Instagram takeover: Al Douglas' photos 'spread the good word' about P.E.I.
'Water and the dunes are something we have that's special to us … that's quintessentially P.E.I.'
CBC P.E.I. is featuring a local photographer on our Instagram page every Wednesday this summer. This week, we're showcasing the work of Al Douglas.
Al Douglas does a lot of driving around the Island — for fun and for work — and he always has his Canon EOS 6D with him.
"Whenever I see those opportunities it's just as easy to stop and grab them when you can," he said.
"I find those are usually the best [photos] — where you're not planning it, you're just cruising and you come upon scenes and they just end up working out really well."
'Get lost and see what you find'
"Just drive and follow those back roads and get lost and see what you find. That's how I found my favourite spots in P.E.I.," he said.
But sometimes for Douglas, the road is also the destination.
This shot of the North Shore parkway shows off the open road, and "you can just kind of feel the warmth from the sun. I find with this one, you just kind of feel like you're there."
'Perfect' cows
On one drive, Douglas came upon a pair of cows close to Mount Stewart, P.E.I., and said they were "perfect models."
He spent about an hour getting different shots of them, while they obligingly posed.
"As soon as they saw my car, the came over super interested, super curious and they were just posing," he said.
"I think they knew I was there just to hang out with them and chill."
Favourite spot
Douglas' favourite spot in P.E.I. is Mooney's Pond.
"Very cool spot, there's some awesome hiking trails around it, and the lake itself is beautiful … You can just sit and take your time and take it all in," he said.
While the spot is serene and quiet, he doesn't mind sharing his favourite locations.
"I'm a huge advocate for P.E.I.," he said. "Keep taking pictures of P.E.I. Spread the good word. That's how we get people here."
Beach days in any weather
It's no coincidence that many of Douglas' photos highlight the water.
"I love the water … I go swimming basically year round," he said. "Water and the dunes are something we have that's special to us … that's quintessentially P.E.I."
This photo was taken on a warm but overcast day at Lakeside Beach. Douglas said he didn't think anyone else would be there — until he saw the flip-flops, belonging to a tourist family with Ontario licence plates.
"I think it's a crazy contrast between the greens and sand and you can see a bit of the water with kind of an ominous looking sky with the greys coming down," he said.
"It was a good day for a swim, and I find this gives a good contrast for what those P.E.I. days can be like where it's still worth it to go to the beach even though it's not quite perfect."
It could be any coast
While the accessibility of the coastline makes P.E.I. unique, Douglas likes this shot because of its universality.
"It just looks like it could be almost anywhere in the world on a shoreline — East Coast or West Coast."
Many people have commented on it saying it could be B.C. or California. It was actually taken near Cavendish, P.E.I.
Are you snapping photos of the Island as well? Tag @cbcpei in your photos to share them with us.