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. Monika and Viktoria had us on the go all week shooting many more locations than I am covering in this post. I think I will be editing for years…
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.
I’m hoping these images give a good sense of the place, and I’m happy to get constructive criticism on any of them, for both the captures and the edits.
Let’s head off into the temperate old-growth rainforests first…
A Lady Slipper orchid in the rainforest. These guys are pretty small but totally beautiful. I only saw them in one location.
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. What do you see?
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.
Disorganized wood: Everywhere you go, the high tide line is marked by endless piles of the remains of dead trees. I don’t know how much of this is natural and how much is waste from logging.
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