Award-winning photographer Eiko Jones will be the first to speak this year in the Discovery Passage Aquarium’s Public Science Speaker Series.
On Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Maritime Heritage Centre, take a photographic journey exploring the connections between salmon and the local rivers and the importance of a vibrant, healthy watershed.
“Because of my work with wild salmon, I see firsthand the importance of a healthy, sustainable environment,” Jones said.
“Vibrant, wild salmon runs are one of the first things to diminish as encroachment and pollution affect a river.”
Jones strives to capture the natural and human world in a way that inspires and motivates people to appreciate and care about this planet we call home.
“Through artistic and dramatic imagery, I endeavour to offer people a glance of that world, whether they live in a big city condo, or have no ability to experience the world below or out in nature,” he said. “My work is all about drawing attention to the entire environment and associated watersheds, from the mountaintops all the way down, and into our vast, but fragile oceans.”
By presenting unique portrayals of our world through the lens of his camera he brings light to corners of our world which are seldom seen.
With a big emphasis on water based photography, images of mountains, lakes, rivers, and oceans, and the salmon, trout and other life forms that inhabit these areas make up a lot of Jones’ body of work.
While all aspects of the natural world are of interest, underwater photography of Pacific Salmon has become one of his primary objectives. So the salmon, and the watersheds of British Columbia that they return to, have become a central driving theme for Jones and his photography.
“I believe the tide is turning for the benefit of our wilderness and our future generations through a change in philosophy towards the environment,” Jones said. “By people becoming aware of the need to protect our precious waterways, the salmon and associated wildlife are being helped. This is a big part in ensuring a healthy global environment. I look to the resilience of wild salmon as a great example of the forces of life itself. By making needed changes in our actions towards the environment, nature will achieve a balance and hopefully be restored to a semblance of its once abundant state.”
Admission to the event is by donation and all proceeds go to the Discovery Passage Aquarium.
This event is sponsored by the Campbell River Mirror, North Island College and the Discovery Passage Aquarium.