Kathy Stocks is always on the hunt for wildlife in the South Cariboo.
The avid photographer, who has already built herself a gallery of stunning wildlife and landscape shots, plans to continue growing her portfolio as she heads into retirement.
“I just want to get out there and shoot,” said Stocks, 64, who currently works at RBC.
Stocks, who moved to the area in 2006, got into photography late in life. While she had taken the usual snaps of families and trips, she wasn’t truly inspired until a visit to Bella Coola in 2012. On a boat ride down the Atnarko River, she was close enough to capture grizzly bears with her camera, an experience that whetted her appetite to shoot wildlife.
But it wasn’t until she attended Melonie Eva’s show at Parkside Gallery - and formed a friendship with Eva - that she found her passion. Eva has served as something of a mentor to Stocks showing her the best places to shoot in the South Cariboo, and joining her on trips to South Africa and Alaska. They even collaborated on Shades of Nature aphotography show at Parkside last year.
READ MORE: Photography exhibits all Shades of Nature
“We have a lot of similarities when it comes to going out and being outdoors and shooting the wildlife,” Stocks said. “We’ve done a few trips together and it’s nice to be out with someone else in the bush so you’re not just by yourself.”
Stocks, whose work is under the name Katherine Stocks Photography, said she loves capturing animals’ personalities and interactions. She took a picture of a coyote stealing a dead swan from several eagles and calmly eating it in front of them. These moments are what make her trips into the bush exciting, she said, noting that some days she sees nothing and other days the scenes “blow her mind.”
She is also enthralled by landscapes around the Cariboo, especially moody scenes such as sunsets, rivers and nighttime city skylines. Stocks shoots with a Canon 5D Mark Four and a 5D Mark 3.
“I’m still in the learning phase and I still need to learn how to play with the photos afterward. You just want to get your best picture out there,” Stocks said. “It’s a work in progress.”
Stocks intends to start selling her photos more widely and even print them herself. Her work can already be seen on display at the Chartreuse Moose and the Free Press’ office.
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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