The Timber-Wolf Encounter With a Life-long Memory
They say it is unlikely you’ll get a life-changing experience sitting by yourself on a couch at home in front of a computer screen. Today, I am going to prove to you that you can enjoy an experience with me that is a once-in-a-lifetime moment of the beauty and mystery that nature offers us.
Lucky for us, the love of nature and the unknown magic that awaits lures us out the door to capture life-changing experiences with special image-producing equipment. We are not going out to take a picture. We are looking to create a memory about something, a wall-hanging art piece that we get to enjoy every day. Right now, I want to share one of these special moments with you, wherever you are.
On this glorious fall day in late fall 2025. I am taking a moment to investigate the banks of the Athabasca River in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada, looking for Bald Eagles in an area I often frequent to watch them fish. Plus, I frequently encounter Elk roaming along the river from this vantage point.
I was starting my photo walk when I heard a strange sound. What I thought was an unhinged howl of a coyote—a weird yowl. I no sooner forget what I heard, and I spot a young Eagle perched near the river, fishing. I have my telephoto 150-600mm OM lens extended to its full power to see if I can capture a nice landscape shot of the river, with trees in their fall colours, and the Eagle. This shot looks promising.
Just as I am going to hit the shutter button, I see a large dog creep into my frame. My heart starts to race. Yes, it’s what I think it is: a wolf.
I know it is odd to see a lone wolf. I quickly surveyed the area and can now clearly see a pack of at least four wolves. One closer to me, one swimming the river and two more play-fighting on the other side of the riverbank. I take a deep breath to slow my breathing and steady my camera with its long lens. I start going through my routine, which I’ve practiced repeatedly to capture this moment, a one-in-a-million shot.
I end up following this pack of four wolves for over an hour as they make their way up the river. I captured incredible footage of nature at its purest. More wall art images can be found here. The picture shown here is how the story of this pack of wolves and I started our experience together. You’ll see the eagle in the left foreground. The first wolf I saw is also in the foreground, to the right, and if you look to the left, there is a third wolf swimming across the river. Then notice two more wolves playing on the far bank. This picture isn’t what I’d call a wall hanger, but it is the first picture in the story behind some incredible footage I captured. Please enjoy the rest of this series of wall art images in our gallery.
They say the wolf is a mysterious animal that commands attention in the wild. Let me know if you agree. I’ve been fortunate to encounter these big dogs of the wild many times. I have tried to evoke mystery, the beauty of what Canada and nature share, with this series of wolf pictures. Please enjoy them here.
