Capture the Wild

Meet the 2003 Winning Photographers

Christa Beckmann

I have always had an interest in photography and started taking photos when I was young. In high school, I took photos for my school paper and yearbook and experimented with black and white developing in art class. I have also had an interest in natural history from the age of ten, so most of my photos are outdoors related. Currently, I am pursuing a Masters degree at the University of Regina. My research topic is incubation behaviour in mountain bluebirds and tree swallows. My field site is just west of the city of Calgary – a perfect place to spend my summers! I balance my work days with outdoor activities including nature photography, birding, backcountry hiking and cross country skiing.

The photo of the alpine phlox required persistence and patience! First I searched for the “perfect” clump of flowers – a group that had a mix if both white and purple blooms, that were grouped closely, had no other species or clutter, and were on the same level so all would be in focus. Then came the waiting game – it was a bright sunny day which made for high contrast, so I had to wait for a cloud to shadow my flowers before I could take the shot. I wanted more than one exposure, so I had to wait for a number of clouds. This photo was taken with a Nikon F90X camera body with an 80-180mm-macro lens.

The mountain goat photo was by comparison easier. I had the good luck to find the goat in the perfect location while on a hike in the Rockies! This photo was taken with a Canon Elan 7 camera body with an 18-35 mm lens.

Robert Berdan

Robert Berdan is a professional nature photographer, teacher and Web developer. Robert has been photographing for more than 30 years. He worked for 15 years as a medical research scientist, five years as manager at the Calgary Science Center and since 1996 has been operating his own business, Science & Art. You can view and purchase his photographs at www.scienceandart.ca

Peter Biro

I am a research scientist studying animal ecology, specifically fish. I recently graduated from the University of Calgary with a PhD. My inspiration for photography comes from a love of the outdoors, but also a love for photography itself. I try and spend as much time outdoors as possible, with nature photography a focus of my time spent outside.

The photo of the bobcat was a combination of great luck and having the right equipment at hand. I was trying to photograph ducks at the edge of a small pond when I looked over my shoulder and realized that I was being watched by the bobcat. It stood there just long enough for me to swing myself and the lens around and get several frames. The photo was shot with a Canon 10d camera and tripod mounted 500mm lens (800mm equivalent in 35mm format), taken at a distance of about 4 meters. Colour saturation was adjusted in the final print to look like Fuji Velvia slide film, my favourite for nature film.

Roger Chayer

Roger is a self-taught freelance photographer with a career spanning ten years. His photography has led him to many exciting areas around the world including Africa, Europe, South America, the United States and his home country, Canada. Calgary, Alberta is where Roger currently calls home and with the Canadian Rockies as its backdrop, it is no wonder that adventure sport and landscape photography dominate his portfolio. As a climber and outdoor sport enthusiast himself, Roger has the inherent ability of capturing the true essence of the sports and activities depicted in his images. He has been published in magazines such as Climbing, Rock and Ice, Outside Magazine, Explore Magazine, Gripped, Alp (Italy) and Climber (UK).

On CPAWS, he feels proud to be associated with an organization with such an honest agenda. Participating in the photo contest is a way for him to help CPAWS in their mission to make us aware of the natural world around us.

Bob Christopher

Bob Christopher is a 56-year-old retired schoolteacher. Bob and his wife Vivian have three sons, Kevin, Sean and Gary. Bob holds an Outdoor Pursuits Degree from the University of Calgary and an Education Degree from the University of Lethbridge.

Bob is an active member of the Foothills Camera Club and is an avid outdoor photographer who spends much of his time travelling in Canada and the United States trying to “capture the light” on film. In his photographic endeavours, Bob uses a 35mm analog camera and shoots in colour as well as black and white.

Bob and Vivian especially like to backpack in the Canadian Rockies and have traversed the length of the Continental Divide from the southern tip of Banff National Park at Palliser Pass to Jasper townsite. The North and South Boundary trails as well as the West Coast Trail have been completed on more than one occasion. The Front Ranges of Banff are also favourite locations for extended backpacking adventures. Bob and Vivian also enjoy exploring the Four Corners regions of the United States where they are able to capture warm images while the snows have not yet melted from the Canadian landscape.

The image “Morning Light-Maligne Pass” is a favourite of the photographer and was captured on Velvia Film last year while on a backpacking trip from Nigel Pass at the Columbia Icefields, through Maligne Pass and finishing in Jasper via the Skyline Trail. Bob hopes to continue his photography for many years to come.

Christopher Dobbin

In my professional life, I’m a Research Scientist for NOVA Chemicals. I play the role of molecular architect, designing new polyethylene resin products for a wide variety of consumer and industrial applications.

