Marty Mellway Photography

I recently completed a film about the Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park which is now being used by BC parks on the government website to promote the park. Which can be seen here http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/liard_rv_hs/ This film is was actually slowly worked on for about 3 years while I was working and living in the northern rockies.

This summer has been one of the best summers of my life working and living in northern BC. I had the opportunity to live in an extremely remote place, photograph rare and elusive wild animals, and work as a PFO (Park Facility Operator). Through my job I also got a lot of experience with wildlife management including the management of bears bison and moose within the Park. It was my job on a regular basis to move wild animals out of the park to avoid habituation and attacks. This summer has also allowed me time to really focus on my wildlife photography which is something I have become very passionate about. I'm hope to keep improving my skills and eventually use my images to promote positive change and conservation in Canada. Next is a winter in the Prince Rupert/Port Edward area where I will continue to work on wildlife photography Here are some photos from the summer in the north: Black Bear, Liard River Corridor, BC Bison, Liard River Corridor,The Liard Hotsprings P...

Wandering North from Returning To Nomadism on Vimeo . 3 travellers, 3 Packs, 1 Wagon Our journey through the North during the summer and fall of 2013. The north has forever changed my perception of beauty and nature. Thanks to my travel companions for a great adventure. Photos from the trip http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmellway/ Music: The Winter by Balmorhea http://balmorheamusic.com/ Filmed and edited by Marty Mellway

Today is the first day of winter and this winter we are expecting to see many snowy owls in the Ottawa area. They have come down from there usual home in the far north in search of food. I have been out looking a few times now and have seen about 6 Snowy owls in total. They can be found hunting in open fields, watch for them in the tree tops, on fence posts and hydro poles. Also it is important to remember that these birds are under a lot of stress, they have left their natural habitat to avoid starvation and are here to find food for survival. If they are repeatedly scared away from where they are hunting they are using valuable energy that could be used to hunt. If you scare a bird from where it is hunting do not follow it again and again just to take photos or get a closer view. Baiting or feeding should also be avoided because it has been proven to change the behaviour of the owls. After all wildlife photography is about promoting the conservation of nature so don't be a hypocr...

The Canon 70-300mm 4-5.6 IS USM is a great lens for anyone getting into wildlife photography but isnt ready to spend over 1000$ on a pro L series lens. I got mine used for 350$ and have had it for two years now. I have learned that with the right settings and some patience you can still get great sharp images. The most important thing to remember is that if you are shooting off the tripod keep the IS (image stabilization) on at all times. This lens is not very sharp wide open (which is f4 at 70mm and f5.6 at 200mm) I find stopping down to f8 greatly increases sharpness. If you find it hard to get enough light and a fast shutter speed at f8 just turn up the ISO a bit. Noise reduction is getting better all the time, on my camera I can go to 1600 without it being noticeable in the final image. I still try not to increase ISO above 800 if I can avoid it. Also I find I almost always have to use faster shutter speeds than my light meter tells me to. Image quality goes way down after 20...

Our road trip through Alaska and the Yukon territory was an incredible experience. We spent two months on the road in our Volvo wagon. We climbed peaks, came face to face with grizzlies and bison, hiked and camped through the rain, snow and cold. We drove to the end of the most northern highway in America and hiked back country through the tallest mountains in north America. Alaska is a land of such incredible beauty and unlike anything we have ever seen in our travels around the world. This is the Tundra north of the Brooks range. This is past the Arctic circle and past the tree line. A beautiful barren landscape inhabited by caribou and musk-ox. A family of Musk-ox grazing on the Tundra 2km from the Dalton highway. Musk-ox are ancient creatures from a time when woolly mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers roamed north america The Dalton highway runs 666 km from just north of Fairbanks all the way up to the Arctic ocean at Deadhorse. This highway goes further north than an...

Our car fully loaded with fresh supplies we leave Fairbanks, Alaska to begin the next part of our journey.  We head north on the Dalton Highway, a dirt road that runs 666 kilometres (414 miles) north to the Arctic ocean. It is the most northern highway in America and puts even hardy all-terrain vehicles to the test. Our AWD drive Volvo wagon is outfitted with two spare tires and hopefully everything we will need to survive the journey. Not far north of Fairbanks, we turn off the Elliott highway, which marks the beginning of the Dalton. As the evening approaches, we stop by a river and begin to set up camp. Grabbing my saw and axe one of my companions and I collect wood to make a fire.  With the fire going we prepared a delicious dinner, leaving us tired from the long day of driving. A full moon is rising on the horizon, a pale yellow disc against the blue twilight. With the fire dying down we retreat to the warmth of our sleeping bags.  Looking out my window in the...