About
On This Page: About us | Our cameras | If you want to use our photos | Contact us Whether you’re a homesick Nova Scotian, a once or future visitor to our sweet province, or a current resident, we hope you enjoy our collection of Nova Scotia photos. It started life as a wedding present on a floppy disk in 2000, and look at it now, with its own domain, a growing collection of photos of NS, a regularly updated blog about living in Nova Scotia, a shop for Nova Scotia Books, its own Nova Scotia Gift Shop with Nova Scotia t-shirts and gifts, and photos on Google Earth. Please feel free to link to us or share this site with others.
We didn’t design the Nova Scotia Photo Album specifically to promote tourism, but we hope it will encourage you to visit the province and experience its hospitality first hand. If you’re from Nova Scotia and live elsewhere, or if you have visited, you will appreciate our year-round point of view.
About Us
Heather Holm
I’m Heather Holm. I was born and raised in Nova Scotia. After high school I lived and travelled in New Brunswick, West Africa, Montreal, Europe, Mexico and Central America before returning to Nova Scotia in 1989. You can guess that I think it’s a great place to live! I know the province well, having lived in several of its regions and travelled to most others for business, performing or vacations, and by car, bike, canoe and sail. I have been running my own web design business, HolmPage Productions since way back in the 20th century. My husband, Etienne (Steve) Sepulchre, who takes some of the photos, was raised in Africa and Belgium and lived in Thunder Bay and the Ottawa/Hull area before moving to Nova Scotia. He has a professional blog on legal and regulatory issues at RegulatoryAid.ca, a French blog on sailing at VoilePourTous.com as well as an English blog on Civil Aviation, CivAv.com. Together we have lived in Blomidon and Kentville, and now live near Mahone Bay. We have one child – who is also a contributor to the Nova Scotia Photo Album now – and a sailboat. Some of our photos were taken by our friend Dennis Robinson, my mother June Maginley, and by Heike Ortscheid, a German friend who loves to visit Nova Scotia. [top]
About our Cameras
Nothing fancy. Some of the earlier photos were taken with a 1-megapixel Agfa digital camera. You may be able to spot some of those, but others might surprise you. Other photos were taken with my dear old Minolta SLR which bit the dust. Most of the rest are from a 2-megapixel, 3x optical zoom Kodak Easyshare CX6230 or a Kodak Z730 with 5MP and 4x optical zoom. Dennis now is showing off with his Nikon D-80.
In January 2011 I had the opportunity to enter a photography contest using a Fujifilm camera with a long 18x optical zoom and the ability to create panoramas within the camera itself. I had fun with that camera and have posted a number of pictures on the site. I wrote several blog posts about about the Fujifilm FinePix S1800.
I think that the most important part of a camera is the lens, and lens quality and price are not necessarily related. We like Kodak lenses. The other part of taking a picture is the human eye, and there’s no price tag on that. It does help, however, to be able to correct and enhance photos digitally. [top]
If You Want to Use Our Photos of Nova Scotia
Non-commercial use
Any of the photos on the “Nova Scotia Photo Album” web site may be used on non-commercial web sites with acknowledgment and a link back to the homepage of this web site on the same page that the photo appears. The link can be as simple as “H. Holm photo, Nova Scotia Photo Album” with a hyperlink to http://www.NovaScotiaPhotoAlbum.com. The link must be visible and legible to the naked eye.
Commercial use
Photos may be used on commercial web sites for illustrative purposes with the same provisions as for non-commercial use above. However, they may not be sold or transformed into an item to be sold without a contract with HolmPage Productions. If not otherwise indicated, photos were taken by and are Copyright © H. Holm.
High-resolution images
Note that the photos on the site are low-resolution images and would not be suitable for any purpose other than internet use. If you need high-resolution images for a printed project, please contact me using the form below. I do need to charge a fee to cover the work involved in retrieving and sending the files. Not all the images on this site would be of a suitable resolution for print. So be sure you are serious before you inquire about high-resolution files. Thanks.
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Contact Us
Please feel free to leave a comment below, or after any posting on the Blog. Comments are moderated, so you won’t see your comment appear right away. Thanks.
