Canadian fine art landscape and wildlife photography blog

I’ve been learning how to make digitally hand-painted artwork from my photos, using brushes in Photoshop. I had reached a point where I wanted to challenge myself, using a less-than-ideal reference photo, more like the cell phone photos I might get from a client to base a painting on.

When I first arrived at Peggy’s Cove, early on this summer morning, I was hoping for a beautiful sunrise and was disappointed by the fog. I pretty quickly realized that the fog was, in fact, so much better than a sunrise ever would have been.

"Rocky Abstract," captures the rugged beauty of nature's enduring artistry. This fine art photograph unveils a mesmerizing rocky texture that transcends the boundaries of two dimensions and beckons viewers into a world of tactile wonder, where one can almost feel the coarse, weathered surface beneath their fingertips.

"Nautical Abstracts" is a captivating collection of three abstract photographs that celebrate the unique and vibrant textures found on the side of a fishing boat in the picturesque harbor of St. John's, Newfoundland.

My photo of a Golden Retriever in autumn leaves in Centennial Park, Moncton won Best in Class for Animals in the 2021 Professional Photographers of Canada National Image Competition! I also received scores of Excellence on my Modern Family and Black to the Bone images, and was a finalist for National Photographic Artist of the Year.

Well, this is getting to be a habit! For the third year in a row, I took home the Photographic Artist of the Year trophy in the Professional Photographers of Canada Atlantic Region Image Competition!

I was surprised and delighted to win the title of Photographic Artist of the Year for the second year in a row in the Professional Photographers of Canada Atlantic Region’s Image Competition.

A couple of weeks ago, I received a message from CBC New Brunswick on Instagram.

When we moved from Toronto to rural New Brunswick last year, one of the first things we did was join the Focus Camera Club in Moncton.

I’m so excited to announce my sixth accreditation through the Professional Photographers of Canada, this time in the Wildlife Photography category. My submission was accepted with an overall quality of “Good” (which is better than merely “Accepted”).

Now that the Professional Photographers of Canada National Image Competition is done and awards have all been announced, I can finally share my winning images from our PPOC Atlantic Regional competition in the fall. All 4 images were also accepted into the 2019 National Image Salon, and “Flight of the Harrier” scored merit.

I’m happy to announce that I have just received notice of my fourth Professional Accreditation through Professional Photographers of Canada, this time in Animal Portraiture. Here are the 10 images that were accepted, along with the press release from PPOC.

Again this year, I have 3 images accepted into the Professional Photographers of Canada National Image Salon Competition (and "Silent White" received a Merit). Not quite as good as last year, but still a huge honour/achievement!

I am so pleased to announce my professional accreditation in Ornithology/Bird Photography, from the Professional Photographers of Canada!

I've never been much of a "joiner", but there is no denying the benefits I have found in being a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada. Here is an article that I wrote for Improve Photography, about some of the reasons for joining a professional photographer's association.

My head is still reeling from the Professional Photographers of Canada 2017 National Image Salon. Somehow, I had 1 Accepted image, 1 Merit image, and 1 Excellence image that went on to get a Judge's Choice, a Best in Class (Pictorial/Floral) and to be added to the Loan Collection. After a lifetime of under-achieving, I'm really not sure where to go from here!

I'm so pleased to announce that I had 2 out of the 20 winning entries in the Friends of the Ontario Greenbelt Photo Contest (with over 800 submissions). The photos will be on display at the prestigious McMichael Canadian Art Collection until mid-June, after which the exhibition is expected to go on the road. One of my photos was even featured in the Toronto Star article!

IPhone owners rejoice! The iPhone can now shoot true RAW files (and create RAW HDR .DNG files!) Check out my article, originally published on Improve Photography for more details on how serious photographers can take advantage of this development.

Not all photo contests are created equal and some are outright scams. Check out my article, published originally on Improve Photography for the lowdown on when to enter.

At the Professional Photographers of Canada Ontario Image Competition

There is no place on earth quite like the ruggedly beautiful East Coast of Newfoundland. From the harsh and unforgiving climate to the warm and hospitable people, this region is not to be missed. If you, like so many, have visited Gros Morne and St. John's without exploring the Eastern shore of the province, then you'd better start planning your next trip there now. Here's a guide I wrote for the Improve Photography website.

The Mountainsmith Trekker Fx – Monopod, Trekking Pole, Great Idea.

The Aquapac Waterproof DSLR Case – Come On In, The Water Is Fine!

Must Have Gear For Your Next Photography Road Trip

La Gaspésie Should Be On Your Photography Bucket List. Here's Why.

My Favorite Low-Cost Options for Underwater Photography Cases

Wide Angle Macro Fun With The Laowa 15mm Lens

...OR CLOSE ENOUGH

Photographing Sandhill Cranes in Southern Ontario

Foggy Fundy, a Photographer’s Fantasy!

You’re not using them enough

I don't recall when or where I first learned about Lensbaby, but the Composer with the double glass optic was one of the first lenses I bought when I got my first DSLR. At the time, my basic photography skills really weren't up to the task of using a manual lens on an entry level body that didn't even meter with it on. That didn't stop me from wanting...ok, NEEDING the Edge 80 when it came out, and the Fisheye Optic, and the Soft Optic. I was hooked, but was never really happy with most of the results I was getting until I got my hands on the Velvet 56 last year. As much as I love that lens, It's been pushed aside in favour of the new game in town. The Lensbaby Twist 60 is my absolute favourite of their lenses yet, read the review I wrote for Improve Photography to see why.

Every year, we say that we are going to go bird watching at Point Pelee National Park for the Spring migration and this year we finally made it. I got some great photos and would highly recommend it as a destination for anyone who enjoys photographing birds. Here's a travel guide to bird watching in Point Pelee that I wrote for the Improve Photography website.

Did you know there are a bunch of iPhone apps that can help improve your photography? Not just your mobile photography, either. Here's an article I wrote about some of the great tools available on your phone to help you master photography with your "big" camera.

My latest article is up on the Improve Photography website and this one has some tips and tricks that will be useful even to non-serious photographers.

I'm very excited to be writing bi-weekly articles for the popular Improve Photography website. I have learned so much from my many hours spent perusing this website, reading Jim Harmer's ebooks, watching his tutorials and listening to all of the awesome podcasts he produces. I cannot recommend this website highly enough to anyone getting started in photography.

I'm so happy to announce my first Accreditation and full membership with the Professional Photographers of Canada!  An excerpt from the press release, below: