Submitted by the Men’s Breakfast
Ethan is a well-known outdoor photographer based here on the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula. I first met him over 20 years ago when he was a Communications Officer for the Bruce National Park and saw some of his early photography at a presentation (may have been a Men’s Breakfast as well!?). We own an amazing photograph he took of a Grey Owl, wings outstretched seemingly about to attack the camera (or whomever was holding it!). I don’t recall the year but it was during a heavy snow winter when a number of these owls took up residence on the peninsula moving south from their normal Boreal Forest home looking for food. Turns out he captured the photograph by lying in the snow throwing food up into the air…
His photographic skills are well known and while presenting a number of his amazing photos, he told us about his love for photography and what it takes to capture once-in-a-lifetime images. For Ethan, it has been a life-long journey that began without formal training, only what was to become “an addiction”.
He was raised on a farm near Leamington which happens to be close to Point Pelee National Park, one of the foremost birding locations in Canada. He began by experimentation both in terms of equipment and technique. He described his technique as “low and slow”, building a relationship with the subject which involves enormous patience. He particularly looks for interactive shots such as the interaction between a bear and a bald eagle he recently took in central B.C.
His presentation was organized around a series of personal truisms: get to know the place; getting to know the art of travel (with gear and without extra clothes); get out of your comfort zone, hard work beats all; start with a purpose; and get eye to eye. Hmmm…probably useful for life in general.
He is well travelled including most of the Saugeen-Bruce, but also including, among others, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Death Valley, Ecuador, Guatemala, Newfoundland and Labrador, Surinam, and Vietnam. He had to learn to travel with equipment at the expense of clothes and go with the flow, including being robbed at gunpoint, having his car broken into and food poisoning. His methods include knowing where and when which has involved long night treks through snow, very early mornings, and the Patience of Job. Techniques involve the art of composition along with the use of filters and blended exposures.
Ethan has been published in Canadian Geographic. His professional moniker is “Ethan Meleg Outdoor Photography” and you can check out his amazing work at www.ethanmeleg.com along with tips, and gear information.
If you missed his presentation, Ethan has agreed to an encore presentation at our “Women’s Breakfast” to be held October 19th of this year.
In the meantime, on April 13th, our in-house MC and seaman (mariner?, captain? boat guy) John Currie will be presenting his long anticipated presentation on his many experiences at sea (at lake) over many years.
If you are planning to attend, it would be helpful if you let us know, by contacting Martin at hogarth@auracom.com