Reader Comments
I would love to add your website to mine uner all things wonderful about Nova Scotia. Actually, I added the URL this morning and then thought I better make sure this is O.K.! I am a REALTOR in HRM – specialize mostly in Dartmouth and the Eastern Shore. I work with a lot of people from away who are relocating to NS and I like to have info about the whole province on my site. Kind regards, Cheryl Lynn, 902-223-1399
Thanks, Cheryl Lynn, of course it’s OK! And I hope to take more photos of the wonderful Eastern Shore soon. Best wishes.
Hi Heather, I’m a from your kitchen window bird watcher, although I do get very involved with my birds. I found the little ones came early this year and I’m always so excited when they do. I especially love to see the cardinals. We live on the coast in Yarmouth and yesterday my husband (he’s my backup!) and I were watching out the window when I saw a bird that I had never seen before. I thought for a minute that I was seeing the light shine in a different way, but I wasn’t and it was blue. It was alone, but fed with the other small birds. We watched till we could see no more and it hasn’t been back today. From what I can detect it was an indigo bunting. It was blue with the brown markings on the wings. It seems that this would be a female. It was about the size of a chickadee. As I looked on some of the sites, it appears that this bird is not often sited in Nova Scotia. I know the book that we were identifing it with had it’s habitat going as far as Maine. Have you ever seen one in your area? Thanks for taking the time….Lois
Lois – yes: a male has been spotted in two locations in the Blomidon area. Did you see this post and photos: http://www.novascotiaphotoalbum.com/blog/2009/04/indigo-bunting/ (note the comments as well)?
Stunning bird.
Some Gorgeous shots you have there! I am from Scotland and my Fiance is from Nova Scotia and we both live in NZ.
We plan to move to Nova Scotia in a few years time and seeing these photos want me to move even quicker!
I have a few decent shots of Nova Scotia myself and my missus wrote hilarious article about Nova Scotia in Winter…. check it out
Maple Syrup Down Under
Nova Scotia Wallpapers
Hi Heather,
I was just looking at your photo’s and you have some great ones! You have one of Blomidon that I especially like and I’m wondering if I might be able to use it as a background for bicycle hang tags in my store in Wolfville? I plan to have information on these tags about each bike that we have on the floor for sale. I was thinking it would be great if I could have a local landmark on the tags rather than just having plain old black and white ones?
I look forward to your reply.
Cheers,
Bill Harvie
Valley Stove & Cycle Ltd.
Hi Heather,
I love your photography. I’m just back from a trip to Nova Scotia and I’m missing it already. I would like to use one of your photos (one of the winter roads in “Photos of Cape Blomidon’s moods”) as a jumping off point for a painting (my style veers a bit towards abstraction). While I don’t sell my paintings yet, I may do so in future. How do you feel about visual artists using your work in this way?
Lise in Toronto
I’d love it! Consider sending me a photo when it’s done, and I’ll add it to the blog, with contact information.
Hi Heather,
I have a blog called “Travel to Nova Scotia.” It is a hobby blog and I would like to feature some of your great photos. I have already linked back to you.
Thanks,
Kim Kinrade
I’m from Nova Scotia and had no idea that this blog was here. You’ve done an excellent job with it and many of your photos are completely stunning. I created an article listing good resorts in Nova Scotia for tourists. In case any of your readers are interested, click hereto read it
Thanks for creating such an amazing resource!
Hi Heather,
I’m a misplaced Nova Scotian now living in Montreal and desperate to come home. I so enjoyed your website and the gorgeous photos of home. My sister lives in the Annapolis valley near Blomidon and my folks are on the south shore (Cape Island). I go home every chance I get and will be sure to let everyone I know that they absolutely have to check out your site – great job! Keep up the awesome work. Be back from time to time whenever I get homesick – which is often.
Glad you found the site! You’re just the kind of person I often imagine when I’m working on it – the homesick Nova Scotian – and there are a lot of them out there. Hope you get to move back soon!
