow my catalogue of images, some, no many get overlooked, at least initially. Particularly when I enter a period of frequent outings and prolific shooting, but also when I make many exposures during a single outing.

 

It's always a question, whether I should process everything from a past shoot before moving on to more recent captures. Does it matter? My OCD left brain says it does, my right brain frequently speaks up and creates chaos. It's just one of the struggles on my 'photographic journey'.  

 

DJE