August took an unexpected turn for me. At the beginning of the month, I was struggling. I wasn’t shooting much and was starting to feel pretty burnt out. But then my buddy Duane invited me to join him one morning to photograph some Ospreys. I thought, why not? I’d supply the coffee and I figured it would be a good chance to catch up with a friend, and maybe see a cool bird.

I met Duane just before 6:00 am. The mother Osprey was already out of the nest but her chicks were eagerly waiting for her to return with breakfast. Thanks to Duane’s decently long lens, I had a chance to see the birds in pretty great detail from a distance, and man, it was thrilling! The rush of excitement I felt as the mother returned with a fish and I tried to capture the perfect shot reminded me of why I fell in love with photography in the first place. Duane let me man the camera, and I think I managed to snag a few keepers.

We sipped our coffee, captured some great shots, and chatted for over an hour as the rising sun bathed everything in its magical golden light. Before we knew it, it was after 7:00 am, and we both had to head off to work. As we were packing up, Duane offered to let me borrow his camera for a few days until he was back in the area. For real? Yep! I was ecstatic.

When I bought my first camera back in 2017, it was a Sony. Over the years, Sony consistently released top-notch mirrorless cameras, and I became a bit of a Sony loyalist. I watched and read tons of Sony content, convinced that their cameras were superior to the competition.

Duane’s camera though was a Nikon Z8 paired with a 2x teleconverter on a 200-500 Nikon lens and it absolutely changed my perspective. I knew it was a good camera, but using it daily for a week made me realize just how great it was—from the resolution to the autofocus to how it felt in my hands. The Nikon Z8 is truly amazing, and is far superior to my trusty old Sony A7iii. And it was the perfect tool to get me hooked on wildlife photography.

Anyway, back to my story. That first day with Duane’s camera, I couldn’t wait to get off work. As soon as I did, I loaded the camera into my backpack, hopped on my bike, and hit the trail, hoping to find something worth shooting. And what do you know? I stumbled upon a small herd of deer. The mosquitoes were out in full force, and without bug spray, I was getting eaten alive. But I managed to snap a few shots, and they quickly became some of my favourites.

In the days that followed, I found myself shooting every day, sometimes both morning and evening. I started seeking out green spaces where I might catch glimpses of wildlife, and I was trigger-happy—just give me something to point this beast of a camera at, and I’d be smiling. And boy, did I get happy! I discovered amazing places right in my neighbourhood. The trails I’d biked a million times now felt brand new with this camera in tow. I became intensely interested in wetlands and began noticing birds—like really noticing them. I started learning about their habits, habitats, and diets. I was hooked.

I’d get off work in the evening and head to the waterfront or a trail and excitedly shoot whatever crossed my paths. I started exploring new areas that were always there, but because they weren’t biking trails, I pretty much just avoided them. Now though, I was excited to explore. I learned that Kingfishers are gorgeous but are incredibly difficult to photograph, that Herons are absolutely majestic, and that deer remind me of my girl Viva. 

Growing up among trees, I feel like I’ve always appreciated nature. But my week with Duane’s camera made me see it in ways I never had before. I gained a fresh appreciation for the renewing effect green spaces have on my soul. Simply put, I fell in love—with life, photography, and nature, all at once.

Now, my time is up. I had to give the camera back. But, to tell you the truth, I’m hooked. You should see my YouTube feed – it’s 99% telephoto lenses and wildlife photography!

One of my favourite things about this kind of photography is that it’s impossible to lose. Sure, I might spend an afternoon shooting and come back with nothing (which happened more often than I liked), but even then, I still get to be outside. I still get to watch ducks, birds, or insects. I get to take deep breaths and to slow down a bit. And I have to be patient – I think photographing wildlife may very well be the greatest execrcise in patience there is! But I’ve become more observant of my world than ever before. I hear all the different birds now and I even know some of them!

Photography is one of my great loves. And don’t get me wrong—street photography, portraits, events, and all the other forms of photography I enjoy will always have a place in my heart. Those loves aren’t going anywhere. But now, there’s also a new love in my life. Maybe we’re still in the honeymoon phase and this will pass. Who knows?

Even if it does pass though, I’m still so grateful to have discovered this form of photography. I genuinely feel like my eyes have opened up in new, magical ways. I’m excited to pick up a nice long lens eventually. I’m excited to explore, to discover, and to document. And I’m so grateful to Duane for introducing me to this world—I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that my life will never be the same.

Ok, that’s it for this one. I hope you enjoyed these shots as much as I do, and we’ll chat in the next one.

Damion