I had such a fun time shooting photos of a young family in Haida Gwaii on May 16, 2013. See some of my favourite pics below.
I have been processing the amazing summer experience filming the whales and immersing myself into the wild. After filming during the summer months I took a trip to Haida Gwaii and I experienced the natural and raw elements there. I was delighted to have my mother join me for a week to explore. We rented a small cabin on the beach and we explored the natural beauty of the area. We enjoyed walking the beach every morning, hiking in the rainforest, warming up to the wood stove and boiling hot water for a shower at night. We were living in the moment. While I was in Haida Gwaii, I met the man of my dreams, fell in love and got married on the beach. Here are a few of my favourite Haida Gwaii photographs…
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My Salmon Coast Experience – The making of “An Orca Whale Documentary”
I have always had a fascination with whales and the ocean. I feel drawn and connected to the beauty and grace of the killer whales. I have always been drawn to them ever since I was a young. I have always dreamed of seeing them in the wild.
As a film student, I had the opportunity to intern with Canadian filmmaker, Rob Stewart, director of Sharkwater. I learned a lot working with his production team in Toronto on his new film, Revolution. I learned how a film can have a big impact on people’s views of the world and also how it can be a catalyst to bring about change.
Greatly moved by Alexandra Morton’s book, “Listening to Whales”, I was inspired to make a difference and draw attention to the endangered killer whales off northern Vancouver Island. And so, I set out to shoot my first feature length documentary “An Orca Whale Documentary” during the summer of 2012.
Working In cooperation with OrcaLab, the whales were filmed during the summer months on the Johnstone Strait. I filmed the whales while they were resting in the morning fog and I also filmed them being chased down and surrounded by boats on a daily basis. Sometimes it was hard to watch the extreme amount of human impact on the whales. My intention for this film has evolved to show how much we as humans have an affect on the health and wellbeing of the whales and of the eco system.
After the summer season, I got in touch with the Salmon Coast Field Station in Echo Bay. I was invited to volunteer and film at the station for a few days. It was uplifting to see how Salmon Coast operates and to see how passionate they are to protect the wild salmon and eco system in the Broughton Archipelago. I interviewed Scott Rogers about the research that has been on-going at the station, and I also interviewed the iconic Billy Proctor who runs the museum in Echo Bay. Billy has such a strong passion for the region and it was such a treat to spend time with him and listen to his stories. He took me to where his childhood home was located near Flower Island and told me about his life growing up in the area.
The people who I have met in the Broughton Archipelago have a deep respect for the marine life and the natural world. Coady and Zephyr work and live off the land as much as possible. They were very welcoming and made me feel at home during my time at the station. I enjoyed spending some time with Salix as well…she has the ability to light up the room with her smile.
After spending time at the station, I was so delighted to meet my long time role model Alexandra Morton and do an interview with her at her home on Sointula Island. She spoke to me about her passion for the work that she does and why it is so important. Most of Alexandra’s research has pointed to “salmon farms” causing a disturbance with toxic waste, and the use of antibiotics causing harm to the ocean and the eco system. She has found a connection to sea lice being found in wild salmon in high numbers very close to the salmon farms. For these reasons she is taking a stance against salmon farm production in Canada. She wants to protect the ocean and the ecosystem that surrounds her. I strongly believe in Alex and her work.
I am grateful for the opportunity of visiting Salmon Coast and for all those whom have inspired, guided, and supported my journey in creating “An Orca Whale Documentary”. I will remember my time there fondly. I look forward to weaving together the footage gathered during my time at there and giving a voice to the stories shared. The film is set to be released in 2013.
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Northern Resident Killer Whales, Vancouver Island. – Photo by Natalie Lucier
Natalie Lucier – Filmmaker – Photo credit Leah Harnanansingh
Salmon Coast Field Station, Echo Bay, British Columbia, Canada
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Lara from Germany was my assistant this week. She is studying biology in school and also loves the whales.
Lara taking photos
We had an amazing experience on Aug 24th when we had the i15′s – Northern Resident Orcas come very close. On Aug 24th they passed CP heading West… one whale turned around and came right up to the deck – it was high tide. He looked at me and stayed in the same spot for a little while looking up. This whale came in so close to where I was… I had to say hi to him… “Hi whalie”, you are so beautiful. The i15′s on Aug 24th on the Johnstone Strait.
underwater looking up at me
I see you
Eye to Eye
Heading back West to join his pod
A screen shot from Lara’s short video clip, i15′s continue heading West
See a video that I shot of the whale saying hello…
I have been enjoying editing photos and video clips at my little editing station in the hut- Lara took this photo of me…
my editing station in the hut
Last night we had some lovely clouds… Aug 25th…
Soft clouds on Aug 25th
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This week I was lucky and thankful to have Phinn at the hut as my assistant. Phinn is from England, he is studying marine biology in Maine and has a lot of knowledge of the southern resident orcas in the San Juan Islands and Friday Harbour area. He is a positive guy and is quite an artist. If I am ever feeling down he always puts a smile on my face. One evening we decided to test out Phinn’s camera on the tripod. We took a couple of funny photos…
Phinn and Nat Aug 16th
Phinn and Nat Aug 16th
A photo of Phinn as he was making a beautiful wood carving out of a piece of drift-wood that he found…
Phinn carving his piece of art – Aug 14th
Phinn’s carving – almost done!
