Foreword
By: Chris Hope- Mayor of Burk’s Falls
The world’s first photograph was taken by Joseph Nicephor Niepce in 1827. It was a simple, somewhat blurry image of the courtyard at his family’s farm and was the result of years of experimentation. His aim was simple: to record real life images so that they would last beyond a single moment in time. The images he created, what he called his “points de vue”, gave birth to the art (and industry) of photography, something we all take for granted today.
The remarkable natural world that we in the Almaguin Highlands see around us every day is itself a continuous work of art, season after season. Creating remarkable images for the public to enjoy is the goal of every artist, whether their medium is drawing ink on paper, painting oil on canvas, or capturing pixels in a digital processor as seen through the lens of a camera. It takes a special eye to catch all the facets of the natural world, and photographer James ‘Jim’ Shedden has spent much of his lifetime capturing the natural art and majesty of our area. It’s not until you see Jim’s images that one can really appreciate just how special the Almaguin Highlands region is, and how this beauty translates so well through his photography.
Jim has told me stories of how long he’d have to wait for the light or the subject to be just right before taking the shot, often in harsh winter conditions, or surrounded by bears and wolves. But that’s the dedication of an artist that knows the natural world can only be truly captured on its own terms and not those of the photographer. This book is a celebration of his dedication to the art of natural photography and a magnificent record of our beautiful home in the Almaguin Highlands, now captured here so vividly and completely for everyone to enjoy.
Introduction
My love of the magic of nature has taken me on my photographic journey and has landed me where I am today.
I live in Magnetawan Ontario, with my wife Cyndi and our Newfoundland dogs: Henry, Marty and Kelcey and a Maine Coon cat named Stuart. This book, (my 3rd) has been a progression. As I look back on previous works, and my publications, I just have to shake my head. I do not say that in an egocentric sense, but as I said it’s a progression, as it should be.
Life should be filled with growth and learning.
My complete thought process of photography has changed. Photography to me is the manipulation of light, using the shadows and the highlights to an advantage and to seek the results that you are looking for. Dare to take the “blinders” off. Think outside of the box. And, don’t follow the rules, they were meant to be broken.
At one time I would read everything there was to read about photography. Drilling the “rules” into your subconscious. The “Rule of Thirds’’ etc.... In my opinion, learn the rules but don’t be afraid to manipulate them and ultimately break them. Treat them as ‘suggestions’, and don’t let anyone create borders and boundaries for you.
For the most part, I do not follow “the” rules. Always remember, photography is an art form. For some reason I have trouble believing that Picasso, Rembrandt, Van Gough and Leonard Da Vinci followed any rules. The masters did their thing… and it worked.
I hope you enjoy this book, it has been a lot of fun putting together and a true labour of love. Even though I added another 52 photo’s to “The Cottage Edition” I still had to leave out another 150 photos. It will just inspire me to carry on and start with the next edition!
I wish you well and I hope that you will continue to enjoy my work.
I have to explain myself a bit here. There is nothing that makes me happier (as a photographer) than being out in the forest in the middle of the night in an absolute pitch black setting taking pictures of the stars and the milky way. It’s a totally different world. Now, add a bright moon and it is a totally different world again. The moon is so bright that it takes away from the stars. I have just had to learn to deal with the moon. Don’t get me wrong, the moon is beautiful but it is a totally different set up for the moon than it is for the stars. I have found that the moon is ex-
tremely difficult to photograph especially if you want to put it into a scene. I think that I am onto a system where I can incorporate the moon into scenes. It doesn’t always work. It’s just like fishing, and why is it not called catching.
Doing the Dance. This is a merg of a number of shots and a number of settings. I often get asked: "How come I do not see the colors that you see on the photo's?" Well, let me explain it. If you were able to keep your eyes open for 15 minutes and then merg what your eyes have seen into a split second. This is what you would see. This photo was taken over a period of time and then merged together. By doing this the camera is able to capture those 15 minutes into that split second, adding all of those colors that are constantly changing. Very often it does not work out that way. In reality, it very rarely works out that way. If there is the slightest breeze everything gets distorted. Sometimes one of them turns out. 9
These three photos are of the old "Bell" homestead just south of Magnetawan. Walking the property I just have to shake my head in wonderment. Without heavy machinery how did these people clear the land enough to farm? In this day and age we would not even consider trying. They were just all round tough people back then.
Wow, we finally had a clear night. So, I ventured out on the back trail to see if I could get a shot of the comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF). The media has been pushing this like crazy. I find that any time mainstream media pushes something it is usually too good to be true. Yup, it was. They said that you could see it with the “naked” eye. I have extraordinary “long range” vision and I could not see it and I knew exactly where it was. I even hooked up the big 600 mm lens on the tripod. I found it but to be honest it was not worth the picture. Now please keep in mind that it was a balmy -30 out and the 4 deer were bedded down 10 yards away. They had an attitude like “we are not moving, it’s cold out”. I heard the odd “snort”. I was all dressed up and nowhere to go.
So, I turned the camera around and took a picture of the house with the milky way in the background. What was cool was that there was a cloud bank right behind the house that was either coming in or moving out. Turns out that the front was moving out. I packed up and took the shortcut home...right through the deer. They did not move. BTW, if you want to get the facts about what is going on up in the sky go to the NASA page. They say it like it is. You still get a lot of hype, but the info is generally good and accurate.
A kind gentleman by the name of Merv Brown who’s second cousin is Rick Langford (a good friend of mine) of Bear Lake sent me a note about the post I made of an old home on Nipissing Rd, Magnetawan. Needless to say, I had all the information backwards. Merv sent me a note about the homestead along with an old picture of the home. “I have a photo of the historical marker but can’t locate it just now. Anyway, it has this wording and photo of the old home that my great-grandfather and my grandfather Vickers built there. It is erected with the other directional signs I have shown. I have probably given you more information than you need or ever wanted. I have accumulated a lot of information and photos of the area I grew up in and enjoy passing on to anyone who is interested . I am at that age (91) where one remembers better the early years and can now forget between my desk and the kitchen what I went to the refrigerator for.
Please contact me if there is a need to add or clarify”. Merv also sent me this note: The spelling of the surname is Vickers. The builder (1925) and original owners were Thomas & Charlotte (Watkinson) Vickers - my maternal grandparents. In later life they lived in a small home that was built adjacent to the main house. The night my grandfather died there, a pack of wolves came out to the edge of the bush behind the home and howled. I believe they can sense impending death. It was very upsetting for his family. Thank you so much Merv. I love the history. 14
It’s a cold February night and the river is cracking like distant thunder. A friend down the road calls and says “Jimmy, get out and get a picture of that moon dog above the church”. The “moon dog” is the hallow you see around the moon. Being -30+ Henry was in heaven. I on the other hand was a we bit cold. I have the habit of thinking that I am just going to be out for a minute. It always turns out to be longer because I just keep coming up with ideas. So, no parka and no gloves. I would have like to borrow Henry’s fur coat.
The other night we had a bit of a “moon dog” (Halo around the moon). Unfortunately, there was just a bit too much cloud cover to be able to pull it in. Still an amazing night though.
This is one of the thirty-eight photos that have not been published in the past because I could not get it released from a particular magazine. Taken on Lake Cecebe (Magnetawan River) This shot was in the 2021 calendar. Can you imagine going out to the ice hut to do some “mid-night” ice fishing and having to sit out under this sky? The hard ships we have to go through.
You can see a slight glow from Magnetawan to the north. One of the big problems these days is light pollution. It does not matter where you are, there is usually some source of light that is discoloring the sky a bit. If I look east, I have Burk’s Falls. If I look south, I have Huntsville and if I look east it’s Parry Sound and on those really horrid nights when I look up it’s the moon. You know I say that tongue and cheek....sometimes.
I receive a lot of requests asking if I have any more Pine Marten shots. So, here are my favorites. It was the last shots of the sequence, and he was quite relaxed. He was, however, still “chortling” at me. I have not been back to see him this winter. I think that the next clear night I will go in just to “harass” him. I actually think that he enjoys the get-together. What I love about these picture’s is how his tail seems so feathered out. I did “night light” the beast with my headlamp. Luckily, it was enough to see his face. He is the cutest “bad ass” in the forest. I took one of him upside down peeking from behind the tree, but it was out of focus. As I took the picture and was just hoping I had caught him when he was motionless. No go. This particular “bad boy” and I have a rather long history. The location of the shot is north of Magnetawan, Ontario and within fifty yards of where I encountered that mysterious “winter firefly”. That story & picture is on page 74 . Our first meeting was at about 1am, 3 years ago. I had the camera and tripod set up photographing the northern lights. I had a small pack right underneath the tripod. For whatever reason, this guy came up behind me, went between my legs and grabbed the pack and ran. The camera was in “mid-actuation,” so I did not have my headlamp on. I heard the movement and turned on my lamp just in time to see this guy trucking over a snowbank with my pack. I ran after him for about thirty yards through the snow until he dropped it. I have had numerous encounters with him over the last couple of years. I love these little guys to bits. They are so packed full of personality and spunk. Pine Martens live to about 10 years in the wild. They are in the weasel family. In Ontario we have (smallest to largest) Lesser Weasel, Long Tail Weasel (I cannot tell the difference between them) then the Mink, Marten, Fisher (a real bad boy) and then the Wolverine. This photo was taken with a very large lens. As he was sitting up in the tree “yattering” at me I positioned myself with him in front of the moon. I took a zoom shot of the moon at 600 mm (making it look huge) and then backed off to 100mm and took the shot of the “bad boy” while I softly “night lighted the beast”. Then I merged the 2 photos.
