Sunrise on Flowerpot Island, Tobermory, Ontario

With the sweltering heat in Ontario this summer, I've been out on my boat every chance I can get! My friend and I recently made an early morning trip out to Flowerpot Island in Fathom Five National Marine Park near Tobermory, Ontario. We were rewarded with the best sunrise I've ever had from the island. The clouds lit up dramatically at daybreak and we shot pictures like crazy!

I was very pleased with the first image below, but knew that having a person in the shot would provide scale for the large "flowerpot" rock pillar. My buddy Don Wilkes obliged by running up onto the adjacent rock ledge and striking the pose you see in photo 2.  

Later in the morning when the sun was much higher in the sky, we searched for interesting foregrounds for the flowerpots. I composed photo 3 with a tourism guide cover in mind. It was a fun shoot and I'm already planning my photo excursion over to the island!



Photo 1: Flowerpot Island at sunrise. Canon 5D mk II and 17-40mm lens.



Photo 2: Flowerpot Island at sunrise with person for scale. Canon 5D mk II and 17-40mm lens.



Photo 3: Flowerpot Island with puffy clouds. Canon 5D mk II, Sigma 24-70/2.8 lens and Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer. 

Best of the Bruce - photo workshop results

I am procrastinating right now. Though I should be writing my next column for Outdoor Photography Canada magazine (it's due Oct 1), I find myself nearing the bottom of a great bottle of Spanish red wine and surfing YouTube for live music (it has been a crazy busy couple of weeks, this is my first night off). I am also playing catch up on my blog, hence this post. I've just returned from the peak of fall colors in Algonquin Park... shot some great photos which you'll see in a couple of days. But first, here are photos from a workshop "Best of the Bruce" that I hosted last weekend in partnership with the amazing E'Terra ecolodge.

First, a huge thanks to participants Trina, Tom, Rick, Bruce, Gary and Anne. Thanks also to the sponsors who joined together to make a great contest (that Trina won) for a spot on the tour and an awesome prize package: Canadian Geographic, Ontario Tourism, E'Terra, Sigma, Lens Rentals Canada, Blue Heron Cruises, Bruce Peninsula Helicopters, Lowepro, Coleman and Velbon. [original contest page with links to sponsors here: http://photoclub.canadiangeographic.ca/cg/Contests/otmp2010/default.aspx ]. And lastly a really huge thanks to my friend Canon Rumors Craig, who was supposed to co-lead the workshop and got married instead... but generously promoted the workshop to his audience and instantly filled the remaining spots. Thanks Craig, I owe you a very good bottle of wine in Africa!

Of all the workshops I've ever hosted, we had the best photography weather on this one (so far)! A brief but dramatic sunrise started us off at Halfway Log Dump on Saturday morning, followed by a mind-blowing sunset on Cove Island. Sunday was sunny skies for sunrise at Flowerpot Island and sunset at the Grotto and Indian Head Cove in Bruce Peninsula National Park.

I don't shoot much on my workshops, but couldn't resist a few here and there....


Photo 1 (above): Moon next to Cove Island Lighthouse at sunset. Canon EOS 1Ds mark III, 70-200/4 lens, Singh-Ray LB polarizer ISO 400; 1/400s @ f/8; mirror lock-up & cable release


Photo 2 (above): Pink afterglow behind the Cove Island Lighthouse. Canon EOS 5D mark II, 24-70/2.8lens, Singh-Ray LB ColorCombo polarizer; ISO 200; 0.8s @ f/16; mirror lock-up & cable release


Photo 3 (above): Self-portrait, Flowerpot Island sunrise. Canon EOS 5D mark II, 17-40mm lens, Singh-Ray Gold-n-Blue polarizer; ISO 200; 2s @ f/16; mirror lock-up & cable release


Photo 4 (above): Georgian Bay lapping at the shoreline of Flowerpot Island, Fathom Five National Marine Park. Canon EOS 5D mark II, 24-70/2.8 lens, Singh-Ray LB Warming polarizer; ISO 50; 1/3s @ f/22
More and more I find myself chosing slight water blurs that evoke water movement, using shutter speeds just less than a second.


