Chasing Winter - Muskoka

The weather around Toronto is making this prairie boy feel a little homesick... It's December 10 and I haven't seen any snow around the city, not even a flake! I haven't even had to bust out the winter parka yet. What the heck is even happening? Compared to Manitoba I knew it was going to be a milder climate, but this is madness! According to the weather network I don't need to worry because the cold weather and snow is indeed on it's way, but I just couldn't wait. My lady and I decided to head north to find some of this winter weather. We headed up to Muskoka for a day and hiked around Hardy Lake. We were not disappointed. Fresh snow and cool weather, the full winter experience!

Below are a few images from our Hardy Lake hike. Click on the thumbnails to view the full image.

Autumn in Algonquin

Here are some images from a recent trip out to the legendary Algonquin Provincial Park. My lady and I were lucky with the timing as the leaves on the trees were in their full fall glory. I imagine this park would be amazing all year round, but it was a bonus that we caught the trees at their peak. I beautiful display of the autumn colour pallet. I'm already looking forward to my next trip back. Until then, here are some images from our Algonquin journey.

Click to view full image!

Catch Me at the Beach...

Finally, I have found a home and work in Toronto!

I haven't been shooting much recently because I've been giving myself some time to get to know Toronto. I want to make sure I experience the city through my own eyes, and not through my viewfinder. As a photographer I feel it's important to give yourself some time to get to know an area rather than running into the unknown spraying the scene. I like to sit and people watch, get a sense of the rhythms of the neighborhood and really listen to the sounds. It's easy to just come in blasting off shots, but when you do that you might miss out on some of the subtleties of what you are shooting. It might be tempting to bring your camera everywhere, but I feel it's easy to miss the true scope of the world around you when you are peering through a 2x3 window. It may seem counter-intuitive for a photographer to choose to put their camera down, but it is for this reason that I've been leaving my camera at home.

As for work I've recently got a job as a EFP Videographer with Woodbine Entertainment. I'll be doing a lot of different things there, anything from shooting races and promos, to features on jockeys and musicians that come through. A lot of the content I'll be shooting will run on TSN as well as in house. I loved the run and gun nature of being a news photog, but I'm excited that in this role I'll be able to spend a lot more time on getting shots right, and making them look really pretty. I've only been at Woodbine for about a week now, but it feels like it will be a great place to work and stretch out the creative muscles. Also I think through work I'll officially be getting my drone pilot license. SO STOKED!

It's been a couple weeks since I've been in the Toronto now, so you can expect to see more from me soon. For now here are a couple shots just down the street from my place. If you can't tell, I'm currently living in "The Beaches". I'm really digging the area. It's a nice mix of big city, and beach town here. I really couldn't ask for a better neighborhood to live and I can't wait to get even more familiarized with the area.

CLICK TO VIEW FULL IMAGE

Bruce Peninsula Blues

It's that time of year here in Canada - time to dust off the tent, sharpen your axe and head out into the woods to enjoy the beautiful weather. Last week my lady and I decided to get out and do just that. We headed to Bruce Peninsula, purely based on the fact that it was the nearest National Park. Not sure what to expect, we packed our stuff and rolled out.

When we arrived we set up our campsite and took a stroll to "The Grotto". After a short hike through the forest we came up to an opening in the trees. What was just beyond the trees was a bit surprising... Were we suddenly teleported to the Caribbean? The water was a shade of blue that you would expect to see at a tropical destination, however we weren't standing on the beach of some all inclusive resort, we were standing on the edges of Georgian Bay, right here in Canada. The rhythms of the crystal clear waters breaking on the shore in combination with the gentle breeze and fresh air made for perfect moments of relaxation. Winding trails through plethora of ancient cedar trees, some of which were apparently 100's of years old! Not to mention the wildlife they have in the region. Black bears, rattlesnakes, owls and more. Who needs the Caribbean when you have access to a National Park such as this one just a few hours away. I can ramble on about what makes this area so special but it is something that is difficult to put into words - It is something that is best experienced in person.

If you can make it out here I would highly recommend it. I'm already itching to get back. In the meantime here are some of my images from Bruce Peninsula and the surrounding area. Click to view the full image.