Trying to photograph the Geminids Meteor Shower takes some practice. Ideally, you want to look for the brightest star, Castor which is in the constellation Gemini. Generally, it is towards the east. So, I set up on the dock on the Magnetawan River. Across the river is the old Anglican Church that AJ Casson of the Group of Seven had painted back in 1898. I thought “how cool is this.” I would have all the meteors coming out of the sky right above the church. Well, it did not happen. So seems my luck when it comes to photographing meteor showers. So, I headed to the back roads down behind Ahmic Harbor to the bridge that cuts across Crawford Lake. The Milky Way was so spectacular I just wanted to stare. I set up the camera for single shots. As I checked my settings after the first couple shots, I noticed some meteors coming through. Hmmm.....I set up the camera to take about 50 - 20 second shots. When I got home, I was so tired I just went to bed. The next day I was out early with Henry and totally forgot about the shots. When I was revamping my cataloging system later on, I came across them and thought “oh yeah”, I had not even looked at them. So, this morning I sat down and merged the shots. Here’s what I got. Blew my mind. I had finally clued in as to what I was doing wrong all these years.
The Orange Valley School south of Magnetawan, Ontario is one of my “special” places. It is just so photogenic. This is one reason why I love the night. One moment the “Northern’s” are out and literally, 15 minutes later....poof...they are gone, and the Milky Way appears.
The storm moved in and left. However, I am thinking that people to the south really got hammered. This shot was taken from right in the middle of the dam in Magnetawan, Ontario. The rain was coming in sideways from the west, so I had to stand to the right of the camera to keep the raindrops off the lens. Got a wee bit wet. Magnetawan, Ontario.
Comet Neowise. Sitting on the docks in the harbor in Magnetawan, Ontario. I only took a couple of shots but in this one, another comet showed up in the upper right. I thought that it may be “a ghost” image. Sometimes digital cameras can take on a life of their own. But when I checked the other pictures, it was absent and you can also see its reflection on the water. I did send the RAW photo down to some friends at Fort Bragg who specialize in aviation photography (won’t go there) and they confirmed that it was a comet and they suspect that it is the comet Lemon. Very cool.
This ole girl has seen some better days. Just outside of Burk’s Falls, Ontario she sits on some old logs along the highway. You can see some branches growing through the windshield. I will have to stop by in the summer and catch another shot.
There is not a lot of time between “happy hour” and darkness. I was anchored against a rock out in the middle of the lake. Three feet from my left is a bright yellow buoy with a bright yellow light on top warning people to stay away. But here I am. A couple boats came by to let me know that I was going to hit a rock. One gent just gave me a glace as if to say “citiot”. As he steered his old cedar strip boat away, I heard him say to his wife “whatever floats your boat”. The flash of the buoy light was exactly 15 seconds apart. So, I had to time the camera for about 14 seconds to avoid picking up that bright flash and hope that it was enough time to get a quality shot.
My anchor is a strip of ballistic plate, 5” wide x 48” long. It makes a lot of noise. I started up the motor and then shut it down. I then went up to the front of the pontoon and as I pulled up the anchor I banged it around on the rocks making it sound like I had “run aground”. Sitting on his deck, I bet the ole guy turned to his wife and said, “told ya...citiot”. At least I brought a smile to some miserable old goat today.
Cyndi and I were having our morning coffee and I mentioned to her that I was out early taking pictures of deer and the sunrise. I did not mention however, that I was in my boxer shorts, “t” shirt and knee-high rubbers. Some things are best “not said”. Maggie, our ole girl “momma Newf” got me up at about 4am. It was a “Maggie pee break”. There are usually 3-4 “pee breaks a night now. Its ok, she is an old girl, and we love her to bits. But its funny that I am the one who hears her barking to get up and let her out. When I let her out she immediately starts barking. Usually, it is because she is almost blind and deaf. She’s earned it. When I opened the door to let her in, I saw some movement in the back yard. I figured, “I’m up, I might as well make the most of it. Cyndi, Henry & Stuey were asleep. I grabbed the camera and went up to the fence and stayed motionless for about 10 minutes. Remember I am wearing boxer shorts, a “t” shirt, and my “knee-highs”. The herd came in and I snapped some photo’s. What was so, so cool is that I had a 14 mm “super duper” wide angle lens (my starry night lens) on which meant that I had to get within five feet of the heard. I hung over the fence and took the shot. Then, ran in and got under the electric blanket until Henry woke up.....which was about 15 minutes later. Then, I went out and took the morning sunrise shot. Then, Henry wanted to go for his morning walk through the trail. We ran into the “herd” again. A big buck who was not in the earlier photo op stood his ground and “stomped”. Thank goodness Henry new better. Cyndi wonders why I am so tired in the morning.
While enjoying some time on the beach in Sundridge, Ontario I took this picture of a sailboat out on Lake Bernard. The water was dead calm. The temperature was so hot that the water was evaporating off the lake. It created a very unique “fog”. It looked like I had water on the lens. I sure hope the owner of the boat had a motor because he was going nowhere fast.
I always try to take a Christmas Eve shot. Not sure why but it has become a tradition. What a spectacular night it was. I used an extra long exposure. This created a unique blur with the stars.
Sometimes that “dang” moon is pretty impressive. Taking photos of the moon can be tricky. You have to remember that the “brightness” of the moon comes from the sun. The moon has no light. So, many times it is almost like taking a picture of the sun, only at night. If you are just taking a picture of the moon, it is “easy peasy”. You do not have to worry about any forefront images like tree’s and churches. You have one setting and you are done. I do not take pictures of “just the moon” anymore. It is the same moon as it has been forever. However, if you want a good picture of the moon with objects in the fore-front, you have to screw with the light, and it does not always work. This shot was the best out of fourteen shots. I started with what I thought would be the best setting on the camera. You would think that I would have a pretty good handle on this by now. I was wrong. Actually, the last setting I choose (out of desperation) was the best. That is really the fun part, trying to think like Mother Nature. Good luck. What was really funny (not to me) was that as I walked across the snow to get down to the river, I broke through the hard layer and went down three feet. I then fell on my butt. I was carrying two tripods and my forty-pound camera pack. I could not get up. I rolled around like a beached whale. If my neighbor (Brenda) saw this she would have called 911. It is what it is.
Driving north on Highway 11, I go through one of my favorite areas. Cobalt, Ontario. In it’s day at the end of the 1800’s had more millionaires per capita than anywhere in Canada. Lots of silver mines. Over the years, I have been watching this old main frame rust away. Its becoming beautiful in its old age. 38
Remember the first Batman movie where the soon to be Joker says, “ have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight”? Well, here he is. Although, he is far from the devil. This is my “big boy”. I did not realize that I had captured a fleeting shot of him. Well, it was not really fleeting. He stood motionless for about five minutes...just staring. I had a number of “black” photo’s in the library that I just passed over. I noticed something on this black shot and decided to take a look. At six hundred pounds plus, this is the biggest black bear I have ever seen and probably the biggest I will ever see. We did not have an encounter with him last year except when I drove out of the logging road at about 2am. He lumbered across the trail and stopped to take a look at me. Thankfully, he is a very peaceful monster. We have had our moments together over the years. Three very personal encounters . One during the day and two at night and now this. This shot happened in May when I was on my way out of the swamp. The alternator went on my Juke, and I ended up spending the night in the bush. I think that he was curious as to what I was doing. He stood just inside the tree line and stared. I had the Juke window down because there was no battery power to 40
put it up . I had a spare coat in the back that I wedged into the window to keep the mosquito’s at bay. Turns out I did not have too because it got down to -2. I would have been easy pickings for sure. A true gentle giant. By the way...I did not have the guts to use a flash. That would not have been good. Think happy thoughts. When in the moment, I was just thrilled that he survived the hunting season. Now, to answer a question before it is asked..... How did I see him? Well, first of all the moon came up at about 10:30 which screwed with my night shots. But I knew he was there because I could smell him. If you have been around bears before you know what I am saying. The scary part is that I new he was very close but unsure exactly where. Then I heard trees fall and he sauntered right in front of the car and then moon lit him up. The only way to see him was with my peripheral vision. If you looked right at him, you see nothing. Look to the right or left and he shows up. I leaned the camera on the car door, took a very deep breath and then took a 20 second shot. This was at about 3:15am. At 4:30am I decided to start my walk out.
I find this shot an odd conflict. Living in Magnetawan, Ontario you do not expect to see swans in the middle of February. Yet, for years a pair of swans have wintered here.
I would sit on the government docks early in the morning and wait for them to wake up. As they stretched, they would inch closer to the freezing water. Keep in mind that the air temperature is only -28. They would gradually step off the ice into the river and have their morning bath and drink.
Cyndi has been on my case about taking this picture for a couple of years now. So, as we were driving out of Port Loring we stopped, and I took the shot. It was about 4pm and loosing light quickly so I had to improvise.
This photograph was 5 - 25 second shots merged together. Unfortunately, as that gosh darn moon rose it washed out the “Lights”. I think that it would have been pretty spectacular. I use the “Aurora Alerts” app on my phone. It was hitting “5” which means that there is a pretty good chance of the “light’s” appearing.....some times. I love this time of year. With the ice movement the scene in continuously changing. As the ice moves it provides a kaleidoscope of changing colors.
I had Henry out the other night or should I say other morning at about 3am. We have a big ole oak tree beside us, so I was going to maneuver around so that I could (hopefully) get some shots of the Orionid Meteor Shower. It is one of the “milder” showers of the year, but I find it consistent. While I was out there at 3am I received a message from a friend of ours (Deborah Bussey) of Trout Creek. ‘Wow! Don’t people ever sleep’? Deb says “ Are you out taking pictures? This is amazing.” I got a couple of pretty good shots. It was a stunning night or should I say morning.
Early Saturday morning I was out and about with Henry and his cat. It was still dark, and we were walking on the back trail. I did not bring a light because I know the trail so well. Ooops...Stuey moves up in front of us. He is all “puffed” out to make himself look big. Its a guy thing. He starts growling and hissing. Henry & I are oblivious because of the dark. There was something up ahead that Stuey picked up on it and that was enough for me. Stuey is never wrong. I figure its time to get out of town and we decide to cut through the forest straight back to the house. Once on the property I go in and pick up my “high beam” and scan the trees. Two pairs of yellow eyes flickered and were gone. No sound. Henry still had not clued in. They were either a pair of coy-wolves or timber wolves. Their eyes were too far off the ground to be coyotes. Anyways, the stars were magnificent, so I grabbed “my stuff” and walked across the street with my body guard and snapped this shot before the sun came up. Now as we move ahead to 5:15 am this morning we are back on the trail (with a light) and also with our ole girl, Maggie. Even at 13 she has a nose of a bloodhound. Stuey is back out front protecting his dogs.
