Feeling I Am Being Watched - Airdrie, Alberta

If you have ever driven through the Canadian prairies in July, you would understand this is one of those photos you can smell. When I look at this image, I get a wave of that pungent canola smell on a hot summer day. The deer certainly seem to love it too.

A Special Encounter - Water Valley, Alberta

Like people, every owl I come across seems to have a unique personality that drastically varies from bird to bird. Some owls seem to be very shy and skittish, while others are much calmer around people. Habituation? Perhaps. However, I feel it has more to do with the personality of each animal. This great grey owl had the calmest demeanor I have ever witnessed. It was the house cat of owls. It flew right toward me and landed on the fence post right in front of where I was standing, within an arm’s reach! I then spent nearly a half an hour photographing it from that spot and it didn’t seem phased by my presence. Experiences like this are what I love about nature and wildlife. Having the pleasure to stand within feet of such a magnificent animal and observe it going about its normal activities as if I was not there is such an incredible experience.

Moss Laden - Proxy Falls, Oregon

I have seen so many pictures of this waterfall, and as a landscape photographer it always called my name. being so far from where I live, this was always one of those places I could only dream of visiting. When my wife suggested I take a few extra weeks and drive to our family trip to California I jumped at the opportunity to stop by here on the way home. I will never forget my time spent here. Not because of the beauty, or the relaxing sound of the rushing water over the moss laden rocks. Nope. My memory is forever etched at this place because I took our three-year-old with daughter with me on the trip home. We spent a week together making our way back to Canada, bouncing from place to place snapping pictures along the way. By the time our trip itinerary landed at this waterfall I had one overtired cranky kid on my hands. It turns out when you spend several days waking up at sunrise, spend the day hiking, and stay up until sunset taking pictures, it takes its toll on a child. Who would have known!?! I know, I didn’t see it coming either. Well, let me tell you that little child turned from happy go lucky, to a Tasmanian Devil in a matter of seconds right as we made our way down the trail heading down to the falls. She was in a full-blown defcon 5 meltdown with the only cure being a solid nap and a sleep in. Something that wasn’t quite possible while in the middle of a flooded trail on a muddy slope. So, instead of enjoying taking my time wandering about this scenic location while photographing it, I got to quickly snap off a couple of shots without looking at my camera, crossing my fingers hoping they turned out while simultaneously consoling an upset little monster flush with tears, screaming, and rush back to the car to sit outside twiddling my thumbs for several hours while she had a solid nap in the back of the truck. Fun times! Looking back, I can only laugh at how dumb I was to not plan for that. In retrospect, even though my stop here didn’t work out as I planned, the time here was still a fun memory I can share with my little girl of a fantastic road trip with a few comedic hiccups.

Cape Kiwanda - Pacific City, Oregon

I just loved wandering through the tidal pools and finding interesting sandstone formations while visiting Cape Kiwanda on the Oregon coast. If you get a chance, I highly reccomend this area. The Oregon coast has quickly become one of my favourite places to visit when I can get some time off. There is simply so much to see and do in this part of the world.

What Lies Beneath - Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Every summer my daughter and I take off for a couple of weeks for our annual daddy daughter trip where we live like dirtbags, sleep in the back of the truck, and seek out as much adventure and fun as we can fit in. We have been doing it since she was a year old. More often than not, we eagerly head for the Pacific Coast. Last year we ended up on Vancouver Island. We spent nearly three weeks bouncing down logging roads splitting the trip between places I have been in the past that were new to Olivia, and places entirely new to the both of us. When we go on these trips, a great deal of research goes into the planning of our route. For me, photography makes up a large focus of the trip so I try to maximize the photographic opportunities while balancing the fun factor of the trip for Olivia. This photo represents how the effort I put in before the trip can payoff when we are there. Through my research, I found there is a limestone slot canyon literally under a logging road that I have blasted up and down many times over the years without notice. The canyon is a couple hundred feet deep with a crystal-clear river flowing through it and yet the walls are no more than six feet wide at the top where the road crosses it. The trail to the bottom is nearly vertical with old ropes fixed to trees to lower yourself down a sketchy slope in a heavily forested area. Not a place you'd expect to take a 5-year-old. Initially she was reluctant to make the trek down, but after I took to time to assess it, I felt we could tackle it together in a safe manner and it was worth at least trying. Holding onto the rope below her, and guiding her every step while ready to grab her if she slipped at all, we managed to make it to the bottom without issue. Olivia was so proud of herself by that point, the canyon itself seemed insignificant. With the sun setting we spent a few minutes at the bottom snapping a few photos, admired a small cave at the bottom and looked at some of the fish swimming in the river pools before heading back up to find camp for the night. The following day, I presented numerous activities for Olivia to choose from like surfing or swimming, and all she wanted to do was go back down into the canyon. I am glad we ended up going that route because this time we decided to brave the ice-cold water and wade chest deep in places to head up the canyon. We spent several hours making our way through this spectacular place snapping photos along the way. The further we went, the more incredible it became. The formations plastered all over the limestone walls from years of erosion were so unique and unworldly. I am so glad I took the time to research and learn more about the area because this ended up being one of the best days on the island. To this day Olivia still talks about going down into that canyon and asks when we can go back down there.

