Biography  

As a young boy Doug was always biking out of his Edmonton neighbourhood into the nearby quiet countryside to escape and explore. He recalls " We lived close enough to the edge of the city, so I could visit that fascinating natural world whenever I wished." 

Years later after graduating from the University of Alberta with a degree in Physical Geography and Philosophy, it seemed perfect that he’d end up in a place like the Kootenays. The location and lifestyle fit him like a glove! And it was here that a passionate interest in photography blossomed into a profession.

 

He began his long and diverse career as a professional photographer in Kimberley, British Columbia, suprisingly not as a nature photographer, but with a Studio specializing in Child Portraiture.   He diligently studied and pursued his craft throughout the 1980’s gaining recognition and awards for his portrait work as a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada. Doug eventually expanded into the commercial realm, photographing interiors for high-end hotels and doing brochure and advertising assignments for the tourism industry, primarily in southeastern British Columbia and the Banff area of Alberta.

Along the way he shared his love for photography, teaching

courses at Community Colleges, writng newspaper columns, and offering private workshops. His knowledge of studio, commercial, and natural lighting techniques is extensive to say the least.

In the early 1990's Doug began focusing on the magazine world combining his writing skills with photography. He is now widely published as photojournalist, contributing to various publications. These include the London Daily Mail, Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald, Ski Canada, British Columbia Magazine, Outdoor Canada, Canadian Forest Industries, and Kootenay Mountain Culture to mention only a few.

He comments  “I feel both fortunate and fulfilled by the fact that my career is wide-ranging, approaching my craft from many seemingly unrelated perspectives. I’ve simply followed my visual interests, particularly my love for photographing people by way of both artistic portraiture and lifestyle activity. The human landscape intrigues me.”

When you take a long concious look at Doug's photography you'll probably notice two things. There's his consistent visual awareness and understanding of the subtle qualities of both natural and studio lighting. But possibly even more evident is the fact that his images are "clean".  Whether he's photographing your wedding, a commercial assignment, creating in the studio or shooting editorial images for publication there is nothing in his photographs that does not contribute to the visual impact of the image. This makes his images striking and dramatic, while also being very easy on the eye.  What skilled photographers know and create intuitively, we appreciate as viewers.

Now living near Nelson, BC his latest project is offering a Photography Tour, inviting photographers from near and far to experience and enjoy the rich visual offerings of the area.

He notes with a smile, “We live in the promised land here in southeastern British Columbia. Seems whenever I’m not working (or often when I am working), I’m either skiing or exploring the backcountry on my mountain bike. I guess some things never change.”

Bio by Anna Rose

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