When to use a polarizing filter

A polarizing filter is used to reduce reflections and glare from surfaces such as water or glass. Reflections are almost everywhere in nature: light bouncing off wet leaves or rocks surrounding waterfalls. In addition, a polarizing filter increases colour saturation, darken skies and reduces atmospheric haze.

The disadvantage of a polarizing filter is the loss of light that comes through your lens. I recommend a high quality circular polarizing filter to reduce the loss of light between 1 and 1.5 stop. You can compensate that loss by reducing the shutter speed, using a bigger aperture or increasing the ISO. Make sure that both your lens and polarizing filter are clean and free of dust.

These photos demonstrate what a polarizing filter can do when the light bounces off the surface of wet leaves. Note that I used a telephoto lens to isolate my subject and a short depth of field to blur the background.

Black Bear Signs on Vancouver Island, BC

When photographing wildlife, I am always aware of my surroundings. I pay attention to sounds, animal calls, tracks, droppings, and any sign that indicates the presence of wildlife.

A few weeks ago, while on a solo trip to photograph bears in an isolated area, I was distracted by a beautiful Savannah sparrow foraging on the beach. The bird was getting close to me so I used a large piece of driftwood to lean over and take photos at eye-level. I was quiet and still so as not to startle the sparrow. After getting a few good shots, I stood up and that's when I heard a commotion right behind me. It sounded like someone or something heavy had tumbled over a big log. I quickly turned around and saw the back of a black bear in the thick bushes. He was about five metres away from me. The panicked bear started running into the bushes as fast as he could. I could follow his direction by the movements in the bushes. At one point, he even bumped into a small tree. Unlike the bear, I was very calm and the situation actually made me smile. Obviously he hadn't noticed my presence until I moved. But it was also a good reminder to me that I can be very close to wildlife without even realizing it. So I'd like to share with you some basic information and signs of black bears.

Salmon partially eaten by a bear

Black bear scratches

Sandy front foot and hind foot prints

Bear print in wet sand

Partial print of front foot

Partial print of front foot

On Vancouver Island, black bears inhabit forests, grasslands, meadows, intertidal zones, estuaries, river shorelines and urban areas. They eat a wide range of food such as plants, berries, insects, clams, crabs, and fish. Bears are plantigrade, which means they walk on the soles of their feet like humans. The print of their hind foot looks like that of humans. They have five toes like us. These photos show a few signs that you are in bear land: a partially eaten salmon, old scratches on a tree, tracks in the sand, and sandy prints of a front foot next to a hind foot on a wet log.

Stay safe!

Composing with light

Wildlife photographers are familiar with two unpredictable elements: wild animals' behaviour and light. On Vancouver Island it can rain, be foggy and sunny on the same day therefore the light varies all the time. No matter what type of light, harsh or soft, I have to adapt and be creative. Over the years, I have photographed black bears in all kinds of weather conditions and these are some photos to illustrate how I used the light.

Bright sunny day

Harsh light on a sunny day creates strong contrast between shadow and light. Details are lost in dark shadows and bright spots. Furthermore bright spots attract the eyes of the viewer so I take that into consideration when I frame my subject. Light can also bounce off shiny surfaces such as water and leaves, and for this reason I use a polarizing filter to suppress the glare.

Black bear on a sunny day. Photo taken with a polarizing filter.

Black bear on a bright sunrise. Photo taken without a polarizing filter.

Overcast day

Soft light on a cloudy day means less contrast between shadow and light. The viewer's eyes are attracted by the details in the fur of the black bear, its brown snout, its beady eyes and the scales of the fish. This is my prefered type of light.

Black bear on an overcast day.

Black bear with a salmon on an overcast day.

Shooting in thick fog

One morning, I found myself surrounded by black bears in thick fog. The only way to differentiate between rounded boulders and fatty black bears was when the large dark mass started to move. Instead of putting my camera down and waiting for the fog to dissipate, which could take a long time, I used the fog to capture the mood of that moment.

Black bear in thick fog.

Female black bear and her cub in thick fog.

Silhouettes

A backlit subject, or a dark subject against a bright background, can produce interesting silhouettes and create bold images. The subject really stands out.

Silhouette of a black bear walking on the shore.

Silhouette of a black bear eating a salmon in the sea.

No matter what type of light, there are ways to adapt and be creative.

Abstract Images, Photo Tip and Spring Workshop

Hello Yellow - Abstract image

Travelling is part of my life so, after more than two years on Vancouver Island, it was time to get out.

I always plan my adventures carefully: places to visit, subjects to photograph, routes, etc., which is why I travelled to Astoria, Oregon. I wanted to photograph an old rusty wagon, abandoned boats and buildings marked by the passage of time. My preparation and the time spent on site for this project gave results beyond my expectations. You can order prints here.

