Like the community it represents — it’s eye-catching.
At a glance, the front cover of the new Lac La Biche Region visitors’ guide might look like a dragon’s eye, or a slit in a curtain giving a sneak peek of what lies beyond. It might even be a thin leaf cast up by a light breeze into an expansive, dark, Lakeland sky. Some may see right away that it’s a canoe with its lone occupant floating undisturbed in one of the region’s pristine boreal lakes.
No matter what is seen on the tourism guide’s front page, the publication’s creators are happy it’s getting attention.
That’s the whole point of the image, says Dusty Cressey, the photographer hired for the project. Like the community it represents, the image will hopefully mean many things to many people, says the Calgary-based visual art producer.
The unique image, taken using drone photography from 50 feet above the calm waters of Kinnard Lake in the Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area was meant to be creative.
“The ‘top-down’ perspective is one of those that can transform an ordinary activity like canoeing into a more abstract image showcasing something regular in an unusual way that makes people stop and have to interpret what they are seeing so it is always fun to execute when the conditions allow,” Cressey told Lakeland This Week.
And the conditions on the night of July 26 last year allowed for a great image. The photo was taken just before the sun fully set on the lake — around 10 pm. The last glimmers of sunlight caught inside the canoe and a few sparkles on the calm, still water is meant to stir the imagination of the viewer — and at the very least, get them to take a second look if they catch a glimpse of it on the brochure shelf of a provincial visitor centre or on a tourism website.
“I love how the canoe is still catching glints of the warm sunset light while the rest of the scene is quite dark. It sets the scene for what a peaceful evening on the lake is like and the top-down angle allows for the viewer to imagine what the rest of the environment would be,” Cressey said, admitting that unlike other photo setups across the region to highlight the area’s many tourism aspects, the front-page selection was one of just two or three shots taken from that angle. “For the most part, all of my images are one of many just to provide options when I am editing, however from my recollection this image came out of only two or three images we shot from this specific angle. So, it did turn out quite quickly given the great conditions.”
Peaceful floating is an activity too
Staff in Lac La Biche County’s tourism department — working under the Lac La Biche Region logo — say they stepped away from the usual sunny photos of regional white-sand beaches, pristine campgrounds, back-country trails, and trophy fishing backdrops this year to showcase something from the region that is more of a “feeling” than an activity.
“Being able to connect with nature and experience true authentic adventures is what makes the Lac La Biche Region so special. When I saw the photo, it gave me the same feeling that I feel when I’m the only person on the lake kayaking. You can hear every bird … every ripple in the water. It’s so peaceful. It gives you such a clear sense of purpose. All you can do is appreciate the beauty and keep paddling,” said Lac La Biche County’s Sam Muise, the lead designer of the visitors’ guide. “I want everyone to experience that, so I put it on the cover.”
Printed locally once again by the Lac La Biche POST and Lakeland This Week, the visitors’ guide is created by Lac La Biche County and distributed across the province and Western Canada. This year approximately 7,500 printed guides can be found in tourist booths, gas stations, sporting stores and retail businesses across the province and beyond. Municipal staff have also hand-delivered the booklets to people at trade shows and conventions in all corners of the province and outlying marketing areas. The online version of the guide is available on website homepages of local, provincial, and national tourism agencies.
As the tourism season approaches, the image of the peaceful canoe from the Lac La Biche Region has drawn a lot of attention, which local promoters hope will draw more visitors to the region.
“The response to the cover of the 2024 Lac La Biche Region visitors' guide has been nothing but positive so far. I’ve had colleagues and individuals in the local tourism industry reach out and tell me how much they love it,” said Muise.
The 2024 visitor guides are available locally at the Lac La Biche County museum, McArthur Place, the Bold Centre, gas stations and at the Lac La Biche POST newspaper office. Regionally, the printed booklet is available at Lakeland This Week offices in St. Paul, Athabasca and Bonnyville. Online versions of the guide can be found at www.lakelandtoday.ca and Lac La Biche County’s municipal website. More images from Dusty Cressey's portfolio can be found on his business website.
