Author: Matt

---

BC Hydro’s Wilsey Dam @ Shuswap Falls – is a paradise for photographers and videographers. For anyone who loves waterfalls and raging waters through rugged canyons, this is the place to visit. At a recent visit, we focused on capturing the motion of the water in greater detail.

This time, we applied a bit of a different method to reproduce the slowed motion of the water. Instead of choosing the ‘High Speed Video’ choice from the camera’s menu, we shot the scenes in regular video speed. In post editing, we slowed down the video footage by about 40% and this is what can be seen in this video. Some segments were slowed down to about 10% to show utmost details of the moving water.

---

Pictographs & Petroglyphs of the Shuswap, Kootenay & Vancouver Island BC

---

When shooting in ‘High Speed Video’ setting, no sound is produced thus rendering the footage somewhat useless for public showing. The post editing choice is the best for those who want the real sounds of the roaring water. 

The following video shows a never seen before image overlay showing the original Shuswap River channel before the dam was built. All images and video scenes were shot with Fujifilm’s X-T4 and Panasonic’s DMC300 cameras.

---

Related Articles

2021 Brenda Falls at Sugar Lake Dam, BC

2021 Sicamous Creek Fatal Falls, BC

---

Wilsey Dam at Shuswap Falls, BC – To Be Decommissioned – BC Hydro plans to decommission the Wilsey Dam and 5.2-MW Shuswap Falls Powerhouse on the Shuswap River, which allows salmon access to historical spawning habitat in the river. 

The facility was built in 1929 by West Canadian Hydro Electric Corporation. The BC Power Commission succeeded the corporation, which, in turn, became BC Hydro. The concrete dam was built at the site of the original 21-m-high Shuswap Falls, while the spillway channel was blasted through solid rock immediately to the north. Initially, the facility used only water available in the Shuswap River, without a storage reservoir (run-of-the-river). The Shuswap River flows powered this 4,000-hp generating unit. In 1942, a second dam was constructed at the outlet of Sugar Lake to create storage and increased generating potential. This new dam allowed for another 4000-hp generating unit at Shuswap Falls.

---

.

Check Out The Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ300 at our Panasonic Lumix Academy Page

.

---

The 2021 White Rock Lake BC Wildfire Storm footage was captured on the 6th of August 2021, from a hilltop at Predator Ridge Golf Resort, near Vernon, BC. Strong southerly winds of about 40 KM/h whipped across the region and created apocalyptic fire conditions on the west side of Okanagan Lake. 

Extreme wildfire conditions are seen from Predator Ridge across Okanagan Lake. Camera: FujiFilm X T-4 > Aperture: f/8 > Shutter: 1/60 > ISO-160
View from Eastside Road across Okanagan Lake. Camera: Camera: FujiFilm X T-4 > Aperture: f/4 > Shutter: 1/30 > ISO-160

 

---

Related Article:   2021 Becker Lake Wildfire, Vernon BC

---

.

---

Okanagan Garden Evolution is an ongoing flower garden project. After the removal of fir trees, a rock garden was created. The ground was cleared, rocks brought in and placed on the ground for flower bed edging. Composted soil was filled into the new beds, flowers and shrubs planted. Click the image to the right to open it enlarged in a new tab.
		Okanagan Garden Evolution is to inspire others to build flower gardens as well. If digging is too hard, raised beds can be created, regardless of what lies underneath. Fact is, all gardens produce weeds eventually. Some more, some less – weeds are a fact of life in a healthy garden. Gardening is a fun hobby that is positive and good for the soul. Click the image to the left to open it enlarged in a new tab.

Evolution – As encyclopedias suggest, evolution, theory in biology postulating that the various types of plants, animals, and other living things on Earth have their origin in other preexisting types and that the distinguishable differences are due to modifications in successive generations. The theory of evolution is one of the fundamental keystones of modern biological theory.

Did you know this ? The diversity of the living world is staggering. More than 2 million existing species of organisms have been named and described; many more remain to be discovered—from 10 million to 30 million, according to some estimates. What is impressive is not just the numbers but also the incredible heterogeneity in size, shape, and way of life—from lowly bacteria, measuring less than a thousandth of a millimetre in diameter, to stately sequoias, rising 100 metres (300 feet) above the ground and weighing several thousand tons; from bacteria living in hot springs at temperatures near the boiling point of water to fungi and algae thriving on the ice masses of Antarctica and in saline pools at −23 °C (−9 °F); and from giant tube worms discovered living near hydrothermal vents on the dark ocean floor to spiders and larkspur plants existing on the slopes of Mount Everest more than 6,000 metres (19,700 feet) above sea level.

