It has been a while since I’ve visited the Comox Lake Bluffs Ecological Reserve but this spring I had a chance to return to catch and photograph the early April bloom. It was truly spectacular and well worth the short hike. Wildflowers on the steep mossy slopes above Comox Lake. Approaching the steep slopes of the bluffs of the ecological …
British Columbia
Satinflower Search
Satinflower (Olsynium douglasii) blooms for a very short time in early spring on Vancouver Island. I finally experienced the delicate beauty of these wildflowers this March and the bloom was awe inspiring! The southern part of Vancouver Island is one of the few locations in British Columbia where there are reliable views of this beautiful member of the iris family. …
Exploring the Nanaimo Marina
I love wandering around the Nanaimo marina and photographing the boats moored there – so many stories to tell. Often, the details say more than the overall scene. I looked for images that I could create using part of a larger object, focusing in on simple shapes, lines and colours. Simple lines, shapes and colours. By including less, more is …
Eight Bolts – 1/365 Day Project
1/365Eight Bolts Think it’s time for another 365 Day Project—expect an eclectic mix of urban abstracts, back alleys, and epic landscapes as well as some off the wall feral shopping carts! I did one of these in 2015 (should really bundle those images into a book) and loved the creative challenge. I’ll be looking to create and post at least one …
Making a Mark – Urban Abstract Subjects
Marked Playing with abstract subjects of tire marks and cracked concrete. Looking for the Smaller Scene Sometimes the most mundane urban landscapes hold the potential for the creation of interesting “urban abstracts.” I often look for abstract images that may say more about a place and try to simplify a larger, more complex scene by focusing on a small part of it. The resulting photograph …
Lovekin Rock at Long Beach
Early in the sunset the sky over Lovekin Rock is a mix of pale blues and salmon. It gets better! There’s something about a wet beach at sunset that I just can’t get enough of. Over the course of the summer I check the tide tables and try to find days when the sunset coincides with a low or dropping tide. …
Mole Crab Mania!
I’ve been spending summers out on the west coast since 2006 and I’ve never seen anything like it. Earlier this July, a large number of juvenile Pacific mole crabs made an appearance at Wickaninnish Beach. And they’re still here! A handful of Pacific Mole Crabs (Emerita analoga) found at Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Pacific mole crabs …
Stopping at the Kennedy River Canyon on the Way to Ucluelet
The long winding drive from Port Alberni to Ucluelet is demanding and I usually try to make at least one stop along the way to take a break and do some photography. The challenge is to find new locations along the Kennedy River where the river has carved channels through the rock and then smoothed the stone. Steep cliffs line …
Spring Wildflowers at Schooner Cove
Spring is an ideal time of year to search for wildflowers in British Columbia. The relatively remote Schooner Cove is an interesting place to visit in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and a good botanical destination. It’s not really a long walk, but it’s long enough that most people don’t make the effort to make their way around the point at the end of …
Payzant Falls on the Juan De Fuca Trail
A couple of weeks ago I did a day trip out to the west coast between Port Renfrew and Victoria. This stretch of coast is the home to the Juan De Fuca Trail, a 47 km long trail that follows the coastline. Hikers have the option to do the whole trail as a multi-day hike or to pick and choose …