# Peter McKinnon

> Peter McKinnon is a Toronto-based photographer, cinematographer, and YouTube creator with nearly 6 million subscribers, known for his cinematic visual style and fast-paced, coffee-fueled tutorials. A former magician and Ellusionist Production Manager turned self-taught filmmaker, he built one of YouTube's most distinctive photography channels from a spare bedroom, won the 2019 Shorty Award for Breakout YouTuber of the Year and the 2020 Streamy Award for Cinematography, and had his landscape photography minted on official Canadian currency by the Royal Canadian Mint. Beyond tutorials, he has launched his own multi-tool for photographers, multiple Lightroom preset packs, a signature coffee blend with James Coffee Co., and the 'Pete's Pirate Life' EDC brand.

- **Role:** Independent Creator & Founder at Peter McKinnon Digital Studios
- **Organizations:** Peter McKinnon Digital Studios, Ellusionist (former), James Coffee Co. (collaborator), Royal Canadian Mint (collaborator)
- **From:** Northern Ontario, Canada
- **Nationality:** Canadian
- **Education:** Dropped out one credit short of completion, College (unnamed)
- **Known for:** 2019 Shorty Award - Breakout YouTuber of the Year, 2020 Streamy Award - Best Cinematography, YouTube Gold Creator Award (1 million+ subscribers)

## Career timeline

- **early 2000s** — Dropped out of college, frequented Browser's Den of Magic in Toronto; began practicing card magic
- **2005-2009** — Worked as a magician and became involved with Ellusionist, the online magic retailer
- **2009-2012** — Production Manager at Ellusionist; helped develop cinematic advertising for magic products across North America and Europe
- **2010** — Created YouTube channel (February 16, 2010); married wife Janice (November 20, 2010)
- **2012** — Released 'Lock Stock & Riot' magic DVD through Ellusionist
- **2015** — Featured in Magic Magazine (January 2015 issue)
- **2016** — Began actively publishing to YouTube channel, mixing vlogs with photography tutorials
- **2017** — Reached 1 million YouTube subscribers in December, less than two years after consistent posting began
- **2019** — Won Shorty Award for Breakout YouTuber of the Year; Royal Canadian Mint collaboration — landscape photos minted on official silver coins
- **2020** — Won Streamy Award for Best Cinematography
- **2021** — Collaborated with PolarPro on Variable ND filters
- **2022** — Launched the PM Camera Tool — a patented $95 Swiss Army-style multitool for photographers after 18 months of development
- **2023-2024** — Released Lightroom Presets V5 (24 presets); collaborated with Insta360 on exclusive bundles; launched Golden Hour Blend coffee with James Coffee Co.
- **2025** — Discussed Instagram's platform shift; channel surpassed 628 million total views with ~5.9 million subscribers

## Achievements

- 2019 Shorty Award - Breakout YouTuber of the Year
- 2020 Streamy Award - Best Cinematography
- YouTube Gold Creator Award (1 million+ subscribers)
- Royal Canadian Mint collaboration — landscape photography minted on official 2 oz. fine silver Canadian coins
- Nearly 6 million YouTube subscribers and 628+ million total views
- Featured in Magic Magazine (January 2015)
- Featured in Popular Photography
- Patented the PM Camera Tool, a Swiss Army-style multitool for photographers
- Multiple Lightroom preset packs (V1-V5) selling globally
- Collaborated with Adobe, Canon, DJI, Squarespace, and Insta360

## Latest updates

- **2025-03** — Published commentary on Instagram's shift from photo to video platform, urging photographers to adapt rather than resist the change
- **2024-12** — Named the analog Widelux camera his Favourite Camera of 2024
- **2024** — Collaborated with Insta360 on limited edition bundles including bundled access to his Lightroom presets
- **2024** — Released Lightroom V5 Presets — 24 presets after years in development
- **2023** — Launched Peter McKinnon Golden Hour Blend in collaboration with James Coffee Co. of San Diego

## Links

- Website: https://www.petermckinnon.com
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/petermckinnon
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PeterMcKinnon
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petermckinnon/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/peter-mckinnon
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-19