A couple of nights back I had Henry out on the trail for a walk. We went by one of my favorite places to photograph. It does not matter what time of year; it is always beautiful. Its one of my “happy places”. I caught a rainbow coming through the clouds just after sunset. It was very much like the Northern Lights; here and gone. The setting sun put a little bit of extra glow to the clouds. Not too sure why but there seems to be a lot of rainbows as of late.
A previously unpublished photograph that I had taken. Unpublished because I have trouble explaining it. The shot was taken on Ahmic Lake which is part of the Magnetawan River. What is unexplainable to me is that we are looking southeast and yet, there is the Northern Lights. Not only did the “Northerns” show where they should not but they lit up the Milky Way as well. Totally freaky.
I feel spoiled. Usually, I am usually out in the elements for this type of stuff. This time however, I was sitting under the gazebo at the government docks in Magnetawan. The storm came rolling up the river. Lightning, rain & wind. It was spectacular. The only time I got wet was when I had to run to the car and roll up the windows. The sound on the tin roof along with the thunder was something to experience.
Driving north past Marten River Provincial Park the sky was “furious”. It’s no wonder because of the hurricanes to the south. Our power went out in Magnetawan the night before and we complained. It’s rather childish when you think of it. Our neighbors to the south are losing their homes and lives and yet we complain because we cannot watch TV or use the internet for a couple of hours. However, it certainly had its moments. When I was setting up to take the shots, people (tourists) were pulling “U” turns and parking beside me to look at the site. By the time I was done there were fifteen cars & trucks. Everyone was talking to each other and marveling at the site. It was like a “tailgate” party. Nobody knew each other but “Mother Nature” has a way of pulling people together...for better or worse.
The wildflowers in the region are exploding right now. Butter Cups, Indian Paintbrush and such are making the most abstract scenes. Back in “the swamp” I was stunned to find that they had taken over almost every open space. Last year there was a bit of color but this year they have just carpeted the whole swamp. When I saw this, I had in my mind on what I wanted to accomplish. The far end of the swamp is about 150 yards away. As good as the camera is there was no way I could do this without extra lighting. I needed to be able to light up the end of the swamp. I find it easier to just get out the notebook and plan my strategy. I brought six lights with me to “night-light”. So, I would walk through the forest (in the dark) and come out onto the swamp and throw a beam on the flowers. All the while I was running the camera off my phone which only had a signal every couple of minutes. I would take a picture and then move on further down the swamp and repeat until I was done. On the way in there were fireflies everywhere but once on the swamp, not a one. That was disappointing. No bears, no wolves tonight. There were a couple of really loud crashes through the forest which I suspect were the pair of bull moose that hang in the area. I could also smell what I thought must have been a carcass of some dead critter. It was pretty close by. You always have to be careful in that situation. You never know what carnivore or scavenger would be nearby. Always announce yourself so you do not surprise them. I prefer very loud & low-pitched expletives. A foghorn works very well too. But I like to give it a little more personal touch. This photo was taken north of Magnetawan.
Well, what a night. A good friend of mine: Chris Hope of Burk’s Falls says “Jimmy, you have to come over to St. Patrick’s Church in Kearney to get some pictures. I met Chris at the church and was introduced to Father Joseph at the same time. The church was built somewhere around 1888. It is a beautiful structure. I set up the camera and tripod around 9pm. Then my phone alarms started to blare. I had forgotten that this night was to be a full lunar eclipse. Wow, I just needed the clouds to hold off. The moon just happened to pop up right behind the church, so I just had to wait. When it did rise above the church it was a stunner. It was so bright that it washed out most of the stars. So, I am thinking what is going to happen when it is a total eclipse? What settings am I going to use, and will the stars be able to shine from behind the moon? I had no idea. I did not have to wait too long. When the total eclipse took place, it became a “blood orange” color. But it was dark enough to allow the stars to shine. Even a portion of the Milky Way came through. My fingers went through the settings in a fury. The temperature was dropping and there was a mist rising around the church which caused a bit of a blur but all in all I will probably never get another opportunity like this again. By the way, this is the same Chris Hope that was kind enough to write the “forward” to the book.
Headed back towards the swamp figuring I would try to get a picture of the Comet Neowise. If you miss it, it’s ok, it will be back in 9,700 years...or something like that. This was not an easy shot. Of course, the temperature dropped, and the mist rose and there were remnants of sunlight...and the list goes on. But it provided remarkable colors. I sat myself down in the middle of a creek and set up the equipment. Admittedly, it was a very eerie night. No sounds whatsoever. Not a frog, a wolf....nothing. When I left the house I told Cyndi that I was not sure if I was going to the swamp or not because I was sure that I would run into the pack of wolves that I had been hanging with and to be honest, I was not prepared for that this evening. Not that I was worried about it, but you just have to be in the right mindset beforehand. But I went anyway. Not even anything crashing through the forest. Just eerie. But our national bird...the mosquito was everywhere.
WELCOME BACK!
A couple of years back during a particularly violent spring thaw, the Magnetawan Lighthouse was removed and destroyed by the ice. A local businessman. Mark Langford and his team rebuilt it and finally returned her to her home out on the Magnetawan River. Thanks to Linda Mountain of Lakes End Park in Magnetawan for allowing me to wander her property in the middle of the night to capture a few shots.
The coast of Lake Superior is some of the most beautiful land on the planet. This shot was taken along the pebble / rock beach of Batchawana Bay.
What a bizarre night. Back in “The Swamp” giving the fireflies another shot. I have not given any time to researching fireflies, but it appears that their sexual activities stop when the temperature cools off. Its a guy thing. When the temperature was above 22 their little butts were glowing like no tomorrow. As soon as the temperature fell below 22, game over; not a glowing butt to be found. I am convinced that mosquito’s act in a similar fashion. As your blood level goes down so does their activity. Actually, I found that the mosquitoes vanished at 18 degrees. The Fireflies are doing their thing. I just love these little guys and girls. The guys “wiggle” their butts trying to attract a mate. The noise is deafening. Between the frogs, owls, and bigger critters crashing through the bush, it can be hard to keep your concentration. Over the years I have noticed a huge drop in the Firefly population. Not too sure what is going on.
It was just one of those nights. While I was way up north near Hemlo, Ontario I was setting up near the Sand River. The sky was out of this world. But I only had one camera to do what I had to do. It was not going to happen. I noticed a couple who was heading back on the trail and I said, “I need your camera”! His, wife actually said “what’? “ I explained what I was trying to do, and he said “OK”. His wife was not a happy camper. They were from Michigan, enjoying the marvelous colors along the North Shore of Superior. They were kind enough to hand me their Canon camera and I placed it on one of my tripods. I then put one of my memory cards inside. I proceeded to take a dozen pictures with his camera and then did the same with my Nikon. These folks were amazing, and we have actually become friends...even in the middle of the night. As I was in progress I gave them the ‘James Shedden Night Shot Lesson 101’. We had a lot of fun. In the end, I made some new friends in the middle of the night. Thanks to Bob & Rachel Collins for their assistance.
This is a sad photo when you think of it. With the forest fires raging throughout the country, the smoke is thick. This shot is of course the sunrise coming through the smoke-filled clouds that was caused by the forest fires. I am hoping that this heavy rain we are getting douses the flames a bit.
This was a very sad day. Our ole girl “Maggie” who was our eldest “Newf” passed today. As Cyndi and I sat on the deck and watch the storm roll by and see the double rainbow forming we could not help but think of her. I am not a religious person, but I am spiritual. When you spend as much time under the stars as I do, you tend to become spiritual whether you want too or not. That is the effect that Mother Nature has on me and my kind. I told Cyndi that I had to grab the camera and run down to the dock to get this shot. I did well to dodge the raindrops. This one is for you....ole girl. “Maggie”, you will be forever in our hearts.
This adorable little girl was sitting on her perch and going into convulsions. Sitting in the rain she was spreading her feathers to let the droplets in, so she could take a bath. Later on, that day she would come and sit on a branch right beside us whenever we are on the deck. She is starting to take ownership of the area. Every time a male flies into the “restricted” zone she is after them.
Magnetawan, Ontario
The Magnetawan River. Three months apart.
I love the mist. When I first took this shot or should I say combination of shots, I was hoping the moon turned out. I used my “dual camera” technique which only works when it wants too. However, this time I got it.
The Magnetawan River. Three months apart.
Wow, I hope all the gardeners got their plants looked after last night. I did not check the temperature, but it had to be -4 when I was out. The mist just exploded on the river which made the colors almost indistinguishable shades of pastels. It kept changing by the moment. It can be very frustrating. You want to say “Hey, Mother Nature, could you just go back about 15 seconds and pause?” You just have to go with the flow and work with what you are given. Regardless of the temperature, the night and the morning was and is amazing.
It’s like this guy was part of the family. He would land beside the dock and weave in beside the Newf’s. He was the water version of our cat Stuey. Ok, we bribed the fella with dead minnows. He ended up landing on the deck. A very uncontrolled landing. He must have had some Albatross in his lineage.
When Henry and I were on a guys night out. I took this picture in the swamp. Because of all the sun and the rain the vegetation growth has been wild. Henry is actually in the picture, but he cannot be seen because of the dense grass. I used a bit of night-lighting to pull out the greens and browns. Spectacular night. I use an app called “Aurora Alerts” to give me a basic idea when Mother Nature is going to show.
I can never, ever get enough of these nights. I actually recorded the sounds as I was taking the shots. It was still early in the summer season and the lily pads had yet to totally emerge. However, the frogs were just losing it. It was so loud, it almost hurt. I loved it. My only concern is that it was so loud I could not hear anything else. I was constantly looking over my shoulder in case a big hairy critter was coming up behind me.
I am getting so tired of Moon shots. Please, please give me a dark night....no moon, no clouds.....just wolves, bears and whatever or nothing but stars. People say “Jim, how can you be like that”? Honestly, I do enjoy the moon. But let’s face it, it has not changed in millions of years. It just seems that every time there is a clear night lately the moon is out. When the moon is gone, its been cloudy.
