Behind The Shot

Behind the Shot: Tiny Tree Biker (Photoshop Composite Project)

by

This image is a little unusual for me because it involves fairly heavy usage of Photoshop which is not something I typically do. I wanted to improve some of my Photoshop knowledge, and there’s no better way to do that than rolling up your sleeves and jumping right in. In particular, I wanted to experiment with creating a composite image – one which was created by combing two or more photos into a single, final shot. As an avid mountain biker, sometimes I have daydreamed about riding around in the incredible trees that grow in by home province of British …

Read more

Behind the Shot: Watersprite Lake Panorama

by

In this example we’re looking at a 9-shot panoramic photo that was created at an alpine lake in British Columbia. Read on to find out which of the big “rules” I broke when I was shooting this…

Behind The Shot: Cirque Lake Lookout

by

I took this photo of my dog on an overnight camping trip to Cirque Lake near Whistler, British Columbia. I thought I’d include it in the Behind The Shot series because it gives me an opportunity to discuss backpacking with photography gear, specifically when you’re also carrying a tent, sleeping bag and other overnight kit. Equipment Used for This Shot To access this camping spot above Cirque Lake requires a kayak to cross nearby Callaghan Lake, and then a hard scramble up a boulder field into the alpine. There are occasional ropes along the trail in the woods, so that gives …

Read more

Behind the Shot: Moraine Lake Sunrise

by

Moraine Lake is one of the most photographed lakes in the world, but this was actually my first time visiting it when I took this shot. Despite the remote looking landscape, there’s easy vehicle access in the summer months, and that means that it’s teeming with people during the day. There are nice shots to be had at night and in the evening, but sunrise is the quietest time, and you get to watch the first light of the day creep its way along the famous peaks at the far end of the lake. Equipment Used for This Shot The …

Read more

Banff Aurora Borealis

Behind the Shot: Aurora Insanity in Banff

by

Every photographer wants a shot at shooting the Northern Lights at some point, and this was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. It was taken at Vermillion Lakes in Banff, Alberta, Canada. A G3 geomagnetic storm rolled in on a night with a clear sky and a new moon that was setting early. You can’t hope for better conditions than that, for them all to align like that is a real rarity and I heard several comments from locals that this was the best storm they had seen in decades. Talk about being in the right place at …

Read more

Behind the Shot: Wise Wildlife Photography Backgrounds

by

This photo was taken in Jasper National Park, Alberta. Jasper has an abundance of wildlife and you often come across things while you’re just driving from A to B, as was the case with this bighorn sheep on the side of the highway.  Now, shooting things on the side of the highway is far from ideal, but I’m not one to pass up a good opportunity when I see one coming my way. This guy was still a little ways up the road from me but was making a pretty good pace in my direction. Rather than drive straight up …

Read more

Behind the Shot: Camera on the Wing!

by

I often try and capture photos of me being me. They come in handy for use with website interviews, magazine pieces, social media posts and profiles with brands that support me in one way or another. In this instance, the opportunity came up to mount a GoPro onto the wing of a plane that I was using for some aerial landscape photography work. If you want to see some of the resulting images, check out the full timelapse further down the page where you’ll find some of the final photos edited into it. When I first posted the video on …

Read more

Behind the Shot: Space Canvas Star Trail

by

This week we’re taking a closer look at this start trail image that I took in the Callaghan Valley near my home of Whistler in British Columbia. Find out how you can make this kind of photo, too!

Behind the Shot: Grizzly on the Rocks

by

This week we’re taking a detailed look at how, and why I created this image of a grizzly bear in British Columbia. What technical and compositional choices do you think I made to maximize the result from this quick encounter? Find out…

Behind the Shot: Winter Bends

by

This week we take a look at a beautiful snowy road in British Columbia for the Behind the Shot breakdown. How did I edit the photo to control the viewers vision through image? Find out in the post!

diamond head squamish

Behind the Shot: Diamond Head Sunset

by

This week’s Behind the Shot article looks at a sunset photo of Diamond Head Mountain that I shot just a few days ago. I love using longer focal lengths for landscape photos and this was a perfect situation for this technique.