Editorial: Bearing Witness

August-September 2002

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD

by Alan Wilson

Cover Photo: by JACQUELINE WINDH Shot with a 20 mm lens in Clayoquot Sound

There's something about being on the water. It opens your eyes. And if you keep your camera close at hand, you'll be surprised just how often those special moments appear.

An eagle swoops low over you, a seal approaches, a porpoise slices through the water, fish flood under your kayak...

You encounter otters at play, ducks diving, sometimes a prowling bear on shore, even the rare magical times with whales blowing in the distance. The world is strange, sensuous, rich and alive. You feel yourself part of the life force bursting forth all around you.

You want to capture your amazement, the magnificence of old growth trees, the play of the light on the water- the essences of Eden.

In doing so, you're both celebrating life and becoming a witness. You are recording and reporting on the state of Nature. So your camera is no frivolous thing, but a window through which others see the world. The images you gather can help society make better choices about the future.

People, especially city dwellers, need to see images of Nature- the forest, the bears, whales, salmon - and need to see that human beings are systemically dismantling this vitality: clearcutting old growth valleys, destroying salmon habitat, clogging isolated coves with industrial fish farms, shooting bears...

Record the beauties you see on your trip, but also record the alternative fates, the desecrated places. Bear witness to them. And renew your commitment to protected areas and endangered species.

Dan Lewis, in his column, reminds us to see this world first-hand, not just through a camera lens. And he's right. We need to know this planet not only in pictures, but also by direct experience.

Photography can open your eyes, but those eyes also need to see for themselves, and find the way forward to a sustainable future. We invite you to look deeply, and hope you find the words and images in this issue useful toward that end.

Happy paddling!