I strongly believe in education and I’m proud to announce that some of my images are part of the new exhibit at the Vancouver Aquarium “Canada’s Arctic – In the grip of change”. Another big effort to educate and inform about climate changes in the Polar Regions!

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Friday, October 9, 2009

CANADA’S ARCTIC – IN THE GRIP OF CHANGE

Vancouver Aquarium brand new exhibit creates active connections to the people, land & animals of the north

Vancouver, BC – The Vancouver Aquarium proudly announces today’s opening of its new interactive exhibit, Canada’s Arctic – In the Grip of Change.

Canada’s Arctic is vast, diverse and changing – the animals, land and people all have unique stories to tell. The new exhibit aims to engage visitors young and old to show how climate change is impacting Canada’s Arctic. By establishing active connections between visitors and this fascinating region, the exhibit will foster awareness, understanding and relationships between those in the north and the rest of Canada.

The Vancouver Aquarium has pioneered cutting-edge exhibit design featuring fully- interactive multi-media displays. The Aquarium hopes to stimulate dialogue and understanding of this little known area that is vital to our entire eco-system.

“When you explore the stories of Canada’s Arctic, you’ll see how our own actions and decisions – no matter where we live – can affect this amazing region,” says John Nightingale, President, Vancouver Aquarium. “In a few short months the eyes of the world will be on Vancouver and we hope that this new exhibit will help to shed some light and focus on Canada’s Arctic.”

MARINE LIFE
A vital element of the Arctic ecosystem is the Arctic cod, now on display in the new exhibit. Its importance in the arctic food web cannot be over emphasized. It is one of the key species in the Arctic, because it is a critical link between tiny drifting marine animals (zooplankton) that it feeds on, and other Arctic fishes, seabirds, seals and whales that eat the cod. The question the Aquarium asks is how will global warming affect Arctic cod?

THE PEOPLE
The Vancouver Aquarium has positioned the new Canada’s Arctic exhibit to create connections – visitors are invited to meet the people of Canada’s Arctic who live in a place where ice and cold shape their lives. A large majority of them are Inuit, but thousands of other Canadians have also made the Arctic their home. Inuit means “the people” in Inuktitut. It is their one common language, even though different dialects are spoken. Inuit are one people across Canada’s Arctic with a common culture and a shared history.

TECHNOLOGY
The mission to create active connections has allowed the Aquarium’s content team to conceive innovative new paths to learning never seen before at the Vancouver Aquarium. In conjunction with Ideum, the Aquarium has developed new applications for two Ideum MT2 tables. MT2 stands for: Multi-Touch, Multi-User. Essentially, this innovative concept allows an exhibit display table to be manipulated like a giant iPhone or iPod Touch.

About the Vancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium is a global leader in connecting people to our natural world, and a self-supporting, non-profit association dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, conservation practices, education, research, and direct action. Learn more at www.vanaqua.org.

OCTOBER PICTURE OF THE MONTH

BOW LAKE – Rocky Mountains – Alberta – Canada

Thanks to Num-Ti-Jah Lodge for the warm hospitality

www.num-ti-jah.com

On the way back we stop again to explore another jewel of Yoho National Park: EMERALD LAKE.

Emerald Lake was discovered in 1882, when famed mountain guide Tom Wilson was led lakeside while rounding up a group of horses that had gone astray, and was immediately taken by the vivid Emerald-coloured waters. Here the vegetation is quite stunning, with several different microclimates suiting a collection of sensitive plant species. During the fall the colours are stunning with great photo opportunities.

Fall foliage

Stormy sky at sunset

Emeral Lake Lodge during a full moon night

Passing storm

Banff National Park., spanning 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 square miles) of valleys, mountains, glaciers, forests, meadows and rivers, is another jewel of the Rockies and the first Canadian National Park.

Mount Rundle from Vermilion Lakes at sunrise.

BOW LAKE AND NUM-TI-JAH LODGE

As Guests of the legendary Simpson’s Num-Ti-Jah lodge for an artist in residence week, we concentrate on the wonderful Bow Lake Area.

The Story of the lodge goes back to 1898 when Jimmy Simpson, a young English emigrant, camped at Bow lake and vowed that one day he would build a shack there. Twenty-five years later, when established as one of the greatest guides of the Rockies, he started building the first log cabin as permanent base for his outfitting tours.

By 1940, with the earning of his two daughter Margaret and Mary’s professional ice-skating tours, the lodge had six guest rooms and by 1950 a beautiful log and stone hotel with 25 rooms stood on the shore of Bow lake.

Num-Ti-Jah Lodge hasn’t chanced much since then. The legend and the old spirit are still alive and present in and all around it!

www.num-ti-jah.com

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A wonderful sunrise just outside the lodge’s door!

A moody evening at Peyto Lake, just few minutes drive away from the Lodge

Peyto Lake sunset

A Pika calling

Bow Lake sunrise

Around Bow Lake

The first frost

Los Angeles, California, 08/18/2009

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 2009 COMPETITION

Daisy Gilardini was Awarded: 3rd place in People – Lifestyle category for the winning entry “COWBOYS AND HORSES.”

Daisy Gilardini was Awarded: Honorable Mention in Deeper Perspective – Deeper Perspective category for the winning entry “COWBOYS AND HORSES.”

Daisy Gilardini was Awarded: Honorable Mention in Editorial – Environmental category for the winning entry “THE DARK SIDE OF MIDWAY ATOLL.”

Daisy Gilardini was Awarded: Honorable Mention in Deeper Perspective – Deeper Perspective category for the winning entry “THE DARK SIDE OF MIDWAY ATOLL.”

About IPA

The 2009 International Photography Awards received nearly 18,000 submissions from 104 countries across the globe. IPA is a sister-effort of the Lucie Foundation, where the top three winners are announced at the annual Lucie Awards gala ceremony. The Foundation’s mission is to honor master photographers, to discover new and emerging talent and to promote the appreciation of photography. Since 2003, IPA has had the privilege and opportunity to acknowledge and recognize contemporary photographer’s accomplishments in this specialized and highly visible competition. Visit www.photoawards.com

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