For years I ignored the requests to come to the cottage from
my Uncle Kev… I mean, heck, a cottage for a weekend and its 5 1/2 hours round
trip… isn’t a weekend at the cottage supposed to be relaxing?
Then one April weekend three years ago I FINALLY agreed to
head on up with him to see the northern homestead… we were going to blitz the
area and photograph non stop for two days.
I can remember driving on this unassumed country road through what can
only be described as a spring postcard… the color of the leaves were bright
chartreuse, the forest floor blanketed in white Trillium petals, and the
wildlife scurrying everywhere. All I could think was, “This is beautiful! Am I
ever an idiot for not coming up here sooner!”
Since that one awesome weekend I have seen this area in
every season, and every season has something unique to offer a photographer and
outdoor enthusiast. The area I am referring too is located 34 miles south of
the iconic Algonquin Park , 26 miles north of Bobcaygen ,
Ontario and 224 miles north of Buffalo , New York
Winter is a magical time of year up in the Kawartha region
of Ontario
You get a whole new perspective on the area by walking on the lakes and photographing the shorelines and quaint cottages. Even the barren forests, void of green leaves, give the area a depth that you do not get at any other time of year.
In the spring, the area comes to life. The trees start to
fill in their canopies and the Trillium’s blanket the ground like a thick shag
carpet. This creates a wonderful opportunity for beautiful floral images. 
As spring is ready to give way to summer the small animals,
deer and bird are giving birth to young. The photographic opportunities of
common loons, osprey and deer with young offer the patient photographer so many
wonderful photographic opportunities that you can spend hours sitting and
watching all that unfolds around you. 
Summer is a season of activity and the vacationers come to
the area to enjoy 
My favourite photographic subjects are the Olympic training
facility for kayakers and the blue hour and golden hour photographic
opportunities. With minimal noise pollution in the sky, the colours of the area
at that peak time is unlike anything you see anywhere else. Hues of purple,
bright orange and reds are common place. 
Then comes autumn… the time of year when Mother Nature
unleashes her colour palette that seems to paint the countryside with bright shades
of red, orange and yellow. The water side forests seem to come alive and jump
out at you, just begging for you to photograph.
Autumn is also the season for fog… as the cool autumn air
gently slides over the calm early morning waters; the gift left for a
photographer is wonderful fog. I personally love to photograph this type of
scene. From early August till November this is a regular occurrence that pulls
me out of bed at 5am and takes me to the shoreline. There is nothing more peaceful
than hearing the call of the loon as the sun starts to kiss the tree line with
fog dancing on still water… to me; this is what photography is all about.
In 2013 we will be running weekend workshops up here in
every season as we did in 2012… but in 2013 we added a week long workshop we
are calling our Canadian Caravan. Rick Sammon will be joining us in August of
2013 to lead a workshop when the morning fog dances on the water, the kayakers
will be flying through the rapids and the loons make their daily swims up and
down the many lakes in the area.
To see these workshops please click on the links below...
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