Not surprisingly, my interest in chemistry developed hand-in-hand with my interest in photography and I’ve been doing both for almost three decades. A recent move into digital photographic media has made my wet chemical darkroom somewhat superfluous but has reenergized my passion for the photographic arts. Photography provides an ample excuse to get out and see the world.

This laid-back hoary marmot was spotted in the rock piles up on Ptarmigan Cirque in the Highwood Pass region of Kananaskis Country this summer. Given the marmot’s penchant for hibernation, it’s uncertain whether he was just getting up or contemplating bed.

George Halmazna

I was born in Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic. Took most of my schooling there.

In 1968, Russians invaded the country of my birth and that changed my life. With my wife Zdena, we decided to immigrate to Canada and start our family there. We have two sons, Paul and Marty, born here in Calgary. My love for animals got me a job at the Calgary Zoo. I became Zookeeper after four years of apprenticeship, working with all animals in Zoo collection. But my main interest was always birds, especially birds of prey. I worked in Animal Health Center for 17 years and was involved in wildlife rehabilitation. I was able to combine my hobby of birding, bird banding and raptor nesting observations with my work. Those years were awesome and most rewarding.

Now, after almost 31 years with Zoo, I’m slowly preparing my self for retirement. Concentrating more on my hobbies – birding, hiking and photography. Still actively monitoring migrations of birds, especially Golden Eagles and other raptors. I’m camping and hiking with my family and taking full advantage of digital technology in photography.

Kevin M. Law

Kevin is an award winning freelance photographer based in Edmonton. He is a past recipient of the Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association award for photojournalism. His work has been published in The Edmonton Journal, Popular Photography and Canadian Geographic. He is also a contributing photographer with Index Stock Imagery of New York, and Alamy Images of Britain.

“Landscape photography is the one form of photography where I can feel a spiritual connection to the subject matter. When trying to capture the beauty of a landscape, I usually try to photograph it as a panorama in an effort to recreate the enormous spirit that seems to radiate from the environment.”

In landscape photography, dawn is usually the best time to record a scene, so the “early bird gets the worm” is the motto to live by. The image of Herbert Lake in Banff National Park was taken at 6 a.m. on 35mm Fuji Velvia film with an exposure of about 8 seconds at f22. The clouds over the lake helped to reflect the colourful orange sunrise.

Alan Maudie

Born and raised in Cranbrook, BC, and currently living in Calgary, AB, Alan Maudie has hung his hat within sight of the Rockies his entire life. The Rockies and other mountain ranges of western Canada play a central role in his photography and lifestyle. He spent a few years in universities collecting geography degrees, but always felt anxiety about whether that was the right choice. With the support of his wife (and her job) he has dedicated himself to photography full time for the past five years and hopes that he’ll be able to scratch out enough of a living to afford ketchup for the Kraft Dinner.

To see more of Alan’s photography, please visit his website at www.alanmaudie.com

Inge Riis McDonald

As a geologist, I have always been interested in the great outdoors, travelling the globe and good photography. My interest in photography started in Zambia where I discovered you can’t photograph geological features and particularly wildlife with a point and shoot camera. After returning to North America, I obtained my Canon System and completed the New York Institute of Photography’s Professional Photography course. I am now discovering the future of image making by taking their Digital Photography course. My photographic interests include nature, travel, people (especially children), and weddings.

Rosanne Tackaberry

Rosanne loves to photograph, travel, and spend time outdoors. Her education in geography and ecology led to research and fieldwork in Western Canada, Belize, Venezuela and Kenya. She holds an M.Sc. specializing in tropical ecology. She now works as a Research and Technology Manager in Calgary. Rosanne recently started orienteering, which she enjoys both as a sport and as a way to spend more time outside exploring local natural areas. Her photography focuses on wildlife and natural environments, but she also enjoys photographing many other subjects. She is currently enrolled in a Visual Design certificate program at the University of Calgary to bring a broader artistic perspective to her photography. Rosanne’s favourite way to spend a vacation is wildlife watching with camera in hand. Her photo of the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird was taken in rural Pennsylvania.

Sam Wirzba

Sam Wirzba lives in Lethbridge Alberta. He is currently employed as a natural resource planner with the Government of Alberta. Sam has had an interest in the natural world since he was a young child. Outdoor pursuits that he currently enjoys are camping with his boys, hiking and photography. Sam began to pursue photography as a serious hobby in 2000. He is self-taught, learning photo techniques through reading, through discussions with other photographers, through observation, and through experimentation. He has spent considerable time photographing sites and attractions in Southern Alberta. Sam has learned to keep his photo gear handy to take advantage of great light, interesting atmospheric conditions, and willing wildlife subjects.

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