This year, among the striking images of wildlife and beautiful landscapes in the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibit, Feb. 14 to April 27 at Victoria’s Royal BC Museum, one photograph is swimming in praise.
Shane Gross, a Nanaimo-based marine conservation journalist is the Adult Grand Title Winner with The Swarm of Life, which pictures western toad tadpoles dappled in light beneath a lake’s surface near Campbell River, on northern Vancouver Island.
Gross says many of his images can take months or years to get, but with this one he was lucky.
“After researching the best time of year to visit the tadpoles I spent about six hours in the lake that day getting to know the lake, the tadpoles, their behaviours and trying different angles and lighting techniques,” he says.
Gross brought out their “amazing golden flecks” by front-lighting the tadpoles.
READ MORE: Bearing down: Grizzly image captures top Amateur Photographer of the Year prize
The photograph was chosen out of 59,228 entries from 117 countries and territories at the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards, hosted by by the U.K.’s Natural History Museum.
Gross brings a passion for conservation to his craft, which is why he co-founded the Canadian Conservation Photographers Collective (CCPC) with a few friends.
“We believe that by coming together, we are stronger … Our goal is to fight for the rights of nature using our skills as photographers, videographers and storytellers.”
It’s a similar sentiment behind the 100 photos from photographers across the globe that will travel from London’s Natural History Museum to Royal BC Museum from Feb. 14 to April 27. The exhibition “captures and illuminates the intricate beauty of our world while highlighting the global effort to restore Mother Earth,” reads the Royal BC Museum website.
“We are bombarded with important facts and statistics about the degradation of our planet every day, but it rarely results in change. Humans are visual and emotional creatures, so to evoke change we can use the power of visual storytelling,” Gross says.
“I think the exhibit has the power to change individual lives and goals. I know that certain images and films have changed mine.”
To plan your visit, head to royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/visit/plan-your-visit
READ MORE: Klahoose Wilderness Resort named Canada’s Indigenous Tourism Business of the Year
Plan your adventures throughout the West Coast at westcoasttraveller.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @thewestcoasttraveller. And for the top West Coast Travel stories of the week delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our weekly Armchair Traveller newsletter!
Vancouver Island’s Eyrie voted Cowichan Valley’s perfect romantic getaway spot