Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

This print is signed by Gavin Hardcastle and has a […]

This print is signed by Gavin Hardcastle and has a […]

This print is signed by Gavin Hardcastle and has a […]

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Some of the most beautiful places are entirely hidden. This sea cave on Vancouver Island is only accessible by braving a questionable descent via rope down a cliff into a dark chasm. After the initial climb there are waves that must be negotiated before reaching the back of the cave but the brave are rewarded by this hidden gem upon arrival. Just be sure you watch your exit before it disappears under the waves.

My very last shoot on Vancouver Island was one to remember. We enjoyed crashing Pacific waves, swooping cormorants and a lovely golden sunset before leaving the Island to find a new home on the other side of the continent.

Bobcats are one of my favourite animals so I count this as one of the best days of my life. We shared a few minutes of this late winter afternoon while she hunted near a lake not too far from my house. I was able to get about 12ft from her to capture this photo and then left her to her duck stalking. I wonder if she caught her buffet.

Ricketts Glen is one of the most enchanting areas I've ever photographed. With so many waterfalls one after another I almost overlooked this final waterfall but something about the quality of light over the creek told me I was about to witness something special. As soon as I saw this scene unfolding before my eyes I knew I had just a couple of minutes to capture shot before the sun moved over the horizon. Luckily I found it just in time.

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

This print is signed by Gavin Hardcastle and has a […]

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Like the fallen towers and columns of some lost civilization, the pinnacles and rock formations of the Alabama Hills have an otherworldly quality that I could study for decades. If you're lucky, you can capture a salmon pink sunrise that paints the rocks in this ethereal glow.

There's not much that can beat the Canadian Rockies during autumn and I knew just the perfect spot to capture some gorgeous mountain reflections. At first it looked like there was way too much cloud for any chance of good light, but as so often happens in the mountains things can take a turn real quick. In this case it was a turn for the better as golden light painted our little patch of heaven.

Oregon will always have a special place in my heart. The Columbia River Gorge may have lost some of its most iconic scenes to a devastating fire but its still a wonderful place to visit. I was fortunate enough to capture this scene when it was possible at its finest. After several days of constant rain the creek was raging and I had to rescue myself from the torrent many times before nailing this shot.

Landscape photography often requires some questionable maneuvers on the edges of cliffs but this was a tight squeeze even for me. I picked my spot and stood uncomfortably for an hour while waiting for the light to reach it's peak. Just as my calves were going numb from the prolonged awkward stance, I finally managed to capture this lovely Nova Scotian sunset.

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

This print is signed by Gavin Hardcastle and has a […]

This print is signed by Gavin Hardcastle and has a […]

It's not often that my plans work out perfectly but on this day they did. The sun dropped to the perfect low angle to creep into this canyon and ignite the spray from the waterfall behind my back. The camera and I were totally drenched but there was simply no other way to capture the moment. You know you're alive when you're standing directly under a cascade of cold mountain creak.

While the town of Lunenburg is very picturesque it was the foggy harbour that captured my attention. Just as I'd dialed in the ideal camera settings I noticed the ancient galley approaching from stage left and knew I'd found my shot.

Not many photographers are stupid enough to wade into a river at -15°C wearing just pants and hiking boots just to get a photo of an ice encrusted waterfall. Nobody ever said I wasn't stupid.

This image was one of those ideas that presents itself entirely by accident. I'm not usually one for environmental portraits but as soon as I saw my wife Amanda holding out her hands to touch that lovely cascade I knew I'd found my shot.

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

Printed area for mounting is 7.75"″ x 9.75″ (19.69 cm x 24.77 cm)

The Old Man Of Storr is like a rite of passage for all landscape photographers.

The hike to the top is very different to what it was when I first ventured up there decades ago. You'll rarely find yourself the only photographer up on those slopes but if you pick a moody day you might just experience that creepy solitude that I felt so long ago. Take a climb off the beaten path and you'll find some unique perspectives that are totally worth getting lost in fog.