Photo 5 (above): Flowerpot Island, Fathom Five National Marine Park. Canon EOS 5D mark II, 24-70/2.8 lens, Singh-Ray LB Warming polarizer; ISO 200; 1/10s @ f/22; mirror lock-up & cable release


Photo 5 (above): Flowerpot Island, Fathom Five National Marine Park plus a bit of Ethan for tourist effect. Canon EOS 5D mark II, 24-70/2.8 lens, Singh-Ray LB Warming polarizer; ISO 200; 1/13s @ f/22; mirror lock-up & cablerelease

Sunrise boat trip to Flowerpot Island

Many great photo locations are most accessible by water. Though I have been paddling canoes and kayaks since I was a kid, it can be a heck lot of work - and logistically challenging - to get to places when the light is best. I finally broke down and bought a small boat last week (16' aluminum with a 50HP engine) to open up a new world of photo possibilities. My first photo shoot with the boat was out to nearby Flowerpot Island:

 

Photo 1 (above): Self-portrait at sunrise, Flowerpot Island, Fathom Five National Marine Park, Tobermory, Ontario. Canon EOS 5d mark II, EF 17-40mm lens, Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer & 3 stop soft edge ND grad, ISO 200, 1/6s @ f/14

Photo 2 (above): Getting air next to the flowerpot, Flowerpot Island, Fathom Five National Marine Park, Tobermory, Ontario. Canon EOS 1Ds mark III, 24mm TSE II tilt shift lens, ISO 800, 1/500s @ f/4.5.

The great sunrise was short-lived because of overcast skies, so I decided to mess around with my tilt-shift lens. One of the great benefits of the lens is the ability to achieve depth of field at fairly wide-open apertures. By tilting the lens I was able to shoot this at f/4.5 yet have plenty of depth-of-field and a fast enough shutter speed to stop motion in air. That's me jumping... my friend Cainan machine-gunned the the shutter release for me.

Bruce Peninsula Wildflower Workshop - great results!

Just finished hosting my annual "Wildflowers of the Bruce Peninsula" photo workshop in the Tobermory area. Several species of orchids were in peak condition, making for a great weekend and the participants filling their memory cards with fantastic photos! We focused on practical field techniques for creating dramatic wildflower photos. The overcast, drizzly conditions were perfect for rich color saturation!

A huge thanks to Richard, Dave, Steve, Barb and my co-leader Ian "Mr. Nikon" Brooks for making it a fun and productive weekend!


Photo 1(above): Showy (Queen) Lady's Slipper, Bruce Peninsula.
Techs: Canon EOS 5D mark II, 70-200/4 IS lens & 25mm extension tube; lighting controlled by 1 diffusor overhead and two gold-toned side reflectors. Exposure: ISO 400, 1/250s @ f/10


Photo 2 (above): Spotted Coralroot orchid (closeup of tiny individual flower) in Bruce Peninsula National Park. This is the first time I've shot this species... very exciting! Thanks to Ian for sharing his expert flash technique with the group. Techs:  Canon EOS 5D mark II, 100mm 2.8 macro & 25mm extension tube; 580EX flash off camera triggered with Pocket Wizards and diffused through an umbrella. Exposure: ISO 640, 1/30s @ f/16


Photo 3 (above): Ian photographing the Spotted Coralroot.
I carry a Canon G11 point & shoot everywhere with me to capture candid shots or photos that illustrate technique. The articulating screen made it easy for me to hold the camera up to the flower (without being too close to trample the surroundings) and still compose the photo with the LCD screen.


Photo 4 (above): It was raining so hard this morning when we left the hotel, there were ducks in the parking lot!!! Thankfully the rain subsided so we could get shooting.


Photo 5 (above): Richard sets a new fashion trend for photographers - actually storing the shower cap on his head when not using it to protect his camera from the drizzle!


Photo 6 (above): Our group after a fantastic farewell lunch at "A Mermaid's Secret" cafe - the best place to  eat in Tobermory.

Bruce Peninsula wildflowers & landscapes

A quick post with a few photos from this week....


Photo 1 (above): Stretching out at sunset on the Georgian Bay shoreline in Bruce Peninsula National Park. EOS 5D mark II; 17-40mm lens; Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer


Photo 2 (above): Canoeing on Georgian Bay in Fathom Five National Marine Park, Tobermory. EOS 5D mark II; 17-40mm lens; Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer


Photo 3 (above): My friend photographing a clump of Yellow Lady's Slippers in Bruce Peninsula National Park, Tobermory. EOS 5D mark II; 17-40mm lens; Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer & 3 stop hard edge ND grad


Photo 4 (above): Ram's Head Lady's Slipper in Bruce Peninsula National Park. This was the last fresh Ram's Head I shot this year.... they were finished early because of the hot, sunny weather. EOS 5D mark II; 70-200 f/4 lens with 2x teleconvertor & 25mm extension tube; mirror lock-up & cable release; 2 reflectors used (one on each side of flower).

Big Tub Lighthouse (Tobermory) in winter glory!

A -27C windchill made it awefully difficult to find the motivation to get out of bed for a photo shoot this morning. The cold air temperature was causing a heavy mist from the surface of Georgian Bay which froze on the surrounding shoreline trees. It was a magical scene that could not be missed. I drank a big cup of coffee, dressed up in about 5 layers of clothing - including my very unfashionable, but extremely warm "Elmer Fudd" hat - and drove down the street to the Big Tub Lighthouse.

