Each winter, amateur wildlife photographers descend on the Squamish area with the hopes of getting that perfect bald eagle photograph.
Now this weekend novice shutterbugs will have the chance to learn from a professional with over 30 years experience shooting the natural world, including are local raptors.
Norman Rich will be at the Brackendale Art Gallery this Saturday night (Jan. 13) to discuss his Bald Eagle Series of photographs, which are currently on display at the gallery.
Taking the stage at 8 p.m., Rich will not only show his photos of the eagles and explain what it took to capture them on film, he will also show slides of other wildlife he has captured over the years, including owls, elk, and grizzlies.
While Rich takes the time needed to properly photograph wildlife, he then enhances the images through Photoshop, with end result being high quality prints, many of which are currently for sale at the BAG.Rich is the second of two photographers that are lecturing at the BAG as part of this year's Eagle Fest.
Last Saturday Richard Berry showed off his work, which captures the Rocky Mountains from Canmore on the Alberta side of the border across to the Bugaboos.
"The essential ingredient to have for landscape photography is patience," Berry told the 30 or so photography buffs in attendance. "You need the patience to wait for the right lighting and the right weather. You the need the patience to go to the same place over and over again if that is what it takes to get the perfect light."
Getting that light right doesn't always mean just waiting for a sunny day. Berry advises that in order to get close-up shots, be they of wild flowers or a stand of trees, it best to wait for a day that is over cast.
"It doesn't have to be thick cloud, but on a grey day, using a long exposure, it is easiest to get consistent light in close-up shots."
For more panoramic views, ensuring that you bring along the right filters is essential.
"It took me a lot of playing around to find the right mix," said Berry. "When you're photographing mountains the peaks will be bright against the sky and the foreground will be darker. So you want a filter that will darken the top part of the picture and lighten the lower portion."