I see that we are able to use the pictures as long as we link it to you. I work in Public Health in Wolfville and we are in the process of doing a cook book to help promote local fruit and vegetables for children and familities. We had one picture in mind for the front cover (it is the one from the Look Off, looking out over the fields – absolutely stunning by the way). We will probably print enough that we are able to sell them. Are we able to use this picture. Please let me know as soon as possible so that we can get on with the printing of this important cookbook.
Hi Marsha, I will e-mail you personally with more information. If you are going to print the photo, you will need a higher resolution version, or it won’t look good at all. What works on a computer monitor is not good enough for print. I’ll be in touch.
Hi Heather, just wondering if you would have any interest in allowing me to use photos of yours of the Annapolis Valley in a website I am making. I have no problem giving credit, and would actually encourage you to do what a lot of photographers do and put your own little tag on the photo in some spot. I am making basically a listings site for businesses within the annapolis valley that will be used by both locals and tourists. (I hope) Anyways, if you have any interest in this please email me back. Thanks
Jon
Hi Heather,
Awesome site and great pics of my old stomping grounds. Real Bluenoser here and I am now landlocked in the middle of Canada. No “real” fish here, pickerel just doesn’t compare to pan fried mackerel hehe. I found your site via Google while searching for pics of the southshore.
I am gearing up to move back east in a year or so and working on a business site for myself. I would be interested in using one of your photos in a site banner.
Pllease email when you have chance and I will give you some details on what my site is going to consist of and the image I wish to use as well with your permission.
Thanks in advance
Dale
Thanks Dale, I’ll e-mail you directly. Good luck with your business!
Heather
Hi Jonathan,
Yes, I’ve thought of adding watermarks to photos. I’ve procrastinated for a long time… Anyway, I’ll send you an e-mail directly.
Heather
Hi Heather, really enjoyed all stories and photo’s! In 2008 we (husband, 2 kids and me) spent two weeks on Nova Scotia and we loved it. We hope to be back soon.
Till then this site will keep our memories alive.
Love, Erna
Steenbergen, the Netherlands
Thanks, Erna! Hope you can come back to Nova Scotia soon!
Hey Heather…
What a great website! Some fabulous pictures! My girlfriend and are from Halifax, and now are working in Alberta, but are dying to get back home. I guess moving away really make you realize what Nova Scotia really has to offer.
My dad’s side of the family is from Mahone Bay and it is truly one of my favorite places in Nova Scotia.
How did you like living in Kentville? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts about that!
Again, terrific website!
Cheers,
Dave
Thanks, Dave, glad you enjoy the site.
About living in Kentville? It’s a fair-sized town with a variety of areas, subdivisions etc., so it depends where you are… and who you know. My social life had always been centered more around Wolfville, so it wasn’t my first choice. But we were in a really nice neighbourhood (look for Klondyke St. in Google Maps) walking distance from downtown, with great neighbours. It felt like a special little corner of the world. In the end, we moved from there to be near the ocean, as sailing was a major interest.
Hope you get to move back to Nova Scotia soon.
Hi Heather
We have created an educational and conservation based website, http://www.JUNPonline.com. Nature focused photographers like yourself can document and share Nova Scotian wildlife sightings here in a public database and promote their own website (novascotiaphotoalbum.com) at the same time.
We provide a free account/webpage which can promote your website, listing details of your organization alongside submitted wildlife sightings. Any submitted photographs can include a watermark credit and are linked to your account page.
Here are two sample account pages:
http://www.junponline.com/User/ViewUser.php?id=58
http://www.junponline.com/User/ViewUser.php?id=47
Here is a sample wildlife sighting:
http://www.junponline.com/Animals/Wildlife1/AmericanGoldfinch.php
I hope your find the website useful for documenting Nova Scotian wildlife sightings to share with the public and to promote your organization. If you have any questions please contact us anytime.
Thank you,
Paul Lindgreen
Bedford, Nova Scotia
Hello Heather
We would like to use some of your photos for a commercial purpose but need higher resolution than provided on your site. Would appreciate it if you would email us so we could set up a phone call to discuss.
Really am impressed with your website, and your photography. Know you must miss the Valley, we live in Kentville.
Ian
Dear Heather
Can I tweat your site or make a link to it…great stuff.
pat parker
902 275 8112
Of course!!