Strong winds were blowing spray all over everthing, including me and my camera gear. I found a spot in the trees that offered a bit of shelter and went to work. To prevent blurring of the moving branches, I clicked the shutter during calm periods between gusts of wind.
  























Photo 1: Canon EOS 1DsIII; TSE-24mm II tilt shift lens; Gitzo tripod & Really Right Stuff ballhead; mirror lock up & cable release. Exposure: ISO 400; 1/20 @ f/18

Photo 2: Canon EOS 1DsIII; TSE-24mm II tilt shift lens; Gitzo tripod & Really Right Stuff ballhead; mirror lock up & cable release. Exposure: ISO 400; 1/30 @ f/16. I was so cold that my brain wasn't working well.... I should have shifted the lens more to correct for the lean of the lighthouse in this photo.

I'm hoping for some sunshine before the frosting is gone from the trees.... that will be the ultimate for the scene!

Varied Thrush in Tobermory !!!!

Varied Thrush, Tobermory - December 16, 2009
EOS 1Ds mark III, 500/4 IS lens & 2x teleconvertor; ISO 800; 1/125s @ f/8
Gitzo tripod with Wimberley II gimbal head

My neighbours called me a couple of days ago to report this rare bird visiting their feeder. The bird has continued to hang around for a couple of days and was seen today on the annual Christmas Bird Count. This is just a record shot to confirm the ID.... I'll be going back to get more photos for my collection (I need to use a flash to improve detail on the dark face)! Although only about 100m from my yard, I can't seem to lure the bird over to my feeders!

By the way, sorry for the lack of posts lately. The hard-drive on my main business computer crashed a few days ago, and although I have backups of everything.... it's been a pain having to restore all the files. Aside from this, I've been out socializing lately more than blogging.... tis the season!

Check back soon for some bird photos and winter landscapes!

2010 Great Ontario Outdoor Adventure calendar released

The 2010 Great Ontario Outdoor Adventure calendar has just been released by Ontario Tourism. The calendar features many of my photos, including the cover image of Flowerpot Island, the main July image and a Birds of Ontario feature with each month. Approx 300,000 copies will be distributed through various ways including: with the Jan/Feb issue of Canadian Geographic magazine, at the 2010 Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show (February) and at select MEC and Bass Pro stores. The calendar is complimentary.... to receive your free copy, visit  http://www.ontariotravel.net/outdoor  or call 1-800-ONTARIO.

The cover photo is from Flowerpot Island in Fathom Five National Marine Park near Tobermory, Ontario. The weather was better than I could ever have hoped for... glassy calm with beautiful morning light! I shot this handheld, laying in the back of a boat just above water level with a Canon EOS 5D mark II body, 24-70/2.8 lens and Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer lens. The exposure was: ISO 400; 1/200s @ f/9. The models were extremely cooperative, patiently paddling by for many repeat attempts to get all of the elements lined up perfectly for the image(a huge thanks  Karen and Lauren!). Drop by the Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show in February to see this photo as a huge backdrop for the Ontario Tourism display.

Georgian Bay

Photo 1: A touboat passes a Georgian Bay vista in Bruce Peninsula National Park. EOS 1DsIII; 24-70/2.8; Singh-Ray 2 stop hard edge ND grad (4x6" size)

I'm currently up in the Georgian Bay area shooting a tourism assignment and having fun visiting my favourite photo locations and connecting with old friends. It's been a busy week taking care of all the logistics for the assignment.... coordinating models, locations, support, etc... but the photos are starting to come together.

I just bought a Canon EOS 5D mark II for a secondary/backup body..... my initial impression after a couple days is that it's an amazing camera. More about it later. I also replaced my waterlogged Canon G9 with a new point & shoot. The G10 was high on my mind until a friend at the FotoArt camera store in Owen Sound put a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 in my hands. I became enamoured with it. Why? It's shockproof, waterproof, easy to use, 12MP and bright blue. It should be fairly difficult for me to lose or destroy, at least that's what I'm hoping. Why do I carry a point & shoot? To capture shots of me in the field, and to spare the risk of pulling out an expensive SLR after a couple bottles of wine at a party.


Photo 2: Photographer on Georgian Bay shoreline in Bruce Peninsula National Park. EOS 1DSIII; 17-40mm lens; Singh-Ray LB Colorcombo polarizer & 2 stop hard edge ND grad (4x6")


Photo 3: Photographer silhouette at sunset. EOS 1DsIII; 70-200/2.8 lens


Photo 4: Friends admiring a Georgian Bay sunset. EOS 1DSIII; 24-70/2.8 lens; Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer & 2 stop hard edge ND grad (4x6")


Photo 5: Using my new point & shoot camera to photograph the best-patch of Showy Lady's Slippers I've ever seen. [don't ask where, I'm sworn to secrecy on these]. EOS 1DSIII; 24-70mm lens; Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer