Photo of the Week 2025-05-19

 More from the archive ....

 

' May Magnificence '

Almost 3 years ago to the day there was a wonderful sunset over Lake Huron as seen from the shore at our cottage. I captured some wonderful photos and processed and posted one or two. One even made it into the Sunset Edition of my Annual Calendar recently.

 

Last evening, I had no such luck. No colour, heavy overcast skies and a fresh breeze off the water. Hence the dive back into the archive.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2020-09-28

 

This week's post comes as a bit of lesson, a reminder or tip if you will. It's not breakthrough, just a basic, fundamental reminder ...

 

TIP: When you are using any of the 'AUTO" options on your camera, remember to keep an eye on what values these auto modes are setting, you may find them unacceptable, or you might have accidentally switched out of an auto mode altogether.

The back-story:

 

I'd been working to fixate less on the technical aspects when out shooting and just let myself react more to the scenes in front of me. I may have become a little too reliant on the camera to take care of the exposure settings, at least on my causal walks. I didn't pay enough attention and some otherwise decent images from a wonderful outing in the misty morning woods suffered :-/

 

I have my Canon EOS M5 set up by default to use Auto ISO. The camera also has a customizable "Dial Function Button" on top of the body at the right side. I've had ISO set as one of the options for this button as a quick way to make adjustments when in manual mode. Why are these details significant? Well, on more than on occasion I have managed to bump this DF Button, changing ISO a 'notch", which happened to be from Auto ISO to ISO 25,600. I'm not sure if I did this accidentally with my thumb while adjusting exposure compensation (the dial beside it) or in just general handling of the camera as I walk around with it slung over my shoulder. Somehow it happened and I didn't notice when I was out in the bush one morning to capture some wonderful light.

 

As expected, the resulting photos suffer greatly from noise and poor detail but I decided to see to what extent I could salvage them with Topaz DeNoise AI and Topaz Sharpen AI. They are nowhere near printing standards, but almost make passable images at web resolution and I'm hopeful that publishing this post will help me remember to check camera settings more often while I'm out shooting.

 

glowing leaves

 

a forest trail

Note to self:  Don't fixate but also don't forget to watch your exposure settings

 

DJE

 

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Photo of the Week 2020-08-10

Following a recent web presentation for Orchid Fest 2020, I turned my gaze downward on my walkabouts on "the Bruce', not just to watch for the Massasauga Rattlesnakes that seem to be more numerous this year, but to watch for some of the 44 species of Orchid that make their home there.

The season for Yellow Lady's Slipper (large & small) has come and gone this year. And I was surprised to find Striped Coralroot growing on our cottage property a few weeks back, Then a short while ago, thanks to the webinar, I noticed Helleborine growing in several spots around the perimeter of our property.

Helleborine Orchid Flower

Helleborine

 

Helleborine Plant

As you could read in the links I've provided, Helleborine (Broadleaf Hellleborine, Common Helleborine) is found widely over the North-Eastern US and Easter Canada. It's considered a common non-native species that can actually become invasive. Not as flashy as the Yellow Lady's Slipper or Showy Lady's Slipper, it can be easy to miss. The flowers are small (1cm) and generally point downwards making it east to overlook their miniature beauty ... unless you are specifically on the lookout for some of the natural treasures 'the Bruce' has to offer.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2018-10-08

Fall colours arrived quickly on the Bruce Peninsula this year and they're not done yet, not even at their peak.

orange overhang

Regular treks on the 250 km route from home to cottage in Tobermory provide an opportunity to watch the progression as hardwoods change into their fiery colour ensemble while birch, aspen and poplar take on their autumn yellow tones to contrast against the rich dark greens of the cedar, pine and spruce.

A foggy fall morning was perfect for a detour on along side-roads with a mind to photograph the essence of this time on the Bruce. Along Emmett Lake Road, there were maple beginning to blaze orange among the mixed forest at roadside.

With windows down, a slowed pace and numerous stops, taking in the ambience set the tone for my day on the Bruce.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-04-04

... very pleased to have been contacted by Bruce Peninsula National Park / Parks Canada recently, regarding my photography.

After seeing some of my recent winter images of the Grotto and Indian Head Cove, they wanted to know what else I had that might suit their need for a wall display at the visitor centre and an upcoming project that I'll keep quiet until it's launched.

I attended an open house at the visitor centre this past weekend, where staff provided updates on the changes planned for BPNP / FFNP.  And was surprised to find one image they had licensed, already printed and displayed.

The park had a record year for visitors in 2016 and many had to be turned away from Cypress Lake, the Grotto and Indian Head Cove as the location can't take traffic at the level of demand experienced. This was part of the reason for the open house as park staff discussed potential improvements and plans to address the increased popularity while protecting the natural environment.

Along Burnt Point Trail

My image above of Burnt Point, was selected for display to show arriving visitors some of the other scenery accessible along the trail network in the park.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2015-03-02

There is something about the forest, winter, summer, any season. There is just something calming, soothing, rejuvenating about being in touch with the forest.

The Japanese have a phrase, shinrin-yoku, that roughly translates to forest bathing.
According to the Wiki article, "It has now become a recognized relaxation and/or stress management activity in Japan."

When we spend time at our cottage on the Bruce Peninsula, Lynn has often said to me "you're different up here". It's more than just getting away from "the city", more than just leaving work behind, more than a change of scenery. I truly feel a change in body and mind, a calm, clear wellness. My "photo buddies" feel it when we go out for our weekend treks in the forest closer to home too. We've commented on the feeling, the need to get away and how it makes us feel more "alive".

