Snapshot

Surf's Up!

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If you can brave the cold water, the west coast of Vancouver Island is home to some fantastic waves in winter. This past week I was happy to catch some action while heading out on a hiking trip. I used to photograph a lot of skateboarding back in the day so it was fun to try my hand at some surfing. It's beautiful blend of human and nature. I have fond childhood memories of standing on the shore and watching my Dad surf as well. The smell of the ocean mixed with campfire is so nostalgic for me around this time of year. Stoked to shoot some more again this season! Might like to find a longer lens than the 70-200mm as well.

Bonsai Tree at Fairy Lake - Port Renfrew

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This little hemlock tree at Fairy Lake near Port Renfrew is simply incredible. Growing out of a submerged log, it hasn’t had the resources to get much bigger than a few feet tall - even though it's known to be at least 30-40 years old. It must also be one of the most photographed trees on Vancouver Island! No two photos are quite the same though as the surrounding scenery is always changing - fall vs. spring, morning vs. evening, drought vs. flood. Below are a few images I’ve captured, including when heavy rains nearly submerged the tree. A few times a year the water level gets so high that the tree goes completely under water! How it survives that and the constant attention it receives, I'm not quite sure, but I'm always thankful for its zen-like presence amidst our busy and chaotic world. Prints available by emailing prints@tjwatt.com

Snapshot: Sunset over Port Renfrew Marina

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May and June have been incredibly busy months for me. I've been away from home almost non-stop which has meant little time for updates! Most of my time has been spent in Port Renfrew working on the construction of the Avatar Boardwalk, guiding writers and travelers to the various ancient forests, filming with drones, and exploring some new areas myself! At the end of a grey day last weekend I was treated to an incredible surprise sunset. Nice to see such rich colour out there :)

Snapshot: Incredible Clouds Over Victoria, BC

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Here are some images of the incredible clouds and sunset in Victoria tonight as seen from Summit Park. It's pretty rare to see mammatus clouds and other stormy type patterns but the hot humid weather today put on quite the show! Wish we had unique and interesting weather like this here more often!

Snapshot: Amazing Rainbow near Port Renfrew

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While filming with a documentary crew in Port Renfrew last week, we saw one of the most incredibly vibrant rainbows that any of us had seen before. It appeared to be emanating right from the heart of the ancient forests on Edinburgh Mountain, the largest intact area of old-growth forest in the region, which we took as a sign of hope and good fortune. It doesn't get much more magical than that!