Dang moon....again. Very tough shot when you have lots of weird noises at your back. Because of the power of the moon, I had to use the two cameras. One for the big lens to photograph the moon and then 5 shots for the fall colors, stepping down each time. After every shot I would take a peek behind me to see if I could spot the critter who appeared to be stalking me. I must admit, I had a few goose bumps. The shadows cast by the moon made it impossible to zero in on the culprit, Continued on Pg 74
even with the headlamp on. I did, however, know it was rather large because I would hear the foot drop. I suspect that it was a rather large bear. In my mind, I count the steps...1...2...3... silence. Bears have a unique pattern of taking three steps and then stopping to watch and listen. You have to keep an open mind because deer do the same thing. Deer however give themselves away. They like to stomp and snort and huff at you. That is why I suspected a big bear. There was none of that. Just silence. Before anyone asks if I go protected...I do. My first line of defense is a military whistle that can blow out your ear drums. Then I escalate to a foghorn. My last tactic is a 3030 Winchester. On this particular night I just went to Winchester. Other than that, it was one of the most spectacular nights. An ironic sidenote is the picture below; which just happens to be my cover shot. I had set up to take about 15 -25 second shots. On the last shot I heard growling to my right. I had never heard this sound before. Right after the shot I backed out of the creek and into the truck. I left the cameras and tripods in the creek overnight. I came back the next morning with the “Newfies” to check for tracks. To this day I believe it was a cougar.
What an absolute stunning night out on the trails. However, I rather mis-read the depth of the snow. I think that we had almost 2 feet over the last couple of days. It was up to my knees. All the animals were laying low, waiting out the storm. Even the Newf’s were trying to figure it out. But, they absolutely loved it. This is actually a color shot. But the only color is the moon.
As I have mentioned earlier most people know, I have an issue with the moon. It’s a “love hate” thing. However, the other night I was out and got this shot. I wanted the Milky Way shot but because I had frozen fingers, I could not work through my settings quick enough and finally I just gave up and waited for the moon to rise. I was so angry at myself. Seven times I pushed the button only to see my settings were wrong. TICKED ME OFF BIG TIME! Then, the gosh darn moon started to rise ......ohhh....was I beyond angry and frustrated. This shot was not my intent, but it is the way it worked out.
The Magnetawan Watershed Land Trust looks after a beautiful piece of property called: “Old Man’s Creek”. It consists of a number of kilometers of trail and a number of waterfalls. I spend a lot of time in the area. It is forever changing. If you are in the Magnetawan region, this is a must visit. It is so hard to pick a photo from this area. I have so many.
The ice has left. I am sitting on the government dock in Magnetawan just waiting for the moon to get to the point where its reflection can be seen in the water. I tried 11 shots and was getting frustrated. In my mind it was a “no-brainer”. However, I had not considered the current in the river. I tried setting after setting. Finally, I just went back to basics and oh my goodness it worked.
Living in Magnetawan, Ontario has a lot of benefits. But, one of the big ones is the nature that is all around you. Above and below is the Magnetawan Street Gang. There is a by-law in Magnetawan stating that you are not allowed to feed the deer. “The Gang” obviously did not get the memo. When I would take our old guy “Kelcey” out on the trail. The “herd” would come out right behind us. They knew Kelcey was a “gentle soul”. I would look at Kelcey and say “your friends are following us”. He would look behind and then look at me with the biggest “Goofy Newfy” smile. He was truly a “gentle soul”.
Wow! I have a pile of emails and messages about this photo and how it was produced. I went back on my notes and here is how I took the photo. It was taken after the first snowfall in November. I took 8 shots at 10-minute intervals and then merged them together. The reason for the 10-minute intervals was to capture the forever changing shadows and light. You don’t know what is going to happen until you take your “blinders” off. This is the Brant farm south of Burk’s Falls.
Cyndi and I were driving by Port Loring when Cyndi yelled “ I saw an eagle”! Wow, I thought I was the only one with Bird Tourette’s. It was a very messy day to say the least. I turned around and sure enough, there they were. This pair of Bald Eagles were not too thrilled with the weather either.
This has been on my mind every day. A little background….This shot was taken at 10:05:44 pm on March 20/2021. I was standing on the ice taking this picture of the tree. I watched a flash of light winding itself through the tree branches, disappearing. I mentioned to a contact at NASA that it looked like a “white firefly”. NASA wanted my camera and the memory card. That was not going to happen, but we had arranged for Nikon and NASA to hook up to my equipment through an old computer. They were on it for about an hour and a half. NASA sent me a note saying that they are still looking into it and that more of these phenomena are being reported. However, it has been just this shot and a few out of southern Argentina that have been reported during the cold (winter) period. The report on the analysis of the memory card and the camera is 11 pages and they stated that there were “no irregularities” and what the camera had captured was “real”. I will say that this is nothing new to me. I have witnessed this a half a dozen times. But it has always happened during the summer months; particularly in July and the nights were extremely “humid”. They have always happened back in the “swamp” where it is very possible that it was escaped methane gas. I have never been able to capture it on the camera before. Which makes me question “did I really see that”? So, I do not know if there is more to come out of this or not. They did not provide me with any theories as to what it could be except that “we are still looking into it.” The shot below is the same pond in August.
I photographed this guy (or girl) while out on the pontoon boat with the Newf’s. As we pulled up to the island that the Newf’s play on he flew in and settled on a branch about 30-40 feet up. I tried to be as calm as possible getting back to the boat as quickly and nonchalantly as possible. I could not believe that he sat and watched the dogs being idiots while I fumbled around. Sitting up on a branch with a thunderstorm in the background. I stood beneath him and snapped a couple of shots. He just gave us the “evil” eye. Something which is good to know for photographers is that just before birds of prey are about to fly off, they defecate. So, you can predict the “flight shot”. Taken on the Magnetawan River (Ahmic Lake). 600 mm lens.
For whatever reason, the “Lights” have been very prominent this summer and into the fall. It is all caused by solar flares from the sun that again, for some reason have been numerous. When I took this shot, I had thrown a couple of small “waterproof” halogen lights into the rapids. I tie on “dummy strings” to them so that I can pull them out easily. The shot became a little bit overexposed in a couple of areas. But you get the idea. By the way, the water is getting cold. Magnetawan.
Henry and I had a day out together. It has been a while because since the addition of Marty it has been difficult to get any alone time with the big guy. It’s rather funny because Henry was the pup for the longest time. We went down Nipissing Rd South and stopped at a few of my haunts before visiting the old Orange Valley School. In the YouTube video we stopped at a bridge where I do a fair number of shots. It was by far the best Northern Lights night that I have seen in our area. The shot has never been published because it was selfishly kept in my “private” portfolio. As with most of my photos it started off with a lot of planning but ended up being an accident. I had set up 7-night lights to illuminate some of the trees. The shot is a culmination of nine shots. This was all happening while a family of Otters took out my camera and tripod. I used a lot of foul language as I ran through the bush trying to get to my equipment. Luckily, my tripod and camera landed on my camera bag. I was harassed all night by the family (horde) of Otters. All the time I was trying to think of a foul word that rhymes with Otter, but to no avail. It was a night to remember.
When you have a COVID puppy who at 5:30 am figures it’s time to get Jim up and go for a walk. You have to learn to like the early mornings. I have never been able to adjust from doing night photography to doing early morning photography. It happens once in a while, but not often. However, this shot was taken in the “magic hour”. Actually, the “magic minute”. The sun was still below the horizon, but the colors were “flaming.” At this time of the day there is a brief period where the stars in the background have not been washed out by the sun. Three minutes later, it’s over. The settings on the camera are so fluid because the light is changing so quickly.
This is one of those "long lost" photos that just showed up in my library. It was taken about 5 years ago. I had Kelcey, Sherman & Maggie with me. Doesn't this picture look peaceful? It was not. It was hell. I was down the Magnetawan River near a friend’s property in the pontoon boat. It was about 11pm. Tom was out trolling for walleyes (pickerel) and I thought this could be a real cool picture if I could get it right. So, I pulled into his dock and tied off the boat. I set up the tripod on his dock so that it would be stable. I put on a "super duper" fast lens. I asked Tom to drive by about a dozen times. It was a pain because I did not want the surface turbulence hoping I could catch the reflection of the Milky Way on the river. So, we would have to wait for about 5 minutes for the river to calm. The Newf's were losing it. The bugs were ridiculous. Anyway, I had lost all patience and blood and just took the shots. Of course I ended up using the first one.
There is an old silo just outside of Magnetawan. I have been driving past it for over 15 years. It is an incredibly unique structure. Again, I have been driving by for years. Thanks to Barb Stewart of Magnetawan I was able to contact the owner of the farm. I was able to find Sue through Messenger. I left her last name out. Not sure she wants it publicized or not. Sue gave me permission to come onto the property. However, and it’s a BIG however, she said “don’t go past the fence” because the bulls will get you. As I walked back towards the silo all the cows started mooing. I guess I have that effect on some animals; and people too I might add. The big guy on the right is just a plain camera hog. We talked and talked. He is a very cool bull. But I felt that he would like to stomp my face into the mud. At least I knew where he stood and thankfully, it was on the other side of the fence. The silo, however, is approximately 75 years old. It is a very unique silo. Because Sue and her husband are farmers, they are up early and early to bed so there was no chance of taking a night shot. Obviously, I had to respect their wishes because of the barnyard wildlife. Bears are one thing, but can you imagine a whole herd of bovines coming down on you in the dark? I will have to re-think how to get the shot from a distance. Thank you Sue for allowing me to come over.