On August 17th we witnessed one of the saddest things I have ever seen. The resident orcas were chasing after a humpback whale. It was later ID’d to be resident orcas- A23′s and humpback KC of the northern humpbacks of the johnstone strait area… have a look at the video…
Orca whales chasing down a humpback on August 17, 2012 from Natalie Lucier on Vimeo.
Living in the hut has had its challenges. Some days I feel like I wish I could fly away and have a hot shower and give my family and friends a big hug… and some days I just love being here. Yesterday was one of those days where I wanted to be anywhere else but here… waking up in the wet and cold weather and feeling homesick and sad… I reluctantly started my day… by late afternoon… the clouds covered the area and we could hear thunder in the distance… and then the lightning came and lit up the sky. I was amazed. I stood and watched and decided to film it. I was lucky to capture a moment in time when the lightning hit the land. It was a strong and fierce thunder storm that hammered the Johnstone Strait… reminding me how powerful mother earth can be.
Lightning on August 17th on the Johnstone Strait, BC, Canada
After the storm had settled… the sunset was calm and beautiful…
pinky,purple, orange sunset last night – August 18th
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At the beginning of August we had a full moon. I’m not sure of the exact day but this was the night before the complete full moon. The moon was bright and shining strong lighting up the mountains as a beautiful silhouette landscape.
The beautiful moon
It was a dreamy morning on Aug 2nd 2012. As the sun peeked through the clouds, a rainbow appeared and a beautiful sailboat came by. It was a quiet day on the water and this was a special moment.
Aug 2, 2012 on the Johnstone Strait, BC Canada
On August 5th, I was lucky enough to witness 4 transient whales hunting dolls porpoise. They were splashing and porpoising straight out of the water! Transient dorsal fins have sharper points and more triangular look to them. I shot some video of the spectacular hunt that took place at the entrance to Blackney Pass, although the whales were mid-pass and pretty far, I could still make out the whales splashing and porpoising out of the water! About an hour or so after the hunt…the transients came passed CP (the hut) around sunset. I shot video of them as they passed by…
transients-aug5th from Natalie Lucier on Vimeo.
See a photo of the transients:
Transients Aug 5th 2012
Leah took a photo of me on the deck of the hut at CP – just after I shot video of the transients on Aug 5th.
Natalie on Aug 5th
On August 6th – I was lucky enough to get a HOT Shower on Hanson Island! I felt clean and balanced on Aug 6th. Kristen took a photo of me.
Natalie doing yoga on the deck – Aug 6th
I took a photo of Kristen as she was doing yoga to the sunset on Aug 7th.
Kristen doing yoga to the sunset – Aug 7th
Humpback whales have been making an appearance quite often as well. This photo was taken on Aug 8th.
Humpback taking a breath, Aug 8th
We also enjoyed a lovely sunset last night, Aug 10th
Sunset Aug 10th
Dreamtime clouds- August 2012 – Johnstone Strait, BC, Canada
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As the summer moves on…my days have started when the sun rises and ends after the sun has gone to sleep…
I have been keeping my eyes and ears open for orca whales in the Johnstone Strait, tracking their behaviour and direction of movement. August 1st was a very special day on the Strait. I had been thinking about how I had gotten to see some pods and amazing orcas up close and I had gotten some video but it seemed to me… whenever they came by the hut (I am living in on the Strait)… they broke up and spread out along the strait… and I had not yet been able to capture them together as a pod… well yesterday was my day of glory! The A30′s travelling tight together out of Blackney Pass headed East stayed close together while travelling. I was able to capture most of the A30′s tight together as a family unit. (not all of them) but a good number together. Orca whales stick with their mothers for their entire life…. they mate with other pod members but live, play, hunt and travel with their mother and her offspring for life.
A Family photo. Orcas – A30′s sticking together on the Johnstone Strait, Aug 1 2012. 1pm.
We had a whirl-wind of pods colliding and reuniting here on the Johnstone. A superpod of R4s, A30s, I15s and the A36s identified so far… 
The whales were very playful, grunting squealing and blowing like crazy…They were breaching, flailing about all over each other, spyhopping and tail slapping… We heard some really funny noises out there! It was like a dream to watch this and for most of the time… there were no boats in the water… it was just the whales themselves.
I was filming when I saw a whale jump straight out of the water and big splash! An Orca BREACHING! I managed to capture it on camera… (I will post video below…)
When Krissi (another OrcaLab assistant from Germany) and I were watching the whales frolicking about… in amazement with whale envy, we heard a gigantic CRASH!!!! And then looked to the right side of the hut and saw a humpback has just breached about 100meters away! As quickly as I could, I turned the video camera on the splash and waited… as I kept the video camera on the humpback… I saw my battery in the camera flashing…. battery… battery power getting low…. The humpback came up and tail slapped and rolled around backwards…. I jumped up keeping the camera rolling on the whale… and went to grab a new battery… in the 30 seconds I had left to get a new battery the humpback had BREACHED AGAIN!!!! I had kept the camera rolling in record mode… and when I returned, all I could see was another BIG Splashhh!!!! I couldn’t believe.it. Krissi said “You just missed it again”!!!!!!. I was jaw dropped looking at the splash and the video camera screen still said “Recording”!!!!! The battery had not yet died… I looked at Krissi and said “I think I got it on video”!!!!!!! And to my amazement… I did.
Here is a clip of the orca & humpback breaching. August 1, 2012 on the Johnstone Strait.
Orca & Humpback Breaching Aug 1, 2012 – Johnstone Strait, BC, Canada from Natalie Lucier on Vimeo.
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