Taku Kumabe Photography and Design

Taku Kumabe Photography and Design Nikon Canada Ambassador, freelance photographer, art director, and content creator. Photography services include one-on-one lessons to group workshops.

Partnering with businesses and agencies to create quality and relevant photographs.

While yesterday’s post was all about telephoto lenses as seen from the Toronto Sunrise Meetup location (happening this S...
06/17/2026

While yesterday’s post was all about telephoto lenses as seen from the Toronto Sunrise Meetup location (happening this Sunday,5am), today I have several photos from the same location but using my Z 24-70mm and Z 24-120mm lenses.
There are several interesting foreground elements and unique compositions you can experiment with at this park that it makes for a very creative walk!
So, I don’t want you to focus solely on the city skyline; feel free to explore other subjects and compositions to make the most out of your time there.
After all, it’s not often you wake up at 3am or 4am to go meet complete strangers at an unfamiliar location…in the dark.
See you Sunday at 5am!

For those of you wondering how large the city of Toronto looks like from our Sunrise photowalk this Sunday, here’s what ...
06/16/2026

For those of you wondering how large the city of Toronto looks like from our Sunrise photowalk this Sunday, here’s what you’ll get at different focal lengths.
From 100mm to 600mm, you’ll be able to get a great view of the city and Lake Ontario.
If you have multiple lenses, bring them so you can experiment with different compositions.
Try something new and you just might surprise yourself with what you come up with.
See you all this Sunday at 5am!
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See pinned post for the Toronto Sunrise Meetup this Sunday!
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Z 8 with Z 24-120mm f/4 and Z 180-600mm, f/5.6-6.3

06/15/2026

Waking up at 4:30am can be tough even for me, but once you’re out in nature and happen to come across a random alignment (this wasn’t planned), it becomes a pretty good morning.
A shoutout to and Paul whom I bumped into this morning doing their own thing.
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Toronto Sunrise Meetup is this Sunday at 5:00am! See my pinned post or website for full details.
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Z 8 with Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 at 400mm, f/22, 1/5000sec., ISO250

Takeout for dinner?A common term flies high in the sky with a fish it caught shortly before. It eventually landed on top...
06/12/2026

Takeout for dinner?
A common term flies high in the sky with a fish it caught shortly before. It eventually landed on top of a moored boat, where it positioned it and swallowed it whole.
I hope you get to enjoy your takeouts this weekend too!
Z 8 with Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 at 600mm, f/6.3 at 1/2500sec., f/6.3, ISO560

As cute as these ducklings are, while photographing them I noticed something else that was equally mesmerizing: the back...
06/11/2026

As cute as these ducklings are, while photographing them I noticed something else that was equally mesmerizing: the background!
The swirling patterns seen in the back created by the quickly moving water, the branches that were out of focus, and the sun’s reflection on the water, all contributed to creating something a little ethereal.
If you pinch the image and zoom in, you can notice the water’s texture even more.
What do you think?
Z 8 with Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 at 330mm, f/6.3, 1/2500sec., ISO2200

Looking back to this time last year, I was in the mountains in Kamikochi, Japan, where we were surrounded by Japanese ma...
06/10/2026

Looking back to this time last year, I was in the mountains in Kamikochi, Japan, where we were surrounded by Japanese macaque monkeys freely roaming around and doing monkey things.
It’s a great place to be with nature and just enjoy the company that surrounds you.
Kamikochi is a great place to visit all year round, but is spectacular in autumn when the colours burst along the mountainsides.
Z 6iii with Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena at 1/640sec., f/3.5, ISO320

Toronto Sunrise Meetup 2026 Summer Solstice Edition is here!Mark your calendars for this annual meetup that brings toget...
06/09/2026

Toronto Sunrise Meetup 2026 Summer Solstice Edition is here!
Mark your calendars for this annual meetup that brings together sunrise lovers at the earliest sunrise of the year!
Who: You
What: Toronto Sunrise Meetup
Where: Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area
When: Sunday June 21, 2026, 5:00am
Why: To have fun
We are at a new location this year—Watch my Reel about this location—Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area! Offers spectacular sweeping views of the lakeshore along winding paths surrounding wetlands.
We start our walk at 5:00am at the WEST parking lot of Marie Curtis park in Mississauga! We will walk to the point in time for the sunrise alignment above the CN Tower at 5:56am.
Full details on my website at smaku.com or at link in bio.
I hope to see you all there!
Woohoo!
Free to attend, I won’t be teaching anything, and no registration required—just show up!
Let me know if you’ll be coming!

When you come across a swan that is preening itself, spreading its wings, and backlit, right in front of you, you can’t ...
06/08/2026

When you come across a swan that is preening itself, spreading its wings, and backlit, right in front of you, you can’t help but capture the beautiful details of its feathers.
That’s what happened here as the swan slowly floated in front of me at sunrise.
Which composition do you like?
Z 8 with Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 at 400mm, f/5.6, 1/1600sec., ISO 200

The ducklings are as active as ever right now in your local parks as the mother teaches them how to dive for their next ...
06/07/2026

The ducklings are as active as ever right now in your local parks as the mother teaches them how to dive for their next meal.
The ducklings are not born with water repellent down believe it or not. Their mother transfers oil onto their feathers when they snuggle into her feathers!
It’s so interesting to see the water beading off them as soon as they come up from their dive.
Keep an eye out for a family of ducks the next time you’re out in the local parks.
Z 8 with Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 at 120fps

I was hoping to catch the colours of this tree when I noticed this cedar waxwing resting on a branch. It was a total sur...
06/06/2026

I was hoping to catch the colours of this tree when I noticed this cedar waxwing resting on a branch. It was a total surprise for me as I was panning through the tree looking through my viewfinder, unaware of anything outside of the viewfinder.
What a beautiful surprise with all the colours coordinated just right that day with the blue sky!
As for the video? Well, it’s totally over-exposed since my settings were set for something else and these two just flew in out of nowhere, but I liked the slow motion action caught here so I’m posting it anyway.
Z 8 with Z 180-609mm f/5.6-6.3 at 600mm, f/10, 1/1000sec., ISO500

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