Catherine Babault ~ Nature and Wildlife Photography

We are located in Courtenay, in Comox Valley, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Only a few kilometres away from Comox international airport (YQQ).

We are open every day all year round, from 8 am to 8 pm (Vancouver Time).

The award-winning photo book Vancouver Island Wildlife, A Photo Journey (2020) and Vancouver Island Marmot, The World’s Rarest Marmot (2022) are both sold out. Her latest photo book Wild Vancouver Island (2024) can be ordered here.

Catherine’s books are not available in bookstores because of their 40% commission on the retail price.

Contact Catherine if you would like her to add a personal note when she signs the book.

Yes, Catherine offers private photo tours and workshops all year round on Vancouver Island, in English and in French. You can book a tour or workshop for a half day, full day or for several days. Contact Catherine.

You have two options:

1. Join a group on an upcoming workshop. Check the workshops scheduled in the coming months and book online.

2. Ask for a private photo tour or workshop at a time convenient for you, in English or in French. We are open all year round.

All workshops are given in the outdoors so that’s where we meet. The location depends on the length of the workshop:
- Half-day workshops are given in the greater region of the Comox Valley, and
- Multi-day workshops could be anywhere between Nanaimo and north of the Island, and on the west coast (Ucluelet, Tofino).

You need a camera, lenses (wide-angle lens and/or a telephoto lens), a sturdy tripod, extra batteries and memory cards.

Photo tours and workshops are designed for photographers of all levels. You should have a working understanding of your camera’s settings.

The online interactive workshop consists of two parts of one hour each. The in-person photo tours and workshops lasts from 4 hours to several days.

- Catherine is a full-time professional nature photographer. She has been giving photo tours and workshops on Vancouver Island since 2018.

- Catherine lives on Vancouver Island. As a local, she knows the area very well. She spends a lot of time in the field, all year long, no matter the weather, tracking wildlife and looking for the best places and times to photograph nature.
- As an ethical nature photographer, she respects the environment: fauna and flora. The well-being and safety of wild animals always has priority over the participants’ aspirations. We limit our impact on their habitat as much as possible.
- She offers a safe and friendly learning environment for everyone no matter their gender, sexual orientation, identity, background, culture, age or abilities. She is part of a minority herself.
- During the workshops, her time is entirely dedicated to the participants, not to her own shots.
- She is fluent in both English and French.
- Learning does not stop at the end of the workshop. She is always available for follow-up questions.

Photo tour or workshops are limited to 3 participants. It provides you with the best learning environment, with lots of personal time and attention if needed. We can accommodate up to 5 participants for a private photo tour.

We walk a maximum of 8 km (5 miles) a day, on uneven terrain with some hills or inclines. Trails may have loose gravel, tree roots and may be muddy and slippery when wet. You carry your own equipment, water and snacks. It should be manageable by anyone who is moderately active.

If you book a private photo tour or workshop, we can customize the itinerary.

Catherine is with you the entire time to guide you through the creative process, answer questions, help with camera settings, and give feedback. She adapts to your learning style. She brings her own gear only to show how she works and to walk participants through her entire process: how she visualizes the shots, choses the lens and sets her camera.

She is friendly, patient and experienced.

The tours and workshops include services of a local professional photographer, photographic instructions, demonstrations in the field, image critique, and transportation.

The tours and workshops go regardless of the weather, except in the case of extreme weather. Be prepared for all kinds of weather, dress in layers, wear hiking boots or shoes, and have waterproof gear for yourself and your camera.

Read our cancellation policy.

Read our guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All orders are processed through Stripe (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) if you are outside of Canada.

If you live in Canada, payments are processed via e-transfers.

We ship orders within 24 hours through Canada Post. You will receive a confirmation by email once the package has been prepared.

We ship worldwide through Canada Post.

Canada Post provides a tracking number for shipping in Canada, which you will receive by email once your package has been shipped.