Photo of the Week 2026-09-14

 

Away on an annual golf trip to Grand Falls, New Brunswick I hadn't intended much in the way of photography. Though I had a capable small 'point 'n shoot' camera with me, I mostly used my phone for snaps on the courses we played.

 

One morning, while the others slept in, I was having coffee on the deck looking out to the river. The humming birds were humming at the feeder near my left shoulder, Blue Jays and Crows were beginning to make themselves known as the sun continued to rise. I looked to the opening in the trees along the Salmon River and made my way off the deck to catch this lovely little scene.

 

' down by the river '

' down by the river II '

I find it interesting to see the effect of focal length in these images. Both were shot from exactly the same location. I no more than shuffled my feet as I switched from 'normal' to 'wide' view on the phone.

 

In the first, normal, the branch of early autumn red leaves and the river take on prominent subject roles whereas in the second, wide' I find that it's the sunburst, shadow and light that grab my attention with the red leaves and river relegated to supporting roles.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2026-08-03

 

Last week, we were invited to dinner at our friend's cottage at the very SW tip of the Bruce Peninsula. I've always known that the view of sunset from there would be amazing. Until this occasion, my timing had not been right. With dinner done, we retired to the deck for some wonderful conversation until someone said ... "hey look at the sunset" ... and I was off to grab the camera bag.

 

As I arrived, the ladies were already at the shore, in conversation down on the rock and I heard "where's Doug?", and "over here", "the view is from here" and the like. 

 

' Flying in a V '

I started working the shoreline with the 14-35 wide angle zoom using some rocks and trees as foreground elements before swapping it out for the 24-105 thinking I wanted a little more reach to bring Russel Island more prominent in the frame. 

 

As it turned out, my preferred compositions were made at 24mm from a spot a little further west along the shore. The 1/50 sec shutter speed left the gull blurry from it's motion and mine as I perched a bit precariously on the rock ledge at water's edge.  

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2026-05-11

 

' Revolve Spring Morning '

From a morning walkabout with camera (after coffee of course) on our first visit to Revolve Farms this spring ... for Mother's Day. 

 

DJE 

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 2025-09-15

Cameras go with me most places, and yes even on a golf trip to New Brunswick. An earlier trip offered more fall colour and I took time for more photography, visiting Grand Falls, and checking out other locations. This trip, nursing a back issue that had the potential to have me on the sidelines watching my golf buddies, I focused on a rehab regimen and shot very few images ...

 

' NB Camp Morning '

 ... and most of those were around the 'camp' (cottage to us back in Ontario) while I was shuffling about early in the mornings trying to get loose . One morning, after coffee I went for a stroll outside and noticed the sun streaming through an opening in the trees to warm the trunk of a tree. There was steam coming off the tree so I grabbed a camera and worked a composition to capture the scene.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2025-03-03

 

' rocks 'n reflections on fall pond '

I'm making an effort to get out with camera when I'm home and visiting some favourite locations from the past seems right ... and maybe some new places too.

 

On a crisp, cold fall morning, I decided to go for a drive and see what I could see. Approaching the road to Snyder Flats, I decided to turn in and see how the place might have changed. As luck would have it, there was a little frost on the vegetation and with water temps higher than the air temp there was some mist over the pond to add atmosphere to the scene.

 

' morning pondside '

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

' sun on fall pond '

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm working through the many images added to the library since returni9ng from Scotland back in September. These from the beginning of November should tell you I have a few more to go ;-)

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-11-04

 

As we docked, then left St. Margaret's Hope for our Orkney accommodations in Stenness, rain came and then quickly passed. By the time we parked our car to unload, the heavy skies were breaking up ...

 

' Across to Graemsay and  further to Hoy '

 ... this was the view that greeted us from the entrance to our home for two nights on Orkney. The sun was beaming rays through the cloud down onto the northern tip of Hoy.

 

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2024-05-13

With a small group of photo friends, I steered the 4Runner, full of camera gear, to Algonquin this past week for a meet up with Jesse Villemaire of Follow Me North Photography. We had booked a full day small group session and the weather looked like it would cooperate after a switch of days to miss some incoming rain.

After an early, 5am pickup at our hotel, Jesse began by stopping at the west park entrance for a review of appropriate gear and settings for the low light conditions we would have should we encounter any wildlife out in the dawn hours. Although our group all had a level of experience with photography, his frequent reminders to check our gear settings were welcome as he took us around to some of his favourite and productive photo spots along the Hwy 60 corridor through the park.

