Gord Tomlin
Well-Known Member
In May, I went on a week-long photo workshop in Haida Gwaii, led by Viktoria Haack and Monika Deviat. I already had my eye on Haida Gwaii as a destination I would like to visit, and this made for a unique opportunity. It turned out to be much more than a beautiful location...it was a life-altering experience.
Haida Gwaii is an archipelago off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, which was formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands; they are still part of Canada, but are now almost autonomous as the territory of the Haida. The Haida people have persevered and bounced back from almost being exterminated by a litany of assaults and oppression by European explorers and industrialists, churches and the Canadian Government.
The Haida people are very friendly, open and direct. They have a strong connection with nature and are fiercely protective of the environment. It's quite a mystical and magical place. Understanding the close relationship the Haida have with nature and the environment is key to making the most of a visit.
Let's head off into the temperate old-growth rainforests first...
A Lady Slipper orchid in the rainforest on Haida Gwaii. These guys are pretty small but totally beautiful.
A new baby mushroom sheltered under another that might be its parent.
Green on green: in the temperate old-growth forests of Haida Gwaii, the ferns, mosses and lichens growing on essentially everything seem to smooth out and reduce the chaos that is the norm in other woodlands. Here, I liked how the moss-covered stumps seemed to be an invitation to sit down and enjoy the surroundings.
A little "water tumble" in a stream on the way to Spirit Lake. Wishing I'd used a CPL to reduce the shine for this one...
In Haida Gwaii, the forest really is watching: I went to shoot this stump because I liked the way the foliage and moss flowed from the top. Then I saw this face staring at me on the LCD of my camera, and suddenly the greenery was hair. After I took the shot, I looked directly at the stump and could not see the face no matter how hard I tried.
The temperate old growth rainforests of Haida Gwaii are a reflection of the bond between the Haida people and nature...mystical and stunningly beautiful, and you can feel a presence when you are in them. Sometimes, a forest is more than a bunch of trees.
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One day we got out on a small boat for a different perspective.
A big male Steller sea lion along with some of his harem on a small island... the size difference between males and females is pretty dramatic. Da ya think I'm sexy?
A dramatic rock formation on the east coast. Do you see anything in it?
Back on land in coastal locations
Fascinating textures and patterns in a volcanic rock outcrop at Tow Hill. I could have spent days on end in this location.
Misty layers on the trek to the wreck of the Pesuta.
Organized wood: The Pesuta was a commercial vessel that ran aground about 100 years ago, and this is what remains.
Haida Gwaii is an archipelago off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, which was formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands; they are still part of Canada, but are now almost autonomous as the territory of the Haida. The Haida people have persevered and bounced back from almost being exterminated by a litany of assaults and oppression by European explorers and industrialists, churches and the Canadian Government.
The Haida people are very friendly, open and direct. They have a strong connection with nature and are fiercely protective of the environment. It's quite a mystical and magical place. Understanding the close relationship the Haida have with nature and the environment is key to making the most of a visit.
Let's head off into the temperate old-growth rainforests first...
A Lady Slipper orchid in the rainforest on Haida Gwaii. These guys are pretty small but totally beautiful.
A new baby mushroom sheltered under another that might be its parent.
Green on green: in the temperate old-growth forests of Haida Gwaii, the ferns, mosses and lichens growing on essentially everything seem to smooth out and reduce the chaos that is the norm in other woodlands. Here, I liked how the moss-covered stumps seemed to be an invitation to sit down and enjoy the surroundings.
A little "water tumble" in a stream on the way to Spirit Lake. Wishing I'd used a CPL to reduce the shine for this one...
In Haida Gwaii, the forest really is watching: I went to shoot this stump because I liked the way the foliage and moss flowed from the top. Then I saw this face staring at me on the LCD of my camera, and suddenly the greenery was hair. After I took the shot, I looked directly at the stump and could not see the face no matter how hard I tried.
The temperate old growth rainforests of Haida Gwaii are a reflection of the bond between the Haida people and nature...mystical and stunningly beautiful, and you can feel a presence when you are in them. Sometimes, a forest is more than a bunch of trees.
.One day we got out on a small boat for a different perspective.
A big male Steller sea lion along with some of his harem on a small island... the size difference between males and females is pretty dramatic. Da ya think I'm sexy?
A dramatic rock formation on the east coast. Do you see anything in it?
Back on land in coastal locations
Fascinating textures and patterns in a volcanic rock outcrop at Tow Hill. I could have spent days on end in this location.
Misty layers on the trek to the wreck of the Pesuta.
Organized wood: The Pesuta was a commercial vessel that ran aground about 100 years ago, and this is what remains.
