Destination Kelowna

There is nothing like getting away and exploring a new environment. I had the opportunity recently to take my family away to Kelowna BC for BC's Family Day weekend. Read on to hear about some of the experiences we had, from places to stay and things to do.

Starting with our accommodations. We booked with Vacation By Owner which as of the third attempt was a great success. We stayed at Playa Del Sol in Kelowna's Mission District. Now I will say dealing with VRBO was somewhat trying and we did start our adventure off by thinking we had made a mistake. When I booked the first condo I received confirmation back very quickly and 2 days after providing the information required for a contract was informed that this unit had been double booked and was not actually available. The second attempt showed the unit as available but found out quickly it was not available either. I did consider giving up all together; however the other adventures we were looking forward to in Kelowna had already been booked as of the first confirmation.

Third time is the charm. We contacted the last person and new right away we were in the right place. The owner was professional, prompt and personable. The three P's are so important to me. We accepted the contract and were off to our Kelowna adventure.

The condo we rented was a lovely 2 bedrooms plus den, but the den had been converted to a third bedroom. The master had a king size bed and the other two rooms had queens. There was even a pull-out couch if you needed it.
Kitchen was well equipped with cookware enough to create some delightful dinners including eggs Benedict for breakfast, and my wife made tasty pineapple angel food cupcakes.





When in Kelowna in the winter no trip is complete without a trip to Big White Ski Village. We went up on the Saturday and were welcomed to fantastic interior BC powdery snow and crystal blue skies. One of my sons, an avid snowboarder, allowed me to capture this shot of his expertise. Now unfortunately I missed him face planting into the snow as he missed his landing, but exploiting what your kids give you is just part of the game.






We headed to The Bull Wheel for lunch. If you get up there the two absolute musts are the lobster chowder and the best wings I've ever eaten.




We ended the holiday in Kelowna with an exceptionally competitive round of mini golf or as my youngest calls it small golf.

So there it is. A holiday in a nut shell. Get out and enjoy your time with family, friends, or whoever. Life is always what you make it so make some memories today. Oh and try to photograph some of them too.

Destination Photography: Westin Bayshore, Vancouver

What a spectacular weekend!

Continuing from Friday's blog about shooting video, my wife and I attended a wedding this last weekend in Vancouver and stayed at the Westin Bayshore Inn. What an experience. The service, the comfort, the views ... incredible. You can see one of the shots I took of the area above. Is that not breathtaking?

Arriving somewhat early to video the guests arriving and the venue before the shindig got started, I felt the first stop should be to introduce myself to the photographer who was hired for the wedding. As he watched me approach (with two camera bags, lighting bag, tripods) you could see apprehension in his eyes about this "presumptuous guest" being his worst nightmare. Photographers are largely lone wolves; they might not mind working with another photographer at times, but to have a guest show up with a pile of equipment usually translates into another obstacle that needs to be navigated.

I quickly explained to him I was very close friends with the bride, and that I was here to video her wedding for her elderly grandmother. This did not change the look on his face, but my next question did.

"Where can I be so I won't impede any of your photographs?"

That, my friends, was the key. This man and his assistants have a very difficult job to do and every guest on that boat has their own special way of becoming irritating to the wedding photographer. It was an obvious relief to him that I was willing to work around him, rather than getting in his way.


I took special effort to ensure my equipment was always out of the way and not impeding on any of the shots he was taking. Towards the end of the ceremony, he and I had some time for a bit of a chat. He went through some of the stills that I took and gave some great feedback on them. One he liked in particular was this, taken at full dusk.

Keep this in mind when you are a guest or at a venue you have not been hired at. Introduce yourself, be courteous to the staff photographer, stay out of the way, and maybe you will get some gems the way I did. If you stay out of their way, they're more likely to let you get your shots after they're finished, and everyone is more likely to have a good time. It's a matter of respect, and who knows -- maybe one day the tables will be turned and you will be the staff photographer wishing that everyone would stay out of your way.

Now I can't let this blog end without explaining the full experience of staying at this grand hotel so please read on.