Up Close and Personal - Water Valley, Alberta

Last night, I grabbed the dog, grabbed the camera and took off out of the city for the evening. I had no particular plan of where to go, or really what to do. If I didn't take a single picture, I was ok with that. It was just nice to get out and drive through the countryside and get out for a walk. As dusk fell, we found a great grey owl perched up on a fence post waiting to find its next meal. In all my years, this was the most patient owl I have ever seen. The fence post it was sitting on also had a birdhouse affixed to it. Well, a pair of swallows that called that little box home did not take kindly to their visitor and spent nearly the entire time I was there dive bombing the owl. This darn owl took hit after hit and just held its place. Eventually it decided enough was enough and flew a few hundred feet toward me and landed on the fence post next to where I was standing which was about an arm’s length away. Not something I get to experience every day. The owl sat next to me for close to a half an hour just scanning the grass below. I actually had to back up because my camera lens wouldn't focus that close. With great grey owls, they tend to show when they are stressed by puffing up the feathers around their beaks which reveals their nostrils. This owl clearly was quite comfortable with my presence, because he showed no signs of stress or fear of me.

My Kind of Road - Medicine Hat, Alberta

These are my favourite roads. A couple of tire-beaten tracks that lead the imagination to what might be around the corner. My entire adult life has been spent lost, exploring these roads, and the best part is that I don’t seem to be running out of them.

Backroad Bliss - Twin Butte, Alberta

Any time I get a chance to take off for a few days, I always try to take the roads less travelled. I rarely remember how I get to some of these places, or how to ever come back in the future, but that’s the beauty of exploring. My truck has taken a beating over the years of cruising down dusty washboard ridden roads and seems to gain a new battle scar after every trip that have now accumulated into a lifetime of memories. Every now and then, I roll over the crest of a hill and scenes like this reveal themselves reminding me why I love the outdoors.

Waxwing on a Cedar - Vancouver Island, British Columbia

This photo isn't anything to write home about but I've always liked cedar waxwings and I thought some of you might as well.

One Lucky Bug - Water Valley, Alberta

I spent an early summer evening bombing down backroads not too far from my house looking for owls. As the sun was rapidly setting, I slowly worked my way home and came upon this handsome fella perched up on a fencepost well positioned for a night of scanning the meadows for its next meal. After a few minutes of observing this great grey owl prior to grabbing my camera, I noticed it kept rapidly flinching in response to something but with the setting sun shining directly in my eyes, I couldn’t quite tell what it was. After repositioning, I realized it was a family of swallows dive bombing at the owl because it was sitting directly on the same fencepost where their nest was located. The owl took blow after blow and was stubbornly unwilling to relocate for some strange reason. I must have taken at least 50 shots of various attacks on the owl trying to capture this experience at the right moment with only one or two that worked out. The swallows were blazing fast. Eventually the owl caught on that it wasn’t welcome and decided to fly to a less bothersome fence post. Fortunately for me, it flew directly toward me and landed on the fence post right where I was standing, providing me with more opportunities to capture several close-up shots before the light faded to the point I could no longer capture anything worth using. After reviewing my photos at home, I realized in this image there is a little bug mid-flight just behind the owl. With how fast those swallows can fly, I can’t help but think this little bug is probably extremely grateful the owl happened to sit in that very spot that evening. Spending an hour with this owl during this surreal event was one of those experiences that will be hard to ever forget.