As I often mention during my workshops, it is important to take your time in the field: find your subject, think about your composition, adjust your camera properly according to the expected results (framing, depth of field, shutter speed, etc.) You will achieve better results than taking lots of photos hoping that one will be good enough and then trying to correct its flaws in post-processing.

This spring, reconnect with nature and sign up for a photo adventure for yourself or with a loved one, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia! Spring is an ideal time to travel: it’s an amazing palette of colours, the snow melt swells streams to form beautiful cascades, and animals are busy caring for their offsprings: very photogenic subjects. I invite you to register for my workshop from May 27 to 29, places are limited to 5 people.

Nature Photography Workshops on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, in 2022

Whether you are already on Vancouver Island or planning to visit this year, here is a list of my photo workshops in 2022:

• 29 January - Strathcona Park

• 26 February - Strathcona Park

• 21-23 March - Herring Spawn on Vancouver Island

• 27-29 May - Spring on Vancouver Island

• 19-23 September - Tofino (in French only)

• 3-7 October - Tofino

• 13-16 October - Fall Colours on Vancouver Island

• Half-day photo workshop, Comox Valley (in English only) : 14 May, 11 June, 9 July, 13 August

• Half-day photo workshop, Comox Valley (in French only) : 7 May, 4 June, 2 July, 6 August

If you prefer, you can request a private workshop that ranges from one day to several days. Book early as I am already starting to get requests for this summer.

I look forward to showing you my favourite places on Vancouver Island for nature photography and helping you improve your photography skills!

Ateliers de photographie de nature sur l'Île de Vancouver, Colombie-Britannique, en 2022

Que vous soyez déjà sur l’Île de Vancouver ou que vous prévoyez de la visiter cette année, voici une liste de mes ateliers photo en 2022 :

• 29 janvier - Strathcona Park

• 26 février - Strathcona Park

• 21-23 mars - Herring Spawn on Vancouver Island

• 27-29 mai - Spring on Vancouver Island

• 19-23 septembre - Tofino (en français seulement)

• 3-7 octobre - Tofino

• 13-16 octobre - Fall Colours on Vancouver Island

• Ateliers photo d’une demi-journée, Vallée de Comox (en français seulement) : 7 mai, 4 juin, 2 juillet, 6 août

• Ateliers photo d’une demi-journée, Vallée de Comox (en anglais seulement) : 14 mai, 11 juin, 9 juillet, 13 août

Si vous préférez, vous pouvez demander un atelier privé qui va d’une journée à plusieurs jours. Réservez tôt car je commence déjà à recevoir des demandes pour cet été.

Au plaisir de vous montrer mes endroits préférés sur l’Île de Vancouver pour la photographie de nature et de vous aider à améliorer vos techniques en photographie !

La nature avant tout

L’éthique dans la photographie naturaliste

La plupart d’entre nous aimons être dans la nature pour y trouver de l’inspiration, pratiquer un sport ou tout simplement pour notre bien-être mental. Le grand air, la beauté des paysages et les rencontres fortuites avec des animaux nous permettent de nous retrouver et de souffler un peu. En tant que photographe naturaliste, je préfère nettement passer mon temps à l’extérieur que devant mon ordinateur. Cependant, lorsque je suis sur le terrain, je suis consciente d’être dans un monde qui ne m’appartient pas. Ici vivent des plantes et des animaux alors que je ne suis qu’un visiteur et il est clair que chacun de nos passages dérange des écosystèmes, des bulles de vie.

C’est pourquoi, je m’efforce de réduire mon impact sur l’environnement en appliquant des principes d’éthique dans mon métier de photographe, même si c’est parfois au détriment du résultat final de mes expéditions : ce qui est primordial pour moi n’est pas d’obtenir la photo du siècle mais bien de respecter la nature. La patience et la persévérance deviennent alors des facteurs clefs pour obtenir des photos intéressantes, notamment du comportement des animaux sauvages dans leur milieu naturel.

Lorsque j’ai eu le privilège de photographier une wapiti en train d’allaiter trois petits, c’est elle qui a établi la distance entre nous et qui a déterminé la durée de la rencontre. Lorsqu’elle est repartie tranquillement dans la forêt, j’aurai pu la suivre dans un but personnel, celui d’obtenir plus de photographies, mais j’ai pensé au stress que ça leur causerait. Mon attitude calme et respectueuse envers la faune me permet de vivre des moments intimes comme celui-ci où chacun s’observe, s’évalue avant de poursuivre ses activités. Seules la patience et la détermination donnent d’excellents résultats, en plus de la satisfaction de respecter la nature.

Polarizing Filter

Not the greatest images but perfect to demonstrate what a polarizing filter does. It allows you to:

• Suppress glare from shiny surfaces such as water, windows, leaves, etc.,

• Manage reflections,

• Darken skies, and

• Protect your lens.

I love it when my models are as cooperative as this lovely frog.