Capture the Wild Photography Contest

Meet the 2008 Winning Photographers

Dave Allan

“The photo Red Deer River Morning was made last summer on the second part of our canoe trip down the Red Deer River from Red Deer to Drumheller. We had canoed from the Big Valley bridge to Drumheller two weekends earlier and were doing the Red Deer to Big Valley section. We had camped on the river bank a few kilometres upstream of the Content bridge. I woke up early, got up and started the stove to make coffee and saw the fog on the river. I grabbed my camera and tripod and just started shooting like mad. I must have taken about a hundred shots in 15 minutes. This was the best of the bunch.”

See more at www.allanography.com

Ian Cocks

Ian moved to Calgary, Alberta from Motherwell, Scotland in 1996. Ian has had many passions in his life: golf, martial arts, fitness, hiking and his latest, photography. Ian has focused more on his photography for the past five years. Ian gives one hundred per cent to his interests to learn and perfect his skills, and this is true for his most recent adventure with photography. Ian enjoys both landscape and wildlife photography, primarily shooting from Banff National Park to Yellowstone National Park, in all extremes of weather.

The image of the coyote was captured at the end of a week in Yellowstone National Park, located in the Hayden Valley area. Ian observed the coyote crossing the road, and followed close by, knowing that he was looking for food. The coyote turned, heading back towards Ian. It paused for a few seconds and sprang into the air. Gotcha!

You can see more of Ian’s images on Flickr:tyblue90.

Alan Ernst

“My wife and I settled in the Rocky Mountains ten years ago, when we decided to run a small eco-tourism lodge.

“I took up photography at the age of 12 with a roll-film box camera, and over the years, it evolved into my main hobby, as it is easy to combine with my love for nature and travel and can be pursued anywhere, anytime. My preference is for nature, travel, close-up and architecture, with a penchant for abstracts, patterns and detail extraction.

“For me, photography is a great way to unwind, observe and appreciate our surroundings.

“The image of the aspen leaf was taken on a photo field trip with guests on a cool and cloudy November morning along the North Saskatchewan River, where we had hoped to capture the first light of that day. The light never happened, but on our return the intricate patterns in the mud – interspersed with animal tracks, dead leaves, rocks and ice crystals – shifted our focus from the sky to the ground …

Our Web site is www.aurumlodge.com.”

Steve Fagan

Steve Fagan was born in the small town of St. Joseph�s, Newfoundland. Travel during his teenage years planted the seed for what would develop into a very strong desire to see the world and to experience its many different cultures. In the early 1980's Steve moved to Calgary, Alberta and has since traveled extensively in North and Central America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. The beauty and diversity of the world's scenery and its many subjects proved to be a perfect fit to Steve's love of photography and has enabled him to develop a wide variety in his photographic interests. Many of Steve's photos can be viewed at www.faganimages.ca.

Description of photos:

Elephant Charge: While on safari in the Okavango Delta we had just spent a quiet 10 minutes watching a herd of 15-20 elephants, comprised of mothers and babies. As we began our drive back to camp we could hear a loud rumble growing behind us. A quick look to the rear presented a line of elephants charging towards our jeep in a cloud of dust that was backlit by the setting sun. I was fortunate to capture this image as I leaned over the back of the jeep as we bumped along the rough terrain. Our experienced guide quickly stopped the jeep, allowing the elephants to recognize that we were not a threat and within a moment they were back to their relaxed feeding.
Leopard Portrait: While on safari in South Luangua National Park in Zambia we spotted a young female leopard resting in a tree. As our view was blocked by the many branches and leaves we decided to drive around the large tree and were fortunate to find an opening through which we could just fit our open top jeep. Driving under the tree provided us with an unobstructed close-up view of this beautiful leopard. She allowed us to visit for 20 minutes before slowly climbing down the tree, scratching herself against the tree trunk and then walking away. I was ecstatic to capture many very nice images of her, with this one being my favorite as I believe that a close look at her face and eyes shows that in addition to be being the fast, powerful and dangerous predator that we often associate them with, these beautiful cats also exhibit a vary calm, content and peaceful personality. The 20 minutes under that tree ranks as one of the most memorable experiences of all my days on safari.

Heather Simonds

Every day is a gift from nature. Photography captures those gifts in a way that can be shared and admired and leave no trace. Heather shoots in all seasons and all kinds of weather many subjects including nature, close-ups, portraits and travel. Many subjects are found in the surrounds of Calgary, while extensive travel to most continents has provided fresh insight and new subjects.

Birds have taught Heather a lot about photography and related fields (shutter speed, depth of field, aperture, animal behavior, weather, and a lot about patience and humility). After returning from a trip to South America in 2002 she “came out of the closet” about birding and this rejuvenated an interest in photography. Now she is rarely without photo equipment and binoculars. If you miss the shot, you can still observe and admire and learn. She has found you don't have to go far to find an interesting subject in nature. There is a lot happening in your backyard and neighbourhood, just waiting for you to open your eyes and become more mindful of your surroundings. With this mindfulness and appreciation comes the desire to preserve the wilderness.

You can see more of her images at www.lightmatters.ca.

Wayne Simpson

“I have always had an interested in photography, but never imagined that it would become my way of life. My professional photography career started with corporate photography and later turned into wedding, portrait and landscape photography. I find solitude and endless beauty in nature, and make a point of introducing that natural beauty into my portrait and wedding work. We all enjoy nature, but not all of us take the time to see all that nature has to offer – my goal is to make this beauty apparent in all aspects of my work. If you would like to see more of my work please visit my Web site at www.waynesimpsonphotography.com.”

Michael Wieser

Michael Wieser is an enthusiastic amateur photographer living in Calgary, Alberta. Photography enables Michael to combine his enjoyment and wonder of wild spaces and wildlife with his fascination for technology. Through his images, Michael can focus on and share with others the incredible beauty found in our environment. When he is not wandering around taking photographs, he works as a physicist at the University of Calgary. To view a selection of Michael’s work, visit www.opticnervous.com.

The photograph Among Giants was taken in the Cathedral Grove MacMillan Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The enormous ancient trees in this old-growth forest dwarf the Red-breasted Sapsucker. The juxtaposition of the giant tree and the tiny bird is awe-inspiring and reminds us of the interconnectedness that draws together all life on our planet.

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