Articles from Mark Dunsmuir

I've been looking for a bag that meets my needs for a long time. I've always been a traveling photographer, taking my gear to some of the hottest, coldest, wettest, and driest places on the planet. A bag has to do a lot to make the grade. Escalating my needs, over the last few years I've also been working as a photography guide in Canada's sub-Arctic, the high Arctic, and Antarctica. These regions don't settle for everyday quality. In these extreme environments, the bags either work or your gear gets ruined. I've taken five different bags to task and only two have protected my gear effectively from the elements. The Peak Design Travel Backpack is one. 

I work in some pretty extreme environments. Day to day, I'm hopping on and off boats, climbing steep grades, and walking on some very slippery surfaces. Some days we're climbing mountains or glaciers, walking on shale beaches, dodging fur seals, watching out for polar bears, or even driving zodiacs. I'm also responsible for helping my guests navigate many of these same obstacles. On top of all this, I need to be ready at a moment's notice to snap a breaching whale, sparring polar bears, a mobbed eagle, or a leopard seal degloving a penguin. How? With help from Peak Design's Capture Clips.

Why do we take photographs? Is aesthetic beauty the only value to photography? Can we use our tools and talents to create something with a deeper purpose? Although there are those who may disagree, objectively, our planet is in trouble. Let's consider, then, whether photography can save the world. I'm going to start with our oceans, where I'll specifically consider Galapagos Whale Shark Project and its goals to understand and protect whale sharks. I want to think that photography can help to save the world.

I recently had the chance to get a personalized tour of Ajani Charles' solo hip-hop photography show being hosted at Toronto's City Centre Airport. Charles' exhibit is the result of a lifelong passion that has turned into a massive personal and professional adventure: Project T-Dot. I thought I was going to get a straightforward gallery tour from one of Canon Canada's Ambassadors, but I walked away with a whole lot more. Due to its popularity, the exhibit has just been extended to July 24, 2025.

I work in some pretty inhospitable environments; in places that take multiple planes, trains, and automobiles to get to. I'm typically trying to  manipulate my bags and gear at -31F (-35C), or 100F (40C), trying to get my gear out for a shot in a blizzard, or while bouncing along in a soaking wet zodiac. I've been searching for the perfect bag for a long time.

As an innovator of fashion photography, Gian Paolo Barbieri's various approaches and techniques helped to shape modern fashion photography.

Finding the creativity and inspiration to succeed as a premier fashion and editorial photographer is hard enough, keeping it up for more than three decades is a completely different story altogether. Rankin's new show at 180 Studios is a retrospective of Rankin's first decade of work at Dazed and Confused, one of photography's most influential magazines.

As a follow up to my article on the best advice in respect of turning pro, I thought it would be fun to dig into the worst advice we've ever received as photographers. As Oscar Wilde wrote, "one might consider always passing on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself." So, what's some of the worst photography advice you've ever received?

We've all needed help on the path to becoming photographers. Did some great advice help get you there? Advice may help you out of a bind or may help you to understand something you can't quite get the hang of. Of course, advice may also lead you down the wrong road. So, once you receive advice, you have to determine the value of the guidance. Is it good or bad advice? I asked a few photography colleagues to share the best advice they've received on turning pro. I'd love to hear about good advice you've been given, or good advice you'd like to share on turning pro. 

It's a trip of a lifetime, after all. You'll to want to make sure you have the right gear with you when the bears start sparring or the leopard seals give chase to an unsuspecting penguin chick out for its first swim. I asked two experts in the field to provide their recommendations: Marius Coetzee, with Oryx Photo Tours, which operates in both northern and southern polar regions and Paul Zizka who runs his own photography workshops as well as working with OFFBEAT, running photo tours in the northern polar regions. I also guide with GAdventures, exploring Antarctica, and Frontiers North Adventures, leading adventures in Canada's sub-Arctic.

As the year comes to a close and another begins, it’s a natural time to take stock. I like to look back on the past year and decided what lessons I’ve learned, and what I can do better next year. Perhaps it’s time to think about new habits – which immediately brings to mind the specter of resolutions. Do you make any? Want to share with us?

On the verge of a massive career retrospective that would see most sit back and bask in success and maybe take a foot off the gas, Michel Haddi is dedicated to continuing to develop his world-famous style and technique. How'd Haddi get to this level of success? What pushes him on to the next?

When I look back on the end of 2023, it'll be at Wacom's One 13 Touch. That's where it's going to start for me. I'm a bit older, and I've been using Photoshop for decades with a mouse. I was curious if I'd learn that the phrase about teaching dogs new tricks, old as this one may be, would prove to be true or not. Let's also take a look at whether the entry-point price for the One 13 Touch should tempt the rest of us who haven't jumped yet.

Speaking for wildlife and landscape photographers, we all seem to be interested in the fast glass (especially if it's longer than 600mm or wider than 24mm), better battery life, more frames per second, higher resolution, and a weather-sealed robust body that can take a licking. But, when the weather turns cold, there's something we can't shoot without: gloves. 

Crime docs, true crime, crime fiction, they all hold something of a collective fascination. Watching Donald Trump's recent Fulton County mugshot become one of the most circulated photographs of all time raises the question: why are so many of us fascinated by mugshots? As photographers, is there something in these rigidly photographed images that captures our attention?

