The curling, peeling bark of the Arbutus tree (Arbutus menziesii), also known as a Pacific Madrone, forms abstract patterns. The Arbutus, relatively common on the south end of Vancouver Island, is the only evergreen broad-leafed tree in Canada. This tree, found in Strathcona Provincial Park, is one of the northern-most Arbutus trees in the world.

Notes from the field

A large majority of my images are captured at sunrise or sunset simply because that's when the light is most colorful and dramatic. While I do some photography midday, I do much more hiking. During one of those hikes, I passed by a group of Pacific Madrone trees and was fascinated by the patterns of their bark. (There's nothing wrong with the trees; their paper-like bark peels as they mature.) The patterns were so gorgeous, I decided to photograph the sunset there so I could get the reddish color and long shadows on their bark.

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