As we make our snowbird trips down south in the fall and back north again in the spring, there is a special place that we always pass on the Oregon coast that has quickly become one of my favourite camping and photography spots of all time. Elk Country. Near Redwoods National and State Parks, on Highway 101, the campground and surrounding area is home to 7 herds of Roosevelt … [Read more...]
Grizzly Bear Photography in Khutzeymateen British Columbia – Part 2
After experiencing the sheer magic of Day 1 photographing grizzly bears in Khutzeymateen, British Columbia, anything I got after that was icing on the cake. I captured more astonishing moments on Day 1 than I dared to dream of! So when we set out on the second day I had a feeling of calm joyfulness knowing that I had already achieved my goals and I could just relax into the … [Read more...]
Top 10 Wildlife Photos of 2017
Last week I shared with you my Top 10 Landscape Photos of 2017. But only half of my work is landscapes. I love wildlife photography too. I do most of my wildlife photography during my summers in British Columbia where I spend most of my time in Campbell River on Vancouver Island. We have a fantastic spot on the estuary there where I can watch the birds come and go. Then I … [Read more...]
Grizzly Bear Photography in Khutzeymateen British Columbia – Part 1
"Hello Bear," I said. He looked up. "I see you," I said. And he saw me. I felt him look into my eyes. Not scared, not worried, not concerned, just curious. The same way I felt. The words “I see you” echoed back. Then... he simply looked away and went back to eating grass. How often do these simple but profound things happen in life? Not so often that a person doesn't … [Read more...]
Reasons to Love Vancouver Island in Summer: #4 Dolphins
Are you noticing a trend here? Yes, I love my wildlife photography in summer here in British Columbia. My favourite thing to do is go out in my little boat Snoopy and photograph the marine wildlife, should they choose to visit me. You can't just chase them down. Usually I'll see them off in the distance and go towards the general vicinity, cut the motor, and watch from … [Read more...]
Reasons to Love Vancouver Island in Summer: #3 Bald Eagles
We have a bald eagle nest in the estuary behind our campsite in Campbell River, British Columbia. It's too far away to photograph (for me), but with a spotting scope, we can watch over the eaglets. In spring when we arrive here, we see the adults coming and going with sticks. Once I saw and heard one of the adults break a branch off of a neighbouring tree! There was a great … [Read more...]
Reasons to Love Vancouver Island in Summer: #2 Humpback Whales
Another one of my favourite photography subjects in summertime is seen during my frequent boating trips: Humpback Whales. In fact, I'm seeing more and more of them all the time. They are returning to British Columbia in increasingly higher numbers every year. Commercial whaling in British Columbia ended 50 years ago (the year I was born actually). Since that time, the … [Read more...]
Reasons to Love Vancouver Island in Summer: #1 Orcas
Ahhhh, summertime in BC. It’s truly spectacular. The long summer nights, the mountains, the lakes, the ocean, the waterfalls, the beaches, the trees, the wildlife, and did I mention the boating? Even though Ray and I live a nomadic lifestyle now and have the freedom to go anywhere we want, we return to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, every summer because there is no place … [Read more...]