Tales from the Trail #talesfromthetrail I can bear-ly believe it’s the weekend again! I missed posting this on Tuesday, as I had my hands full with Nukka after she found a porcupine during our walk… that’s a tale for another day! I found a bear in a spot in Algonquin Park where I’ve seen them fairly frequently. The grass is tall and black bears are considerably smaller than many imagine, so it’s easy to write them off as a dark patch in the landscape and keep going. So few things in nature are black, however, so the presence of something VERY dark should raise suspicion. I pulled over and roll ..read more

When you frequent places in search of wildlife, you often come across habitats that are ideal for certain species. In many cases, those are hot spots where you regularly find animals. Other times, you’re left scratching your head wondering why you rarely (if ever) spot them there. And in some cases, it’s simply a dream location - if you could place an animal there, it would be just perfect! Last year, during my Algonquin Awakening Photography Adventures, we saw moose in many places I’d never seen them before, which is obviously exciting! As we approached this particular habitat where I frequen ..read more

On the first day we photographed the #muskox on my photography tour in #nunavik last year, we enjoyed watching a large herd (which we later believed to be 2-3 smaller herds that had grouped together) as they roamed across the tundra. It seemed one dominant bull was rounding up the youngsters and females, and sending them on their way to a high spot for an afternoon rest. We watched them become dark dots in the distance and, before moving along ourselves, decided we had the perfect spot to stop for lunch. We’d been set up behind two large boulders, which not only acted as a protective barrier ..read more

Bzzzzzz…. Bzzzzzz… smack! Ahh the sound of “bug season”. I remember when I moved to Vancouver and opened my windows for the first time, I was struck by the absence of a screen. In Ontario, it’s a given that any open window will have a screen to keep bugs out. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/1da9b4_39b6cf88a5664dc68000f936757c3dc1/720p/mp4/file.mp4 While some in Muskoka hibernate during bug season, as a nature and wildlife photographer, I can’t really do that – spring is SUCH a great time to be outdoors with a camera. I’ve tried several things to help combat mosquitos and black flies and sett ..read more

We didn't get the dump of snow here in Muskoka that we were expecting, so I'm not sure if that counts as March coming in like a lion... but I sure hope it goes out like a lamb! With this yoyo weather, I've found it difficult to acclimatize to winter this year and I'm definitely looking forward to spring. Can you relate? With spring comes the busyness of workshops, private lessons and tours, and I'm eager to go on this year's adventures in Algonquin Park, Muskoka, Lake Superior, and Nunavik. If you haven't seen this year's line-up of photography adventures, you can check them out here: www.hele ..read more

It’s December 26th and the Christmas festivities have come and gone. I find this is the time when you’re left with one of a few feelings – sometimes in succession, and sometimes all at once! Your head may be spinning from the whirlwind of scurrying around preparing for the holidays, and visiting with friends and family. Your cup may be full and overflowing with the love and generosity you received. You may be left feeling a little lost, a little lonely, or wondering “what next”. Or perhaps you’re charging headfirst into New Year planning, excited for your fresh start. 2018 was not the year I ..read more

Can you feel it? Spring is in the air! The monstrous 6’ snowdrift in front of my office window is shrinking! And three starlings showed up in my yard yesterday. Both sure signs spring is on its way. For many photographers, winter was a time to dig through their image library / archives, edit and cull. It’s so much easier to stay inside and get things done when it’s cold and blustery out. Of course, that’s when I typically like to head out with my camera. I feel many of my most popular images are created when the majority of people aren’t out and about. Why? Because people are being introduced ..read more

The Women's Weekend in Algonquin Photography Workshop was a blast! It is *so* exciting for me to be with someone when she sees her first moose or witnesses the lady Aurora dance before her eyes. The weekend was truly a success. We enjoyed great laughs, wonderful scenery, amazing food, animal sightings, new friendships and lots of fun along the way! I was treated to a delightful group of women who were eager to learn and explore, helpful and easy-going, and seemed to become instant friends from the workshop's start. You can't ask for more as a workshop leader!! Mother Nature happily cooperate ..read more