British Columbia has a diverse variety of terrain. You’ll find everything here; jagged peaks on the Rocky Mountains, dry desert conditions in the Thompson Okanagan, the lush rain forests on Vancouver Island, fertile lands in the Fraser Valley, and pine scented forests in Northern BC. Each region of the province has it’s own unique natural beauty For the lower mainland, the Coastal Mountains are a treasure all on their own.

The picturesque backdrop of the Coastal Mountains are home to many signature peaks and have become a natural attraction for outdoor enthusiasts.

Skiers flock to the summits of Cypress, Grouse and Seymour on the North Shore Mountains to get a taste of snow in the winter and for mountain biking and site seeing in the summer, and the North Shore’s Lynne Valley is a popular hiking and recreational area.

Further up the coast near Squamish, rock climbers and hikers take to The Chief for a day-trip adventure, others find themselves trekking to Garibaldi glacial lake. Other popular areas for the adventurous include the Black Tusk and the Lions.

Another easy way to see all these great wonders in a very short amount of time is to take a helicopter tour. Helijet offers charter flights and packages from Vancouver to Whistler.

Located in downtown Vancouver, Coal Harbour is the area of Burrard Inlet bounded to the southeast by Burrard Street, to the southwest by West Georgia and Pender Streets, and to the northwest by Stanley Park.

Best known for its upscale high-rise condos built in the 1990’s on reclaimed land, Vancouver’s Coal Harbour features many park areas, fine-dining restaurants, boutique shops, and marinas.

The area has a rich industrial history. Over the years there have been seaplane manufactures, ship work yards, rail and ship stations, and even a lumber mill. The area has also been home to yacht and rowing clubs.

The area received its name from when coal was first discovered in the area in 1862. The coal was low-grade and was not mined because of the amount of clay in laid in.

The area was first settled by the Sḵwxwú7mesh aboriginal people.

Every year the tree-lined streets of Vancouver come alive with beautiful shades of pink as the cherry trees come into full blossom.

Vancouver is one of a handful of cities that can proudly boast grassy, tree-lined boulevards on almost every residential neighbourhood.

Since 1917, the Vancouver Parks Board strived to provide long, linear streetscapes of single kinds of trees. Vancouver’s street trees are a direct result of extensive planning following World War II.

Many of Vancouver’s cherry trees were gifts from Japan. The first gift of trees came in the 1930’s and were planted in at the Cenotaph in Stanley Park, to honour the Japanese Canadians who fought in World War I.

In 1958,  the Japanese Consul gave Vancouver a gift of another 300 trees as “an eternal memory of good friendship between our two nations.” They were planted in Queen Elizabeth Park, Stanley Park, along Cambie Street and at UBC. Many of these trees are still alive and well today.

Since the 1960’s, the Vancouver Parks Board and its Street Tree Division have maintained Vancouver’s intricate street tree program, including the preservation and replacement of the ornamental cherry trees.

The last official count it was estimated over 18,000 flowering cherries lined Vancouver’s streets, representing almost 600 kinds of cherry trees.  These trees are estimated to be valued at over $500 million by the Vancouver Parks Board.

Get into the spirit and celebrate this the blooming cherry blossoms this spring, check out the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.

This photo was taken on Christmas Day in the Okanagan Valley, overlooking Wood Lake in Lake Country, BC. It was so peaceful as the late afternoon sun glimmered over the calm water.

During the winter there are so many amazing winter photography opportunities!

A few years ago I used to do a lot of photo shoots, both in front and behind the camera lens. I was doing on average a shoot every month for about three years.

I haven’t had as many opportunities in recent years, and I was really excited to get back in front of the lens this summer.

These shots were taken on my Canon 30D SLR in various locations across Yaletown in Vancouver, BC.

Photography by Jay Minter. Digital art by myself.

Pictures capture our most precious special moments in time. Every family has a basement or attic with photo albums and boxes filled with precious heirlooms. Throughout our lives we will go back to these photo over and over again to take a walk down memory lane, to relive memories, recount the past, and learn about our history.

