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We all love to go, or dream of going to exotic and distant locations to do landscape and wildlife photography. But, there are always photographic opportunities in ones own backyard. Just 2 hours north of Toronto lies a lovely summer cottage area calledMuskoka. I usually spend most of my summer there. Here is a portfolio taken there in the summer of 2000.

Muskoka Heron #1 — Ontario, 2000

This summer a Blue Heron made its home in a quiet bay close to my country house onLake Muskoka. Early one morning photographer Steve Kossack and I were out shooting wildlife. We boated slowly into the bay, killed the engine and allowed ourselves to drift as close as possible to this magnificent bird. The dappled sunlight created just the effect I wanted to show the Heron in its natural environment.

Photographed with a Canon EOS-1V and 100~400mm f/5.6L IS lens on Fuji Provia 100F

Lookherefor another photographer’s interpretation of this scene, taken just a few seconds later.

Birds & Berries — Muskoka, Ontario, 2000

A small island in the middle ofLake Muskokahouses a colony of sea gulls and cormorants. I’ve shoot there a number of times but care is needed to approach the island without spooking the birds or grounding ones boat.

On this particular morning I was able to approach closer than ever before and was rewarded by this lovely portrait. As always when shooting from a rocking boat the use on an Image Stabilized lens allowed me to shoot at a handholdable shutter speed and avoid the need for faster (grainier) film.

Photographed with a Canon EOS-1V and 300mm f/2.8L IS lens on Fuji Provia 100F

Bird Island #2 — Muskoka, Ontario, 2000

The same small island as seenabovewas photographed late one day just as the clouds were starting to pick up some colour. Not quite a silhouette; in a large print remarkable detail, particularly in the shadows, can be seen.

Photographed with a Canon EOS-1V and 300mm f/2.8L IS lens on Provia 100F

Lilies and Bare Tree — Georgian Bay, Ontario, 2000

A beaver dam created a small lake along busy Highway 69 nearGeorgian Bay. Filled with lily pads and dead trees it was a lovely subject to explore with a long lens, even though 18 wheelers were zooming by, inches from my back. Ah yes, the placid northern wilderness.

Photographed with a Canon EOS-1V and 100~400mm IS lens on Provia 100F

Island Forest Wall — Muskoka, Ontario, 2000

Lake Muskokawas carved by the last glaciation and is cut into thepre-Cambrian Shield, some of the oldest rock on earth. This study of rock face and trees was taken from a boat, and shows one of the more rugged and uninhabited islands on the lake.

Photographed with a Canon EOS-1V and 300mm f/2.8L IS lens on Fuji Provia 100F

Orange Tree — Muskoka, 2000

Not really an Orange tree — sadly a dead tree. The discoloured leaves stand out as brightly though as if they had turned in the fall.

Photographed with a Canon EOS-1V and 100~400mm IS lens on Provia 100F

I have made a summer project of shooting sunsets from my cottage deck.Hereis a page devoted to some of these shots. They’re done simply for the pleasure of it, but I believe some people might find them of interest as well.

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Michael Reichmann is the founder of the Luminous Landscape. Michael passed away in May 2016. Since its inception in 1999 LuLa has become the world's largest site devoted to the art, craft, and technology of photography. Each month more than one million people from every country on the globe visit LuLa.
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