This was taken from across the road and up on the hill in the field. Three shots at different settings merged into the camera. Had to use a big lens to zoom in and hope the cows don’t mooooove. 93
Unquestionably, this is one of my most favorite and most printed photographs. At last count, I have taken 421 photos from this spot. Crazy, isn’t it? But it is just so scenic. The church across the river is St George the Martyr Anglican Church in Magnetawan, Ontario. The center of the universe. “Reverend William Crompton, a traveling missionary, founded an Anglican mission at Magnetawan in 1880. Later that same year, construction began on this church. Built on the Old Nipissing Colonization Road at a time of tremendous growth in the area, the church provided a spiritual centre for the local community and served as an important meeting place for settlers. The building is a fine example of Carpenter Gothic, a late-19th-century architectural style that incorporated Gothic-inspired elements on wood-framed buildings. Resting on an outcropping of Precambrian bedrock and built with local timber; the church’s location, architectural form and materials connect it to the natural landscape. A.J. Casson, a member of the Group of Seven, captured the iconic, picturesque qualities of this church in his painting Anglican Church at Magnetawan. St. George the Martyr has become a significant landmark and a symbol of the cultural and natural foundations upon which, much of the province developed.”
When I started trying to develop a “dual camera” technique it was all a “guesstimate.” I was so disappointed in the images that I actually gave up on it for about a year. But as I learned about the capabilities with the “modern” technology cameras I would start to think. Usually, my thinking is done while driving on long trips. Rarely do I ever have on any noise. I enjoy the silence. However, when Cyndi is in the car there is no time for thinking and there has to be noise. I never remember the conversations (because they are one sided). I just nod approval. But, on one of my lonely drives I had an epiphany and I figured out what to do. It was like the light switch just clicked on. This photo was taken near Batchawana Bay along the North Lake Superior coast. There is a lookout above the bay and I just waited for the moon to rise. As it turned out it was a “moon dog”. This was 4 shots merged. I actually took 2 shots with one camera before the moon rose. Hence the background of the stars. If I had waited, the moon would have blown away the stars. The gosh darn moon creates light pollution. Actually, the sun shines on the moon, so I guess I have to blame the sun. Whatever, it was a spectacular moment. As a note: for the longest time I used to have a “run-in” with a young Nikon engineer. He would say “you can’t do that”. I would say “yes I can”. I finally have him on board and periodically, I get a call from him asking how I would take a certain shot and if it was possible. He’s a good kid.
Taking the backroads back to Magnetawan from Kearny I stopped to get one more shot of the lunar eclipse. This spot is a favorite of mine. I was considering doing a “live” video from this spot on the weekend, but the frogs are so loud it is deafening.
Sometimes I just gotta wonder who ties my shoelaces? After saying that I have not taken a “Northern Lights” picture at this location, I found one. As I was reading my notes trying to dig up some information that a client wanted, I came across some information about that location and a picture number with another note saying “edit”. So, I go into my catalogue and there it is. I don’t trust myself to say how I did it, but my notes say that it was eleven shots at 25 seconds at an ISO of 4000 with minimal night lighting. So, there ya go.
Back in the swamp all was quiet. Eerily quiet. Like winter is coming. Walking into the trail that I have unfortunately created; I came across a deer kill. It appears that the wolf pack that I have been hanging with caught up with a doe. It saddens me when I see this sort of thing, but it also reminds me that the pups that I had been hanging around with in the summer have benefited from this doe. It bothers me to think of the suffering she may have gone through until the end. Nature is brutal. It is so very hard to explain this to the “fairy dust” & “unicorn” people that wish to believe that all life should live in peace; but that is not the way it is in reality. I see all too often how brutal nature can be. But there is simplicity to be found here. Everything is used. Whether it be the leaves from a tree that is absorbed into the ground or the flesh from an animal to sustain another. I understand it but from the human side, it’s so hard to accept. At this time of year, as I walked out of the forest and onto the old logging road on the way to my car, I know that this is probably my last venture into my “secret hideaway” until spring. I walked in total darkness for about a kilometer on the old road. Nothing but the stars above to light the way. I just tried to absorb every moment I could. As I got to within a hundred yards, I hit the key fob to start the car. I could see the red taillights shining to let me know I was going in the right direction. Every spring when I return to the swamp I always anticipate if the big ole dead pine tree is still standing......I will have to wait until the end of April to find out.
Way back in “Never, Never Land” I came across this old barn. Originally, I thought that I’m just going to take a picture of it. Well, I don’t do that. I will never trespass even if the property is vacant. So, I went to the office and typed out a nice note on my letterhead and put it into a Ziploc bag with my business card and then tacked it on the gate post with the hopes of someone calling me. I have eighteen of these around the region right now. I keep track of them on my gps. Well, I did get a call from an elderly couple that now live in Pefferlaw, Ontario. The problem is that I now have to remember what property I had left the note on. It turns out that a neighbor near the farm picked it up off the gate and called them and they in turn called me. They are 3rd generation owners, and the farm was originally homesteaded back in the 1800’s that was part of the land grant system. Apparently, this is the 3rd barn. The previous two had burnt. There are some things you do not ask out of respect, but I have to believe that this couple is in their 90’s. It was rather funny and downright cute because the husband would say something and then I would hear his wife say something in the background and he would respond to her “yes, I will tell him”. This went on for the whole conversation. Finally, I received permission to go to the property. This was actually back in September, but I had just gone out. He asked how things are going “up there” and then asked if I knew “so and so” & “so and so” & so and so.” It was adorable. Sadly, they have not been up for 26 years and none of their children and great grandchildren have any interest. Anyhow, this picture was printed and sent down to them. They did however ask me not to disclose their names and the location.
Oh, my heart be still. We were so lucky to have this pair of loons as neighbors all summer. They raised their family on a floating bog about a hundred yards down the river.
When an open field has a hard crust on top it reflects light and in this case, moonlight. I pulled over and set up the two cameras. I had to wait a bit for the cloud cover to open up before I could get the shot of the moon. The shot was taken just on the outskirts of Magnetawan.
I have received a pile of notes (44 to be exact) asking if I teach this “dual camera” stuff. The quickest answer is “no.” I teach night courses and general camera courses and stuff along those lines. But I have not developed a course for “dual cameras” as of yet. The reason behind it is because it does not always work. The pictures you see on the site obviously worked but to be honest about 75% do not. Currently, I do not understand why there is such a high failure rate. I do have a procedure that I follow to take these shots. But, as of yet I cannot duplicate it consistently. The only time I use this procedure is when there is a moon and the “fuller” the moon the better. One other issue I have is that I have only done this with Nikon cameras. I am sure it would work with Canon’s and the rest. There is not a bad camera out there. However, I have not tried them. I think that I will have to borrow some Canon equipment from a friend and give it a try. To start though you need 2 cameras and one of them needs a “two” slot SD card port. You also need a really big “zoom” lens like up to a 600mm and a super wide-angle lens such as a 14mm. My “workhorse” is the Nikon D610 as an example and I use a 600mm zoom and the 14mm wide-angle……and two tripods. It’s a pain in. That’s why I have 3 Newfoundland dogs to carry all of this crap in their packs. If I can develop a course that would guarantee success, I will do it. The shot above looking out across the Magnetawan River uses the two-camera process. What was totally by accident was the stars. They almost came out with a red tinge to them because of the moonlight and the clouds.
Continuing with the two-camera stuff, I was back in the “Swamp” waiting for the night to come. As I set up, I could see the moon through the top of an old pine tree. It was extremely eerie. I took the shots just to fill in the time. When I looked at them the next morning I thought “wow”. Very cool. The rest of the night was a washout. The clouds disappeared and the moon got brighter. Actually, the moon was so bright that it totally washed out the stars in the direction that I wanted to shoot. On my way out of the swamp I did not have to use my headlamp at all until I entered the forest. It was beautiful.
Since I am on a nostalgia trip right now; I might as well continue. These two photos blow my mind. This is the same deer. This big boy used to come out and follow Kelcey and I . He would play “hide and seek”. He would always be about 30 feet behind us. The shot with him peeking around a tree is very cool. He actually had dropped his right antler but still had his left (hidden) intact. What is even more cool is that he came out the other day and followed us. Even though it was a whole new pack of Newfies, he still followed us. It was very heartwarming. Our middle child “Marty” is a kind soul; so very much like our old Kelcey. Cyndi and I sense this already. Rarely do bucks ever carry their antlers into January. But I have seen four this month. He followed me for about an hour. Always peeking around the trees. He would never give me a clear shot with the lens, so I parked
my butt against a tree and waited him out. He stared at me and wagged his tail. I find the tail wagging the first indication of nervousness. Then he stomped three or four times, gave a “huff” and then ventured into the forest. I actually think he felt more secure when the Newfies were with me.
This is one of four shots I took early one morning. My fingers were just flying through the settings before the moment was lost. Unfortunately, ‘it was lost.’ There is no setting available to capture the power of the sun. The only reason I could get this shot was because the sun was hidden behind some pretty dense clouds. Even at that the trees to the left of the sun in the forefront were totally “washed” out. I was out the night before catching a shot of the moon coming up behind the church (un-published as of yet) and I just left my tripod in the spot figuring I may get a shot of the sunrise in the morning. When I had the Newf’s out for the morning walk a couple days back I was so “ticked” off because the sunrise was just so amazing… and I missed it.
What a totally bizarre night. This narrow logging road travels in between two ponds. I was immediately drawn to this side of the road because the full spread of the Milky Way was right in front of me. However, I kept hearing a “slurping” sound behind me on the other side. I walked over and threw on my head lamp to see if I could locate the sound. Moving through the lily pads was a medium size (three hundred pound) black bear. He was “slurping” up Bull Frogs. I had never seen this behavior before. He would just give me a glance and continue on his way. I loved how smoothly he moved through the pads. Almost no ripple.
I came across an old, desolate, abandoned homestead last summer. Thinking, “I have to get back here sometime and shoot this.” I took four shots at different settings because I wanted to pull out all the amazing colors from the house. In the trade it is called “bracketing.” By no means was it a perfect night, I am trying to dig up some history on the place. I always feel I owe it to the family who homesteaded the property way back when. To clear the land of trees, stumps and rocks without modern equipment is beyond my comprehension. As I took the shot, I heard growling directly behind me. I turned and found a really big dog dragging about 30 pounds of heavy chain. So, I started to talk to him quietly and moved through the deep snow towards the car. I had a couple of stale pieces of pepperoni on the floor. I bribed him. Then I figured I had to find out where he came from. As I shut the door, I heard a lady screaming at him and me from down the road. I put my tripod and camera over my shoulder and started walking down the road towards the screaming. Turns out his name is Randall and the lady accused me of trying to steal her dog. Wow. I said that there must be a lot of people trying to steal big dogs carrying a camera and tripod over their shoulder. The shot to the right was taken a couple of nights later.
