Curiosity

Integrity, honesty, confidence and dedication are all great qualities. However, it’s curiosity that I feel is the most important quality for an artist. What if -- ? That question alone will take you so many different directions. It’s curiosity that leads to learning something new. It leads to discovery and growth. It leads me to my creative universe. Without curiosity, I wouldn’t push so hard. I wouldn’t question what I’m doing or analyze the world around me.

Olivia

I remember long ago, sitting in the kitchen when I was about 8 years old. My dad was taking apart a cardboard box that some product he had bought came in.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

“I’m taking it apart to see how it was made,” he said.

“Why?” I asked.

He looked puzzled at me and said, “Aren’t you curious about how stuff is made?” I really hadn’t thought about it before. I wasn’t really conscious of my curiosity.

Sequence Poster

Now I look at a photo and analyze the lighting and the composition. I take it apart and look at how it was made. For a visual person, reverse engineering is a wonderful way to learn something new or take your work in a new direction. I look at inspirational images and wonder, how did they do that? How can I apply this to my work?

Star Trails

I love it when I get bored. I start to look for things to take apart and see how they are made. Sometimes it leads me to new places. Sometimes I end up at the same place but with a better understanding and a new point of view.

Manitoulin Magic

Lori and I travelled to Manitoulin Island for a few days. We were there to celebrate her Mother's 89th birthday. Although we were having a good visit, I couldn’t resist sneaking off for some spring shooting.

Birch Tree at Dawn

We had good weather. I always see so much when on the Island. With little traffic and abundant wildlife, it is a photographer's dream.

Midland Painted Turtle

Everything seemed to be waking up after a long winter.

Red Fox

May and June can make for long days! Getting up before sunrise and working until sunset can really wear you out but it's well worth the effort. I’m still working with time lapse and image stacking, which make for even longer days. Here is an example of star trails:

Night Sky Star Trails

We saw more Bald Eagles on this trip than ever before.

Bald Eagle

While driving along highway 540 near Gore Bay, I spotted a Great Gray Owl.

Great Gray Owl

I was able to work with this big guy for about 2 hours. I just waited for the light to warm up a bit and set a bit lower in the sky.

Manitoulin never disappoints!