Kelowna Photography News

Colourful season

2011-10-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

Away from the work projects of photographing furniture, architecture and other projects, I took some time for some personal photography just for the fun of it.
Weekend sunshine illuminated some fine colours that Mother Nature has stirred up for autumn in the Okanagan. Here's one of my shots from Kelowna's Waterfront Park.
Getting as low as possible with a 20mm wide angle lens, I exposed the shot for maximum depth-of-field, shooting at one-quarter of a second to let the flowing water blur through the frame. Its fluid motion contrasts nicely with the still leaves on the rocks.
I'm hoping for more fine fall days like this before snow arrives ...

Excitement in the air

2011-08-01T23:01:00.000-07:00

Lots of excitement was in the air this past weekend in Kelowna, from volleyball spikes and mountain bike jumps at the 4th annual Center of Gravity event, to the dazzling aerial show of the Canadian Snowbirds on holiday Monday.
While it was not the same experience as when I enjoyed a media fly-along with the snowbirds in 1998, it was still a pleasure to photograph these professional flyers today.

Hello, my name is ...

2010-08-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

I'm working on some new designs for a new run of business cards. Like these so far?

Aerial Artistry

2010-02-08T21:14:00.000-08:00

Another freestyle ski expert who will proudly compete for Canada is Kristi Richard of Summerland, who grew up on the slopes of Apex Mountain Resort near Penticton.
Kristi got to compete against the best skiers in the World last year on the slopes of Apex, finishing behind teammate Jennifer Heil of Alberta - the current Olympic champion in the women's event.
More ski action photos, along with sports and photojournalism is found on my main website.

Aerial Artist

2010-02-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

Steve Omischl of Kelowna is expected to soar at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games later this month as a veteran condender on the Canadian mens aerials team. With numerous World Cup titles earned over the past few years, Omischl finished second at the 2009 world championships. Here's a photo I shot of Steve training at Silver Star resort a few years earlier. More ski and sports photos are found on My website

Downhiller on the Rise

2010-01-27T11:42:00.000-08:00

Kelowna skier Kelsey Serwa got the news this week that she will be on the Canadian National ski team. The young racer who grew up on the slopes of Big White Resort will compete in ski-cross events at the Vancouver-Whistler 2010 Olympic Games in February. She's just one of the Okanagan skiers to be competing in the Winter Games against the best of the world next month. Tune in again to find out the next Okanagan Olympian it could be someone who's already featured on My main website

Okanagan Olympian

2010-01-05T20:31:00.000-08:00

Among the world's top athletes preparing to battle in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler, are some notable competitors from Kelowna and the Okanagan.
One of the best known in Kelowna is former Rockets defenceman Shea Webber, an NHL blueliner who grew up about 100 kilometres north of our Okanagan city. Webber (seen on the right, below) was a tough defender when he helped the Kelowna Rockets win the Memorial Cup on home ice in 2003. After five years of solid play in the NHL, he's impressed enough to earn a spot on Canada's National Olympic Hockey team.

Kelowna winery a world-wide winner

2009-12-14T19:44:00.000-08:00

Winning international awards is nothing new to wineries in the Okanagan Valley.
The latest award goes to Summerhill Winery - just named the Best Winery in the Canada at the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition in London, England. Two of the five entries from the Kelowna vintner won the best-in-class title.
I'll certainly toast to that when I enjoy the bottle I acquired during my last visit to the winery - during the 50th anniversary of the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club. And that's in addition to the fine photos I took during the magic hour of sunset at the winery.

Beautiful rainy weather?

2009-10-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

Beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder.
Take Wednesday's weather for example. Cool, rainy day in the Kootenay mountains - almost impossible to see which section of cloud the sun was hiding behind. The kind of day only a duck could love, right?
The damp day led one lady to remark on its depressing sight as she exchanged light bulbs in Greenwood, (the oldest and smallest city in B.C.) I was on assignment for energy company FortisBC, photographing this energy-saving promotion happening in communities across the province.
I couldn't help but contradict her, while exclaiming my pleasure on how lovely the landscapes were on this damp day with the clouds hanging lower than the surrounding summits.
I was glad I brought along my professional Kodak SLR/n and Nikkor 300mm f2.8 lens to capture this detailed landscape, among others.
So as more rainy days approach in the Okanagan, I'll remember that beautiful photos don't always require a sunny, blue-sky day. Happy fall photography everyone!