Three Amigos - Kananaskis, Alberta

This shot was taken from a fair distance using one of my longer lenses. When shooting with these types of glass you naturally get a compression of the scene, meaning objects in the foreground and the background appear to be closer together than they actually are. When I was editing this photo, it really messed with my mind. If you look at the bottom near the middle of the image you will see an iron bridge in the opening between the trees. On the far side of that bridge, the landscape drops down into a depression where a large grassy meadow with a small creek meandering through it extends to the base of Commonwealth Peak, the prominent mountain in the background. The distance from the mountain to the bridge is over 3 kilometres according to google maps. Because of the angle and distance I shot this from, the trees in the foreground all seem to blend together with the background making this scene appear significantly smaller than it actually is. It amazes me and completely messes with my brain that the compression of my lens can actually eliminate any sense of the meadow existing especially considering it spans such a great distance. I did not intentionally shoot it this way, and in fact it is actually the opposite of what I wanted the scene to portray. I guess some you win, some you lose, but either way I still like it.

A Stroll Through The Woods - Port Alberni, British Columbia

A grove of moss covered second growth big leaf maples provides a perfect environment for a blanket of sword ferns to flourish on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Mercury Rising - Quartzite, Arizona

Just looking at this picture I can remember how fast that sun cooked the landscape after rising. The temperature difference from where I took this picture in the shade, and the direct sun was mind boggling. This was my first trip to the desert and it was an experience I will never forget. This unforgiving landscape is so alien to what I am used to, I found myself fascinated with every plant and critter I came across. Anything that can survive in this climate has my respect. I fell in love with particular area. I camped here for a couple days, and never saw a single soul during my stay. It was so peaceful and quiet.

Cow Town - Calgary, Alberta

This skyline is the place I have called home for nearly 20 years now and yet this is the first time as a photographer I have taken the time to snap a photo of the city. If you have followed my work for any duration, you will know I am not much for having the hand of man in my work. After spending a day with the family walking our dog, I saw this shot and just couldn’t resist coming back later in the week to take a few shots at an optimal time. I am glad I did.

Memory Lane - Fernie, British Columbia

Looking at this image, I can still remember the fresh morning mountain air smell that filled this valley. While heading home from a trip to California, I decided to take a side road that I have seen several times just after crossing through to British Columbia. This road has always caught my eye for some reason, but I’ve never taken to time to drive down it. As I turned off the highway, and made my way along the mountain corridor, this beautiful vista appeared with a thick blanket of clouds and fog blanketing a ranch. I knew I had to stop to photograph it. I find it incredible how you can look at a picture, and immediately it can take your mind back to the senses and feelings you had when you stood there in reality.

Rock Star - Banff National Park, Alberta

There’s nothing like experiencing a night under the stars in the Canadian Rockies. With the glow of the Banff townsite illuminating Mount Rundle, it stands out from the other surrounding mountains giving it a look similar to a building lit up by flood lights. Standing here in silence without all the hustle and bustle typically experienced here in the daytime was a nice treat to say the least.

When All Else Fails - Banff National Park, Alberta

When I first came to photograph Moraine Lake, I must admit I really did not like the experience. I was never used to being immersed into hordes of people everywhere. Fast forward to today and much of that feeling remains the same. Admittedly I do not do well in crowds. I am the type of person who prefers solitude. So why do I keep coming here? I’ve asked myself this before and the answer is simple. The sheer beauty of this area completely trumps the negatives for me. In fact, I actually look forward to stopping here every year. When I stand at the edge of this lake and take one look at the surrounding scene, it seems as if there isn’t a stone that is out of place. There’s a reason this is reported to be the most photographed lake in the world. So why do I enjoy photographing the most photographed lake on earth? Well, I have asked myself that as well. Typically try to avoid going to popular places because they have been shot to death. For Moraine Lake, I love it because it is impossible to take a bad shot here. When I am in a creative slump and feel like I just can’t seem to get any worthy shots (which happens a few times a year) one trip here really seems to do the trick and snap me out of it. If I spend an hour snapping pictures along the shores of this lake, I walk away with a memory card full of images that need next to no editing. It’s just too easy. This lake and area contain all the catalysts needed for boosting confidence when it is needed most.