I booked our room about six weeks ago and speaking to the staff on the phone left me feeling that I would be enjoying a very luxurious weekend at their hotel. There were a variety of packages available and they patiently walked me through each one that interested me explaining the perks and pitfalls of each one. They were not hesitant about explaining where one package fell short or another shined based on the needs of my wife and I. Even after I had booked the room, which was a non-refundable discount, they had no problems exploring my options when I thought I had to cancel (which, luckily, I didn't). One issue that did arise was the request for corporate discount, which the staff suggested was very difficult to qualify for, seems reserved for large corporations not small business people. Some places are more welcoming of small business owners and require only a business card or other proof that you do, in fact, run a business. Unfortunately Westin Bayshore wasn't one of them, but it's not anything I was going to sweat about.

We arrived about two-and-a-half hours before check-in time, and they allowed us entry to our room which was ready without an early check-in pricing. A bellhop was assigned right away to take us and our luggage, including a formidable amount of video gear, to our room and our vehicle was taken by valet parking. En route to our room, our bellhop explained many of the features of the hotel, some of which I immediately pegged as opportunities to get some shots of Vancouver. There was a beautiful dining area overlooking the harbour of Vancouver, an exercise/fitness centre open 24 hours, indoor and outdoor pools, spa, coffee shop, and the list goes on.

In our room we were delighted with the spaciousness of it all. A stylistic tile bathroom with more than enough space for you and your travelling partner to spread out all your hair face and beauty needs. A tile and glass rainshower to  relax your fatigued muscles from the trip in and freshen up. Sitting and office area are combined with large flat screen TV and high speed wired and wireless internet. Finally, (and I leave the best for last) the most comfortable, relaxing, enveloping bed I have ever slept on in my entire life.

This bed is so comfortable that it requires its own paragraph. When I check in to a hotel I usually will flop down on the bed just to see how it feels. I am so thankful I was already dressed for the wedding my wife and I were attending because if I had of flopped onto this gem I may not have made the wedding. It is hard to describe just how this bed seems to wrap around you, as you lay under the comforter. It's not that it was an overly soft bed, which tend to be hard on your back if you sleep in them, but it just seemed to provide support all around you in just the right amount of resistance. In a nut shell this was the best bed I have ever slept on and I thought it didn't get any better than home.

I would strongly suggest if you are looking for an exceptional getaway, where you are pampered, truly looked after and made to feel like the most important client ever, stay at the Westin Bayshore Vancouver. It was a relief to check into a hotel that took care of the little details and had everything I needed nearby, so that I could focus on the wedding and on getting some leisure shots in my spare time.

Normally a photographer would end this piece with the bride and groom, but that's normal instead I would like to leave you with this photo of the bride and her new niece, and the reminder that special moments can happen any time, so just pick up the camera and see what you capture.

Destination Photography: Harrison Hotsprings

The beauty of Harrison Lake

It's almost time for my wife and I to make our quarterly trek to Harrison. This is a delightful location for both of us to decompress, re-energise and relax. Located just off of highway 7 in the Fraser Valley, about an hour and a half from Vancouver, this is a world-renowned location that attracts visitors year- round for its splendour, beauty and (most importantly) its hot springs.

Arriving in Harrison I strongly suggest taking a wander down to Muddy Waters Cafe where they serve breakfast all day. Or, if you're interested in some lunch, they boast the best nachos in town. I've had them on more than one occasion and I can honestly say the boast is not idle.

After lunch you can take a casual stroll along the park and lake; the town of Harrison takes great pride in their parks, as you can see in this photo. If the kids are along as well, you will find the communities brand new playground close to the man-made lagoon. Luckily, just a two minute walk away there's a refreshing lake with a sandy beach for those who no longer hear the call of the monkeybars.

 If you're there with someone special, maybe you want to just sit and watch the waves at the beach.








If you enjoy the outdoors there are also some spectacular hiking trails. If water sport is your passion there are boat rentals, guided fishing adventures, or relaxing beach side. Of course the greatest of all is the hot springs which has given Harrison its worldwide fame.