Beyond the fundamentals of lens selection and camera settings, Jesse shared a number of tips with our group, ranging from composition to wildlife behaviour. On our stop at the Lake of Two Rivers campground, one particular suggestion sparked something with me and I used it to advantage in the following image, one of my favourites for the day.

' Algonquin Morning '

What was the suggestion? Well as we extricated ourselves from the van and organized ourselves, he suggested that we might use a beached canoe for a foreground element in our images. The canoe, a rental unit, didn't appeal to my aesthetic and I looked for something else. I had been working to improve my use of foreground elements in many recent shots and here there were a couple of driftwood remnants buried in the sand at water's edge that caught my interest. I proceeded to work the scene to use them in the foreground and composed to include the additional (as Jesse might say, 3rd element) element of the sun starburst and reflection in the image.

It took me some time to find the right position, right, left, up, down, shift over, shift back, lower ... etc., etc. to get the horizon centred, sun and reflection in the middle and the driftwood near the lower 1/3 intersection. Oh ya ... and the pièce de résistance, that tiny little starburst where the driftwood meets the water ;-)

Thanks (again) to Jesse, who captured a behind the scenes image of me at work, generously allowing me to share his shot here.

Think you might want to go shooting in Algonquin and need some inspiration, a guide, mentorship, I highly suggest you check out Follow Me North and consider some time with Jesse and Susan.

 

A day-long / long-day outing in Algonquin Park was just what the photo-doctor ordered ...

 

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 2023-10-16

 

For me, photographing a sunset is often a process, an opportunity work the scene over a period of time and frequently results in a series of images. Such was the case with last week's ' sun down ' and a number of others from the session. Then I teased that this week's post may provide a look into the process behind it all.

 

In this instance things started early in the day when I checked weather apps for wind predictions. The previous day had been mostly devoid of wind, leaving waters calm. It was predicted to continue through the day and instead of repeating the previous morning's calm water outing, I chose to go search for fall colours fairly certain that I could catch sunset later.

Late in the afternoon, I checked on things down by the shore and began by making a few images of the interesting skies with clouds reflecting on the smooth surface of the bay. It continued as I kept an eye on the changing skies, light and position of the sun, exploring different foreground elements and positions. In all. I shot 45 frames and a screen capture of the RAW files from my Lightroom library will give you an idea of the complete range and how it evolved.

When I shoot sunsets I use daylight white balance to keep things consistent throughout the shoot. With the cloud cover during this shoot, a cloudy white balance would make images too warm for my liking. I always shoot in RAW file format and could change white balance in post if I chose or needed to do so.

 

I mostly shoot in aperture priority mode and use exposure compensation to capture the light levels that I am seeing. As the skies darken, I dial in -1/3, -2/3 and at times -1 EV as the situation dictates. A case can be made for manual exposure and I have on occasion worked in this mode. I just seem to be more comfortable with aperture priority at this point, your mileage may vary.

To explore compositions, I work my way along the shoreline to positions that allow placing the sun centre frame, right third of the frame and also explore with the sun high, middle and low. Options with different foregrounds follow next. I use rocks with sunlight glinting of their wet surface, rocks visible through the clear water and explore leading lines and "s" curves along the shoreline to the extent possible. I've also made a mental note to get in the water and explore vantage points yet untried. Obviously not all options are successful, but the process can have a flow that helps in finding something different. At an unfamiliar location there can be more capture frames and with a familiar location such as out cottage shoreline there can be less.

' calm & composed '

Those interested in seeing all of the images that were selected and processed can check them out on my flickr page beginning with this one and scrolling through the half-dozen or more that I've posted.

Before heading in when I was done, I decided to set up a remote shot with me in the frame and I think it worked out OK but those with a sharp eye will note that I've done some distortion correction from the RAW file seen in the grid above ... such is the case with low POV ultra wide angle shots.

' curtain call '

Let me know if you found this post of interest and I may just work on something similar in the future.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-10-09

 

' sun down '

Some unusually calm weather over a couple of days at the cottage provided both sunrise and sunset opportunities for photography. Taking advantage, I was again out working the scene along our shoreline using the smooth water to capture surreal reflections.

