Young Manitouwadge Photographer’s Mature View of the Natural World
Story by Wendy Wright, Photos by Jayden Belisle
Jayden Belisle is a young photographer with a mature view of the natural world he sees through the lens of his camera. Belisle hails from Manitouwadge and also spends a fair amount of time two hours north at the family camp near Caramat. All of his photos have been taken within 100 km of one of those regions.
When I speak with him about going out in search of that special shot, he explains to me how he grew up hunting and fishing. Tracking, searching, and having patience in the wild comes naturally. Recently he had just spent a week exploring near Caramat for ever-elusive owls. This is one of his favourite subjects to shoot, along with lynx and moose. The fox photos on his website came via the fox den near his camp—the wide open mouth of a fox in full yawn on the home page is exquisite.
Belisle has been getting serious about photography for about three years, with help and encouragement from his sister, a pro photographer, and an aunt who is a serious amateur photographer. He is also taking an interest in astrophotography, shooting the night sky. He says he is “fascinated with this art form that brings an interesting perspective of nature and our environment in general.”
The young photographer sets up four to five game cameras around camp and checks to see where the animals are. He follows their tracks and figures where they might be going. One of his favourite shots is that of his first lynx. It seems that half the thrill is what actually goes into getting that picture—the planning, the waiting, the hunting, sometimes for weeks. He tracks footprints of moose or lynx and finally gets rewarded with that look from a wild friend. We all know that special feeling when a part of nature seems to allow us into their world for just a second and there is a connection. Belisle’s photos are a connection to those moments.
To see Belisle’s work please follow him on Instagram at @jaydenbelislephotography, Facebook at @JaydenBelislephotography, or visit his website jaydenbelislephotography.com.