When I was out very early one morning, I took about eight photos that took about twenty minutes. I then merged them into one. This is well before sunrise, but the Newf’s had me up anyway. The settings were adjusted to the conditions but for the most part are almost identical. Light is what makes photography. It just depends on how you use the light that is available to you. Every season has its unique opportunities. But I find the spring breakup has so many contrasts, it is just plain fun.
It seems like it has been forever since I have had any quality time out in the forest at night. Things have been hectic to say the least...but in a good way. So, I just decided to get out and do my “thing”. The purple flower in this picture is called “fire-weed” and it is my favorite flower in the forest. Even without “night lighting” the pink just blew through the darkness. A little earlier, Cyndi and I were sitting on the deck watching YouTube videos of the Newf’s when I decided to play the video of one of the wolf encounters. I decided to go back tonight if for nothing else than to clear my head. It was magical. It always is. And to top it off “the pack” showed up. Albeit, from a distance. It was like seeing old friends and in this case, “hearing old friends”. I would like to think that they felt the same way. Actually, they were probably thinking...”this guys nuts”. On the way out, I encountered the pesky Pine Marten. He sat on a branch about eye level and told me his life’s story. COVID has not interrupted nature.
Another unpublished shot. Not sure why it was never published but it seems that I have quite a number of them that have shown up in this book. I keep extensive notes on how I take the shots. However, I cannot find the notes on this. I do know that it is a fall shot with the moon rising in very heavy fog.
Heading out this morning until I saw this. So, I had to walk across the road to take this picture of the sunrise looking across the Magnetawan River. I have taken so many pictures from this spot that I could devote a book to it. Then I turned around and took a picture of the moon from the front lawn. Good morning from Magnetawan, Ontario.
One of my favorite hangouts is up near New Liskeard, Ontario. Within a short distance you also have Temagami. Temagami was made famous by Grey Owl. This set of rapids is just north-west of New Liskeard. I waited for a couple of hours to take this shot; I figured the Milky Way was going to be just above. I set up my tripod in the middle of the river and parked my butt down on a flat rock beside it. It was one of those nights where you say “oh yeah, push the button”
A couple of my favorite people. Melissa and Mike asked me to take some unique engagement photos for them. Well, you can’t get any more unique than this. After I took the shot I was rather speechless. Mike asked me “whats up”? I said “you have to see this”. We had the couple in front of the Northern Lights along with 4 shooting stars. It blew my mind.
Ya know, I look back on some photos that I have never published. Mainly, because they are private and just for me and Cyndi. This is one of them. The moment I took this photo it grabbed my heart. As much as I complain about the moon, it draws me. Maybe that is the reason I complain about it. This photo was taken the day after we lost our big guy Sherman. I had his dad, Kelcey by my side. This was taken on the walkway at the dam in Magnetawan.
Looking over my notes, I had put the camera on the mezzanine walkway, set a thirty second timer and then Kelcey and I backed off to reduce the vibration effect. It’s strange, but I have not looked at these photos since the day I took them. Cyndi had never seen them. I guess, I just put them away. As they say, “time heals’ ‘. I think maybe it’s time I can bring some of them out of the closet. Since this photo was taken, we have added Henry & Marty & Kelcey (Jr) to the family.
A Magnetawan Christmas Eve.
As I was sitting just below the dam in Magnetawan waiting for the moon to rise a Great Blue heron flew in to take up a position on a small rock outcrop. Periodically, he would put his head to the water and snap up a minnow. I took at least thirty - fifteen second shots. Every time he would move and would cause a blur. Finally, I got one where he was still. The moon on the other hand was acting just like the moon. It was so bright that it washed out the stars behind. So, I cheated. Before the moon came up, I took a picture of the Milky way. Then I merged the two photos. I will not forget this night. The frogs were croaking, and a Great Horned Owl was hooting and the sound of the rapids in the background just made it spectacular.
I love the Group of Seven. I have actually tried to develop a procedure for taking pictures in their fashion. Sometimes it works. Most often it doesn’t. The shot above reminds me of a couple of their paintings. The Group of Seven painted extensively in the Almaguin region.
Using a very big and heavy 600 mm lens, I took this shot of a local farm with the sun rising behind through the forest fire smoke. I had to use a very high iso which created a lot of background noise. These big lens require a lot of light when fully extended so it is hit and miss. More misses unfortunately, especially when you have 3 goof balls tethered to you.
Magnetawan in the winter is as they say a “winter wonderland.” Its mid-February and a “balmy” -22. I am standing on the dock where we keep our pontoon boat in the summer. Things are quiet about town this time of year. Christmas has past and spring is coming.
As a kid if we saw a Blue Jay it was a big deal. Today, we had about twenty at the bird feeder at the same time. Nature is quirky. I remember seeing my first Turkey Vulture as I was paddling my canoe on Whitestone Lake. Today, they are everywhere. If left alone, Mother nature adapts.
Cyndi gets a call from a friend who says “tell Jim there is a Great Grey Owl down Boundary Rd.” I immediately hop in the truck, and I am gone. I could not find it. I got on the phone and called Cyndi to see if she could get any more information. As I am talking to her, I look to my left and there he is. Just sitting on a post. So, I get out of the truck, and I crawl through the slush to sneak up on him. Meanwhile I am crawling on the other side of a hill. If a car came over, I was done. I get to the other side, and I get on my knees and start snapping pictures. After about fifty shots I decided to stand up. I am only thirty feet away and he is not budging. I was actually too close to use my big lens. So, I turn around and go to the truck and switch to my 70 mm lens and then head back across the road. I walked almost right up to him. I started talking to him and he just gave me the stare that you are seeing. After about thirty minutes of me annoying him, he decided he had enough and glided off. Just so you are aware, if you are watching a bird of prey, they give you a signal when they are about to fly. They defecate and then fly away.
Good morning from "The Mag" (Magnetawan, Ontario). What is cool is that this was 7 shots merged together. However, if you look closely, on the ice you will see a faint outline of the reflection of the moon. In one of the "merged" shots that moon was not behind clouds and was much brighter.
The moon really screws up what I am really trying to take a picture of. I have to explain myself a bit here. There is nothing that makes me happier (as a photographer) than being out in the forest in the middle of the night in an absolute pitch-black setting taking pictures of the stars and the milky way. It’s a totally different world. Now, add a bright moon and it is a uniquely different world again. The moon is so bright that it takes away from the stars. I have just had to learn to deal with the moon. Don’t get me wrong, the moon is beautiful. But it is a totally different set up for the moon than it is for the stars. I have found that the moon is extremely difficult to photograph especially if you want to put it in a scene. I think that I am onto a system where I can incorporate the moon into scenes. It doesn’t always work. It’s just like fishing, and why its called fishing and not called catching.
I just love this little guy. I just want to grab his ears and squish them. We have watched him grow up. He is now a fourteen-point buck. If you want to see a picture of him as a grownup go back to page 94-95. At this time of his life, he was very curious but very cautious. He would peak from behind a snowbank or a tree. He hasn’t changed. He still acts that way. Everytime I see him, I smile. He loved our old Newfy, Kelcey. When we lost our old boy I thought we may not see this guy again. But, as I was out on the trail with our Newbies, there he came. Trotting through the bush, not missing a beat. Admittedly, I was in tears. Even writing this brings tears on.
On New Year’s morning I had an opportunity to capture the full moon while there was a brief moment of early morning sunshine. This is actually the full moon, but the sun lit up the lower portion because of the thin layer of clouds. Very odd time when the sun and the moon are up together.
I was put in touch with an Adobe engineer. Adobe has a procedure on how to turn a photo into an abstract watercolor. Each picture is about a 3-hour process and if you miss a step you have to start over. In some photos it works great. On others it’s a disaster. I do find that it can have a very effective effect on wildlife. This shot was of a Bald Eagle that had just been chased off a kill by three ravens.
As you age, you have to get up and relieve yourself a couple of times a night. Well, I was up at my son’s cottage or “camp” as they call it on Lake Penage (just west of Sudbury, Ont.) for a weekend. I really wanted to take some night shots off his dock, but the clouds moved in. However, on one of my “relieving” moments at about 4am I looked up as I headed to the outhouse and noticed that the stars were magnificent. So, I snuck back into the bunkhouse where my other son “Alex” was sleeping and quietly got my camera, tripod and stuff and as quietly as possible, mozied down to the dock. I set up the self timer for 20 seconds to allow me to get to the end of the dock and then took 3 bracketed photos at different - 30 second exposures. It can be tough to take a thirty second exposure without breathing but then to do 2 more with a 5 second space in between is tough. After 30 seconds you gasp for air and then take another shot and then gasp for air again. If you have any movement, you turn out as a blur.
I always maintain that photography is the manipulation of the light that is available. The “lights” appeared but were not nearly as powerful as the previous month. The pipes on the left are what’s left of the old turbines “penstocks”. The penstocks are the steel tubes that funnel the rushing water through the turbine and turn the wheel. This is way up on the northern tributaries of the Magnetawan River as it comes out of Algonquin Park. I think that the turbine was a “turn of the century” model. Sort of feeling like that myself lately. I was not overly optimistic about obtaining a shot of the lights. However, things did clear up a bit.....and then it rained.
I was taking this picture when the bad boy on page 20 (Pine Marten)went between my legs and under my tripod to steal a back pack. I think that I enjoyed the Marten as much as I enjoyed taking the pictures. I always looked forward to going to this spot and would be rather disappointed when he did not show up. Sometimes he would just sit up in a tree an “yatter” at me. I would then have to talk back to him. If someone was recording the session I think people would think I had lost it.
Early morning down at the locks. These are the moments when you can take a deep breath and clear your mind. I do believe that Mother Nature can be the best drug. If you have issues; go sit by some rapids or witness a sunrise in the quiet. The “spirit of Mother Nature is so powerful. Give it a try. Bring your cup of coffee or tea and soak it in. Then, take on the day.
