This is the third in the series of volcanic blog posts comparing our experience in the Hawaiian and Chilcotin shield volcanoes. After hiking over a very recent lava flow that added about 4 sq. km of land to the Island of Hawaii, we reached the coast. The following three images show ocean waves pounding this […]
Landscape
Two Distinct Lava Features: Hawaii and the West Chilcotin

This is the second in the series of volcanic blog posts comparing our experience in the Hawaiian and Chilcotin shield volcanoes. One day, Rita’s aunt, Ruth Beauchamp (who lives in Hawaii), took us to visit Lava Tree State Park. It was like walking through a lava forest. When the Kilauea eruption sent red hot lava […]
Exploring Two Volcanic Landscapes: The Chilcotin & Hawaii

Nothing excites me more than hiking and exploring a volcanic landscape. In 2010 I published a major natural history coffee-table book on British Columbia’s volcanic plateau titled Motherstone. The most exciting explorations were within the three great shield volcanoes of the West Chilcotin; the Rainbow, Ilgatchuz and Itcha volcanoes. Last month, my partner Rita and […]
Now it’s Physics that Excites me!

As I walked along the road looking down on the lake, I was so intrigued with the shapes. How did they all come to be? I could hear the ice creaking and groaning; sometimes the sound of a high-powered rifle would send a fissure travelling across the entire lake. I presumed the heat from the […]
Why do I get so excited about Line!

Continuing my walk , the contrast I was looking at yesterday (previous blog post), also revealed lines. Lines can be curved, straight, diagonal, or oblique, and each evokes a different emotional response. Light also plays a role in our response; direct light creates a different feeling than diffuse light. You can check this out by […]
On a Walk with my Dog, I saw Contrast!

Three days ago I was walking my dog along a small lake not far from our home when I noticed lines of contrast streaking across the lake. I had been looking at them every day for a week, but the beauty in these lines just didn’t register until three days ago. Contrast is the first […]
A Sunday drive along Meadow Lake Road

Up at 4am, packed a lunch, filled up with gas, and headed south along hwy. 97. Just south of 70 Mile, I turned west along Meadow Lake Road. I was on my way to Churn Creek Protected Area to photograph for the day. As it turned out, it was a cloudy day with passing thunder […]
Heading to the Grasslands with a Friend!

I was chatting on the phone this morning with my friend and workshop teaching partner Dennis Ducklow, as our Photographic Workshop is fast approaching. As we discussed plans, we both realized how pumped we were to be soon heading out across the Chilcotin Plateau to Bella Coola to start our 5th workshop at the Tallheo […]
Creative Vision and a Sense of Place

Creative Vision and a Sense of Place A key aspect to developing one’s personal vision in photography, is to acquire a profound Sense of Place for a chosen landscape. Deep understanding comes by frequently visiting and exploring a place that is personally meaningful over a long period of time. One becomes familiar with different weather patterns […]
The Story Behind the Image

How Ancient is this Piece of Wood? I was exploring a new Canadian landscape at the foothills of the Coast Mountains; one which was being revealed for the very first time by the retreating Fyles Glacier. As I roamed with my camera, marveling at new soils and first generation vegetation, I came across this small […]
The Story Behind the Image

Volcanoes that feed the whales: Chilcotin Ark When I hiked through the Ilgatchuz volcano in the west Chilcotin, I always carried my camera gear. Photography is the art form and the medium through which I try to express the feelings I am experiencing on the land I am travelling on. Look at this mountain of […]
There is always magic at Farwell Canyon

Every time I visit Farwell Canyon, there is magic in the landscape due to the always changing light. Landscapes are never static, they are dynamic, and that is why I never get ‘bored’ by visiting the same place many many times. In fact, the more times I visit, the more I see in the details, […]