A North Vancouver amateur photographer has shared some stunning wildlife photos shot here on the North Shore in hopes of raising awareness about the preciousness of our urban green spaces.
Andrew Harnden, a semi-retired 60-year-old, calls himself a “perpetual student of the pixel.” The images he shared with the North Shore News were all captured in North Vancouver’s Roche Point Park. He’s not just out hunting pretty pictures, though. Harnden said he is “looking to apply my photography to purposeful projects.”
With the wildlife shots, he is hoping to raise awareness of the thriving ecosystems found intermingled with densely populated urban areas.
“I have chosen Roche Point Park because it, along with Cates Park (Whey-ah-Wichen), are a fragile wildlife corridor surrounded by ongoing development,” Harnden told the North Shore News. “The recent increases in housing density mean more people getting out and enjoying these parks. It also means more wear and tear, more unsanctioned bike trail building, etc.”
Harnden wants parks users to realize that they share those green spaces with a whole host of wild creatures.
“My hope is by helping people see the true ‘nature’ of our parks, we will collectively tread a little more lightly,” he said.
For photography fans, Harnden also shared his setup for capturing wild animals in action.
“My wildlife kit is a Nikon D7500, 300 millimetre prime and (sometimes) a TC1.4,” he said. “I shoot raw, primarily handheld, but am planning to learn how to use tripod and gimbal.”
Enjoy the images in the gallery above, and remember that you are entering a shared space the next time you take a trip into our urban wilderness.