The Northern Lights above Lake Superior.
The Northern Lights with a shooting star. Magnetawan, Ontario
So, as I am coming out of the “ole” logging road my “Aurora Alerts” alarm on my iPhone goes off telling me there is a 45% chance of the “Lights” being seen on the horizon. So, I got out of the car and set up my tripod and camera and low and behold... they showed. Although brief. For me, it was a fitting end to the season in the swamp. This is the time I miss my old pickup truck. I could just hop in the bed of the truck, lay back and watch the show. As it is, I have to download the photos onto my iPad and hope they turn out.
Summertime. Remember when it was the middle of February and you longed for the times of sitting on the dock with your feet in the water? Or, driving down the road with your window open? Then the harsh reality of winter comes back like someone opened the door. I so enjoy photographing around docks. This particular night I had a beaver and a family of those nasty, fun-loving otters. They were popping up over here and then over there. Driving me crazy. What is fun though is ignoring them. They do not handle rejection well.
So, I take the Newf’s out for their morning walk at about 5am. The sky was amazing. Being Tuesday, it is garbage day. So after the walk I pretend to take the garbage out to the road and it just so happens that I had my camera under my arm. The dogs are lying down and don’t notice that after I took the garbage to the road I just kept walking down to the water to take a “before” sunrise shot. Sometimes you almost forget to take the picture because you just stare in awe.
A stint up in Rankin Inlet photographing polar bears was amazing. This fella looks so cute and cuddly. However, the next day his muzzle had blood and remnants of seal. Truly an amazing animal.
Well, in all my time photographing the Northern Lights in the Almaguin (Magnetawan) region, I have never seen them as they were last night. I ventured “way” back into the swamp where I like to hang out. It was a rather hard walk and maybe it wasn’t too bright. So, what’s new? I literally forgot to push the button a few times. Usually, I have to merge about 7 shots. Not tonight. They were dancing overhead in pinks, blues, and greens. At 10pm they were great. At 1am they were spectacular. The “swamp” is my “happy place” and generally I do not get back there until the logging road is clear of snow. I had all my lights with me, but the “Northerns” were so bright I was able to walk through the forest without using them. It’s always nice to save battery power when you are in the forest. When I finally got back out to the road, I met an OPP officer standing outside his cruiser looking to the sky. I had met him before on spot checks at night. I took out the cameras and started showing him some shots. I may have a convert. I ended up back in Magnetawan and tried some real “funky” stuff with some homemade lenses. It is really tough to try to block out the streetlights and yet get the colors of the “Northerns’ ‘, but, I think I worked it out.
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The Magnetawan River has my heart. You can probably tell. It is the same and yet it is forever changing. In years gone by the steamships ploughed the water ways. In 1886, a lock was completed at Magnetawan, enabling steam service to be extended an additional 10 miles to Ahmic Harbor. Other steamers came into service, notably the “Wenonah” (1886), “Glenrosa” (1891), “Wanita” (1896), “Glenada” (1904) and “Armour” (1906). My father-inlaw: Ab Culbert had and still has a passion for these boats. He has more stories about the Mag than anyone I know. Cyndi and I actually printed a book with all his stories for his 80th birthday. He knows everything there is to know about the steamships and the river.
There are American families who have had cottages on the water system for over a hundred and fifty years. Can you imagine taking the train from West Virginia or Pittsburgh up to Toronto and then catch another train to Burk’s Falls. In Burk’s Falls you would then catch one of the steamships that would carry you, your family and all your luggage down the river to your next stop off. Right in front of our home in the river are these massive logs held together by steel shafts. This was one of the docking locations along “The Mag” People would get off and head to the Klondike Hotel or other spots in town before carrying on to their final destination.
“The Feather” Ok, I am finally getting around to “The Blue Moon”. Guess what? It ain’t blue. Here is my understanding of how it got its name: The term blue moon originated from the 16th-century expression “the Moon is blue,” meaning something that was impossible. For two years following the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in Indonesia in 1883, people around the world reported seeing strangely colored sunsets and a Moon that appeared blue. With this possible, but uncommon, occurrence, “once in a blue moon” came to mean rare rather than impossible. Anyhow, the moon is the moon. Same moon since the earth was formed. Why we have to keep recreating it is beyond me. I don’t like photographing normal stuff and to be honest, the “blue moon” was rather normal to me. However, while I was on the dock on the north side of the Magnetawan dam. The moon’s reflection was absolutely perfect in the water. Even though it is a relatively fast current above the dam, it was ‘silky smooth”. Being the rather bothersome self I inadvertently chased off a flock of sleeping gulls that we on the dock. In doing so a couple of their feathers started to drift by. Very cool. I took about a dozen shots with a soft “night light” and tried to keep in focus. I laid flat on my stomach and hung about 12” from the water...and hoped.
One of my favorite “locals”. This Great Blue Heron would hang out every day at the dam in Burk’s Falls. I watched one morning as he “nailed” a two-pound Brook Trout and then a two pound Catfish. I never knew we even had Brook Trout in the river until I saw this. I would very often catch him in awkward positions.
This is one of my personal, unpublished photos. I have about a hundred of these tucked away. It’s just me being selfish. For whatever reason, they are usually based around one of our Newfies. In this case it was a day or so after we lost Kelcey. I took his mate Maggie & Henry out on the pontoon for a very early morning trip on the Magnetawan River. We have a favorite island that we go to where the Newf’s can let loose. It was a very tough trip. Kelcey had a weird habit of sticking his head under water and pull up rocks. His big “canine” teeth were virtually worn down because of it. He had all the rocks stashed up on the island in a mound. Cyndi and I actually went and collected the rocks. I have some of them in our big fish tank.
The day before he left us, we took him to the island. He was stiff legged and could barely walk. However, he went into the water with me, and he stuck his head under water and rescued his last rock and brought it up to his mound. We have that one in a special place. He had completed his “bucket list”. I guess why this came to mind is that I had a call from our vet today and she said that she had Maggie’s ashes at her office in North Bay. We now have them all. Kelcey (dad), Maggie (mom) and the big guy, Sherman (Maggie & Kelcey’s puppy). In the spring, we will get on the boat and head down the river to the island and spread their ash’s together along with Sherman’s sister, Marley. This was their favorite place. If you go to my YouTube site, you will see numerous videos of them on the island while I was out taking night shots. Even though we now have Henry & Marty, Kelcey (Jr) and Stuey there is not a day that goes by that Cyndi and I don’t talk about the original three. They are family. I live for those sunrises.
What a weird night. One of my favorite “dead trees” is in the foreground of the moon. As this picture was being taken at about 11 pm, it was lightly raining. The moon was just a glow in the background. Then it popped out. What was weird is that I used a very powerful light to highlight the tree and yet the power of the moon still cast shadows on the branches. I took six sets of shots before the moon moved out of range and they all turned out that way. Actually, I took six sets of shots before a skunk forced my extraction. I had Henry and Kelcey outside with me and he wanted to make friends....not tonight little one.
The other night I had asked the constable if he would turn on and off his cruiser lights as quickly as possible. Thinking it just might add some dimension to the setting. The first shot was way over exposed. He then suggested his spotlight. First shot and nailed it. I think I will have to get him a print for his help.
What a night. As I am standing in a field at about 1am a car passes and then slows down and then turns around. It is an OPP cruiser. The officer pulls in front of my car and gets out. He walks around the car with his flashlight, giving it a good inspection. I am about two hundred yards away and I yell out “good evening officer”. He almost crapped. In a very stern voice, he asked “what the hell are you doing?” I said, “I am taking pictures”. He proceeds to look for a way into the field and I informed him that the only way is to climb the gate. “But, be careful of the barbed wire. I tore a twoinch gash on my butt”. Before he started to climb, I asked him if he would be so kind as to go into the back of the car and grab a few small flashlights that I had tucked away in my pack. He was kind enough to do so and then came back to the fence. I also said that my wallet is on the front seat on the passenger side if he cared to check. He didn’t bother. He climbed the fence. We introduced ourselves, and then I proceeded to show him what I was doing. He mentioned that as he had driven by he had seen the open windows on the car and asked why I had left the windows down. I informed him that if I am being chased by a bear, I gotta get out of Dodge quickly, so I just dive through the open window. He stayed for the duration of the shoot which was about an hour. While there, we swapped stories.
I told him that my last encounter happened last summer way back on a logging road. The two officers had a report of a poacher who was “night lighting”. I guess I was the poacher. When the officers confronted me, they asked if I was armed? Because they thought I was a poacher I guess. I responded by saying “yes, I have two of them”. Not the correct answer. This officer said, “You dumb “f”, you could have been shot”. I totally agreed. I was just being a smart ass. Last year, as I was driving, I had pulled over numerous times to send an email or a text. Seven of those times a cruiser pulled up behind me. When they do this, I automatically put my hands on the steering wheel. Every time, they just wanted to make sure I was alright. I might add that out of those 7 times, 3 of the officers were women. Each time
I thanked them for stopping and checking on me. I sincerely appreciate it. I guess why I am elaborating on this is that all we hear about the issues with the police. Not in my book.
Found a new creek and a new (old) bridge to photograph some night shots. I got set up early and then decided to go back to the car and listen to the Toronto Blue Jays game until it got dark. In between innings I took a walk on the bridge just to see if there were other locations I could use. I look 50 yards downstream, and I can see my camera, tripod and backpack. Then an otter and another and another. They were wild and ferocious looking man-eating otters. Then one sits up and notices my tripod and pack. The mob is gathering and moving in on the equipment. I freaked out. I ran off the bridge, running through the semi-dark forest screaming every obscenity I could think of at the top of my lungs. I emerged with the little varmints scattering but in doing so knocked the tripod and camera over. It fell on my pack instead of the rocks. After inspecting it all over, there was no damage. But the tripod has neoprene foam on one leg, and they had started to chew on it before I had arrived on the scene. Of course, I did not blame the otters. It was all the Blue Jays fault. I should have never left the equipment. The little citters are so darn cute. As I was taking photos, they were in the pool below barking and squealing at me and trying to get my attention. Going by this bridge last winter I remember seeing the “otter slides” down the bank. I have to take some time to get pictures of these bad boys.
