Penticton photographer Mike Biden’s new book covers the Okanagan from Osoyoos to Vernon. The book has fewer aerial photos than his previous efforts, but it does have several including this shot of Spotted Lake. The book features Okanagan landscapes, which Biden calls “God’s country.” (Mike Biden photo)
Okanagan photographer Mike Biden believes local residents get so caught up in their lives that they forget to appreciate where they live.
He’s tried to address this lapse by self-publishing an 80-page glossy book of his landscape photography covering the valley from Osoyoos to Vernon titled Jewels of the Okanagan.
“I think what happens is most people that live in the valley aren’t smelling the roses,” said Biden. “They’re working so hard, paying bills, and they’re not really stopping to look. That’s the reason I did these books. I want people to realize you live in God’s country.”
Biden, 65, has been shooting photos since the age of 20 when his first camera was a Soviet bloc Praktica film camera. Only reluctantly did he make the switch to digital photography, although now he’s very happy with digital.
“I switched almost when they stopped selling film,” he said. “I was probably one of the last dinosaurs to go over.”
The Penticton resident has produced other photography books documenting the landscape of the Okanagan.
His recent book differs in several ways from two previous books, which covered the North and South Okanagan respectively.
This book covers the whole valley. And unlike his previous books, which are rich with aerial views, this one mostly contains photos taken on the ground.
There are, however, several aerial photos including a view of Spotted Lake west of Osoyoos, showing its dramatic mineral rings, and of McIntyre Bluff and the southern end of Vaseux Lake.
Most photos feature landscapes, both scenes of nature and rolling vineyards, but there are a few shots showing animals and people – again breaking from some of Biden’s past work.
There’s a cluster of bighorn sheep near Vaseux Lake, a group of skiers at Apex Mountain Ski Resort and the engineer of the Spirit of Summerland steam engine makes a cameo appearance.
Biden shot entirely new photos for Jewels of the Okanagan, sometimes revisiting a location many times to get just the right image.
An example is the Summerland railway steam engine, which he visited in winter to get the right effect of steam and smoke billowing into the air.
“I took four goes before I got it right with the Christmas train,” said Biden. “This one has the puff of smoke coming out. You had to get the right atmospheric conditions that when he blew the steam it made instant clouds.”
When he began the project, Biden wrote down the names of the Okanagan communities he wanted to feature and then decided how many of the 80 pages to allocate to each. He then considered what images he would shoot for each location, developing a shot list ahead of time.
Biden shoots with a Nikon D800E, which offers very high resolution and crisp images, making it a favourite for landscape photographers. He likes the flexibility of a mid-range zoom lens, but also shoots using fixed focal-length prime lenses. His only filter is a polarizer.
Unlike some of today’s landscape photographers, he does very little post processing on the computer.
“To be honest with you, I’m not much of a guru on the computer and I dislike it immensely,” said Biden. “So I try to set the camera settings and test it many times and then I let the camera do it.”
Biden’s previous books have sold out on press runs of 5,000 and there’s every indication that Jewels of the Okanagan will do the same. It’s partly the result of his personal marketing approach.
“I put a sticker on one of my books and on the back cover I staple a sign-up sheet that gives the price of $20, taxes included,” he explains. “That makes it simple for somebody to give me a $20 bill. I go around to any business that has five or more employees and I leave the sample and ask them if they would mind throwing it in the lunchroom. I tell them not to worry if it gets coffee on it or if it walks, they’re not responsible.”
When people see the book, it sells itself.
Biden also sells the book in several local locations including Osoyoos Home Hardware, Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre and Remedy’s RX in Oliver.
It can also be purchased from his website at www.IFlyPhoto.com.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
Mike Biden specializes in photographing the Okanagan from the air. (Photo supplied)