Secret Alberni - Vancouver Island, British Columbia

On the outskirts of the small Vancouver Island port town of Port Alberni, this lovely little waterfall is an oasis for the soul. Nowhere near as popular as the popular Hole-in-the-wall waterfall that sees gobs of tourists daily, this one is relatively unknown and hopefully will remain that way. To get to the waterfall, a trail leads you through a scenic moss laden second growth forest following the river edge for about 20 minutes prior to reaching the waterfall. There are several places to stop along the way to soak it all in. This was one of those places where you may not walk that far, but you can easily spend a chunk of the day exploring each stopping point and losing yourself to nothing but the sounds of flowing water and the occasional bird chirping above.

Goodbye Blue - Airdrie, Alberta

When I take my daughter to school, I have been seeing this heron standing in this same spot every morning in the pond across our street. I always tell myself that I should grab my camera, but for some reason or another it never seems to happen. As the fall colours started to set in I knew I wouldn’t have many more shots at photographing him, so I finally got around to snapping a few shots in his direction. I am glad I did too, this was the last day I saw him or any heron for that matter this year. It’s safe to assume by this point the year he is well along on the southern migration. I just love seeing these majestic giants when they return every year, and sad to see them go.

Fool's Gold - Canmore, Aberta

Typically, I try to shy away from areas that are busy with other photographers. I generally prefer my own solitude when I am out in the mountains rather than being shoulder to shoulder with other people. In the fall, that’s not the easiest to do. It seems there are far more people willing to get out early to capture the autumn colour than any other time of year. Just to the right of this image is a well-known local mountain known as the three sisters. Noted for the prominent triple peaks, this mountain is a magnet for landscape photographers. By the time I arrived after feeding the kid, stopping for the kid to have a pee break, and then feeding the kid after she was hungry again, then stopping several more times for the dog to have his poo and pee breaks we were the last ones there and had the least desirable spot to capture the three sisters. Being late for the sunrise, I didn’t have much for options to head to a new location so I thought I’d make the best of it. As the sun started to rise, I instantly saw the main feature shot was not going to be the best one of the day. The clouds in the east were starting to ignite with the telltale signs of an epic sunrise. Conversely, there was nothing but empty sky over the three sisters which doesn’t bode well for a landscape photo. Instead I decided to change my direction of shooting and capture the silhouette of the trees with the sunrise. Instantly I had the best seat in the house, lucky me. The best part was that everyone else was so engrossed in capturing the three sisters, not one of them decided to look around and I was the only one who ended up capturing this. I remember some people looking in confusion at all the cameras pointing in one direction and me shooting the completely opposite way. I guess it pays to always look around. It worked for me at least.

While We Sleep - Airdrie, Alberta

After an extremely long day of hiking and photographing in the mountain backcountry, the last thing I wanted to do is stay out late photographing the night sky in the bitter cold. My warm bed was calling my name, yet the realization that I missed the aurora the previous night and the solar forecast was calling for an even better display for this night was just too hard to resist. I re-packed my gear, grabbed the dog, and off we went. As I left my house, I could already see the show was going to be a good one. Even under a veil of city lights, the aurora came to life and danced across the sky. By the time I left the city, I became awestruck with the magnificent display of green waves of light overhead. Tired and exhausted, I only stayed out for an hour. In that time, I’ll admit, I had a struggle to find something to make for a compelling image. These barns aren’t too far from my house and I always wanted to shoot them during the aurora. It was a struggle on site to pull off a compelling image as the barns are further away than I previously thought. With the pasture gated off, I had to get creative and instead of showing the entire night sky and having tiny awkward little barns, I decided to zoom in and go for a more intricate scene. I feel like this image does justice for what I saw that night, even if it’s just a small segment of the night sky.

Mud Lake Morning - Kananaskis, Alberta

As the warm sun rises it begins to melt the late-night dusting of snow that fell over the higher altitudes of the Canadian Rockies. This tug of war will soon end as the cooler temperatures win the battle over the coming weeks and set this scene under a deep freeze for half the year.

Incoming! - Kananaskis, Alberta

By no means is this a stellar photo from a technical standpoint. While out hiking I had such a cool experience I had to at least share this image. While hiking up on a mountain ridge this juvenile golden eagle flew right below me, then proceeded to fly up and around me for a few minutes before moving on. I snapped a couple pictures by hand as quick as I could.