-Story by Nessa Pullman

It害羞草研究所檚 by following our curiosity that we find our true passions 害羞草研究所� by listening to that small, subtle voice inside, begging us to come a little closer. But not everyone hears that voice right away. And for Peninsula-based photographer Dave Hutchison, it took awhile to find the path to his passion.

But today, Dave has carved out a career niche with his love of photography, working for clients that range from BC Ferries to National Bank Financial, and producing images for over 20 calendars, books, thousands of art cards, tourism guides, magazines and more.

Recently, he害羞草研究所檚 had two images accepted into the PPOC () National Images Salon (competition) and received his second PPOC Accreditation in Scenic/Pictoral Photography from PPOC.

害羞草研究所淚 consider myself fortunate to have ventured into places that many others don害羞草研究所檛 visit,害羞草研究所� he says on his website at . 害羞草研究所淭he Great Bear Rainforest 害羞草研究所� has called me back repeatedly with the lure of grizzly and Spirit bears.害羞草研究所�

He has also photographed whales, wolves and birds, landscapes and seascapes from all over North America and, recently, Europe. His images are breathtaking.

Growing up in St. Catharines, Ontario, Dave was drawn to the outdoors. Cycling, a cherished hobby, gave him the opportunity to be outside in nature 害羞草研究所� easily his favourite place to be. By 1993, Dave found himself on the West Coast of Canada in Vancouver, selling commercial exercise equipment to large corporations such as Telus, BC Hydro and Canada Post.

In 2002, Dave gravitated to the Saanich Peninsula in search of a quieter surrounding to call home. Still working for the company in Vancouver, Dave commuted from his home in Sidney to his workplace on the Lower Mainland every few days for two years.

害羞草研究所淭hat back and forth lifestyle 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 enough to burn anyone out. You start to feel like you don害羞草研究所檛 really live anywhere. I needed to find an outlet to offset that,害羞草研究所� explains Dave.

As the owner of four Whippet dogs at the time, he began photographing dog racing around BC. What started out as a simple pastime, soon catapulted into a career in which he never thought he害羞草研究所檇 find himself.

害羞草研究所淚t was just very peaceful, being out in the field, no one else around except me and the dogs. To me it was very therapeutic after a long work week.害羞草研究所�

Soon after that, Dave went on a trip to Yellowstone National Park with his friend and fellow photographer .

害羞草研究所淚 remember being completely wowed by the abundance of wildlife 害羞草研究所� bison, pronghorns, elk 害羞草研究所� everywhere I looked. It was that connection to photography that I hadn害羞草研究所檛 yet experienced. It was the bait that lured me in,害羞草研究所� he recalls, the memory still so tangible.

害羞草研究所淚t was an image I had taken on my trip to Yellowstone that was my first framed and sold piece of art. It was then that I realized this could become much more than just a pastime.害羞草研究所�

As he launched his career in nature and wildlife photography, his home in the Saanich Peninsula provided an 害羞草研究所渆xcellent training ground to experiment and practise with landscape photography,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淭he Peninsula has these amazing sunsets 害羞草研究所� from Deep Cove to Moses Point.害羞草研究所�

Dave approaches photography as a form of communication.

害羞草研究所淲hat I love most about nature and wildlife photography is that I can communicate to others what is out there to preserve 害羞草研究所� what we have to cherish and keep. People buy artwork because they can connect to it, whatever it may be,害羞草研究所� he explains. 害羞草研究所淭here are so many different genres to communicate 害羞草研究所� whether it害羞草研究所檚 painting, music, or dance 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 all the same in the sense that we are trying to communicate. For some reason photography happened for me 害羞草研究所� whether it came to me or I came to it.害羞草研究所�

What especially draws Dave to his work is the way in which immerses him in nature.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a whole different life when you are out there in the wild with another being; it teaches you how to be present in an instant,害羞草研究所� he says, adding, 害羞草研究所淲hen you害羞草研究所檙e alone with wildlife, you can only be fully there 害羞草研究所� nothing else matters. And that害羞草研究所檚 where the real teaching comes into place 害羞草研究所� it teaches you to stay calm, to breathe, but at the same time it magnifies itself into all areas of your life. Photography is just a medium 害羞草研究所� a portal 害羞草研究所� to reveal how you害羞草研究所檙e going to be in this world.害羞草研究所�

Dave began conducting one-on-one photography workshops eight years ago.

害羞草研究所淲hen I work with my students I don害羞草研究所檛 call it 害羞草研究所榩hotography,害羞草研究所� I call it 害羞草研究所榠mage making.害羞草研究所� I teach them how to create images, not to take snap shots 害羞草研究所� they already know how to do that.害羞草研究所�

He soon expanded the personal sessions, and within a few years, he was hosting group workshops and photo tours around BC.

害羞草研究所淔or me, it害羞草研究所檚 about meeting the students where they害羞草研究所檙e at, not to be above or below them. We are all creative beings, it just sometimes takes something to bring it out in us. For me, it was much later in life.害羞草研究所�

As I sit down with Dave on a late summer害羞草研究所檚 evening, I can feel his excitement as he tells me his plans for his in Italy, Colorado and the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary in Northern BC. Dave害羞草研究所檚 outlook on his craft may seem ordinary to some害羞草研究所攂ut it害羞草研究所檚 his outlook on our role as creative beings and communicators of our earth, that seems imaginably exceptional.