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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-10-10, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013. PAGE 7. A book of stunning Huron County photography is now on sale at stores throughout the county, among other locations, and at its core is a talented Brussels photographer with a passion for nature. The book, called The Beauty and Bounty of Huron County, features the work of three local photographers. Telfer Wegg, a resident of Grey County’s Neustadt, contributes to the book in the form of aerial photography, Bonnie Sitter of Exeter’s photography focuses on the sights and people of Huron County, while Brussels’ David Bishop contributes wildlife photography to the collection. Bishop, in an interview with The Citizen, said that Wegg and Sitter had begun work together on a book of photography, but after meeting Bishop and seeing his work, thought a wildlife photography component would take the book to the next level. “I met Bonnie photographing in the field one day,” Bishop says of his meeting with Sitter at the Hullett Provincial Wildlife Area. Shortly afterwards he met Wegg at a meeting of a local camera club in Wroxeter, where Wegg was brought in to speak to the group. While Bishop was gifted his first camera as a wedding present 30 years ago, he got serious about photography about six years ago. He still works full time as a manager of one of Ontario’s largest earth- moving companies, so Bishop’s time in the field taking pictures is relegated to weekends and vacation time. Bishop, a native of a small community near Cambridge, said he first became really interested in wildlife during his 15 years of living and working in Alberta. His path to wildlife photography has been one of education and change, as Bishop first had contact with the wild through hunting, something he is staunchly against now.Bishop said he was a “hunter”until he killed his first deer and sawit, wounded, up close. After that, he said, he knew he didn’t want to do it anymore. Many of the principles between the two, hunting and wildlife photography, Bishop says, are exactly the same. They both involve patience, a creative mind and an eye for the perfect opportunity. He says that while he has gravitated away from hunting himself, he has no disdain for hunters, in fact, he spends much of his time in the wild with hunters “trying not to get shot” among other things. How he has seen animals reacting to humans, including hunters, is to retreat and immediately change their behaviour once they notice a human is around. This has driven his extreme measures to remain undetected while photographing in the wild; a dedication to his craft that has produced what his collaborators have called “National Geographic- quality” images. When travelling to take pictures, Bishop can be found in camouflage that would impress any soldier, even painting his face and dressing his equipment in camouflage as well. In addition, Bishop says that he will often spend well over 12 hours in a location, beginning before the sun rises and leaving after it has set. “There is a picture in the book of three foxes and it took three days to get that shot,” he said. Bishop spent the entire Victoria Day long weekend photographing the group of foxes with the hope of taking aperfect shot.He also says he appreciates thesolitude of the practice of photography out in the wild. He says he has sometimes been categorized as “not playing well with others” but he simply appreciates his time alone in the wild, searching for the perfect photographic opportunity. In fact, Bishop says that he has only taken about 10 or 12 “great” photographs over his lifetime and that nobody has seen them yet. He says that he hopes to publish his own book of photography one day to showcase what he calls his best work. Bishop knows that his photography has generated public interest, saying that when he first decided to sell some photography, the pictures sold, collectively, for approximately $10,000. But he says it’s not the money (or the potential for it) that drives him, it’s the quest for the perfect picture in the world’s toughest arena for photography. He says that while he has always felt a connection to nature and wildlife, it’s the challenge of nature photography that drives him in the field. “It’s the hardest type of photography, because with everything else, you can control it,” Brussels photographer featured in new book Getting into his work Brussels’ David Bishop, seen here in full camouflague, has taken his hobby to new heights in recent years, looking the part completely when he goes into the wild for stunning nature photographs that are at the heart of The Beauty and Bounty of Huron County, a new book featuring photographs by Bishop, Bonnie Sitter and Telfer Wegg. (Photo submitted) Subjects unseen With his dedication to being unseen in the wild, Brussels photographer David Bishop says he sees animals do things that most humans don’t often get to see. Here is one of his images of eagles fighting near Goderich. (David Bishop photo) Business Information Session Whether your business is a large man- ufacturing-based one, commercial, retail, service-oriented, farm-focused, farm direct or home-based, we want to hear from you. Please come out to our information meeting at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013. R.S.V.P. @ (519) 887-6137 or via e-mail @ cheath@morristurnberry.ca MEETING NOTICE MUNICIPALITY OF MORRIS-TURNBERRY The upcoming meetings for the Municipality of Morris-Turnberry will be held: Tuesday October 15 at 7:00 pm Public Meeting for Closure of Lanes/Roads at 7:30 pm Regular Council Meeting * Meeting will be held at the Bluevale Community Hall, 32 Clyde St., Bluevale Community Living Wingham and District Board of Directors sincerely thanks all those who supported the Dinner, Dance and Auction. All of you who bought tickets, made donations and participated in the auction by providing auction items showed great generosity. The bidding was exciting and the auction team was wonderful. It is greatly appreciated. We can now move forward because of your help to make transportation improvements for our clients. Thanks again. Chain Maille Supplies Stitches with a Twist 519-523-9449 Blyth, Ont. By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Continued on page 19