Canon Canada recently recruited a dozen of the nation’s top television weather personalities and meteorologists for their annual “Other Side of the Lens” contest.
Armed with a Canon Powershot SX200 IS, the reporters were asked to capture climate-based images with the theme “The View from Here” — last year’s theme involved chefs and Canadian culinary masters who captured “Food for Thought”. Five images from each participant are then showcased in an online vote. On behalf of all participants, Canon Canada will make a $20,000 donation to the David Suzuki Foundation and the winner will also get $5,000 for the cause of their choice.
Representing Vancouver, CTV’s Tamara Taggart submitted photos to the challenge and will be supporting Ocean Wise should she get the most votes online.
Taking time out from her busy schedule as a working mom of three, I had the chance to ask Tamara some questions about her participation in this campaign:
What was your motivation for participating in the Canon photo competition?
Tamara: “When they presented me with the challenge of this photo competition I thought it would be fun – and easy….it wasn’t easy! I love taking photos but when tasked with a subject it’s tough.”
Do you enjoy photography, is it a hobby of yours?
Tamara: “I love it and I wish I was great at it. I truly admire the work of great photographers, it’s a talent. I keep taking photos hoping to capture perfect moments.”
Did you have a theme? Did you spot the seal in Vancouver?
Tamara: “The seal was at Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver, I was shooting a promo with the Vancouver Aquarium on their seal release program – I loved that seal!”
“My intention was to tour the city and take shots but I was pregnant with my third baby (in three years) and was on partial bedrest so all of the photos, except the seal & the cactus (that was Palm Spring with my husband before bed rest was ordered), were taken in my yard! My favorite is the Himalayan Blue Poppy, she’s tough to grow and I did it!!”
What is your favourite subject to photograph?
Tamara: “My kids first and then my garden. I have a lot of photos of my babes, and number three will have just as many photos as number one and two!”
How did you select Ocean Wise as your cause of choice?
Tamara: “I like that they educate and empower people about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood. We need to be responsible when it comes to our food and we must to keep our oceans healthy.”
You can vote for Tamara Taggart’s photos online before November 18th, 2010.
Follow her on Twitter @tamarataggart as well as her cause of choice @ocean_wise.
The VanDusen Botanical Garden is known for its annual events that range from bonsai shows and bulb sales to the Festival of Lights. Before stormy autumn winds blew the remainder of the city’s fiery leaves into the gutters, I thought it would be a good time for a photowalk.
These 55 acres that were once the Shaughnessy Golf Course are home to a quarter-million plants and are currently managed by the Vancouver Park Board. Open year-round, it’s a spectacular place to explore in any season through tours, school or family programs, or a casual stroll. Find out more by browsing their events calendar or checking them out on Facebook.
You may view the rest of my photowalk photos on Flickr.
The 2010 Gingerbread Creations Competition & Marketplace is coming up next week (November 12th and 13th) at the Vancouver Hellenic Centre. This annual event features over 70 boutiques offering unique, handmade items from local vendors as well as gingerbread creations (not limited to houses).
I’m fortunate enough to be a judge of the gingerbread competition that will take place on the first day. If you think you have what it takes to create a gingerbread masterpiece, you can download an entry form online. There are over $1,000 in cash and prizes to be won and the deadline for entries is November 8th.
Admission to the marketplace and gingerbread competition is $2 with all proceeds benefiting the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Tickets are available at the door and exhibition space is still available for vendors.
Mini-chocolate bar displays from Halloween are being replaced with pyramids of ornaments as Christmas season rolls in. Fallen leaves, crisp from morning frost, crunch under foot as white puffs of breath trail behind you like steam from a locomotive. November is here.
Better late than never, I have compiled my monthly event listings based on emails I have received from readers. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
The following was experienced and contributed by John Biehler exclusively for Miss604.com. Last week John was a guest of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) to experience the region and see what the area has to offer.
Along with beer, we also visited a number of wineries on our Thompson Okanagan tour, for which this region is world-renowned.
Our first stop was Quail’s Gate Winery in West Kelowna. Situated with a stunning view of Okanagan Lake, we started off with lunch at the Old Vines Restaurant which is on the vineyard property.
After lunch, a few of us wondered around the vineyard which is just outside the doors of the restaurant. It was a special treat to see grapes on the vines as I normally visit Kelowna in the summer time when the vines are empty.
We then headed to the tasting room to sample some of the many wines that are produced onsite.
Being relatively new to wine (I’m a beer guy, remember?) it was interesting to hear from the staff the process that goes into producing the wine and differences between the various types of wine. I learned quite a lot just from this one stop.
Our next stop was the Tantalus Vineyards which, like Quail’s Gate has a picturesque view of the lake, mountains and surrounding vineyard.
Their newly opened 13,000 square foot winery felt more like a hip Yaletown lounge than a more traditional winery.
Heading to the back of the winery found us up close to the vats of grape juice from the recently pressed grapes.
As with Quail’s Gate, I was fascinated by the process that goes into wine making.
Getting to tour the facility and talk with David Paterson, Tantalus’ passionate winemaker, made it all that much more interesting to me.
Stay tuned for the next dispatch from the Thompson Okanagan tour featuring food later this week.
Related posts from this trip: Kelowna’s Hotel Eldorado, Kamloops BC Wildlife Park, Beer: Tree Brewing, Noble Pig, Frick and Frack
John is an avid photographer, gadget geek and traveller. You can find him on Twitter and at johnbiehler.com where he discusses photography and all sorts of technology. All photos in this post were taken by John.
Disclosure: Activities, services and dining experiences during the trip were compliments of Thompson-Okanagan Tourism.
