In Pictures: Have camera, will travel
Digital innovations allow photographers to keep their focus on natural beauty
The McGuffin family’s unique photography and wilderness adventure job allows Joanie, left, daughter Sila, Gary and even their pets to travel together often. They’re based on a wilderness preserve overlooking Lake Superior near Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., but travel extensively across Canada.
Their love of nature is not the only thing that inspires and motivates the McGuffins to document their experiences. They also see a role in raising awareness about the Earth’s fragility. ‘We saw that wilderness landscapes were starting to disappear and we wanted to raise awareness,’ Gary McGuffin says.
The McGuffins have published eight books, including Paddle Your Own Kayak, above. Their first, Where Rivers Run, came out in 1998 and each one tends to enjoy print runs as high as 10,000 copies – bestseller territory in Canada. Their ninth book is due out in 2015.
With dog Luna and daughter Sila leading the way, the McGuffins and friends portage with their canoes. The McGuffins are accustomed to heavy loads. When Gary and Joanie began their business, for example, they also lugged around a 45-kilogram box of camera equipment and a 15-kilogram satellite phone. With streamlined technology now, their backpacks are lighter.
Advanced technology might make the logistics of their job easier now, but the McGuffins find no substitute for being immersed in nature and local inhabitants. ‘Meeting with people can never replace technology,’ Joanie explains.
Cosmo Condina is a Southern Ontario photographer who shoots commercial, stock and travel photos. He has also created a book, Niagara 1812 at War, which documents the historical battles of the War of 1812 through photos of modern-day re-enactments.
One of the battles depicted in Niagara 1812 at War is the Siege of Fort Erie. Mr. Condina is a recent convert to digital photography. ‘I was slow at changing over because I didn’t think the quality was there. I only switched over in 2007,’ he says.