Drone Video - Protect Echo Lake Ancient Forest

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Here is the latest drone video that I filmed and produced with the Ancient Forest Alliance. It features the endangered ancient forests found at Echo Lake, which lies in the territory of the Sts'ailes First Nation band between Mission and Agassiz about 100 km east of Vancouver, BC. Since the introduction of HD video to DSLR cameras, photographers have increasingly become expected to produce video alongside stills. They really are two very separate things though that require you to think, frame, and shoot differently. Without formal training in film making, many of us photographers are having to learn on our own through searching the internet or asking our videographer friends for tips. This was the first video I've made that includes interviews with people and I've learned a lot through the process for next time. Many of the location visits that we do with AFA are shot under super tight timelines as well - usually a single afternoon visit - that involve running around the forest capturing photos, switching to handheld video for some clips on the fly, quickly flying our drone (DJI Phantom 3 Pro) for an aerial view, before speaking with someone about the issue and heading home! It makes for a challenging work environment to capture it all in one go on your own to say the least. I'm having a lot of fun flying the drone lately though and am excited to continue incorporating it into our conservation efforts. It's just a perfect fit! Hope you enjoy :)

Please take a second to send a letter to the BC government as well at: www.ProtectEchoLake.com

Exploration: Eden Grove - Big Tree Climb

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This past October, the Ancient Forest Alliance teamed up with expert tree climbers Matthew Beatty of the Arboreal Collective and Damien Carré of Expedition Old-Growth to ascend a giant Douglas-fir tree in the endangered Eden Grove near Port Renfrew. The days before the climb saw intense rains and hurricane force winds the brought dozens of trees and power lines down across the roads. Despite the many challenges we faced, we were thankfully still able to access the area and complete the climb in one day. After setting the first lines with the Bigshot slingshot (this took an extra 2 hours after the first well placed line slipped away from us when going to tie it off...), Damien made the first ascent. After reaching the top, he dropped a tape measure down to acquire an accurate height measurement, which turned out to be 210ft (64m). The width measured 9ft (2.75m). That's a BIG tree!! Seeing it in the forest setting gives you some sense as to what its even larger neighbour Big Lonely Doug may have looked like before the forest around him was clearcut by Teal-Jones in 2012. The Eden Grove, or 'Lower Edinburgh Grove', is found on Edinburgh Mt. within the traditional territory of the Pacheedaht First Nation. The tree climb was also documented by the Nootka St film crew, who were there filming for their up-and-coming documentary titled 'Hunting Giants', which will feature my explorations for new record-sized trees and the AFA's efforts to save them! Watch for that in Spring of 2017. For now, here are some photos I captured of the climb. It's always a profound and humbling experience entering this suspended world high above the ground. Much like exploring the worlds oceans and caves - or even outer space - the tree-top canopies of temperate forests are a world full of things yet to be discovered and staggering natural beauty. Sadly, fewer and fewer of these ancient giants remain each year that passes. My hope is that these images will inspire action that results in our old-growth forests being protected once and for all.

'Back to the Roots' - Vancouver International Film Festival - Nov. 23 2016

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I'm excited to be a part of 'Back to the Roots', a forest-themed evening at this year's Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) taking place tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 23 at the Rio Theater. I'll be presenting the Ancient Forest Alliance documentary produced by Darryl Augustine, the drone video I filmed of our climb up Big Lonely Doug, and a slideshow of my favourite images from the coast. The night also features a peek at the Heartwood Documentree by Daniel Pierce and a short documentary titled "Primeval" by Damien Gillis on the ancient forests of the Incomappleux Valley. The event starts at 7:30pm (doors 6:30pm) and tickets ($19) are available online here. If you're in the area, it would be great to see you there!

The night was fantastic!! Thank you to everyone who made it out! It was an honour presenting to a sold-out crowd of over 400 people. If you weren't able to make the event, you can still see the videos I shared below. Best, TJ.

Upgrade Time! The New Canon 5D MKIV

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It's always exciting bringing a new piece of gear into your creative field, especially a camera as nice as the new 5D MKIV. I'm not one to run out the door though and buy each camera or phone that hits the market. The pace of technology is simply too great and unless I can point to very specific things that are holding me back with my current setup, I'll stick with it. Back in the film days I shot with the Canon EOS 1N before making the switch to digital in 2006 with the Canon 1D MKII. I shot with that right up until 2012 when I bought the 5D MKII, just a month before the MKIII would come out. The MKII has definitely served me well over the past 4 years, capturing beautiful images and video while being dragged through soaking wet rainforests, over rugged clearcuts, and to the tops of 250ft trees. But certain technical elements were starting to show their age, most notably the auto-focus system, which struggled in low-light and often missed on important shots. I decided it was time. The MKIV's improved auto-focus system, dynamic range, higher resolution, and low-light capabilities, along with its added touch screen, GPS, WiFi, and HDR video with focus tracking, are all much welcomed additions. I can definitely see how it will improve critical areas in my field of shooting on a day-to-day basis, which includes a lot of hand-held shooting in dark forests. I can't wait to get it out in the woods and I'll be sure to post some images once I get back!

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