---

The Okanagan Garden Evolution and Flower Power videos show the projects from the beginning to the present. 😉

---

---

---

As extreme drought conditions continue throughout the province of British Columbia, residents in the Okanagan grow more concerned about new wildfires every day. After a grass fire at a slope above Kalamalka Lake on the previous day and the following night, smoke was spotted a few miles west of Becker Lake. High winds ignited a spot fire to to a blaze of several hectares. Air tankers and helicopters from Kamloops and Vernon fought the wildfire for most of the day. All photos and the short video were taken free-handed with Panasonic’s Lumix DMC FZ300 at maximum focal length of 600 mm.

▲ Wildfire smoke seen billowing above Vernon Camera: Lumix DMC FZ300 Aperture: f/8 > Shutter: 1/320	▲ Strong winds whip the fire north Camera: Lumix DMC FZ300 Aperture: f/8 > Shutter: 1/320	▲ Conair aerial tanker 566 circling above Camera: Lumix DMC FZ300 Aperture: f/8 > Shutter: 1/320

▲ A Kaman K-MAX helicopter in bucketing Camera: Lumix DMC FZ300 Aperture: f/3.2 > Shutter: 1/1300	Conair air tanker 566 dropping retardant Camera: Lumix DMC FZ300 Aperture: f/8 > Shutter: 1/320	▲ A Kaman K-MAX helicopter in action Camera: Lumix DMC FZ300 Aperture: f/3.2 > Shutter: 1/1300

On Saturday afternoon (2021-07-10), the BC Wildfire Service had 26 personnel on scene fighting the Becker Lake wildfire, alongside with 4 helicopters and air tanker support. At the time of this report, the fire was still classified as out of control and it encompassed a size of approximately 10 hectares.

---

Three house-sized boulders in a narrow gorge divide Sicamous Creek into two cascading waterfalls. A short, well developed and marked trail leads from the parking lot at Highway 97A to a viewing area from which the stunning scenery of Sicamous Creek Fatal Falls can be enjoyed. Be sure to stay on the trail(s) at all times and avoid old pathways beyond safety fences. Bring a tripod and use it if you want to soften up the motion of the waterfall with a slow shutter speed. When the sun hits the gorge on a nice day, you may want to try shooting with a good ND (Neutral density) filter.

---

Neutral Density (ND) Filters Explained (PDF)     ▪     Neutral Density Filter Calculator (PDF)

---

.

---

Sicamous Creek Fatal Falls
In two separate instance,  people have left the safety of marked trails for better views and have fallen to their deaths. In spring of 2019, a 27-year-old Malakwa resident died after climbing up a rock face to a cave and falling 140 metres down a steep embankment. The man who was a significant distance away from a marked trail died from a traumatic head injury sustained in the fall. Alcohol intoxication was apparently a contributing factor in the accidental death.

---

St. Ives Winter Photo Shoot @ Shuswap Lake BC

---

Shuswap Search and Rescue’s cliff rescue team and members of Sicamous Fire Department struggled four hours in dangerous conditions to recover the body. Two months later, a hiker came across a body while hiking along a lower trail in the area. Police believe a 53-year-old Edmonton man left the hiking trail to get a better view of a gorge at Sicamous Creek Falls when his footing gave away and he fell 30 metres to his death.

---

Camera: FujiFilm X T-4 > Aperture: f/7.1 > Shutter speed: 1/8 sec. > Iso speed: ISO-160 > Exposure compensation: 0 step

---

 

Ancient times and nature come together at the Historic Dun-Waters Farm & Short’s Creek Waterfall in Fintry BC. A long history and traces of First nation’s people and European settlers is preserved in Fintry Provincial Park on Lake Okanagan in British Columbia. Historic Dun-Waters Farm at Short’s Creek and waterfall in Fintry BC, is an interesting place to visit.
		Captain James Cameron Dun-Waters named Fintry after his hometown in Scotland. He built and operated a farm business, boating service, an orchard and a fruit packing plant supported by innovative hydro-electricity generation and irrigation systems.

