A time-lapse video of the Okanagan Valley fog. This incredible time-lapse shows the Okanagan Valley filling up with clouds on a sunny winter day. Shot on Nikon D500 and D7100 cameras, the film captures a phenomenon that occurs each winter called an inversion.
A full cloud inversion occurs when cold air is trapped by the valley and topped with a layer of warm air, which combines with moisture and condensation to form a sea of clouds. Sped up in timelapse, it feels as though the mountains surrounding the Okanagan Valley are jutting up from an ethereal, rolling ocean.
I spent a day filming these clips up in the Carmi area near Penticton and at Apex Mountain.
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Great storms on the Sun, most notably Solar Flares & Coronal Mass Ejections, send massive bursts of gas and magnetic field hurtling into space. When these charged particles from the Sun strike atoms in our Earth’s atmosphere, they cause electrons in the atoms to move to a higher-energy state. When the electrons drop back to a lower energy state, they release a photon: light. This process creates the beautiful aurora, or Northern Lights. Oxygen results in a green aurora while nitrogen causes the blue and red colours. If the storm is strong enough, the sky will shimmer with a magnetic pulse similar to a strobe light.
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North of course! Although that’s not so easy in the dark without a compass so here’s a guide to finding Polaris, the North Star. You’ll also have to make sure there are no cities in the direction you are looking as this will cloud the night sky with “light pollution” or ambient light. Find a dark location with a clear northern viewpoint away from ALL light sources. You heard me. Put away your phone and let your eyes adjust to the dark night sky. Keep an eye on the “Auroral Oval” map for any dense areas of red or yellow; this is an indication that the northern lights are extremely active and visible in the sky. There is no specific time that they appear so you’ll just have to get out there and wait. I can tell you where the storm is but not when the lightning will strike. Bring a blanket, chair, hot beverages, friends and whatever else you can think of to pass the time and make it enjoyable.
Possibilities seem endless photographing the Northern Lights. You’ll need a long exposure so set your camera up on a tripod and set your camera to Manual Mode. I’d recommend a fast, wide angle lens so that you can capture as much of the sky as possible. f/2.8 is best but f/3.5 will work great. Start by setting your ISO to ~1600, give or take depending on the brightness and speed of the aurora, and open up your aperture. Shutter speed will vary from 6 to 20 seconds depending on the intensity of the lights so play around with settings until you find that sweet spot.
View more race photos here:
http://preservedlight.com/elevator-race-penticton-2018
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The Okanagan Highlands is home to a myriad of unique natural phenomena but nothing quite as otherworldly as Spotted Lake. Known to the Syilx People as Khiluk, or the “grandfather of lakes”, it is a sacred place for healing and is said to contain 365 coloured spots, one for each day of the year.
Scientifically speaking it is a saline endorheic alkali lake. The coloured amoeba-like pools are formed each summer when the lake evaporates, leaving mineral-rich deposits of calcium, magnesium & sodium sulphates, making it one of the most mineralized lakes in the world. Their colours vary according to mineral composition & seasonal precipitation, varying from blue to green to yellow and nearly every shade in between.
Here’s an excerpt from the Statement of the Okanagan Tribal Chiefs on Spotted Lake in 1979…
“Since the dawn of history, Spotted Lake or ‘Ha? Ki lil xw’ as we call it, has been a sacred place. Indians from all tribes came to visit the lake for the medicine the lake contains. The ceremonial cairns, too numerous to count that surround the lake testify to that. Some of these are so ancient they have sunk underground and only their tops remain above ground. Some are buried altogether. There are many stories told by our ancestors about the cures this lake has provided, physically and spiritually through its medicine powers…
…Its medicinal powers are not to be taken lightly. This lake is a Chief among lakes, its powers are above the purely physical. It contains 365 circles in various shapes, sizes and depths. Each particular day of the year. Anyone who goes to this lake will find the right circle if he seeks.
The land surrounding the lake is owned by the Okanagan Nation Alliance and is normally closed to the public, both because of its cultural significance and its environmental sensitivity. It can, however, be viewed quite well from a pull-off on Hwy. 3, North-West of Osoyoos.
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Written for The Outbound Collective
Escape to the vanishing horizon of the Pacific Ocean, where time is measured by the rhythm of waves.
Located near West Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay neighbourhood, Whytecliff Park is home to more than 200 marine animal species and is one of the first Marine Protected Areas in Canada. You're almost guaranteed to see sea lions here!
The park offers numerous short hiking trails, sheltered beaches, tennis courts and is a popular location for underwater diving. You won't ever believe you're so close to the city of Vancouver!
Enter the park on Marine Drive and pull in to the parking lot on the left shortly after. From there you can explore on foot (it's a small park) or continue driving along Marine Drive to the other side of the park and venture out again.
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![]() Caillum Smith/Preserved Light Photography |
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