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In the spring, a grizzly bear’s diet consists of approximately 70% grass, to replenish their lack of proteins during hibernation. This is why you often see bears along roadways, where grass grows in abundance. Knowing this, I had my camera at the ready as I traveled along this (somewhat) remote logging road in the interior of British Columbia. I travel this road often and I see black, brown and cinnamon bears on a regular basis but this was the first time that I came across a grizzly bear. Grizzly bears come in many sizes, and this female (her cub was nearby) was relatively small. I once saw a grizzly that was at least 3 times larger (it was incredibly massive!) so I now have a sincere fear of them. I stayed with these grizzlies for approximately 10 minutes, and they didn’t seem to mind my presence. As I watched and gazed into their eyes, I felt at peace with them but I know those seemingly calm eyes are very deceiving and they deserve respect; I kept my distance. In this photo, she lifted her head to watch a vehicle drive behind me. Frightened by the noise of a bouncing utility trailer it was pulling, she and her cub scurried into the forest. Although I was disappointed that my photo session came to an abrupt end, I knew that this (my last photo) was going to be a keeper! Yay! I felt VERY fortunate by this opportunity. It's now a great memory and I’m thrilled to add it to my photography portfolio and here on my website.
"Bison Country" Elk Island National Park in Alberta is most known for its acres of roaming bison and elk, birds and ponds. While touring the park, I came across a group of bison; I enthusiastically followed and watched them for quite some time. At one point, I chuckled when I saw them roll playfully around in patches of well worn dirt (the patches had obviously been used many times). That said, unfortunately I didn't get a great shot of the humorous behavior but I'll know to watch and be prepared for it next time. I equate photographing this bison to taking a photo of a black dog in that their black fur, dark eyes and shaded crevices require good lighting illuminate and see their features. Just like the studio portraits I've done, I always look for defining highlights, soft frontal lighting and that sparkle in the eyes.
"Seymour River Falls" Seymour River Falls, is not an easy falls to capture because the water falls into a deep and rocky gorge, which carries on for approximately half a kilometer (1/3 mile). That said, there’s no way anyone can capture the entire water’s flow (possibly with drone). Determined to get the best shot possible, I ventured on to the cliff’s edge (see the upper left). Gosh, you can't see just how steep that cliff was in this photograph, but I couldn't look down; I was so scared! So, I inched myself to the edge on my bum, and even then I didn't feel comfortable; I could feel the rock beneath me tremor as the water hit the cliff below me. I captured a few photos there, but I felt they weren't indicative of what a visitor sees (plus, I felt they lacked interest…. even after all that effort, lol). This “behind the action” photograph however is the highlight of Seymour River Falls. Notice the bench on the other side of the falls (to the right of the mist). The trail that leads to it meanders through a lush, moss covered old growth forest. Although it’s an easy to walking to the bench can be dangerous (especially when it’s wet). The trail I took was similar however it was steep in places, and very dangerous in places too. That said, it’s not a place for young children or dogs. Seymour River Falls is located slightly north of the community of Seymour Arm; at the north end of Shuswap Lake, BC.