Celebration time !

2009-09-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy anniversary!
The big 5-0 is being celebrated this week across the Okanagan for the Boys and Girls Clubs - an organization that I've been happy to support with my photography, writing and pagination over the past decade.

Yesterday, a few dozen adults toasted the history of the charitable group in Kelowna at the venerable Summerhill Estate Winery. A beautiful location for the event, particularly now as the grapes are ripening among the changing leaves. It's a great time for me to capture colourful scenic and stock photos of the beautiful vineyards the Okanagan is known for.
My compliments to the chef on some fine appetizers served to accompany the fine wine. I guess it's a sample of what's to come in a couple of weeks at the popular Okanagan Wine Fesitval. Cheers to all.

I Shoot to Thrill

2009-09-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

My slogan for my photography business seemed to work its way into my recreation recently.
It was on the golf course a couple days ago that I thrilled myself when I shot below 80 for the first time on a championship course!
It was just an average performance on the front 9, however, the back 9 included only two bogies and one birdie to score a final round of 79 on the par 71 Kelowna Springs golf course.
Perhaps there are some advantages to a slower year in business - even more than just the extra attention to quality my clients receive when they call Kelowna Photographer Desmond Murray.
Perhaps I can inspire you with some golf shots on my website From this page, just click on "golf".

Forest Fires renew Fears from 2003

2009-07-20T14:41:00.000-07:00

JULY 19, 2009 - Kelowna's scenic surroundings are making national headlines again - for a sad reason.
Two Forest Fires have forced evacuation of almost half the homes in West Kelowna, and closed the highway disecting the town of Westbank.
Recalling the devastation in 2003 when over 200 homes were consumed by fire in the Okanagan-Mission region of Kelowna, national media have quickly descended upon the city.
Fortunately, nobody has been injured and it appears only two homes have been lost to the blaze that began Saturday afternoon.

Water's the trouble?

2009-07-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

In the middle of a hot,dry summer in the Okanagan, the most recent news around BC waterways have been sad.
On Okanagan Lake, this year's renewal of hydroplane races has been sunk by the promoter Jordan Schramm.
It's been a few years now since we've last seen the world's fastest boats racing just off the Kelowna shoreline. I enjoyed photographing the event for the sponsor Molson the last time around - even though I had to stretch my 300mm f2.8 Nikkor to its limit with a 1.4x teleconverter to get images reasonably tight.

Even sadder, a death was recently recorded on the first BC waterway I worked beside after graduating Journalism School. A rafting accident led to a fatality on the Kicking Horse River near Golden BC. It was back in the 1980's when I spent a couple summers photographing clients riding the rapids of this mountain river.

Here's a couple photos from these events in better times. More fun recreation on the water appears on my website

Countdown to 24 hours

2009-05-20T15:12:00.001-07:00

Can you hear the clock ticking?
It's now just 24 days to the most invigorating and inspiring 24 hours of the year in Kelowna PLUS an opportunity to win a beautiful 24" display print for your generosity.
To help out the annual 24 hour relay on June 13-14, 2009, I have just launched an online auction on Kelowna Photographer.com for a framed, poster-sized display print. ALL of the funds will go to the 24-hour-relay, which funds the Easter Seals Camp in Winfield plus programs at the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs.
Bidders can choose from hundreds of beautiful photos on my site ranging from stock images of Okanagan vineyards and Kelowna area orchards to lifestyle and recreational images from this lakeside paradise.
Bids will be accepted up to the minute before midnight on Sunday, June 14, 2009.

Rockets Rock the WHL

2009-05-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

First place Vancouver Giants - eliminated.
First place Calgary Hitmen - upset.
Kelowna hockey fans cheered their Junior hockey team to another WHL championship on home ice Saturday over the top-ranked Calgary Hitmen.
Next stop - Rimouski - for the Memorial Cup.

Rockets rolling

2009-05-02T21:53:00.000-07:00

Excitement is building for the hockey playoffs once again in this sporty B.C. city of Kelowna.

While some are focused on the Vancouver Canucks in the NHL, our local fans have another team to get even more excited about - our own Kelowna Rockets in the WHL. The team is in the driver's seat in the Western Hockey League championship series against the Calgary Hitmen, returning to home ice Monday after winning the first two games of the series in Calgary.

It reminds me of the 2004 season when the Rockets won the Memorial Cup on home ice against the best junior hockey teams across all of Canada. That week provided a lot of outstanding action for me to photograph as the newspaper published a special daily section of Memorial Cup stories through that memorable week.

Let's hope history repeats itself this year.

Kelowna writer rising

2009-02-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

I'm constantly inspired by other artists around Kelowna - and pleasantly surprised when another is recognized internationally. I recently had the honour of photographing for the Vancouver Sun a fiction writer whose books have become popular world-wide.

Alan Bradley, 70, writer of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and two more mysteries about a precocious English girl, 11-year-old Flavia de Luce. The series of books has been sold in 13 countries; the first of the Canadian books launched a week ago.

Similar to a common hangout for Flavia, an old church in Kelowna became an interesting background for the portrait of the Okanagan mystery writer. I hope local artists continue to be appreciated for their creative works. Some of my more recent creative works have taken life in a re-design of my website.

More news is good news

2009-02-16T16:18:00.000-08:00

I hope people enjoy news about new developments in photography, with hi tech equipment continually adding to the digital evolution.
I've just added a news page to my main website with today's top story - the new spark in remote trigger technology. Here's the new gadget's I've deciding between right now for when they become available in Canada for my Nikon cameras.

On the web again ...

2009-02-10T23:02:00.000-08:00

Feels so good to be on the web again ! Everybody sing it now, like Willy Nelson. Feels so go to be on the web again.

I've been clicking my mouse more than my Nikon cameras over the past couple of weeks, doing a redesign on My Website to add new content, cleaner navigation all under a more attractive banner.
Here's a snapshot of one major page attached to the blog. However, to really appreciate it, you've got to visit the site and see how it adjusts with the browser size.
Keep tuned... there's more to come in future weeks as I renovate the photo galleries with hundreds of my images (including many award-winners). I just hope my cameras don't get jealous that my mouse is getting more of my attention right now.

Avalanche Dangers, again

2009-01-12T19:48:00.000-08:00

With the dawn of a new year, thoughts return over the past 52 weeks and the memorable photos captured. Naturally, any recap has a logical starting point at the beginning of the year.
Coincidentally, the first news assignment I photographed in 2008 is coming back with a vegence again 53 weeks later.
A Vancouver daily newspaper called me up on a Sunday afternoon with word of an avalanche that buried people at Big White ski resort earlier that day. Could I get photos of the search that continues in the slide path inside the ski resort, asked the assignment editor.
Quickly, I grabbed the photo gear I thought would best fit the shoot and some extra gear to get to the site. Along with set of downhill ski gear, I grabbed my telemark skis and boots - just in case I'd have to do a bit of manual pushing on the flats or even uphill.
Fortunately, I arrived in time to catch a ride on the last chairlift ride of the day (for the general public) and arrived at the cloudy summit as the light was starting to dim.
From underneath my jacket, I attached my 300mm lens to my camera body and shot a few quick shots of the searchers visible from about 500 metres away. Staff guarded the roped off access to the region, making a closeup more challenging.
Bypassing the immediate approach, a few turns down another run led to a flat area of some 300 metres of pushing to get closer to the bottom of the avalanche debris zone. Good thing I put on the telemark skis - my downhill gear would not have served me well for this skitrip.
Profusely sweating, I arrived just as the searchers were starting to pack up to leave. The new location that took me at least 500 calories of energy to get to, afforded a few quick images of ski patrollers and their helpers riding out on snowmobiles. Not much of a shot usually, but the one who was clutching his search-dog on his lap made it more interesting.
The first grab shots of the searchers made front page of at least a half-dozen daily newspapers across Canada. What a way to start a photo year.
I'll revisit a few more shots in the coming weeks.
Here's a couple photos from the event.

What's in Santa's bag?