Photographed in 1845, first printed in 1851, and then sitting in storage for 178 years, Richard Beard's daguerreotypes of the Franklin Expedition have been sold at public auction (Sothebys) for £444,500 ($545,677 USD,) more than double the top of the expected range.

Can photography change the world? Iranian artist and journalist Farnaz Damnabi's new exhibit, "UNVEILED," set to open at 29 ARTS IN PROGRESS, would seem to suggest yes, at least in part. I don't think it's a surprise to anyone that shifts in power structures can be turbulent. Even minor revisions in social identities can lead to conflict. Damnabi's exhibit is a document of the transformations in the identity, visibility, and recognition of women as equal and free participants in Iran, an unveiling of a new Iran, if you will.

A classic combination: legendary photographer, Michel Haddi and a plethora of top-of-their-game models and celebrities. Some of Haddi's black and white portraits will be on display as part of Photo London 2023 through 29 ARTS IN PROGRESS gallery. Also, as part of Photo London, Haddi will be signing copies of the latest addition to his Legends anthology, this time focusing on Kate Moss.

Preparation is key when it comes to planning a trip to Namibia — a true land of extremes that can only be fairly described using hyperbole. As beautiful as Namibia is, to get the most out of your trip, you need to be prepared and well organized. Here are my tips for bringing back the best wildlife and landscape photographs from a trip across Southern Africa. 

Canon Canada has opened applications for the third cohort of its FUTURES program. Canon's FUTURES is geared to helping emerging storytellers between 20 and 25 years old develop their craft and business acumen. It's heartening to see a major international corporation make a point of nurturing the users of their products. Hurry, applications close on June 30!

I'm sure most, if not all, of you have heard about the idea of paying-it-forward. Did you know that recent studies have shown that this phenomenon is a learned behaviour? How can we as photographers use our skills to encourage others to benefit projects and philanthropy close to our hearts? I had a chance to chat with photographer Michelle Valberg, whose habit of giving back just saw her appointed to the Order of Canada this past summer.

Along with only a few other luminaries of his generation, Gian Paolo Barbieri helped to create the foundations of modern fashion photography. By pushing fashion photography beyond fashion commerce, the depth of Barbieri’s images forces us to consider them as art as much as commerce. I had the chance to ask Barbieri a few questions about being a pioneer in his field and what it takes to create a legacy.

High School, the new bio-series about indie-pop sensations Tegan and Sara, provides a strong example of how filmmakers can use visual language to help to tell their stories. I had a chance to talk to cinematographer Carolina Costa about her work on the series.

Do you ever feel challenged by the creative energy of your subjects? The pressure to create something unique when you're walking amongst giants? I had a chance to talk with renowned music photographer, Denis O'Regan about shooting some of the biggest names in modern music history.

It should go without saying that everyone reading here at Fstoppers is interested in taking photos. I know that many of you also want to shake things up and make some money doing it. With three new upcoming start dates, it’s worth taking a look at Side Hustle 101, the product of Canon Canada’s new partnership with The Maker’s Collective.

Travelling to exotic locales? Searching for rare megafauna in spectacularly remote landscapes? Here are some tips from experts on how to get the best photographs while respecting your subjects and their environment. Spoiler, it's not all about your camera.

The OED defines "diptych" as a pair of thematically linked paintings, photographs, sculptures, etc. For Toni Meneguzzo, in light of his show, Diptych, opening at 29 Arts in Progress Gallery in Milan, the word seems to mean something much broader. Meneguzzo's Diptych is an invitation to engage with his newest work side by side with his growing legacy, perhaps as a challenge for the viewer to consider where art and commerce overlap.

A strong community and invested mentors are crucial ingredients for sustainable growth and success. I recently had the chance to sit down and talk with two Canon Canada FUTURES alum, Eli Meadow Ramraj and Gessy Robin Shumbusho, about the importance of community in their careers. The deadline for Canon Canada's FUTURES Year Two incubator program is fast approaching. If you need that boost you can only get from a committed mentor and supportive community, don't hesitate, don't be nervous, apply.

Canon Canada just launched Canon Creator Lab as part of what I'm calling its new community-building mandate. A lot of corporations these days talk about building community, about creating a space to encourage growth. Most of it seems to be lip service at best. Here, however, we're seeing Canon Canada invest time and money into a free hub designed to help photographers get better while actually connecting with each other. Being a Canadian, I'm proud that Canon's Canadian operation is looking to lead the global photography community into this space. 

Canon Canada has opened applications for the second installment of its groundbreaking FUTURES program, geared to developing emerging photographers between 18 and 24. How often do we see major corporations make a point of nurturing, not just sharing five-minute videos, but actually committed to nurturing?

Andrew Interisano, a digital advertising specialist and an amateur photographer, has won Picfair's Urban Wildlife Photography Awards. Scroll to see all of the category winners! Of note, all of Picfair's profits on winners print sales will go to global conservation non-profit Re:Wild.

Summer is coming! Your kids are just a moment or two away from finishing the school year. If you want to keep them occupied with something you can share as they grow, check out Camp Canon, an online summer camp for photography and videography. Schools out for summer, schools out forever... why not encourage a love for photography?

Have you ever thought of taking a trip to the sub-Arctic or Arctic to photograph polar bears and their habitat? Ever thought it might be your destiny to come nose-to-nose with the largest predator living on land? My latest article for Bradt Guides' Travel Club is all about taking photos of polar bears and their environment. I thought I'd share some of the tips and photos here.