I’m visiting Vancouver Island for the winter break and have been stretching the old legs for some new possibilities to shoot. I’d spent a month building out lists of locations I wanted to go too, and it seems the Christmas snow fairy was intent on stopping me (current levels are 16-20cm or 6-7in). So I had to pivot and find local areas that could still offer up great views, but that didn’t have me driving an hour through unplowed roads.
In having to switch gears, I was chuckling to myself over how you gear up for a full on landscape shoot, have all the lenses and filters and then you end up having to utilise (for you Americans thats utilize) it for something you didn’t originally plan. It made me step back more than normal and think on how I was composing a shot, what I wanted and why it might be interesting. Couple this with all the awesome places you can stumble onto in Vancouver Island, and you are likely to shoot something that piques your interest at any time.
Another unicorn I’ve been chasing while it snows here is the Arbutus Tree, which sloughs its own bark and has a bright orange/red hue to it. So far I’ve only been able to spot some of the driftwood that adorns the beaches and catch a snapshot of it. If you want to see it in all of its majesty, go google it. It’s well worth the effort.
I stumbled on a really cool shot (gallery) by taking that step back I mentioned earlier, focusing on a piece of the Arbutus Tree on the beach of Seal Bay Nature Park. By taking a 30 second exposure I was able to ghost out the water and really showcase the colours that come through from the wood. It was a shot where I didn’t really have to bump the colour levels in post processing too much, and you end up with the dawn sun breaking over it to give a warm glow. The water here is really clear so it adds to the picture while letting you focus on all the rocks and seaweed that pop in the picture.
Seems that being limited in your adventures doesnt mean you have to miss out on pictures you are proud of. To quote the great Bob Ross “We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” And that was what I found in a random piece of driftwood, a happy accident making a picture I really liked.
To round it out I should share that list of locations for the trip? Here you go!
Little Qualicum Falls
Lady Falls
Lupin Falls
Nymph Falls
Maybe in the summer I’ll get to go eh!
Happy Christmas!!
Mike
