5 photographs, 694 words, 4-minute read Yesterday, I was up before 7am and out the door by 7:10, to be at one of my favourites locations for photography. Favourite, because it's close and it's diverse: the Arboretum at our local university, the University of Guelph. I pretty much ignore the manicured lawns and tree collections and head for the natural areas. Someone had the foresight to leave alone two small forests and some meadow areas and they have become treasure troves for wildlife and native species. 7:36am, 8mm, ƒ11 @ 1/100, -2 EV…

19 photographs; 3860 words; 20-min read With 102 MP, 15 stops of dynamic range, 8 stops of IBIS, AF Tracking, and easy handling — what’s not to like? For a number of years during the film era, I photographed with a Pentax 6x7 and a Zone VI 4x5” cherry wood field camera, designed for what I would call intentional photography. The image quality from each was outstanding, and both were just portable enough to hike with. But digital changed all that. Until recently, sensors approaching the quality of 6x7 and 4x5 were simply too expensive and too cumbersome to carry.

Is PhotoLab now a compelling full-featured editing suite? 1662 words; 8-minute read This article first appeared at Luminous-Landscape.com. It’s a paid site, but is well worth the nominal fee. The embargo has been lifted and I can now publish . . . DxO has just released PhotoLab 10 Last year, I reviewed DxO PhotoLab 9 (Part 2, Part 3), comparing it to the industry-leading photo editing app, Lightroom, and it came up short in a few areas. I’ve been so looking forward to a new release and finally, it’s here!

Shout it from the hilltops!!! 2 photographs; 415 words; 2-minute read Okay, McDonald. take a breath! I’d heard The rumours, but you can’t believe anything these days without seeing it. I’ve always preferred working on iPad for processing. I don’t need a huge screen and making masks with a stylus/pencil is so intuitive. So, Denoise would be a very welcomed addition. Red Postman (Heliconius erato), Costa RicaOM-1 w/ M.Zuiko 100-400mm at 400mm (800mm efov); ƒ8 @ 1/250, ISO 6400; processed in Lightroom iPad is wonderful for Processing while travelling, but for our latest travels to…

8 photographs; 1276 words; 7-minute read Just south of Sudbury, Ontario is a true gem of a natural area: Killarney Provincial Park. It’s a 500 km2 wilderness of pink granite headlands, white quartzite ridges of the La Cloche Range, and conifer-dominant mixed forest ecosystems well away from present-day human influences. If you’ve read my blog for some time, you’ll know it is one of my favourite places to visit and photograph. Fly Agaric Mushrooms

When writing my eBook, The Art of the Landscape, I began compiling a spreadsheet comparing the features of different photo editing apps. It started as a side project, but quickly grew legs of its own. It’s one of the questions I often see on forums and FB, with protracted arguments for and against each and every one. I’ve examined a number of apps over the years, working carefully to determine how to get the most out of my raw files, beginning with denoising and sharpening, but also having a deep dive look at functionality, user interface, overall workflow and comparing apples to apples cost.

Your visual guide to creating compelling landscape photographs – with any camera! Special Limited-time Introductory Price: CAD $18 – Buy Now! At Checkout, enter the Promo Code INTRO to get 33% off → for only $12 In nature, in the city, or travelling the world, landscape photography is a foundation for creating engaging photographs. From visualization to field craft and back home again for screen craft, The Art of the Landscape is a 100-page eBook that takes you on a visual journey through the process of creating compelling landscape photographs.

Your visual guide to creating compelling landscape photographs – with any camera! In nature, in the city, or travelling the world, landscape photography is a foundation for creating engaging photographs. From visualization to field craft and back home again for screen craft, The Art of the Landscape is a 100-page eBook that takes you on a visual journey through the process of creating compelling landscape photographs. “The closest thing to having a personalized workshop,both in the field and on-screen.” Special Limited-time Introductory Price: CAD $12 – Coming soon! (Use discount code INTRO at check out to get 33% off the regular price of $18) Stay tuned for more!

In a startling move, Adobe will acquire TopazLabs by the end of 2026. Recently, Adobe embedded Gigapixel in Lightroom Cloud and PS, calling it Generative Upscale. It will be interesting to see what more is added, considering that’s about the only thing Topaz was better at. I’m curious about how Topaz sales have gone since they went to a subscription model and had the insane audacity to charge more per month than Adobe does for the Lr (only) package, especially since Topaz Photo has considerably less capability and is basically a glorified Denoise and Sharpen plugin.

