#highways in Ashcroft, BC, Canada
In between gigs with major brands and publications, photographer Alana Paterson spends her days traveling the British Columbia coast. Follow her Instagram feed to meet the people, places and even the plant life she sees on the road between North Vancouver, Squamish and Ashcroft. Her photos beautifully document the balance between nature and humankind. Occasionally they capture a really awesome-looking party. Follow the fun at @AlanaPaterson
Place you live: I live between three places at the moment: North Vancouver, Squamish and Ashcroft, BC.
Place your Instagrams were taken: In all three cities, including the highways between them.
Can you sum up the place you live? I’m going to talk about Ashcroft because I’m the most taken with it at the moment. It’s a high desert in the interior of BC. It’s a little depressed thanks to the industries that left, but it’s pretty amazing. The Thompson River runs through it and there are lots of rolling hills and agriculture. Because it’s an arid climate you can pick wild asparagus.
What is a perfect day in Ashcroft? For me it’s getting up and working the day on the ranch I live on, hanging out with the horses (if they’ll have me.) Then after work, taking off to photograph into the dusk.
If Ashcroft was a person or character who would it be? It would be a highway between two cities.
How long have you been using Instagram? I think three years now.
Do you shoot with your phone or other cameras or both? I shoot with both.
What is your editing process? For my film stuff, I get it scanned to disk and then pop it into the computer. For phone stuff, I usually only take photos of weird or funny stuff with my phone. So it’s giggle, shoot, giggle, think about it a minute, post.
Do you create images outside of Instagram? Yes, many.
Has Instagram/phoneography affected how you shoot? It’s done two things. It’s made it easier for me to take less serious images on the fly. It’s also made it so I take film photos less often, sometimes taking moments or photos less seriously then I should.
Can you give a couple tips to aspiring Instagram photographers? Be mad nice with the likes.
Who are your three favorite Instagrammers? Well for funny stuff I like @fuckjerry and @earlboykins, but who doesn’t? @fosterhunting is killer. My bud @aaronleyland is killing the snowmobile world, and @natgeo is amazing although sometimes it makes me want to cry with the sad stuff. I also follow @taylorswift for some reason. Ha.
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Name:Alana Paterson
City:Ashcroft
Best place to eat:
Over a fire by a body of water.
Best place to drink:
See above.
Best outdoor activity:
Dirt biking is big in Ashcroft and Squamish.
Must do:
Swim in a body of water!!
Local tip:
Bring a rain coat to North Vancouver and Squamish. Bring a hat to Ashcroft.