The Greatest Photography Secret! Revealed

So you want to be a better photographer/dweller of the earth?
The secret is...
to do it. Get out there.

Let me illustrate this.

Most people want to shoot great pictures when they get to that other place where great pictures are waiting, like in Europe (unless you grew up there then you want to come here to North America to shoot) or by the ocean (unless you grew up by the ocean and want to shoot prairies,etc). Hopefully you're beginning to realize that the beauty is right outside your door. Waiting.

The time is now. The place is wherever you are! Hone and develop your skills and share your unique place with us!

Evidence as follows. Lets start at a tiny local grove of trees that most people drive by in the town of Sechelt that I currently live in, on the stretch of coastline I grew up on, and my Mom grew up on, and my Grandpa grew up on.



This is our "normal, ordinary, everyday" park. To you it is not. What does your park look like?

Our park has trees.


The trees have very spectacular branches.


One of the trees has a birdhouse. What things are in your park?


It was an overcast cloudy day. Do you only wait for "good" weather? What makes weather "good"?


Yep. Just a little boring park. ;)


Ok ok.. what if we drive 15 minutes and go to a regional park? I happen to live in a very wet foresty climate. To many who live here it looks like a wet foresty climate and is rather boring because they drive past it every day. Where do you live? What does it look like there? I suspect I'd think it's pretty cool :)

Let's go look in the local woods at Cliff Gilker Park in Roberts Creek.


The larger conifer trees (firs, cedars, hemlock) get most of the light and there is less ground cover where there is less light.

When trees blow down/fall/etc it allows new light in and the forest floor springs to life!


Trees fall down often, only being cut in the park where they obstruct trails, and are left to decay and continue the cycle of life in the forest. Here being host to some moss as sword ferns grow up around.


This region of the continent has been heavily shaped by glaciers and their deposits. The ocean brings moisture laden air which falls on the slopes, nurtures plants, and forms creeks that erode and carve their way back to the sea.




Different layers of life growing and dying in relationship.

An amazing story unfolds around all of us be it in city or park, woodland or plain, coast or mountain.

Or along a simple path.




at this point some of you may still be saying "Oh you silly Maplemusketeer! You have rainforests, and little town parks with trees! We don't have those where I'm from!" Ok.. fair enough. Lets go for one more walk ;)

Up a driveway from a residential house


at the top of the driveway


walking along the road passing under neighbors' trees





turning to walk up under the local powerlines



Where wild flowers and grasses grow


There you have it. The greatest photography secret of all. Where you are is incredible and will never be again. You have the power to freeze that moment for eternity. To capture a flash of it. Wherever you are.

Please let me know how it goes ;) And if you ever find yourself on the Sunshine Coast feel free to take some amazing photos and drop a link in the comment section of this post ;)