This summer, West Coast NEST was thrilled to host our second season of the Wild Stories Youth Photography Camp! Led by talented photographer and film maker Sam Rose Phillips, we welcomed 7 youth from local communities and others who travelled from as far as Vancouver to experience 4 days of hands-on learning, creative exploration, and unforgettable encounters to explore the world of ethical wildlife photography.  

Photo Credit: Nina Moodley 

We kicked things off in Hotel Zed’s retro-inspired classroom, where students broke the ice by sharing their favourite animals and playing a memory game to learn each other’s names. It was the perfect setting to dive into the fundamentals of photography. Sam began her lesson by sharing her  credentials and showcasing some of her favourite images. She also shared a little bit about herself and the documentary she’s currently working on called “Qʷayac̓iik” (all about local wolves!).  

Before we could hop right into hands-on learning, we had to cover some theory about what makes a good photograph, how to compose an image, what to look for and how to do it all while respecting the boundaries of wildlife. Some of these strategies included the rule of thirds, balance, perspective, light and a special focus on story. Telling stories is the root of why we take photos and each decision that we make tells a different part of that story. Sam emphasized the power of intentional image-making and how each photo can reflect a unique narrative. 

With our cameras all strapped, we set out to the Tofino Mudflats to capture our first stories. Taking our time along the way, students looked for moments in nature that posed opportunities to demonstrate one of the few photography strategies they learned about earlier.  

Photo Credit: Nina Moodley 

We learned that there is life everywhere even where it seems like there is none. Students were encouraged to take a closer look and we discovered what life looks like on the forest floor finding everything from mushrooms to banana slugs and snails that make for stunning macro images.  

Photo Credit: Emmet Morgan 

Looking up, they caught light filtering through the canopy and spotted squirrels, Steller's jays, and even an eagle’s nest across the Mudflats. With a great introduction on day one, students were excited to put their skills to use on a variety of different subjects and environments.   

Photo Credit: Rylen Pacey-Wood 

On day two, we welcomed Todd Windle from Parks Canada, who shared his insights and experience with wildlife photography. He spoke about how he has evolved in the ethical practices of respecting animals and how he now ensures there is no impact to the animals when collecting data and footage. Sam shared content she’s collected through trail cameras while filming for her upcoming documentary and showed just how much life passes through when humans aren’t around from bears to wolves and even cougars! We discussed how even remote tools like drones can cause stress to animals, despite appearing unobtrusive. 

Photo Credit: Nina Moodley 

Armed with this knowledge, we headed to n̓an̓aquuʔa (North Chesterman Beach) to set up our own trail cameras. Students considered animal movement, camera angles, and placement strategy. They then channeled their creativity to embody different animals from turtles to wolves and even banana slugs as they crawled through the setup to test their work.   

Photo Credit: Nina Moodley 

With the sun still shining, students had the opportunity to explore tidepools along the shore and play with light, reflections and shadows. We spotted sea life, including anemones, barnacles and starfish which all made great subjects.   

Photo Credit: Nina Moodley 

Students were super excited for day 3 to roll around as we had the honour of taking a wildlife boat tour with Ahous Adventures! We met our tour guide, ḥiiskwiisʔinapšił, Alex Frank (a Hereditary chief in Tla-o-qui-aht Ha’wiih), who shared what storytelling means from a cultural perspective, how it all comes from the heart and connects us to place.  

Photo Credit: Nina Moodley 

As we made our way out, students got a chance to orient their cameras and learn how to situate themselves for these fast-moving subjects at a distance. Our first spotting was a black bear scavenging along the coast, flipping large boulders with ease to find food underneath.  

Photo Credit: Emmet Morgan 

Photo Credit: Tyler Loiselle 

Our group had even more luck as we ventured on, spotting a grey whale in the calm waters of the inlet. With the sun shining above the mountains, students had the perfect opportunity to capture backlit images with a perfect view of the whale’s breath in the light. Before moving on we even got to see the whale tale fluke as it dove under, a quick but perfect shot for those who captured it!  

Photo Credit: Emmet Morgan 

As we moved forward, our guide took us to another area in the inlet where otters all link together in a great raft the size of a football field.  

Photo Credit: Emmet Morgan 

We headed off to find 2 more black bears searching for food around the shoreline and wrapped up with seeing some sea lions bathing in the sun along some rocks. We are so grateful to Ahous Adventures for taking us on an unforgettable experience!  

Photo Credit: Nina Moodley 

With some fantastic shots captured, students were excited to choose their favourites for our showcase on the last day! Before the big reveal we went out to learn one more skill; portraits! Pairing up we took a walk to Sharp Road to learn what makes a good portrait, how to be an encouraging photographer, and how to sit as a subject! With different angles, framing, and lighting students took turns having the class take a portrait of them against the lovely mountain backdrop. Finally, it was time to showcase our favourite captures of the week! Each person chose 3 of their best shots and got a chance to explain why they chose each image and what skills they demonstrated. The results were amazing and we are blown away by the skills demonstrated in such a short time! 

Photo Credit: Nina Moodley 

You can find more student work on our Instagram page! Before wrapping up, students had the chance to ask Sam their lingering questions about photography, gear, and career paths. It was a fitting end to a week filled with curiosity, creativity, and connection to the land.  This year’s camp was a great success, and we are so happy to have hosted another amazing opportunity for place-based learning! We hope to see another fantastic turnout in the upcoming year.  

 Huge thanks to Ahous Adventures for taking us on an unforgettable boat trip and Hotel Zed for providing an amazing retro classroom for us to learn in! This event was made possible with funding through a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Promoscience grant held by the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust. 

Photo Credit: Nina Moodley 

If you’re interested in joining us for the 2026 Wild Stories Youth Photography Camp, send us an email at Communications@westcoastnest.org or drop us a DM, we’d love to add you to our interest list!