2008-12-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

It's the time of year when kids of ALL ages start making their wish lists for gifts from Santa Claus. For some it's the latest computer game, others dream of a shiny new vehicle to race around the living room.
For photographers invested into the Nikon system, news just came out from Japan of a new beast to send a few extra beats into our hearts. Measuring in at a whopping 24.4 megapixels is the brand new Nikon D3x - a studio photographer's new convenient option to medium format cameras. With a shooting rate of 5 fps at full frame, or 7 fps at a cropped mode, it may even be seen as a decent action shooter.
Images released online so far show excellent image quality, now the question arises: is it worth the price? At MSRP of $9,500 Cdn, it's Nikon's most expensive camera ever - about $4,000 more than the 12 megapixel D3. Sure, that price is still far below medium format cameras or backs, but can it be justified in a tightening economy.
Do I need the extra 40 percent increase in resolution over my current model? Will my computer need replacement to process the huge 75 MB raw files? Will I start filling hard-drives as fast as I used to fill DVDs?
Will the camera be seen in Canada before Christmas?
So many questions ..... I'll have to ponder these things among others - like how long can somebody eat macaroni and cheese before going crazy? Just kidding.
After you look over the photo of this new camera, you can view many more images shot by a "lesser" model on my website.
Merry Christmas all.

Who is inspiring who?

2008-11-25T22:47:00.000-08:00

Inspiration.
The fuel for artistic expression, the gas in the tank for the visual wonderment we hope our future images will reveal.
I received a dose at the most recent meeting of the Central Okanagan Photography Society, held at the Kelowna EECO Centre.
As the guest judge providing ratings and offering critiques of the photographs entered, I was both challenged and inspired by the process.
Congratulations to the many avid photographers who captured fine images worthy of praise. Kudos also to those who are early in the learning process - it takes courage to put your photos up on the same screen as the veterans of the group.
In the end, you can never really predict who will provide the others with the greater inspiration. I hope that I can inspire others through my feedback, plus my own images on my website - www.kelownaphotographer.com

Building up business

2008-11-14T13:08:00.000-08:00

Recession? What recession?
Contrary to sour reports on all sorts of media recently, business has remained strong in Kelowna for photography in the last month. Providing quality photographs for clients in the central Okanagan has kept me from contributing to this web blog for a couple of weeks.
I'm certainly quite happy to be busy with projects - particularly with a large ongoing architectural photography project for an award winning builder in Kelowna. I have to commend Len Suchocki of Chriscan Construction for his acumen and perceptive vision - boldly moving forward with a strong advertising campaign to promote his new focus on commercial projects - added to residential construction.
The projects I've photographed in Kelowna and Westbank recently also shows that Len is an artistic visionary when it comes to fine architectural building and renovations.
Here's a pic from the REMAX head office for Western Canada located in Kelowna, revealing fine use of glass with wood and tasteful lighting. Enjoy. I certainly enjoyed photographing it.
While using an ultra-wide angle lens with very low distortion helps encompass a scene with impact, the photo really comes to life with careful placement of lighting - to enhance the glass while avoiding reflections that reveal your lights.
A challenge to execute, and a victory to relish.
More of my architectural photography is found online at my Kelowna Photographer website.

Inside the Web

2008-10-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

What horrors are to be found in the web in late October?

With monsters getting ready to prowl the streets for their annual tour, one recent visitor outside my window provided an appropriate scene.

Beyond the commercial photography of products in my Kelowna home studio or on location throughout the Okanagan, it's interesting to snap a photo of the creatures we share the world with. Macro photography provides a fascinating new viewpoint - such as this spider in this photo whose body is about the size of a nickel.

Yet with an extension tube added in between my Nikkor 80-200 zoom lens and my semi-pro D200 body, a near-macro image shows interesting details indeed. Accentuated by the backlighting, the hairs on the spider's legs stand out against the dark background, like the web it inhabits.

Larger animal photos can be found within my stock images.

Happy Hallowe'en everyone.

Fall fotography

2008-10-21T20:14:00.000-07:00

It appears that I'm not the only photographer shooting plenty these days. There seems to be many more cameras in use in the past couple weeks with autumn's cool air painting the leaves in some brighter hues. Good to see those pixels pumping out the pics.

Although many amateurs who I see taking pictures continue to do their shooting from the wrong side. They keep the sun at their back and capture the trees in front lighting. There's so much more to be revealed when you shoot with back-lighting - particularly with semi-translucent objects like leaves. Sure you might lose a bit of the colour saturation with some shots, and risk and bit of flare ghosting on the lens, but the added depth and texture is worth it. At least that's the way I see it.

