Metchosin truly turns into a winter wonderland when its hills are blanketed with snow. Mountains, lakes, waterfalls, and forests turn into a real life world from Narnia. The soft powder muffles all sound to an almost deafening quiet while the forest creatures silently reveal their hidden presence through sets of delicate tracks in the snow.
On the weekend I paid a visit to Metchosin's largest tree - a massive old-growth Douglas-fir measuring 28.5ft in circumference (9ft in diameter) growing near Matheson Lake. It's an incredible reminder of the forest giants that once covered most of Vancouver Island. In the woods and hills of the CRD you can still find a few "veteran trees" like this one that escaped the saw's for one reason or another.
Afterwards I wandered further along the foggy mountainside and marveled at the old lichen covered forests that remain mostly intact around the lake.
Outdoor Photography Canada magazine hosted a "Human Impact" themed photo contest in 2010 and I was super excited when I found 0ut that my image of an old-growth clearcut on southern Vancouver Island took 1st place! (see original blog post here)
Of the tens of thousands of images I've shot over the years trying to capture the devastation happening to BC's temperate rainforests, I feel that this one sums it up best. Without experiencing these clearcuts first hand, it's nearly impossible to convey the scale, destruction and feeling involved with the loss of such amazing areas.
Aside from being featured as a winner in this contest the image will also be used on the cover of a new environmental documentary film coming out of New York, be featured in a book by a German artist working on forest conservation in Europe, used in a TV show on CBC and be published in a host of other online and print media sources. I hope this image continues to travel the visual world conveying the need to protect BC's last remaining ancient temperate rainforests. Sign the online petition here.
After having quite a few requests for prints I would like to let everyone know that all the photos from my website and blog are available for purchase as holiday gifts! Be it for yourself or someone else, photographs make an excellent present that everyone can appreciate and won't be thrown away a month later! Plus, there's the added bonus that they are all shot right here on Vancouver Island.
The majority of images were taken with a Canon 1D Mark II professional DSLR camera using a variety of Canon's pro lenses. This insures that prints will turn out beautifully with crisp detail and rich color even up to 24x36 inches.
The are many styles of images to choose from on my website -www.utopiaphoto.ca - such as:
LANDSCAPES
FORESTS
ENVIRONMENTAL
AVATAR GROVE
NIGHTIME
SKATE
BLOG
The blog archive (http://utopiaphoto.ca/blog/?page_id=24http://utopiaphoto.ca/blog/archive) is filled with lots of different images from an aray of places.
OTHERS
If you don't see quite the photo you're looking for, chances are I have something in my archives! Just send a quick note to info@utopiaphoto.ca with the type of image you are thinking of. I have a giant stock of Westcoast imagery.
BIG TREE GALLERIES
If wilderness is your thing, check out the photo galleries at http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/galleries.php for my big tree and big stump galleries!
ORDERING/SHIPPING
*Photos can typically be ready for pickup within 2-3 days of ordering*
To order, send and email to info@utopiaphoto.ca with the image name/number, quantity, size, and finish (matte/glossy). Be sure to say hi as well :) !!!
For Victoria residents, local pickup and drop off should be possible to arrange.
For people residing elsewhere in Canada, please contact me at info@utopiaphoto.ca with your order info and location so I can send an invoice that includes shipping to your area.
PAYMENT
Photo prices are as follows
Payments can be made with cash or by credit card through PayPal once the order is complete.
*** If you have any other questions don't hesitate to contact me!***
Here is a beautiful view of the Gordon River in Port Renfrew from this winter. The area is contains some of the last remaining stands of endangered old-growth forests on southern Vancouver Island and is home to species such as elk, bears, wolves, cougars, and more!
Below are three versions to match various screen sizes. To determine your screens resolution, start by right clicking your desktop background and choosing 'properties', then choose 'settings', then view the screen resolution numbers on the bottom left. Once you know the numbers, click on the corresponding thumbnail, then 'right click' the large image and choose 'set as background'. Enjoy the last month of 2010!
1024 x 768
1280 x 1024
1600 x 1200
Port Renfrew and the surrounding valleys offer stunning views of mountains, forests, ocean, and wildlife year round and is well worth a visit.
Pictured above is the San Juan River Estuary Eco Reserve near town with the hills of Fairy Creek Valley rising up in the background.
The tops of the tallest mountains are frosted with snow in late November.
Cool winter fog winds its way through endangered old-growth forests in the Gordon River Valley.
Clouds and snow blanket Edinburgh Mt high above the icy Gordon River.
My photograph, East Sooke Abandon (24"x36"), was one of the pieces selected from over 1200 artist submissions and is on display at the 2010 Sidney Fine Art show. The gallery runs from Oct.15-17 between 9am and 9pm in the Mary Winspear Centre and features some of the most stunning fine art from around the island. If you haven't visited this show, it's a must! More info can be found at http://blog.sidneyfineartshow.com/
Here is a colorful fall view from Cottonwood Creek in Youbou. There are three versions to match various wallpaper sizes. To determine your screens resolution, start by right clicking your desktop background and choosing 'properties', then choose 'settings', then view the screen resolution numbers on the bottom left. Once you know the numbers, click on the corresponding thumbnail, then 'right click' the large image and choose 'set as background'. Enjoy the changing season!
1024 x 768
1280 x 1024
1600 x 1200