The M.Zuiko ED 150-600mm IS lens is a game-changer for bird photography. In this article I write about various techniques in the field and on-screen for getting the most out of this lens and any other telephoto. Read on . . .

A gallery of 16 views of Paris, ones you might not normally see, has been posted. Enjoy!

Upgrading to a new lens is not a decision I take lightly. It must have the performance improvements to off-set the financial cost as well as the additional size and weight. The 150-600mm does and it is noticeable from the moment I began using it—and the photos back it up. Have a look . . .

Even during a chill holiday, we need some nature therapy. this came in the form of birding around Ferragudo for the storks and to the Alvor Marshes for even more excitement.

Focus Points is a Lightroom Classic plug-in ideal for checking AF focus points and all the metadata you could possibly want. Read on . . .

Here on the south coast of Portugal with only the Atlantic Ocean to the south, I thought, 'What a perfect place for dark sky astrophotography'. Here are the results, using straight exposures and Live Composite.

We've just finished a few exciting days in Lisbon, Portugal touring and making some photographs. Rather than the same-old-same-old tourist photos, I've worked at capturing Lisbon in a different, more intimate way using both my Olympus OM-1 and my iPhone. Have a look and tell me what you think . . .

Lightroom CC now incorporates Generative Upscaling using Topaz Gigapixel, enabling 2x and 4x image enlargements directly within the app. But how useful is this upgrade? Is it a game-changer or just more fluff? And, how useful is it for OM System users who already have innovative computational modes?

Phones are convenient. Phones take great photos and have made photography accessible to everyone. So why buy a ’proper’ camera? Unless you are buying a camera with innovative features, then don't bother. I know, blasphemy, but read on to discover just what phones are doing better than ’real’ cameras and how modern cameras can be innovative.

With a Fool's Spring upon us, I am celebrating winter with these last few photographs made over the past week in the natural beauty of Algonquin and Arrowhead Provincial Parks.

Were you up at 4am for the eclipse today? Given the early morning and cold temps, it’s understandable if you weren’t. In this blog post, I describe my experiences in the field and on-screen in creating eclipse photographs.

What better way to spend a cold wintery morning then photographing waterfowl along the shores of Lake Ontario. Read on for BIF settings, Assisted Culling and processing settings, along with a number of photographs.

Winter is best enjoyed out for he city, away from the grey and the slush, and in the stark white and blue landscapes of snow. Here are 12 photographs of winter up on the Saugeen-Bruce Peninsula.

Seeing is believing. Here are my 12 most significant photographs from 2025 . . .

A look back at the 52 Friday Faves I posted on Instagram in 2025. Enjoy!

I'm revisiting some work I did earlier in the year. Back in February, I completed some fairly extensive testing of DxO PureRAW, Lightroom, and Topaz PhotoAI. Since then a few changes have come about. Has Topaz Photo matured into a full-featured editing app? In some cases, yes, in others, no; it depends on your end use. Keep reading . . .

Don't miss out on winter photography because you're cold. Dressing in layers is the key. Mixed in with some winter photos, this post will provide examples of what works from base layers to outer shells, plus what to do for feet, hands and your head. Read on . . .

This is the third in a series of articles reviewing DxO PhotoLab 9 compared to Adobe Lightroom. In it, I explore black-and-white, printing, and the relative cost of the ’buy-once’ versus subscription model. Read on so you don't miss the exciting conclusion!

The final post about our experiences in Costa Rica highlights our three-week birding and wildlife adventure. Our group recorded 337 bird species (!), showcasing Costa Rica's rich biodiversity. Along with the stunning views and wildlife, we share some concerns regarding ecological sustainability, pesticide use, and the impacts of tourism on natural habitats and present a Gallery of 26 photos.

Affinity has unveiled its new suite, combining Affinity Photo, Publisher, and Designer—offering powerful tools for creatives and remaining free of charge, including future updates. While it lacks AI features, it serves as a strong alternative to Adobe. For those needing AI, options like Canva AI Studio exist but can be costly. Read on . . .

The birds of Costa Rica are simply stunning. This post includes 17 images and is about an 11-minute read in which I detail not just the field techniques, but also the editing that goes into each image. Enjoy!

This is the first of a few articles chronicling our experiences in costa Rica and the amazing diversity of life we are seeing here.

I’ve had great success with PosterJack.ca—here’s why . . .

