So many of us are blessed with frequent, magical wildlife encounters: bears, birds, deer, elk, sea lions, whales, coyotes, and cougar. It’s the kind of list that astonishes people from other places. Each interaction makes us pause, offering a chance to slow down and realize how many lives are being lived here on this planet, not just human lives, but worlds within worlds of connection and striving. If only we could capture those wildlife moments that illuminate our place in it all.
Somehow Carl Olsen does. Skill, patience, intuition, and luck all play a part in his ability to capture and share these otherworldly encounters. Sure, there are lots of discouraging days when nothing appears after hours of cold, wet waiting. Sometimes, though, an encounter is like a gift, a surprise in which sunlight, subject, and weather all conspire. Olsen describes a recent shoot.
“As I headed back to my car after yet another fruitless day, I noticed that the tip of a protruding snag was spotlighted by the lingering sun. Perched on the tip was a beautiful female kingfisher. I slowly crept toward her, hoping the clatter of my shutter wouldn’t spook her, as kingfishers are notoriously skittish. She watched me but held her ground. I crept in closer, still shooting, expecting her to fly at any moment. She flew when I was less than twenty feet away, but by then I knew I had some good shots. Seconds later as the sun continued to sink, the spotlight was switched off. The occasional magic moment like this is what makes wildlife photography worthwhile.”
Olsen is passionate about the creatures that allow him these experiences, and he gives back in numerous ways.
His fifth annual wildlife calendar can be purchased by emailing . All net proceeds are donated to the Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Proceeds from Olsen’s portfolio at carlolsenphotography.ca are likewise donated to GWRC.
Information on the fundraising calendar as well as his photographs of animals in the care of Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre can be seen at their Facebook page, Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, and you can follow Olsen’s photography on Facebook: Carl Olsen Wildlife Photography.
