I’ve been on Instagram for over a decade, which feels a little crazy to say!
It feels only right I reintroduce myself – after all, I was in high school when I first signed up, a lot has changed since then!
So whether you’ve been following me for years or you’re new to my page, here’s a little bit about me and it’s great to have you here.
#originstory #aboutme #contentagency #videomarketing #videographer #toronto #torontovideographer #torontophotographer #ontario #photographer
In honour of Max Verstappen winning the Canadian GP in Montreal yesterday, here’s a video I made for TikTok some time ago about how I got this shot of him from the 2022 Grand Prix.
Shot on the @sonyalpha a7IV + @tamronamericas 150-500mm
Should I drop more videos like this??
#formula1 #racingphotography
Every twist and bend on this road leading into Milford Sound leaves your jaw on the floor, revealing unparalleled views on all sides.
If you’re lucky, it’s raining and more waterfalls than you can count are cascading down into the valley from all sides.
The road cuts through ancient rainforest, beneath towering cliffs that make you feel impossibly small, and then suddenly, the fiord opens up in front of you like nothing else on earth.
This isn’t just a drive, it’s a reminder how some places still feel untouched by time.
If you’ve ever taken a photo and wondered why it looks flat and washed out compared to what you actually saw… this is why.
That’s a RAW file doing exactly what it’s supposed to do.
RAW files don’t process anything in camera. No sharpening, no contrast, no colour correction.
What you get straight out of camera looks muted, desaturated and underwhelming.
The difference between RAW and JPEG is RAW will give you the full dynamic range of the scene in front of you, a JPEG throws most of that away the moment you press the shutter.
This allows you more flexibility in editing.
With a RAW file I can pull back a sky that looks completely blown out. I can lift shadows that look completely black and find detail that was always there. I can shift colours, correct white balance, and make changes that would completely fall apart on a JPEG because there simply isn’t enough information left to work with. (Which is why RAW photos are always larger file sizes)
The scenes I shoot; mountain ranges, aurora, golden hour over water have an enormous dynamic range. The highlights and shadows in a single frame can be worlds apart. RAW is the only format that gives you a chance of capturing all of it.
Some of my favourite hikes in New Zealand!
Tongariro Alpine Crossing | North Island
One of the greatest day hikes on earth and it’s not particularly close. Active volcanic terrain, emerald crater lakes, and a landscape so alien that Peter Jackson used it as Mordor in Lord of the Rings. Mount Doom is real, it’s called Mt Ngauruhoe, and you can hike to the summit as a detour if your legs are feeling ambitious. The crossing itself takes 6-8 hours and the weather can turn fast, this is an active volcano system, not a nature walk.
Gertrude Saddle | Fiordland
Probably the most underrated hike on this list. No marked trail for the upper section, you’re route finding across boulder fields and up a steep gully to a saddle that opens onto one of the most dramatic views in the country.
Milford Sound on one side, the Darran Mountains on the other. It’s hard, it’s exposed, and it’s completely worth it. Allow 6 hours and don’t underestimate it.
Avalanche Peak | Arthur’s Pass
Short and brutal in the best way. 6km return but it gains 1000m in about 3km, which you will feel in your legs the next morning.
The summit sits above the treeline with 360 degree views across the Southern Alps. On a clear day you can see all the way to the coast. One of the most rewarding effort-to-payoff ratios of any hike I’ve done.
Mueller Hut | Aoraki Mt Cook
The hike up is steep and the route involves a long section of metal staples bolted into rock that passes for a staircase. Then you reach the hut at 1800m and Aoraki is just.. there. Right in front of you. The hut sleeps 28 and if you stay overnight you get the mountain at sunrise with nobody around. One of those experiences that’s genuinely hard to put into words.
Hooker Valley Track | Aoraki Mt Cook
The most accessible on this list and somehow no less stunning for it. Flat 10km return through the Hooker Valley with three swing bridges and Mt Cook growing larger with every kilometre.
The terminal lake at the end has icebergs floating in it. Actual icebergs. Calved from the Hooker Glacier. In a valley you walked into from a car park.
Just a handful of the many many great hikes in this country
Masking can really help to draw the eye towards a subject and make it really stand out. Most of my edits these days are have most of the heavy work done by masking.
In this example I use it to enhance and make the subject stand out, draw the eye upwards and make the sunset rays really pop with a bit more oomf
#photography #howto #masking
Simply editing a photo with basic adjustments and colour is only half the process, a large part includes masking which allows you to isolate certain areas, draw the eye towards a subject, enhance details, & more.
Here’s how I use masking to really bring out this edit 🏝️
#editedwithlightroom
@lightroom
