Chasing the Perfect Shot: From Suspension Bridges to Lost Lakes

One of my favorite things about traveling isn't just seeing new places—it’s taking you all along for the ride. Shortly after arriving in Vancouver, Canada, I put a call out to my Instagram community. I didn't want to just take the standard tourist shots; I wanted to capture what you wanted to see.

That’s when Lee chimed in.

Lee is one of my quieter but consistent followers, so when he made a timid request, I really wanted to honor it. He suggested a photo of the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge. But he added a small, crucial detail: he confessed that he actually prefers images of nature over big structures.

The Bridge vs. The Forest

I headed out to the bridge with my camera ready. It is an impressive sight—a man-made marvel suspended high above the canyon floor. When you walk on it, it shakes like crazy and holding a camera steady on it isn't easy but can be done if you know how to plant your feet and don't have a fear to hold on, which most people do. I think most people imagine that seen from from "Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom" where Indiana cuts the bridge in half and all the soldiers chasing him fall to their death. I on the other hand actually enjoy heights and you will often find me abseiling or riding in a harness across a flying fox high above the trees. So spending an hour snapping photos of the bridge itself, the engineering, and the way it cuts through the air was no skin off my nose.

Indiana Jones cutting a suspension bridge in "The Temple of Doom"

But, keeping Lee’s preference for nature in mind, I also turned my lens outward. I captured the lush ferns, and the bush dense forest rolling canopy surrounding the bridge. And when I saw the photo of mix of the bridge with the beautiful green trees I knew I had a wonderful photo for Lee.

When I previewed the gallery to Lee, my suspicion was right. While he was polite about the bridge photos, his digital eyes lit up at the shots of the surrounding greenery. The bridge was cool, but the soul of British Columbia—the raw nature—was what resonated with him. But the photo was so lovely he wanted another.

Lee's Suspension Bridge framed photo Artwork

The Detour to Whistler

I realized that to get the perfect shot for Lee, I needed to get away from the structures and deeper into the wild. So, I headed up the Sea-to-Sky Highway toward Whistler.

That is where I found Lost Lake.

If you have never been to Whistler, let me tell you: the air hits differently there. It is crisp, clean, and utterly silent.

The lake was breathtaking. Without the distraction of suspension cables or crowds, it was just the water, the trees, and the sky. The clouds gave texture to the sky in away I had never seen before. Not like the yellows, ochre reds and blues of the Australian sky back home. Maybe for the North Americans this was normal but for me this was something else. The Pine trees seemed so tough these textured fairy floss like clouds and the in contrast the lake was so still no boat or fish seem to be able to break the surface.

A local walked past and was saying how the Lost Lake was named because the first time they found it the water was so perfectly still and the reflection on the pine trees so perfect they didn't realise it was there. And you could see it was the perfect shot. I took the shot. It was serene, wild, and exactly what I was looking for.

Lee's Lost Lake framed photo Artwork

The Verdict

When I showed Lee the photo of Lost Lake, the reaction was immediate. He loved it.

It turns out, the "timid request" for a bridge was actually a gateway to finding something much more beautiful. Thank you, Lee, for pushing me to look past the famous landmarks and find the quiet magic of Lost Lake.