Unfortunately, over time photos begin to suffer damage. Photographic paper degrades, colours fade, and photos get damaged from heat, humidity and improper care.

The best way to preserve valuable photos from being lost forever and save them for future generations is to digitally restore and save the images. It’s also a safe method for archiving and duplication.

The process starts by scanning the original slide, negative or print at high resolution, leaving the original unharmed. All restoration work is done on the electronic copy, preserving as much detail as possible. Through restoration, the image can be brought back to its original glory – sometimes with better enhancements than the original.

Restoration can include:

• Repairing damage including cracks, creases, tears and holes
• Removing stains, watermarks, mildew, and blemishes
• Reversing the effects of fading, wash-out and discolouration
• Bringing back the life and luster to colour and black & white photographs
• Adding or removing people or objects

Last year it was my grandparents 50^th wedding anniversary. I spend months restoring over 700 photographs submitted from friends and family from across the country. In return, each family received a DVD with all the restored and catalogued images as a special gift and keepsake.

Below are just two of the many photos I restored. These photos are just two examples of what can be achieved through electronic restoration. When I showed my grandparents the restored photos it brought back a lot of memories and emotion for them – and that is a very special gift that can never be bought.

Maybe it’s time to start thinking about what family photos you want to preserve for future generations or are worthy of prominent display in your home.

Still not convinced? Think about this: if your house was on fire and you had just one moment to grab anything inside, what would you take? Most people choose to take their most precious memories – their photos – because they are irreplaceable.

This past Sunday I had the pleasure to visit the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, B.C.

As a bit of a history on the site, it was originally owned by the CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) and was leased to the Shaughnessy Golf Club from 1911 – 1960. The site was slated to be rezoned and become a residential area, however, citizens and the Vancouver Park Board banded together to create an association and on August 30, 1975, the golf course had been transformed and opened to the public as the beautiful gardens we enjoy today.

The 55 acre site is divided into a number of different themed gardens. Each garden is unique and distinct and features varietals of vegetation and plant life from various regions from around the world. There are main pathways to follow, however, there are additional side paths that you can wonder to get up close to truly enjoy the specimens.

It’s highly recommended to take a map; the directional signs are ambiguous, however, it’s also a perfect opportunity to just wander and see where the path may lead you, or take one of the guided tours to get the complete story on all the plants and where they come from.

VanDusen Botanical Garden is the perfect Sunday afternoon destination for a relaxing stroll to enjoy some of the most beautiful vegetation. There are peaceful ponds and you won’t want to forget to bring along some bread to feed to the ducks.  If you’re looking for the perfect afternoon date, give this place a try, it’s very romantic! And hey, if you’re grandma or favorite aunt is in town, be sure to bring them by, they would probably enjoy sitting out on the patio above the rose garden, enjoying a scone and a cup of Earl Grey tea.

The gardens are open year-round and host a variety of events from the Spring Plant Sale to the winter festival of lights. Admission in the summer is just $9.75 for adults or $15 for a family – incredible value!

One of the most important assets for any business is photography. Images communicate the value of your product, professionalism of your business, and directly reflect on the business.

When I visit a website that sells a product or a service, I appreciate seeing some decent product shots. Over the past number of years I’ve had the pleasure of helping a number of small and medium size businesses and organizations feature their products on their sites.

In the past I have photographed an entire line of clothing for a Vancouver based fashion designer, photographed samples for graphic designers portfolio’s, hand-made wares from a local artisan, and other various products that have been used in various pieces of online and print marketing collateral.

Most recently I did some product photography for a beauty supply store that specializes in hair extensions, weaves and wigs. The company is currently re-branding and will be launching a new website. Part of the new online experience will feature samples of hair products they sell. When the new website goes live I’ll be sure to post a link.

In the meantime, think about your own online customer experience. Are your photos really portraying your products and services as effectively as possible? Is it time for your website’s photography to be updated?