In Part 2, we delve deeper into how well DxO PhotoLab 9 compares with Adobe Lightroom, focusing on functionality, processing order, lag issues, and editing capabilities. While PhotoLab 9 shows strengths in lens correction, image denoise, and local adjustments, delays during editing can be frustrating. Read on for more details . . .

Last month, DxO HQ in France asked me to review the newest iteration of PhotoLab, PL9, for Luminous Landscape. I applaud DxO for continuing a non-subscription-based software platform—but how will PL9 stack up against the industry leader—Lightroom? Part 1 or 3

In southern Ontario, we’re enjoying some warm weather with beautiful autumn days, but it also highlights concerns related to climate change. Have a look at some recent photographs using a wide-angle zoom and HDR to capture light and landscape. Hopefully this will inspire you to get out and enjoy nature while the good weather lasts.

Join me for one or both of my upcoming presentations next week—on Monday in Hamilton for ‘Just Photography’ and on Wednesday in Guelph for ‘iPhoneography’. Read on for details.

Topaz Labs is transitioning to a subscription model for its software products, including PhotoAI, which will cost $35/month. This has raised concerns, as apps like Lightroom have more features at a lower price. Read on for all the details . . .

My week in Killarney as the Friends of Killarney Park Artist in Residence was very rewarding. Have a look at some of the photos made during the week as well as some of the backstory . . .

I am thrilled and honoured to be the Friends of Killarney Park Artist in Residence from Monday 28 July to Friday 1 August in one of Ontario’s gems, Killarney Provincial Park. Read on for more info . . .

My last stop—the Bay of Fundy coast of New Brunswick—provides a very creative combination of landscape, seascape, weather and aesthetics. Thick Acadian forests, sheer cliffs plunging into the Bay of Fundy, vast tidal flats, sometimes fog, and always, the world famous tides—the highest in the world. Add in some astrophotography to produce a very successful last two days of photography.

The Cape Breton Highlands are stunning in their geology, geography, drama, and their sheer beauty. Read on to discover the various places Cape Breton Highlands National Park, from Ingonish to Cheticamp, as portrayed through nature and landscape photos, some close-ups of bog plants, a bit of geological background, and some astrophotography.

Some reflections on various modes of immigration to Canada, resulting from visiting Africville and Pier 21 in Halifax, and the home of Peace by Chocolate in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Shoot the obvious, then look for the interesting details. Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Blue Rocks and points in between offer a variety of photographic opportunities in both colour and black and white. Fishing huts along the shores, colourful lobster traps, lupins and houses. Read on to get a sense of the peacefulness of being Down East.

Embarking on an exhilarating journey through the Maritimes, this third blog post highlights the natural beauty and photo experiences at Kouchibouguac National Park, including a variety of bog plants along the Bog Trail. Read on for photos of superb birding opportunities at the Sackville Waterfowl Park.

The boreal north: Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay and Forillon National Park are on the agenda for this blog post. Dramatic cliffs and coasts, lighthouses, and some intimate and tragic wildlife views. Read on . . .

My friend Dan and I are enjoying a 10-day photo trip down East, exploring regions like Granby, Baie-Saint-Paul, and Mahone Bay while avoiding the haze of recent. We focus on landscapes, cultural sites, and photography techniques, sharing insights and adapting our plans as needed amid challenging conditions during our journey through Eastern Canada.

In preparation for an up-coming trip to Québec and the Maritimes, I set-out to practice my Astrophotography. Although hoping for an Aurora display (which didn’t materialize), I worked on shooting stars, experimenting with various settings and techniques, ultimately achieving some intriguing results. It has whet my appetite for future Astrophotography opportunities.

Are your photos preparing dull when shared online or in prints? The problem is how your editing suite is set up. Read on to learn two methods, when used in tandem, for makeing this simple correction.

Capturing the essence of place is a goal I set myself when travelling to new places and old favourites. Using photos from Paris, I illustrate and describe different techniques and ways of seeing. How does one capture something unique from a place so diverse and so well visited—photos that exemplify its true character?

This week, I photographed with Tom Stirr around Burlington, Ontario, focusing on bird photography. We tested the M.Zuiko 150-600mm lens and discussed ProCapture mode’s challenges. Despite poor lighting and weather, we enjoyed the accessible wildlife at Grindstone Marsh and La Salle Trail, Burlington, Ontario, finding both locations encouraging for bird photography.