At 9:10, the sun had just dropped below the horizon, the day's performance was coming to an end, so too was my photo session. It had begun almost two hours earlier as I checked conditions trying to predict whether this would be a photo worthy sunset.

A number of captures were candidates for processing over the following days and now, a week later, my favourite of the bunch has been selected for this week's photo.

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Teasing next week's blog, I may be giving some insight into my process when working a sunset such as this ...

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-04-10

 

I haven't been out shooting much in the last couple of weeks. Photography activity has mostly consisted of preparing, printing and framing some images to refresh those at the cottage.

Though the other morning I looked outside and noticed the rising sun was spilling onto some of the crocus that had bloomed in our gardens. I reached for a camera and my 70mm macro to get down on my knees and do some close up work.

 

' morning crocus '

This particular flower had conveniently dropped a petal down such that I could get a view inside looking from the side.

 

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 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 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 2021-12-27

 

From a morning wander at Revolve Farms ...

 

sun through the barn wall

 DJE

 

Photo of the Week 2021-02-08

 

Variations in composition ...

 

Recently, over the course of a single day, I had great results altering composition while making images along our shoreline. Not only was this a 'close to home' photography exercise, but it also turned into one of working with different zoom settings, different points of view (POV), different framing and image orientation.

 

Moving the horizon up or down in the frame can alter the look and feel of a scene significantly ...

 

ice tectonics

ice tectonics II

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Switching between horizontal to vertical or even to square aspect ratio's can result in quite different images ...

 

ice vs sun

ice vs sun II

Zooming out or in, with lens or by moving your position back or forward adds or subtracts to the scene being captured ...

 

cold 'n gold II

 

 

cold 'n gold

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Differences can be subtle, they can be dramatic, they can be successful, or not. Always they are part of my process ...

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-01-11

 

After heavy overcast skies on my last trip north, the sun came out for my hike to the shore of Lake Huron on the Hobson Trail. Jordan and I met a couple returning on the trail and had an enjoyable, socially distanced chat before continuing on our way.

 

As we broke out of the woods from the trail and onto the shore, the sun was blazing it's halo and a single sun dog over the Lake Huron horizon.

 

Halo

Upon seeing this, there were two choices that occurred to me, pull up a seat, sit and bask in the warm glow or extend our hike along the shore toward Baptist Island. We chose the later and had a wonderful time before returning to the car. I intend to return ...

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2020-03-16

It's the middle of March and I find myself in a time lacking photographic inspiration from the outside world. Gone are the wondrous scenes blanketed in freshly laid layers of snow, the invigorating outings in cold, crisp air. I am resigned to sit patiently and wait for the arrival of spring with it's fresh green new growth, the bright colours of wildflowers and returning birdsong. 

I will still venture out, camera in hand, but these next few weeks are likely to be filled with reflection and anticipation rather than collection of fresh, new images. Knowing this would be the case, I've been flagging photos as possible blog post candidates and will begin this week with one (or two) that I "saved" from an outing just a few weeks ago.

On an outing to capture the frosted fresco provided by Mother Nature along the Wilson Flats, I concluded by driving along the road that follows the Grand River valley west of Elora. On the search for a vantage point to photograph the frosted river valley a roadside frost rimmed tree caught my eye and ...

Sunshine Valley Rimmed in Frost

... it made the perfect foreground for a shot out over the landscape into the morning sun. For the main image, I chose to close down the aperture to f/22 to get the sunburst effect. Other images were made without the sunburst but I prefer this one.

As I frequently do, I made compositions of the scene in both 'landscape' and 'portrait' orientation, both of which worked in this case.

Sunshine Valley Rimmed in Frost II

DJE

Photo of the Week 2018-05-07

blue horizon

"To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place…I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them."      -  Elliott Erwitt  - 


Sometimes the gratification or thrill in making an image comes from the effort required to get to a location and make the shot. Be it a strenuous hike, waking in the wee hours of darkness, or travelling a great distance, the emotion attached to images resulting from these efforts can be strong. Hopefully the images are just as strong on their own, with or without the remembrance of the effort invested.

Other times the gratification comes from finding something in the ordinary, something that draws you in, captures your attention and compels you to  photograph it. As above, that could be the relatively simple foggy horizon over a 'great' lake with small waves breaking on nearby shoals under mid-day sun.

I know, right ...

DJE