Volume 56 Number 1
Friday, January 8, 2016
Thompson, Manitoba
Nickel Belt News Serving the Norman Region since 1961
Providing you with expert advice & friendly service. Book online at speedyglass.ca or try our free app on your iPhone
We look forward to serving you. Ϳͷ-A Kelsey Bay Thompson, MB R;N ͷS Ph: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͶͺ; Fax: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͷͺ
Dennis Fast’s photo of polar bears frolicking in summer fireweeds was recently named one of My Modern Met’s top 50 photographs from around the world. Nickel Belt News photo courtesy of Dennis Fast
Manitoba photographer receives international acclaim for summer photo of polar bear BY KACPER ANTOSZEWSKI KACPER@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
It would seem that it’s been a good year for Churchill and Manitoban tundra in their development as world-class destinations for nature and wildlife tourism. Back in October, Don Gutoski was named wildlife photographer of the year by the British Natural History Museum for his photograph “A Tale of Two Foxes,” taken in the Churchill area the winter prior. Just two months before, Dennis Fast, Steinbach resident and guide/ photographer for Churchill Wild was featured by My Modern Met for his unconventional photographs of polar bears in the summer, playing among fireweeds. As the year drew to a close, My Modern Met – a website
focusing on art, design, photography, architecture, technology, environmental issues, and inspiring stories – featured one of Fast’s photos among their 2015 top 50 photographs from around the world. Despite the uniqueness of the photos, Fast mentions that, logistically, photographing polar bears in the summer is a simpler affair. Warm weather means a Tundra Buggy can be forgone, as well as many of the precautions against the environment, for both himself and his equipment. Hypothermia aside, cold weather can be profoundly damaging to camera equipment, ironically most often when brought indoors from the elements: “You run the risk of fogging everything up outside
and inside your camera. I have seen photographers do serious damage to their cameras after stepping into a warm place and then suddenly stepping outside for more shots. All the fog now turns to ice and it can devastate sensitive electronic parts inside your camera.” Though Churchill’s iconic Tundra Buggies stay parked in the garage over the summer, safety is always key: Fast’s tour groups typically run 10-15 strong, including several guides armed with bear bangers and live-round shotguns. Despite the precautions, thankfully, Fast has never been in a situation where a polar bear has had to be fired on: “Bears are smart and quickly learn that if they leave you alone you will return the
favour. This is most noticeable around Churchill Wild lodges where bears may hang out for weeks waiting for the ice. Sometimes bears come back over several years and that really helps us all to relax a bit. More importantly, the bears begin to ignore us and resume more normal activity.” Fast also notes that the bears tend to be more docile in the summer months with full bellies: “Polar bears are typically well fed when they come off the ice in June and July. That tends to make them less aggressive than when they are hungry in late fall waiting for the ice to freeze.” Fast initially began photographing birds in the Arctic, conducting workshops at the Church-
ill Northern Studies Centre, and was invited to work with Churchill Wild as a guide soon after. Speaking with My Modern Met, he said that his love of polar bears comes from the curious dichotomy between being one of the largest carnivores on earth, and one of the most adorable. While often playful and inquisitive, their walk reveals their power and status as apex predators of the arctic: “They have a slow, ambling gait as they drift about looking for anything that moves. It looks like they don’t have a care in the world, and that there is nothing they are afraid of. It’s not arrogance, exactly, but a quiet confidence that we often respect in humans and that translates well to the polar bear.”
Though the polar bear photos have certainly been a highlight of Fast’s photography, few people have seen his favourite photo; Dennis has a hard time believing it’s real himself. “It happened when a thunderstorm passed over while I was camping with a friend in fireweed country. It left behind a perfect double rainbow in the early evening light. As if that wasn’t enough, a polar bear began approaching us and I was able to photograph it in a blazing field of flowers with a portion of the rainbow arch in the background. The magical moment took my breath away.” You can find the series, as well as the rest of Fast’s considerable portfolio, at www.dennisfast.com.
CALL TO BOOK YOUR DENTIST APPOINTMENT! We offer:
Professional Whitening System
Dr. Dina welcomes new patients!
OPEN 8 am - 7 pm Monday - Saturday
204-778-7000
LOCATED IN THOMPSON ACROSS THE STREET FROM BOSTON PIZZA WALK-INS WELCOME! GUARANTEED TO BE SEEN SAME DAY! AFTER HOUR EMERGENCY CARE AVAILABLE!