Hello.

My name is Jay – I'm 28 and I live and wander in Toronto, Canada where I work as a graphic designer. I have a strong fine arts background, which has lead me into this profession, along with my interest in computers and technology. For a more detailed story about me, you can visit my web site – www.jayeckert.com.

Luckily for me, working in a creative industry I am constantly exposed to many forms or artwork from all imaginable genres. As time has gone by I've become more interested in exploring photography for the fun it and have enjoyed the challenge that it presents every time I pick up my camera and look through the viewfinder.

Toronto is an amazing city, and is a very opportune place for creative people. As a photographer, you are exposed to so many great opportunities from architecture to a vast selection of diverse cultures from around the world. Not all of my photos are from the city though. I do spend a lot of time outdoors, camping, at the cottage, or travelling.

I've been exposed to hundreds – if not thousands – of photoblogs over the last few years and find inspiration in many of them. Over time I came to the realization that if I'm going to spend so much time taking photos and browsing through other people's work, why not share some of mine with the world? This blog started as a pet-project with a few posts a week and as I've gained more confidence, and visitor feedback in my work, I've started dedicating more and more time to posting a new photo every day.

I shoot 100% RAW (which is basically the 'digital negative') to have as much control over each photo as I possibly can. Most of my photos are processed in Aperture, and some are then taken into Photoshop for further rendering. No magic tricks here...

On that note, if you see a photo that you feel a connection with or would like to use in your own work, please feel free to contact me to chat about usage and licensing.

I'm always interested in hearing feedback on my work, so if something catches your eye, please feel free to comment openly and constructively.

If you're interested in hiring me for an interesting photography project you have on the go, please send me an email and we can discuss your needs.

Cheers!

Jay

Awards & Recognitions
  • Metro Global Photo Contest - National Winner (Canada)
  • Metro Global Photo Contest - International Runner Up
  • 2007 Photoblog Awards Finalist
Gear
  • Canon 40D
  • Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
  • Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
  • Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
  • Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
  • Speedlite 430EX
Accessories & Software
  • Canon 77mm Circular Polarizing II Filter
  • 4GB Kingston 266x CF Card
  • 4GB Sandisk Ultra II CF Card
  • 2GB Lexar 133x Secure Digital Card
  • 1GB Sandisk Ultra II CF Card
  • Giottos TD470 Tripod
  • Loewpro Nova 5 AW
  • Lowepro Micro Trekker
  • Aperture v2.0
  • Photoshop CS3
Donation

This site requires a lot of bandwidth – a demand that is constantly growing, which I take as a great compliment. This however, makes the site more expensive to maintain on an annual basis. I plan to continue adding new features to the site (more wallpapers, tips, trends, etc.). Any donation will help this site to grow. I am committed to the evolvution of the site regardless, so the donation is completely optional, and very much appreciated. In exchange for your donation, I'm happy to share a digital file or two with you.