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OUR HOMETOWN: Passionate eye for wildlife photography

'I first tried out my mom's Kodak point-and-shoot,' said Matthew Watson

Matthew Watson has captured some striking photographs of wildlife in the McLeese Lake area. 

Having lived in McLeese Lake most of his life, his roots there go back to 1910 when his late mother's family moved to the community. 

About 10 years ago he borrowed his mom's point-and-shoot Kodak camera and enjoyed photography so much he decided to invest in a better camera.  

He said he's learned through trial and error, but has also taken a photography for beginners course through Thompson Rivers University with Jana Roller in nearby city Williams Lake.

Roller no longer lives in Williams Lake but told the Tribune in the course she would take students through manual settings and explain the uses for each while exploring scenarios where they would use them.

She also discussed different lenses and equipment. 

"I also taught them about posing subjects, lighting - creating using shadows and highlights - as well as landscape photographs," she said. "It was a course for people who have never used a professional DSLR or have lightly dabbled." 

Watson said since then he's been mostly self-taught. 

He loves the challenge of capturing flying birds and jumping fish and said one spot he goes to photograph fish is Sheridan Creek at the northeast end of the McLeese Lake. 

Because he lives on the lake he observes lots of wildlife action, he added. 

"There's an eagle that knows me well enough that he goes crazy every time he sees me. He lives on the other side of the lake, at least that's where his nest is, but when I come outside he recognizes me, flies over and starts making noise, especially when he's got babies in the nest." 

Watson said he is not sure whether the eagle is telling him to get lost, just watching him or saying "hello." 

"There are coyotes in the area now that are driving the dog nuts, but I've never seen them," he said, smiling. 

As a child he attended McLeese Lake Elementary School, which went to Grade 7, but closed in June 2000. For secondary school, he travelled in to Williams Lake, 43km away, graduating in Grade 12 from Columneetza. 

Watson also takes photographs of weather and wildfires. 

"To take pictures of lightning at night it is best to have a tripod so you can have long exposure. It's makes it easier." 

He's also used a trigger to take lightning photos. 

"It's called a Pluto trigger and basically it reacts within milliseconds of detecting a lightning bolt. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't." 

One of the things he's learned along the way is once the novelty wears off, he's become more selective, picky and self-critical.

"I look back to some of the photographs I took when I started and think, 'I used to like that?'

He prefers to shoot manually, but lets the camera choose the ISO, especially if he's shooting flying birds. 

"I used to do everything completely manual, but flying birds are just too quick." 

Watson has worked at Save-on-Foods the last four years and when he's not working or doing photography he loves to read, mostly non-fiction, history and science. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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