Smartphones and social media have changed many aspects of our modern lives, and our cottage lifestyles are no exception.

While Muskoka used to be where we would turn off our technology to focus on peaceful lake living, the cottage has become the place we come with a camera or smartphone in hand to click and capture moments shared by family and friends.

Capture the fun
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to capture photos at the cottage,” says Andrew Fearman, Dockside Publishing’s head of photography. As a professional with over 20 years of industry experience, Andrew’s expertise has led him around the globe, capturing athletes, models, and musicians like Brian Adams, Tiger Woods, Donovan Bailey and more.

While his work has allowed him to travel the globe capturing beautiful images near some of the world’s most iconic backdrops, he says one of his favourite places to take photos will always be at his family’s cottage.

“I think the cottage is one of the best places to take photos. It’s where you have everyone together, free of work commitments, enjoying the moment.”

From the first cannonball of the season and the first fish caught off the end of the dock to formal family portraits or group photos that celebrate historic moments, some moments can only be made at the cottage. And like the vibrant sunsets, or sudden splashes that decorate the dock, these moments are fleeting – so why not capture them on camera while you can?

The problem is that many of us aren’t professional photographers – and it shows. According to recent statistics, on average we take anywhere from six to 20 photos per day using our smartphones. And, many of us have thousands of photos in our camera roll. However, studies show that we’re capturing much more than we’re printing.

“Today, there are fewer than 200 photo studios in existence across Canada,” says a recent survey by Statistics Canada. “Only a select few photos taken make it into a frame or are mounted upon a wall. In December 2023, we counted 539 print and picture frame retailers in every province and territory across Canada except Nunavut.”

While cloud storage options may be to blame in part for the lack of printing, the more realistic explanation is that our photos just aren’t print-worthy.

We spend a great deal of our time snapping photos, trying to capture cottage moments, only to find them too unfocused or unbalanced to frame on our walls.

“The good thing is that all you need is a few techniques up your sleeve to make any photo better,” says Andrew.

Candid vs portraits
When it comes to photography, there are two primary approaches: capturing candid moments by blending into the background as an observer, or creating formal portraits.

“Both have their place,” notes Andrew.

Candid photography, which captures unposed, natural, and spontaneous moments without the subject’s awareness or direction, is great for capturing the authenticity and emotions in any given moment.

It allows you to remember more about the emotions that can’t be captured in a family portrait. But they can also be difficult moments to catch due to their spontaneity. You can’t stop your family mid-moment to turn on a light or find the right angle, which means you’re going to need to take more frames of the same shot to try to capture the exact image you want.

Family portraits, on the other hand, allow you to tweak the lighting, and camera angle, and ensure the whole family is included.

If chronicling your family’s growth each year is important to you, Andrew says there’s no better way to do that than booking a photographer for a few hours each year, to come out and capture both candids and portraits of your family.

“Often, one member of a family ends up being the designated photographer, leaving them documenting events rather than actively participating.”

Hiring a professional photographer ensures everyone, including the usual photographer, can fully enjoy the experience and create lasting memories together.

Choosing the right camera
While a professional photographer will come with a full setup, including professional lighting, a DSLR camera, and a variety of lenses, Andrew says there’s no shame in using your cell phone’s camera while at the cottage. “It’s light, fast, and always in reach.”

While DSLRs offer higher resolution and greater control over shutter speed, focus, and white balance, Andrew says there are photography principles we can all use to make our photos better – regardless of the camera we use.

Rule of thirdsTo start, he suggests always using the rule of thirds. To do this, go into your camera’s settings, and add the 3×3 grid to your screen. Then use the grid to place the horizon in the upper three boxes, and the focal point off-centre in either lower left or right boxes.

“If you place your object in the centre of the frame, it isn’t as photogenic. But if you place your elements off-centre, you’ll create a more dynamic and engaging composition.”

Open shade
While there’s no bad time to take photos at the cottage, Andrew says there are two times of day that he loves to capture on camera.

“If you’re trying to capture that feeling of the cottage, I love that first hour of sunlight and that last hour of sunlight. That’s when you capture the feeling of the landscape that’s around you. The stillness and softness that feels magical.”

Now if you’re capturing portraits, you don’t have to wait for early or late daylight. Instead, you should look for what photographers call ‘open shade.’

Open shade refers to an area outdoors that is shaded by a large object (like a tree) but still receives some indirect light from the open sky. This type of shade diffuses the light, creating a soft brightness that eliminates harsh shadows and keeps your group from squinting under the sun’s glare.

“Think about how good you look when you take a photo in your car,” says Andrew. “That’s because you have a ton of soft light coming in from the windows, without any overhead glare.”

It’s a sharp contrast to what he calls the ‘evil movie villain’ lighting that you see when you have a bright light overhead or hold a flashlight below your chin while sitting around a campfire.

If you don’t have open shade at your cottage, try taking family portraits in the morning or on a cloudy day when you won’t be competing with long, distinct shadows.

Embrace imperfectionWhile we strive for perfect images, Andrew says the best photos will always be the ones that are true to your family – flaws and all. If you’re guilty of retaking your family portraits again and again until your family’s smile muscles hurt, because your young children won’t look at the camera and smile, it’s time to take a deep breath and embrace the imperfection of the first one or two frames.

“Life is not perfect and there’s beauty in the mistakes, and the reality of the moment.”

For example, Andrew and his sisters brought their families to celebrate Halloween at their cottage one year.

“Our kids were adorable. We had one puppy, a devil and a Batman,” he recalls. “We had them all lined up, ready for a photo, when Batman started having an earth-shattering meltdown.”

While they could have waited a half hour for everyone to be happy and ready for the shot, chances were, one would need a diaper change, or get too tired for a photo op. Instead, they decided to put him into the photo anyway.

“Now, we have a photo of a child dressed as a cute puppy, a smirking devil and a Batman, wailing,” Andrew chuckles. “Everybody loves that photo. It was true to the moment, and there’s beauty in that. It’s the same thing as seeing an image that’s overly photoshopped: you feel more connected to an image that feels real.”

Knowing when to put the camera away
While we capture the best photos that we can, it’s also important to recognize how much time we’re spending trying to capture the perfect smiles.

“Spending 25 minutes or more trying to capture the perfect frame is too much time,” he says. “I want my kids to remember the time I spent with them over the time I spent taking photos of them.”

Instead of having the camera in your hand at all times, Andrew suggests giving yourself a small window in the day to take photos before putting your phone away and being present with your loved ones. That includes leaving any photo edits and social media posts until the weekend ends.

“When you have those moments with your children and your parents or grandparents, get off your phone.” While it’s hard to resist the urge to edit or post, in that time you might miss something really important.

Andrew says he has made it a practice to always say yes to moments of play with his kids, especially at the cottage. If they want to skip rocks or throw a ball, or go swimming, he’s in, because that is what they’ll remember.

“In the end, it’s the balance of knowing when to just put the camera away and embrace the moment. Because these times at the cottage – heck, summer itself – is so short. Just embrace every weekend.”

ARTICLE SHELANNE AUGUSTINE
PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN