TreeEra is in love the the community of photographers posting nature photos on Instagram. Hearing the stories behind the photos is even better. Here is an image series we did with the talented Mackenzie Duncan.
โI had been up since 4:30am, the warmth of the coffee was welcome as the truck made itโs way up through the winding roads along the Southern Coast of Vancouver Island. It was a cold crisp morning and we were meeting a few friends up at Port Renfrew to load up the boat and head off on the journey up the coast searching for some empty surf. The fog lingered over the strong evergreen trees and there were a handful of Elk eating grass next to the inlet. We sped up along the coast, as rugged and beautiful as any coastline until we came to big empty beach. We could see the spray off the waves as they broke. We suited up and paddled into them. Looking West all I could see was the endless Pacific with itโs calming swell traveling towards the shore, and behind me a long sandy beach with the thickest forrest one could image practically spilling out onto it. I always feel so blessed to be there, bobbing in the cold waters off of this Island I was born and raised on.โ
โI had always driven by this one dirt road off the Island Highway and one day when I had a little extra time I decided to turn up it, and spend the next hour or so just puttering through these tall beautiful trees. Stopping to walk and listen to the silence, and the birds and just be there.โ
โA few friends and I had driven up to help my parents with a few things on their house before they put it on the market, it was a beautiful summer night and there was no chance we were going to sleep inside. We grabbed our sleeping bags and a few pillows and setup under a massive expanse of stars, over looking the ocean. The cool summer air slide across my face mirroring the occasional shooting star that slide across the nights sky. This will stand as one of my favourite memories from that property.โ
