Peter Moynes is a self taught Professional Photographer who has chosen to make his home in Nelson BC. Now at the age of thirty, Peter has been shooting any and every type of medium since the age of sixteen. Nike, O.A.R.S. Arc'teryx, and Black Diamond Equipment are just a few of Peter's clients. His work has been featured in magazines, books, newspapers, and on album covers.


Moynes moved to Nelson in 1998 and has no intensions of leaving. "I like that Nelson has a Pioneer Attitude. Nelson is a challenging place to live because of a lack of work. People work hard to be able to reap the benefits of this amazing place. Nelson has unique culture, interesting people, and outstanding scenery. There aren’t too many yuppies either"

Anyone who reads magazines like Powder, SBC Skier, Bike, or who might have managed to catch the Professional Photographers Showdown at the Telus Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler last season should be familiar with Peters work. As do I, Peter has the most respect for a great ski or snowboard photo because of the elements involved in capturing that image; however his portfolio includes sports and studio photography. Adventure sport is one of Peter’s passions. You can catch him making the odd turn on a snow covered slope or ripping down a trail on his mountain bike. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a camera stuffed in his pack just in case! His camera of choice is a Canon EOS 3 but it changes with the project at hand.

Travel is an integral part of Moynes work. He has traveled the globe with the intension of capturing it's beauty and diversity through his lens. When I asked him to describe his favorite or most exciting project he smiled and went off into thought for a few minutes. As his smile turned to giggle I realized that he is humbled and feels fortunate for all of his experiences. He did mention that skiing active volcano's in South America last fall with his good friend and rippin skier Blair Debnam was an amazing adventure.

In the beginning, working in the bush during the summers allowed Peter to afford his travels. From there he captured images and submitted them to different medias. Now photography provides Moynes with 80% of his yearly income. I asked Peter what he thinks an aspiring photographer needs to do to take it to the next level. "Its all about being there! You need to work hard to get the shots that pay off. You can’t take good pictures if you’re not taking pictures! The best way to learn is to research photography and shoot as much as possible. Critique your own photos and correct your mistakes". Following that he also mentioned that he learned a lot about photography and "Light" in particular, from shooting photos in underground caves. "You learn a lot about light when there isn’t any to work with!"

Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine is a Regional Publication of which Peter Moynes is the Publisher and Photo Editor. Two years in the making, the publication has received Federal funding and is poised to step up to a British Columbia publication. The magazine will feature the BC mountain culture. If KMC is a preview of what we are to expect in the new publication, then we're in for a treat. Look for the first issue to hit the stands next winter.

Peter's goals are to keep shooting "There’s always something worth shooting" and to broaden his horizons by taking on new clients and traveling to new places. As Peter Moynes continues to share his view of the world with us, I for one will be taking note and aspiring to one day capturing quality images as he does. Whether he's rafting the Colorado River, dodging lava flows in Argentina or gorging on deep Kootenay Powder, you can bet he's catching it all on film to share with us. Keep your eyes peeled and pick up a copy of his upcoming publication when it hits the stores next winter

Are you a ripper??? If you would like to go shooting with Peter, drop him a line at:
pmoynes@netidea.com
and check out Peters Website, www.terrafirmaphotographics.com


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