Lethbridge River Valley is great for Wildlife Photography
John Krampl presents on ‘Wildlife Lethbridge’ at Helen Schuler Nature Centre
On Friday October 28 we hosted the second Travel Adventures in this year's series. Local photographer John Krampl delighted a full house showcasing 'Wildlife Lethbridge'. The presentation was the first 'stay-cation' as part of the program's history. It provided a great reminder of the abundant wildlife found in Lethbridge!
‘Heavy Duty’ is the name John has given to this resident Mule Deer with an impressive rack
Starting in winter, John Krampl took the audience on an adventure across the seasons. His excellent photos and commentary brought the river valley to life. He shared stories of each animal, where he usually finds them, and the names he has given them over the years.
John was supported by Gayle Krampl, his wife, photo editor, social media expert, and slideshow producer. She had the difficult task of selecting 200 photos for the presentation from thousands of images John photographed over the years. Each photo was identified to assist the audience understand the diversity of wildlife on display. The amazing photos were delightful - from long-tailed weasels to lesser yellow legs, from mink to marmots, from white tailed deer to pelicans.
Bald Eagle recovers from a dive while fishing the Oldman River
The Wildlife Lethbridge presentation offered a glimpse at the natural beauty found in Lethbridge’s parks year-round. The presentation made it clear that Lethbridge’s river valley is a destination for wildlife photographers.
“The greatest concentration of wildlife can be found throughout Helen Schuler [Nature Reserve Park],” said John Krampl. “You have to spend a lot of time out here. You have to get out there or you are not going to get the shots. You don’t always get those fantastic shots that you dream of. But when it happens, that makes it all worthwhile.”
John’s timing could not have been better when he photographed this Long-tailed Weasel moving its young to a new den
John shared that he always wanted to be a wildlife photographer to capture the beauty of the creatures that share the earth with us. At the age of 60 he finally purchased a good camera and has been taking pictures since.
Wildlife photography has become a great way for John and his wife Gayle to get out walking and enjoy nature together. Gayle edits his photos and shares them on social media and on iNaturalist. They both hope to evoke an appreciation for wildlife. Their efforts have been rewarded as three of John’s photos have been published in Canadian Geographic.
After the presentation John shared details about his photography equipment. Several attendees were photographers keen to know the exact settings and lenses John uses.
There were 71 people in attendance (58 in-person and 13 online) at the event. The presentation raised $833 in support of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre. The Lethbridge Herald published a great article about the event (but we assure you there are likely no ferrets or barn owls commonly found in Lethbridge).
We thank John & Gayle for a wonderful Travel Adventures presentation!
Everyone is encouraged to attend the two upcoming Travel Adventures: