What first drew me to photography was the desire to capture home and the landscapes that shaped me. Growing up in Castlegar, surrounded by its abundance of nature, it only made sense that my earliest photographs were of home. Over the years, I’ve spent countless hours capturing the Columbia River, Lower Arrow Lake, and the vantage points overlooking Castlegar. These landscapes have shaped my creative vision in so many ways. It’s long served as a reminder that you don’t always have to travel far to find subjects to photograph.
Here’s a collection of 5 of my favourite images that I’ve captured of Castlegar, and its surroundings from over the years.
Lupins blooming in Castlegar, BC. Photo: Ashley Voykin
1: “Lupins in Bloom”
Spring in Castlegar means flowers, greenery, and dramatic skies. I spend time each spring to capture the change of seasons in town, and the blooming lupins have always been a favourite subject. For this image I spent a number of days trying to catch a rainbow in this location. As soon as the weather conditions lined up, I was sprinting along the trail to get into position. I had just enough time to capture a number of compositions before it disappeared from the sky.
The Columbia River and Lower Arrow Lake, BC. Photo: Ashley Voykin
The Labarthe Tunnel, Lower Arrow Lake, BC. Photo: Ashley Voykin
2: “Arrow Lake Layers”
A summer sunset on Lower Arrow Lake, and the Columbia River. Near Castlegar, BC.
I’ve always believed that Castlegar is an incredible location to be a photographer. Like the rest of the Kootenay region, the distinct four seasons provide an always changing landscape to explore. This shot of Lower Arrow Lake was captured late in the summer season, when lingering wildfire smoke made for a colourful sunset.
3: “Labarthe Tunnel”
A historic landmark along the Columbia and Western Rail Trail, the Labarthe Tunnel is a reminder of a time before hydroelectric dams on the Columbia. Previously part of the Columbia and Western Railway that ran from Castlegar to Christina Lake, the Labarthe Tunnel was used for the railway to pass through. When dams were constructed on the Columbia River, the railway was moved and the tunnel flooded. Depending on the time of year, the tunnel can be flooded with water, or low and passable by foot. For this image I was drawn to capture the above/below perspective of the flooded tunnel, and Kole Harle swam through to provide a subject.
“Wings for Merry” Castlegar BC. Photo: Ashley Voykin
4: “Merry Creek MTB”
The Merry Creek trail system above town provides some incredible riding, and great vantage points to Castlegar below. The trails here are a highlight for many riders around the Kootenays. I’ve worked with some great athletes around Castlegar to capture them riding, in this image athlete Jeff Ashton rides Wings for Merry with town visible in the background,
Castlegar and the Columbia River. Photo: Ashley Voykin
5: “Castlegar and the Aurora”
It can be challenging to find suitable viewpoints in the Kootenays that look towards the North, have enough visibility through the trees, and are far enough away from city lights. As Castlegar is a fairly wide open valley, and the Columbia river runs south after the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia rivers- the topography lends itself to great aurora vantage points. On this particular night I was perched above the city with my tripod, to capture the solar storm reflected onto the waters of the Columbia River below.
All above images are available as stock, reach out to info@ashleyvoykin.com for more information.