If you are staying at Harrison Hotspring Resort then you have access to the hot springs at their source. There is much more to see and do check out the community tourism page for all the latest and greatest of events.

On the path around the Resort

Accommodations are plentiful and available in a variety of price ranges. Be sure to shop around for pricing and specials. My favourite is the Harrison Ramada Hotel. They offer frequent deals, and the rooms are newly renovated, some with spa tubs and king-size beds.

Just a couple doors down, the Harrison Hairstyling and Day Spa is there for all your relaxation needs.








For evening dining I would recommend the Blackforest Restaurant. The food is simply to die for and the service has always been above and beyond exceptional. I enjoy the schnitzel Madagascar and believe it is the best schnitzel I have ever eaten. If you prefer, there is a sushi restaurant on the main street that I also recommend.

With so much to see and do in Harrison, I believe you will, like me, find more than enough reason to go back again and again and again. Don't forget your camera, because Harrison is full of beautiful and secluded spots, boasting everything you want in a nature shot (mountains, water, beaches, blue sky) as well as quaint little areas in town just begging for a snapshot.

Destination Photography: Hell's Gate

Nestled in the Cascade Mountains, Hell's Gate is located two and a half hours away from Vancouver it is well worth the journey. If you start out early in the day, you can arrive easily by opening at 10 a.m. and even have time for a coffee and snack in the picturesque town of Hope on your way up the Trans-Canada Highway.
In terms of a view (and the resulting photos) this location is awe-inspiring; more water carves its way through this narrow Fraser River canyon than goes over Niagara Falls each day.

The main attraction is the air tram spanning the river, and as you board you can hear the thundering water. The sound isn't all that surprising, considering 200 million gallons of water per minute crushes between the sides of the gorge. On the day I visited, the river's water level was 120 feet deep, and this was at the end of July when high water is already down considerably.


At the other end of the air tram is a quaint and very informative interpretive centre. There are things to see and do for all ages, which kept my family occupied nicely while I devolved into my natural shutterbug state.


I made a point to wander out over the river on the suspension bridge and made full use of the late morning lighting to photograph the river and the fish ladders (see right). These fish ladders are designed to help salmon make their journey up the Fraser to their spawning grounds; they're designed to slow the water down so the fish can have an easier time getting through the gorge, where the water gets a little rough and rowdy as it pushes through.


After I finished with the suspension bridge I wandered through the displays. I found the Chinese history exhibit (dedicated to all the workers that helped build the bridge and the bordering rail lines) particularly interesting. While my family wandered around, I took advantage of the fact that we were the only ones there to get down and dirty and take some interesting shots of the artefacts. This is one of the benefits of starting out early and on a weekday: you can sneak shots in without getting in anyone's way or having to wait for a passerby to get the heck out of your shot.


Other than these photo opportunities, I have to wax poetic on lunch. I had an amazing bowl of salmon chowder, which was the best I have ever eaten, and a very large cheeseburger and fries that tasted like they had coerced a master chef into the tiny kitchen. Even if you're not a chowder kind of a person, just trust me and order a bowl. It was creamy, well-seasoned, and they weren't shy about adding the salmon. Perfect!

After lunch, I took some time with the family to check out the fudge factory. Yes, you heard me: a fudge factory. They had 23 different kinds when we were there, and I cleaned them out of the last of their espresso crunch fudge (which I can't stop eating, and now my wife has instituted a lunch-before-fudge rule).

Anyway there are many other things to check out and see, and a ton of great photo opportunities. Sometimes you don't have to go very far to find a completely new location and snap some dramatic pics, and I recommend you check out your own nearby tourist locations. Even if you roll your eyes at the thought of playing tourist, you shouldn't discount the opportunities waiting for you in your own neighbourhood. Tourist attractions draw tourists for a reason, and you can up your game by playing tourist with an SLR instead of a point-and-shoot or camera phone.

If you find yourself heading to Hell's Gate, I recommend bringing a wide-angle lens to grab more of that great landscape, a telephoto lens to zoom in on details that other tourists are likely to miss, definitely a tripod to help steady your shots and maybe set up some timed family portraits (including you), and last but not least, a big appetite for fudge.