Mark Bernards 3 Photography and Design

It’s #WorldTurtleDay! Who doesn’t love a good turtle? . Northern Map Turtles are one of 8 species of turtles that live in Ontario. Unfortunately, they are also one of 8 species of turtles that are at risk of going extinct. Yes, you read that right, all 8 native turtle species in Ontario are disappearing. . Habitat destruction and fragmentation, as well as non-native species like the red-eared slider being introduced to the environment by people releasing their unwanted pets... . Here are some simple things you can do to help: - Keep shorelines natural, undisturbed, and free of litter - Watch out for turtles on the road and paths, and if you see one and it’s safe to stop, help it across in the direction it was already headed - Report sightings of turtles to @ontarionature to help focus conservation efforts . Let’s work together to keep turtles among the amazing biodiversity we share this province (and planet ) with! See more

Happy International Day for #BiologicalDiversity! . Let’s use this day to reflect (see what I did there? ) on how boring and bland life would be without diversity (variety is the spice of life after all), and remind ourselves that it is our responsibility to preserve it. Whether that means actively campaigning for a greener future, or something simple and small like giving up single-use plastics, we need to start living and thinking more sustainably, so that future generations can enjoy the same beauty of nature as we do today, when they walk through their #neighbourwoods in the future!

Male cardinals tend to get most of the attention, but I actually think I like the females better. Her understated red colouring is just enough to add a brilliant pop of colour, without being overwhelming. . Plus, she is much more secretive than the boisterous males , making her much more difficult to find, so a successful photo is that much more rewarding!

The feeling when the sun is shining and a gentle breeze brings caresses your face, and you can’t help but take a moment to pause, close your eyes and take it all in . Nature

Mr Cooper, patiently waiting for his breakfast to arrive. . In my time watching Mr and Ms Cooper, I’ve noticed that they tend to stand on one foot while perched. I started to notice it in Mr and Ms Merlin as well, and so I decided to look it up. It turns out, it’s a very common behaviour among raptors, and it is a way for them to reduce the amount of heat they lose through their i feathered legs/feet by tucking one up into its body feathers

I spotted this barred owl because of the loud cawing of a nearby crow, calling over all its crow buddies over. . While I spent the majority of this encounter trying to get a good shot with both the owl and crows in the same frame, I also wanted to focus in on the owl, since it’s not every day I get to see one! . I know it’s probably a case of anthropomorphic projection, because let’s face it, mobbed by crows would be a scary situation to be in, but doesn’t it look like this barred owl is genuinely worried, almost fearful?

Caught this little female downy woodpecker mid-hop

This great blue heron has been a frequent sighting up at the cottage. I normally see it patrolling the shoreline, but often it would only get as close as the swampy cove off to the side, before flying off or turning and heading back the way it came. . On this morning in July last year, I was lucky enough to have it come and hang out just a dozen metres down the shore from the dock, where I was able to snap a few shots through the bush, before getting distracted by a hunting kingfisher.

Just a white/golden squirrel gathering some home reno supplies

It’s been long enough that I can share another photo of this coyote right? . When I first saw this coyote, my first thought was oh good, another off-leash dog and I think that’s a big problem. So I thought I’d share comparative lists of all the things you put at risk, and all the things you gain from letting your dog roam off leash but first, a quick disclaimer: dogs are wonderful, beautiful beings, it’s the humans I have beef with. . Risk:... Environment Wildlife Your dog (see coyote photo above) Other dogs Other trail walkers Environment again (SO. MUCH. ) You (it’s against the law) . Gain: You get to feel like a big man who trained his dog so well that it never leaves your side (begging the question, are you really giving it freedom by letting it off leash? ). You know, until it runs off and rolls in or eats something, or marches up to another dog or person who maybe isn’t comfortable being approached, and you spend the entire walk calling it back and apologizing to other trail users. . Huh... it’s almost like there’s really no good reason to have your dog off leash . Okay, rant over See more

Kanata Foxes (1/3) . There is a fox den along one of my regular dog-walking routes. I noticed it a few weeks back (when a nice man pointed it out) but it wasn’t until a couple days ago that I saw any foxes. To my delight, I saw not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 cubs! ... . I didn’t have my camera on me, so I snapped a few (awful) photos with my phone (for the memories). I went back later with my wife when she got home and that time I was prepared Luckily for us, they were still out (we even caught glimpses of Mama and/or Papa fox), but so were the people (but that’s a story for another day ). . Please enjoy this photo of one of the cubs taking a (very) brief break from playing/exploring . Have you ever seen fox cubs? See more

Sturgeon General (3/3) It’s Finally Happening! . Today is the day! Sturgeon General is officially on tap (and it’s delicious )! Big thanks to @bigrigbrewery @craftottawa @ottawariverkeeper.garderiviere for making this beer/river lover’s dream come true!... . Come on down to Craft Beer Market in Ottawa, now until June 2nd to try this tasty brew! And feel good doing it, knowing that by doing so, you’re helping protect the source of clean drinking/swimming/fishing water for nation’s capital! . Bonus: more fun with mockups. I designed some glassware . Cheers! @ CRAFT Beer Market Ottawa See more

Sturgeon General (2/3) It Can Be Done . Since Sturgeon General is only going to be on tap at @craftottawa (starting tomorrow ), there would be no official cans or bottles, so I had to make it a bit of a personal project to fully realize my dream.... . I got some stuff from @bigrigbrewery that would typically go on their labels and their template, and put something together. . Then I went on a hunt for beer can mockups, and found this really cool one by @anthonyboydgraphics that let me show the design from multiple angles in the same image (with minimal effort). . I’m pretty new to using mockups, but I have to say, it’s really cool to be able to really see how my designs could look in real life , and definitely going to be something I use much more in the future! (maybe even dabble in creating my own someday). . Designers, have you ever tried using mockups for your projects? See more

Sturgeon General (1/3) Dream Come True . So, it’s been a while (again) since I’ve posted anything, but something very exciting has happened/is happening!... . Over the past month or so, I have had the opportunity to make my #1 design dream come true. I got to make a design for a craft beer label! (as an added bonus, I even got to name it) . @bigrigbrewery partnered with @ottawariverkeeper.garderiviere to brew Sturgeon General New England IPA for @craftottawa’s spring community brew . It is only available on tap, exclusively at the Craft Beer Market in Ottawa from March 4th to June 2nd, with $1 from each one sold being donated to Ottawa Riverkeeper, to help us keep protecting and giving a voice to our river and watershed! . So, friends and family, if you were ever considering visiting me here in the nation’s capital (or just visiting the city, I guess you don’t have to come see me ), sometime between now and June 2nd would be an excellent time for it! See more

Cottage Life (3/3) The Resident Heron . Okay, I’ve been back from the cottage for almost two months now, time to finish up this series!... . One of my favourite things about cottage country is that, along with the peace and quiet, and the clean air, comes wildlife! . This year (and maybe other years too ) there was a resident blue heron! I see herons from time to time while walking the trail along the creek near my house, but I still get excited every time (and disappointed that I never have my camera on me). One day, while sitting out on the dock, I noticed the heron making its way around the edge of the lake. I took some photos as it went, but couldn’t quite zoom in close enough. Then it went into a little of the lake and I couldn’t see it anymore. . When I didn’t see it come out for a while, I decided to head out on the paddle boat to see if I could get a good shot of it from the water. All of a sudden, just as we were approaching the corner, the heron flew right past us (almost too close to get a photo this time) and luckily, I was ready and managed to get a few good shots! . Meanwhile, Abigail standing at the front of the paddle boat titanic-style, didn’t even notice See more