For those interested in reading more, there is a longer article here: Your Brain on Nature: Forest Bathing and Reduced Stress.

through winter woods

"It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit." —Robert Louis Stevenson 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2015-02-16

dogs 'n halo

Sun Dogs are a phenomenon that occur when sunlight refracts off ice crystals in the atmosphere creating a pair of bright spots to either side of the sun. They are most conspicuous when the sun is close to the horizon (sunrise or sunset). Conditions must be just right in order to see the dogs and in the image above, one is faintly visible just left of centre frame.

On Sunday morning I had contemplated heading out to somewhere along the east side of the peninsula for some photography and if I was early enough, possibly a sunrise image. As it was, with temperature nudging -30*C without the windchill factored in, I decided it would be wiser to stick closer to the safety and warmth of "home". Since I was already bundled up after taking the dog for a short walk, I picked up a camera and headed down to the shoreline to be clear of the trees for an unobstructed view of the rising sun. As luck would have it, there was a sun dog, faint but perceptible along with a halo. I looked to find a foreground element, got down low, with the camera almost on the snow, to include the shape of the snowdrift and some branches in the frame and made the this week's image.

The conditions:
The weather forecast overnight predicted a temperature of -29*C with 40 km/h winds gusting to 60 km/h the windchill was -40*C. When Lynn and I returned to the cottage after dinner spaghetti dinner at the Tobermory Winter Carnival the night before, the wind was howling out of the north and blowing snow everywhere. Let me tell you, it was cold, bloody cold. I was thankful the wind had died down by morning. Still, the thermometer we have hanging on a section of privacy fence showed how accurate the weatherman was (for once). That's -29*C, just as forecast.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2014-05-05

It seemed a while since I had set out on a purposful photo specific outing while staying at the cottage. Most of the images I had been making on "the Bruce", since my First Light outing the morning of Jan 1st, were made while out walking Murphy, hiking with Lynn and the boys or short solo jaunts here and there. Not that any of that is a bad thing, but Lynn had recognized that I needed something more focused and urged me to get out solo for some shooting. So that's what I did.

When I got up around 5:30 Saturday morning and looked outside, there was a breeze that appeared to have blown away any chance of fog hanging around. Disappointed, I settled in to sit and have coffee and enjoy some quiet time. I kept an eye on conditions outside and within 30 minutes as it was brightening outside, a thick blanket of fog descended over the water of the bay and I gathered up my gear.

I had a couple of locations in mind that I had been wanting to photograph shrouded in mist. Off I went (to test my new BOGS boots if I strayed too far into spring meltwaters) and a few hours later, I had a number of images I was eager to see on the PC display. Here's a sample.

awakening

There are a number that will likely make it into framed prints for the portfolio or gallery in Tobermory.
:-)

DJE

 

Photo of the Week 2014-03-10 *Special Edition* - Our First Winter on "the Bruce"

It has been an amazing leg of my photographic journey, this first winter on "the Bruce". 

... but it all really started a few years ago with my first photography trip to Tobermory. A couple of us decided to make the trek from Guelph for a couple of days photographing winter on "the Bruce". I was taken by the uniqueness of the area and after introducing Lynn to it, she has been touched by it's magic as well. So touched were we that we now own a recreational property there and have just returned from what will, sadly, be the last days of our first winter. We absolutely loved every moment of it.

Spring 2014 officially arrives on March 19 and there are a whole bunch of .... errrr, ummm people that have been begging for it's arrival, some since the first snow. Pfffftttttt !

I thought I'd provide a short slide show of images showing just some of what I experienced by embracing my first winter on "the Bruce" (slideshow requires flash) .
   
DJE

Photo of the Week 2014-02-17

... stepping off the hard packed main trail at Lindsay Tract, I sank up to mid-thigh in the snow and waded several strides to get this scene framed the way I wanted.

Sometimes it is simply the unspoiled scene that moves me to make an image and preserve it for all time. 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2014-01-20

I've been going through my library of images making final selections and printing those that I will soon be putting on display at the Upper Deck Mercantile Gallery in Tobermory. I have arranged for a modest section of wall space at the gallery located on Highway 6 as you arrive in town. Selection of images has been difficult and I'm not sure that I have made all of the final decisions but I'm close.

During the process, I knew I would come across images that I overlooked before but now caught my eye. Here's an example from one evening at Singing Sands a couple of years ago.

evening triad

DJE

Photo of the Week 2013-09-23

The second in my "The Bruce Rocks" series ...

There is so much to see in the rock of the Bruce. At Little Cove, the waves of Georgian Bay have worn the surfaces of the larger dolomite blocks smooth and smaller rounded rocks are all that remain of others tumbled over each other for countless years.

TBR - Little Cove IV

The boulder beaches of the Bruce are a great place to sit and contemplate. See my recent blog post.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2013-09-16

A new series is spawned ...

"The Bruce Rocks" (TBR) is the name of a new photo series featuring close up images filling the frame with the patterns, textures and colours of the rock found on the Bruce Peninsula. I can lose track of time looking at the subtleties in tones, the shapes and textures created by natural forces. Each image has it's own abstract quality and each viewer will see something different. Rather than name the images based on what I see and feel, which could influence the viewer, they will simply be named "TBR - Location (optional) number.

There is something about the rocks of the Bruce, I feel a connection ... 

TBR - Hay Bay II

... but then maybe it's just the whisky  ;-)

DJE