---

---

Brenda Falls at Sugar Lake Dam, BC with Lumix FZ300 & FujiFilm X T-4 – The powers of water are best captured in high speed photography or in video. This visit to Brenda Falls just below of Sugar Lake took place in the late part of winter with difficult lighting conditions. Shooting out of the dark into bright sunlight or illuminated water can be a challenge.
		Brenda Falls at Sugar Lake Dam is worth a visit for photography buffs and anyone who loves the raw power of waterfalls. Caution is advised when attempting to get closer to the rivers edge via the western side’s former viewing area. A steep, old trail that leads down to the water is badly eroded and the place could be dangerous during the dam’s high water releases.

---

The video shows a few stills and some scenes shot through the trees from the steep shoreline. The water looks a bit overexposed as the camera (Panasonic Lumix FZ300) struggles with the difficult lighting.

Brenda Falls at Sugar Lake Dam, BC and all other hydroelectric facilities create special risks for visitors. Sudden changes in water flows in the spillway, strong currents near the dam, and the presence of numerous log jams and debris make swimming and boating dangerous. For your own safety, stay behind fenced areas, away from all hydroelectric operating structures, and away from steep cliffs. Before embarking on a trip, ensure that you have detailed mapping, have first hand knowledge of the river and present conditions, and have taken adequate safety precautions, especially during high water. Leave a plan of your trip with a relative or friend.

---

Okanagan Garden Evolution  ▪  Becker Lake Wildfire, Vernon BC  ▪  Sicamous Creek Fatal Falls, BC

---

Shuswap Falls, BC – Photo Shoot with Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ300 & FujiFilm X-T4 – Shuswap Falls near Lumby in British Columbia facilitates BC Hydro’s Wilsey Dam which features multiple waterfalls year round. A prominent viewing platform high above one of the dam’s bypass channels provides spectacular views to the frothing waters below. Further north along the course of the Shuswap River at 29 Km distance is the site of Sugar Lake dam. Historically known as Brenda Falls, the river drops there about 30 feet. The structure is a 150 m long and 13 m high concrete buttress dam that provides storage and regulation for the BC Hydro Shuswap Falls generating station downstream. Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-300 > Aperture: F/2.8 > Shutter Speed: 1/800 > Sensitivity: ISO-100
		The FujiFilm and Panasonic’s LUMIX FZ300’s features, splash proof and dustproof rugged design with tight seals on every joint, dial and button, stand up to harsh weather conditions and challenging environments. Shooting at or near waterfalls are no problem for these camera due to their ruggedness. The image to the left was taken from a viewing platform at the dam which allows for dramatic shots of the raging waters below. Camera: FujiFilm X T-4 > Aperture: F/4 > Shutter Speed: 1/250 > Sensitivity: ISO-160

---

The following video shows never seen before shots of beautifully coloured waters rushing through rugged canyons below the dam. In one of a few still images at the beginning of the video, an overlay image shows what the site looked like before the dam was built. All images and video scenes were shot with Fujifilm’s X-T4 and Panasonic’s DMC300 cameras.

---

---

Got A Lumix Too ? G9 ? Check Out Our Lumix Academy

---

The following video shows never seen before shots of beautifully coloured waters rushing through rugged canyons below the dam. In one of a few still images at the beginning of the video, an overlay image shows what the site looked like before the dam was built. All images and video scenes were shot with Fujifilm’s X-T4 and Panasonic’s DMC300 cameras.

---

Explore the marine life and rugged coast lines along the Wild Pacific Trail near the town of Ucluelet, BC. Nearby vast beaches in Pacific Rim National Park offer endless photo opportunities. The Rock Bluffs at the end of the Wild Pacific Trail offer elevated views over the sea. Radar Hill and Long Beach notoriously provide breath taking settings for beautiful sunsets. Camera: Cannon PowerShot G16 > Scene: Super Vivid > F-stop: f/3.2 > Exposure time: 1/2000 sec. > Exposure compensation: 0 step > ISO speed: ISO-80.

Along the route, several short side trails branch off from the main route near the ocean’s edge. Viewpoints offer countless opportunities for watching a gorgeous sunset over the water. Crashing waves onto rugged shorelines are the most exciting moments one can capture with a camera. The following video depicts some of those impression along the Wild Pacific Trail in BC. Camera: Cannon PowerShot G16 > Scene: Super Vivid > F-stop: f/8 > Exposure time: 1/400sec.> Exposure compensation: 0 step > ISO speed: ISO-100

---

If you would like explore the Wild Pacific Trail , download your copy of the trail map here

---

---