This is one of those “long lost” photo’s that reappeared in my Lightroom catalogue that was never published. I had taken our 3 Newf’s, Kelcey, Maggie & Sherman out on the pontoon down the Magnetawan River so that they could run around on an island. Once landing on the island I stepped off and rope slipped out of my hands. Actually, I was able to grab the rope out of the water but as I pulled on the hundred feet of rope this horrible feeling came over me when I realized that there was no knot on the end. It was about fifteen feet deep off the rock so there was no wadding in. It was a heavy north wind, and the pontoon was being blown away with the 3 Newf’s on board. I striped down and dove in. I am not sure what the temperature was but let’s just say things really tightened up. I had to swim frantically for about a hundred yards to catch up to the pontoon. The dogs were freaking. Newfoundland’s are supposed to be “lifesaving” dogs. Well, not on this day. When I got to the pontoon all 3 were up front barking at me hysterically. I guess it was their moral support. I finally got onto the pontoon. Have you ever tried getting onto a pontoon without a ladder? I got the boat going and headed back to the island. The Newf’s immediately got off while I TIED THE BOAT UP. I got dressed and then called Cyndi to let her know what happened. There was just silence, but I could hear her head shaking. She is used to it. She also didn’t fail to mention it to me that over and over she had ‘mentioned’ that I should have a tether to the boat…..
This photo was taken later when the wind had died down. It looks like I took the shot from across the lake when really, I was only about 50 yards off-shore anchored on a small rock outcrop. I took my boots and socks off and got in the water with the camera and tripod. The Milky Way was just coming into view. I “night-lighted” the shore and took about 6 shots. Kelcey hopped off the boat onto the rock and went swimming. He was game for anything. I would have stayed longer to get more “in-depth” shots of the Milky Way as it got darker except that I was frozen. We got home late, but the dogs had a riot.
When I started to develop a unique technique for creating this type of shot, I admit, it was tough. I could not match the technology with the moment. Even today it only works about 75% of the time. This river is my “go to” river for experimenting. Throughout my photographs this tributary of the Magnetawan River will appear. I have had a lot happen at this location. I have been chased off the creek by what I believe was a cougar. But I keep coming back.
Boy, did I ever misread the night. I thought that the Milky Way was going to appear in a certain spot and then this god-awful moon showed up. Obviously, my calculations were way off. So, I just might as well have fun with it. Last year at this exact spot on this exact night I had a run-in with what I thought was a cougar. Tonight, I had a cow moose walk by me in the bush which was so very cool. This moon was so bright that there was no chance of seeing the Milky Way. But it was still a beautiful night to be out.
One of my favorite locations. Earlier in the spring, I had recorded the frogs singing so loud that I almost required ear protection. This is also where (earlier in the year) I watched a bear wade through the swamp snapping up frogs right in front of me. For some reason, I just came across amazing skies from this area. To be totally up front, this is a compilation of 15 shots merged together. The night was so dark that I had to have the lens wide open at the highest iso I could manage. No sounds whatsoever. I think the critters realize that the season is changing and changing quickly. Soon, they will be preparing for winter.
Sundown Cormorant. This guy is a better fisherman than anyone.
What an absolute stunning night out on the trails. I rather missread the depth of the snow, however. I think that we had almost two feet over the last couple of days. It was up to my knees. All the animals were laying low, waiting out the storm.
I do not do a lot of weddings and engagements. However, this couple, Melissa and Mike became friends and throughout the summer we would go out and try different things. This is one of them. As they say “ when the stars align”.
This old cabin in Magnetawan has taken on a life of its own. Dan Irwin who grew up in the area sent me this info: “Hi James. My Dad tells me that the cabin was built in 1938/1939. It took over two years as the fireplace took awhile. As well as cutting the logs and letting them season before building it. Also, my grandfather worked during that time frame. So, it was done nights and weekends. He married Vera, and they lived there before moving to a farm on Pearcley Rd. My Dad is Edward Irwin. Victor and Vera’s eldest son. There’s Paul, Kenneth, on Pearcley Rd off the 124, Carolyn Sinclair who’s Vic/Vera’s only daughter and Bruce the youngest of the tribe. If you were to contact Carolyn Sinclair. She has the most knowledge of any/all local history. She ran the museum in Sundridge at the fairgrounds for a few years. And was instrumental in getting it off the ground.
On the “stupid” scale of 1 to 10 this is an easy 12. This is “Old Man’s Creek” just south west of Magnetawan. I thought “wouldn’t this be cool to get a lightning shot above the rapids”.
Standing in the creek in my knee high rubbers and holding on to a graphite tripod I clicked off a couple of pictures. It was until I heard the thunder directly overhead that I got out of the water. As my late Uncle Bruce would say, “Couldn’t catch it with a net”. But, they are cool shots. There are somethings I don’t tell Cyndi. As a side note, there are a couple more pictures of “Old Man’s Creek” on Page 178.
One of my pet peeves when it comes to night-time photography is that I do not have a lot of success capturing shooting stars. For all the time I spend in the bush and pointing cameras to the sky you would think that I would get loads of shots. Not so. I would even go out when NASA is calling for a major meteor shower such as the Lyrids or the Perseids . Notta. Year after year.... Notta. It got to the point that Cyndi and I would not even bring the topic up. Last night I was out at Crawford Lake. A beautiful, mostly clear night and no moon at this time. I did my usual set up. Honest to goodness on the first shot I took a double take when I looked at the screen. I caught a meteor, and it was a big one. I took about 30 more shots and then packed up and headed home. I was so excited to check the photo but I was also so tired that I decided to go to bed and check the pictures in the morning. Well, to my surprise not only did I get one big one I got two more plus another “trailer”. All in one shot. One was so big that the reflection was caught on the water. Very cool.
Just call me weird. As the year comes to a close, I tend to analyze my photographic patterns. For example, in 2008 I took over 21,000 photographs. This year to date I have taken just under 6,000. Now this is excluding weddings and private stuff. Taking less photographs per year has been a trend of mine since 2012. I don’t just hold the button down and hope I got the shot. I now take the time to set up the shot I want and take 1 maybe 2 shots or a couple shots at different settings. One other rather bizarre statistic is that between October and April (the cold weather months) I am more active. I must admit, I really enjoy winter photography and I am not sure why. I don’t like being cold and I have to “pre-warm” the lens and I don’t like hiking through knee deep snow.
I find it so rewarding and primal. Standing in the dark forest at -20 staring at the stars is my thing. Also, there are no bears. So, as I was thinking about this my Northern Lights alarms went off on my phone. Well, stop the press; I am out of here. Even though it was heavily overcast I went to check out one of my hangouts. Ok, I admit I took thirteen shots. The cloud cover was magnificent and multi layered but the freezing rain did not put me in my happy place. If it was a clear sky the “lights” would have been amazing. I took 176
thirteen shots to try to capture the color behind the clouds. The clouds were a bit “morphed” because of the movement when I merged the photo’s but that just cannot be helped. Then I slid home on the dirt road. To be truthful, it was a really miserable night and I got cold and wet as usual, but it was still a wonderful experience.
Magnetawan, Ontario.
I just love this little guy. Driving out of Restoule, Ontario one morning I saw him standing in the swamp browsing on some reeds. Then he spots me. He kept his eyes on me all the while pretending his was eating. I think he smelt that piece of grass for about 30 seconds.
The setting for these 2 shots just kept me staring. The colors were almost overwhelming.I had to slow things down a bit. In actual fact, I had to speed things up a bit. Its complicated. This is the beautiful “Old Man’s Creek” on the south west side of Magnetawan, Ontario. The property is part of the Magnetawan Watershed Land Trust.
Long ago when I started specializing in night shots I would walk down to the Ahmic Lake Golf Coarse and play. It was wide open and I could try all the different settings I could think of. After time and paying my dues I was able to format a procedure on taking the shots and obtaining the effects that I was looking for. The shot above is the old pro shop. The following year it was bulldozed so I was fortunate to get the shot when I did.
Sleep is a little over rated. The “boys” had me up very early..... twice I might add. There was a critter walking by the bedroom window last night and early morning. Stuey was on the window sill just loosing it. Which in turn got the “house horse’s” going as well. Without the snow there are no tracks but whatever it was it had the household pretty upset. I am not too sure what’s going on weather wise but the sunrises have been absolutely amazing. I admit, sometimes I get a little bored taking sunrise and sunset pictures. I tend not to do it as often as I use too. However, when you witness it, it never gets old and it makes you appreciate the day. As a side note....this shot is looking east. You can see the familiar church steeple on the right of the photo. That was how powerful the Northern Lights were that night. I can only recall one other time this happened. Very cool.
The October moon; just before it sets early in the morning.
To me, one of the most exciting pictures I have taken. The road lies between Magnetawan & Burk’s Falls, Ontario. This photo was taken at 1:21am. I was setting up for a “full moon” shot. By the time I got the tripod and settings straightened around a storm moved in. I originally thought that I had missed “my” shot. However, the clouds really ended up making it even better. This was one of the highest volume “selling” shots ever. I actually had a canvas made for a customer in Hartford, Connecticut that was 78” x 56”. As most people realize, I do not take pictures that are not dramatic . It has to talk to me. This one screams at me.
When the October full moon comes into play it is visible till the early morning. Sometimes it just blends into the sky.
Sometimes you wait for the perfect shot and 9 times out of 10 it does not materialize. This is a picture of the Orange Valley School House just south of Magnetawan. I was waiting for the moon to rise just behind the schoolhouse and when it finally did, the storm clouds more or less engulfed it. You can see a bit of the moon behind the clouds. Seconds later, the moon was totally gone. I spend a lot of time in this area. The history is overwhelming. The Bell family (page 10-11) used to walk miles from home to attend this school. No buses, no cars. You walked. The shot was taken at about 1:15am. To this day, it is one of my favorite photos. Truth be known, this is one of my most memorable shots. It puts me back in the day.
Comet Neowise
The Comet Neowise (left) and the Comet A3 (above) gave us some exceptional views. Neowise came by in July of 2020 and Comet A3 came by in October 2024
