Aerial Artist

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

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

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

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?

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 !

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

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".