An Old Dog Learns Some New Tricks
by: Tom King
When I reached the age of sixty-five a few years ago, I promised myself that I wouldn't let becoming a senior citizen turn me into an "old" person. As long as I had my good health, I wanted to continue doing the things that I enjoyed and cultivate new interests along the way. In fact, with the proceeds from my first Old Age Pension cheque, I bought a used DSLR camera so that I could rekindle my interest in photography, which had been dormant for decades.
To expand my capabilities, I also acquired a couple of used lenses from local photographers who were upgrading to the new mirrorless digital technology. Although my camera equipment wasn't the latest and greatest, it was certainly far better than anything that I had previously owned and allowed me to capture many different types of images. The first DSLR that I obtained was a Canon 5D Mark II with a 24-105 mm. zoom lens and it has been my workhorse. A bit later I also acquired a used Canon 5D Mark IV camera, but I am still learning all its features and how to use it properly.
Around this same time, our dog Piper, a beautiful German Shorthaired Pointer, had been diagnosed with diabetes, and the veterinarian recommended lots of regular exercise to help keep her disease in check. My wife and I purchased a Halton Region Conservation Authority family park pass and began taking the dog out for long hikes at the local conservation areas. It wasn't long before I started bringing my camera along and snapping photos of things that caught my eye in the woods. Having grown up with a father who had a keen interest in amateur photography (Preserving my Father's Legacy one Photograph at a Time). I gravitated towards the things he used to like to shoot. One of those categories was spring flowers, which grew in abundance in the parks. I soon began to learn about the different flowers and their habitat and was always on the hunt for the "perfect" shot of each type of plant. Increasing my knowledge of botany is just another of the things that I have picked up along this journey of discovery.
Another favourite subject matter was scenic images of the four seasons. Whether it be a waterfall during the spring runoff, a foggy late summer morning on the water, or a brilliant red Maple tree in the fall, the camera was there to capture them all. I gradually learned about photo editing and how the images can be cropped and digitally enhanced to improve the overall quality of the photograph.
A real game-changer emerged when I decided to upgrade my phone to the iPhone 14 Pro. The camera on this device is amazing, and it delivers stunning image quality without the hassle of dragging a big camera and several different lenses around. It has now become my primary camera when we hike, although I still like to use the DSLR on occasion or for special types of picture taking. Learning how to use all the camera features on the iPhone has been an interesting journey and I am still discovering new things about it even now. I particularly like the "Live", "Panoramic" and "Portrait" modes on the iPhone for shooting more creative images.
The one major drawback with iPhones is that as soon as they release a new model you get a strong desire to upgrade to the latest version so that you don't miss out on the state-of-the-art technology being offered. Consumerism at its finest!
Santa Claus was good to me the Christmas after I bought the DSLR camera and I found a new 150-600 mm. telephoto lens and a nice sturdy tripod under the tree. These two pieces of gear opened up a whole new world of photography to me as I could now shoot images of things that were relatively far away. Although the telephoto lens is not the highest quality available, it still produces wonderful pictures that I am proud to share. I have taken great pleasure capturing various species of birds and other types of wildlife with this lens.
Our family has vacationed in the 1000 Islands since 2009, and for the past few years, I have spent a great deal of time pursuing my photography hobby out on the river. Having grown up in Gananoque and being a River Rat from an early age, I developed a strong interest in the various boats that one encounters in the area, and they have become another favourite subject matter. The addition of the telephoto lens to my arsenal of camera equipment has certainly made capturing some terrific boat shots possible.
One thing that I have grown to really appreciate are the spectacular sunrises and sunsets that can be witnessed in the 1000 Islands. They are a shutterbug's dream, and the pursuit of the Holy Grail of sunrise or sunset pictures can become somewhat addictive. I would be lying if I said that I never used editing software to enhance my images at times. The ability to tweak the colour saturation, the sharpness, and other key elements of the imagery are part of the beauty of digital photography and allows the photographer some freedom to create works of art as opposed to a simple snapshot.
The cottage that we have rented for the past five years is situated on the eastern edge of the Forty Acres and provides a wonderful location to watch the weather on the river. I never had much of an appreciation for meteorology until I was able to observe it firsthand from such a spectacular vantage point. Whether it be a brewing thunderstorm, a pea soup fog, or a stunning display of clouds, I find the beauty that Mother Nature creates simply captivating.
One of my more recent photographic pursuits is capturing closeup images of the moon. I have quickly learned that the lighting conditions vary considerably for its different phases, requiring unique camera settings for each one. The long telephoto lens and robust tripod proved to be invaluable for the moon shots. Although I quite often find that I have to stay up past my normal bedtime to get good, crisp photos of the moon, that is a sacrifice that I am willing to make to get the best shots.
A couple of things that are still on my "To Do" list include learning how to capture pictures of the Milky Way and other celestial bodies, and getting more experience with macrophotography, which is the art of taking very close-up pictures of objects. As I like to say, it's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks!
By Tom King
Tom King and his wife Marion have lived in Milton, Ontario, for the past 37 years, where they both worked and raised their family of three children: Kris, Mike, and Becca. Tom's many TI Life articles have captured the history of the tour boat industry as well as giving us the best spider story in the past 18 years!
Read more articles by Tom King here in our new format for TI Life, and more articles on our old site.
Editor's Note: What a lovely tribute to Piper. We first met Piper when she was just a pup. In fact your December 2017 article paid tribute to your Snickers. I hope readers will take the time to revisit "Dock Dog" as I know it will make them smile.
In Loving Memory of Piper
(2017 – 2025)
We lost our beloved pup, Piper, in September of this year when we had to help her cross the Rainbow Bridge due to severe complications from all her medical challenges. Although she was taken from us much too soon, we have a large collection of wonderful memories to keep her alive in our hearts forever. I am certainly going to miss Piper as my hiking partner, and trips to the 1000 Islands, one of her favourite places, won’t be the same without her. She was truly a member of our family, and her passing has left a huge void in our lives. We can only hope that Piper is now at peace and is able to spend her days hunting bunnies and taking long walks in the woods. Run free sweet girl. Tom R. King