Take a shot here for example and see if you agree. Take a look at my stock photos and see if you can see how many more images look better with backlighting.

Give it a shot for yourself. Happy shooting out there.

Fall is still fun

2008-10-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

Who says it's time to leave the lake for the fall season?

The fair-weather fans have abandoned the beaches of the Okanagan. But 'tis the season for kite-surfers to don their sails in the wind and enjoy the power of mother nature.

I was glad to take some time to photograph a few at Rotary Beach while taking a break between professional shoots. I was photographing some architecture for a local builder in the late afternoon, and waiting for after sunset to capture the early evening glow with lights. The twilight shots are often a favourite for builders of homes and some buildings.

So, here's a couple shots of the fun in the setting sun for the wind riders, surfing with their kites on Okanagan Lake.

Election direction

2008-10-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

First call of this morning:
"Are you available for some photography of the election today?" asked Cheryl Shoji, Photo Editor of the Vancouver Sun.
"Yes, I've got some time this evening," I said - knowing the usual excitement on these events is after 8 pm when the polls close and the candidates watch the results come in across their riding and the rest of Canada. I've photographed plenty of these elections in the past.
Each one has the potential for some interesting emotional reactions in the news photos - tremendous enthusiasm from the winners, awful despair from the losers. As a news photographer, you've got to be ready for anything, anywhere, any time.
Surprise! The Vancouver Sun needs the shot taken in 25 minutes across Okanagan Lake in Westbank - Defence Minister and former Prime Minister Stockwell Day is about to cast his ballot at his local polling station.
I'm off to the races, take the coffee to go, stuff a half-sandwich in my pocket and out the door I rush.
Fortunately, I arrive well ahead of the deputy prime minister, even ahead of his security detail. I check out the location - I foresee a challenge. Cloudy skies outside (that's good) Incandescent lighting in the foyer (very red-yellow) and flourescent in the voting room (very green).
Sure, if I shoot in RAW I can change the colour balance in post processing easily - but I may have to change my flash colour gels quickly to match the background.
Challenge number 2 arrives as I am determine my colour balance. An elections official tells me there will be no photography allowed in the voting area - not even of the minister who appreciates these media photo opps. My camera can't come inside.
I'll just have to make sure I get something better outside - to make up for a sub-standard angle on the usual shot of the Politician placing ballot in box.
A couple glad-handing shots in the parking lot when the Minister arrives are followed by a low angle shot of Stockwell and his wife checking their voting cards with an official at the door. Yes, the Days are at the correct voting station, they may procede.
Okay, so it's not the excitement of hands raised in victory .... but it's a new angle on election coverage. In this run-and-shoot quickly world of election photography, you take what you can get.
What do you think? Front page tomorrow?
Well I'm not expecting the cover, but I'll check the Vancouver Sun in the morning. I'm just glad to do my duty on election day. And I'm glad this is Canada, where our election campaigns last six weeks and results are known within the day. Not like the recent marathon elections in the US.
Look for more of my news at www.kelownaphotographer.com/editorial.html

Kelowna still sizzles

2008-10-13T11:36:00.000-07:00

Kelowna's sizzling summer was filled with many interesting photography assignments throughout the beautiful Okanagan.

The Photography business continues to simmer along at a strong pace, even while international headlines cry out about a financial meltdown. As autumn's cooler air brings new colours to the trees, some photographic projects come into fruition. Architectural photography becomes a more prominent highlight this time of year as builders prepare their entries for the Tommies or Georgies housing awards through the CHBA - Canadian Home Builders Association.

Tommie's biggest winner of 2004, Len Suchocki of Chriscan Homes, got my cameras focused on his newest niche in business. Sure, he still does the luxury homes over $1 million. His business is adding more commerical projects, like a Lakeshore Rd development that incorporates condominiums above stores and shops.

Kudos to Len for this fine combination that fits well in the ever-growing Kelowna - a city that continues to be highly desireable, yet is running very low on development area.

I'll try posting an image here to my first blog, but if that fails, you may see some soon on my business website at http://www.kelownaphotographer.com/