Kip Wiley, Special Mention, 2004 Banff Mountain Photography Competition

"I would like to say first that my wife deserves to share equal credit for any success that I have had in photography. With June’s support behind the scenes, I am able to enjoy what I am passionate about. We live on a piece of land just outside Revelstoke, B.C. I was out for a walk in the forest with my two boys, packing a Polaroid camera, and had this type of image in mind — a shaft of sunlight finding its way through the dense canopy and illuminating something interesting. While the kids threw rocks into a nearby creek, the bright green spring growth of this devil’s club grabbed my attention. I quickly made a dozen exposures in the short time the plant was in the sun. When we returned home, with the boys peering curiously over my shoulder, some of the prints were manipulated. Then I picked one, scanned it into the computer, cleaned it up and made minor adjustments to colour and contrast."

Kip Wiley lives in Revelstoke, British Columbia, with his family. He specializes in location photography and prefers to shoot images that are evocative and narrative and contain strong graphic elements. Kip’s photography has appeared in numerous publications including Sports Illustrated, Canadian Pacific Railway and Parks Canada.

kipw@telus.net