Through the Lens: A Navy Veteran’s Journey to Spread Joy and Connection Through Photography

Looking through a camera lens surpasses gazing at an empty bottle.

That’s a valuable lesson you’ll gain from conversing with Garry Waldram. The retired resident of Rutherglen is well-regarded around Bonfield, a municipality in northeastern Ontario, for his remarkable nature photography, particularly when he focuses his lens on our avian companions.

What many are unaware of is how photography assisted Waldram in moving away from alcohol, which had become a significant challenge for him.

“Alcohol was my method of dealing with things,” Waldram stated, “It reached a stage where I had to seek assistance, and it was then that I concluded photography was the path I wanted to pursue to aid myself.”

Born and nurtured in Hamilton, Waldram entered the workforce in the 80s, “And the recession meant Stelco and Dofasco weren’t hiring.” He spent a few years at McMaster before turning to the mills for employment, but that wasn’t a match for him, either.

“That’s the reason I enlisted in the military,” Waldram explained.

He served in the navy from 1982 to 2006. Following regular force service, he undertook several more years as a full-time reservist, spending two years in Halifax and three years in North Bay at the National Recruiting Contact Centre (before it was closed) between 2012 and 2015. That final assignment is the reason Waldram continues to reside in the area today.

Waldram completed two tours in Afghanistan, one to Kandahar and another to Kabul, where he was involved in home leave travel assistance — organizing travel for soldiers to reunite with their families. He also returned to Afghanistan for a period to collaborate with the military through a civilian organization.

During his tenure in the navy, he spent nearly 13 years “attached to ships,” mostly involved in NATO exercises overseas. The list of countries he visited with those ships is extensive — Spain, France, Germany, Scotland — the enumeration is lengthy, and the experiences were broad. To rephrase the old song, he’s been nearly everywhere.

However, some of those visits and experiences affected Waldram negatively. “It did impact me, and I was dealing with mental health issues and PTSD.” Initially, he suspected he was experiencing depression, but after working with psychologists and psychotherapists at Veterans Affairs, he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as well.

He’s been participating in the Veterans Affairs’ rehabilitation program, saying, “It’s truly been beneficial for me. I haven’t consumed alcohol in over three and a half years.”

Waldram is very candid about his past, recognizing that others might share similar narratives. His experience in overcoming alcohol may motivate others to conquer the same struggle.

“I mean if I can assist someone, I’m more than willing to share my story.

“I don’t feel as though I’m addicted to photography,” Waldram quipped, “though I do devote a significant amount of time to it, but I don’t believe it’s harmful to my health.”

Indeed, almost every day, Waldram gathers his equipment and heads into the wilderness of Rutherglen, or wherever the birds might be. He prefers capturing nature, with birds being his preferred subjects. It’s not rare to spot him in a kayak, equipped with long lenses and Nikon cameras, patiently waiting for the ideal shot of a mallard or merganser.

Nature has consistently enchanted him, and in his youth, he was an outstanding athlete, part of the Hamilton Water Polo Club, which also led him to McMaster, as it then housed the top water polo team in the country.

Thus, being outdoors in the bush and on the ponds and lakes suits Waldram perfectly in his later years, camera in hand, anticipating the ideal light for the perfect shot — “And wildlife doesn’t always provide you with the opportunity,” for that perfect image, he noted.

Waldram monitors migration patterns and frequently consults a field guide, but one incredibly useful resource in his collection is a phone app named Merlin. He enthusiastically shared, “It’s a remarkable app because you can set it to audio ID, and it will identify birds through their songs or calls.”

He’s also become a member of the Nipissing Naturalist Club to engage with other members of the Bird Wing Group and exchange insights into bird watching and photography. Each month they host a “bird bash” and venture into the woods with binoculars and cameras at hand.

When it comes to birds, Waldram mentioned that owls are the most challenging to photograph. He has traveled to the Ottawa area to capture a good image of a snowy owl. The Northern Saw-whet owl is the most prevalent owl in Canada, Waldram stated, but if you can successfully photograph it, you might also want to buy a lottery ticket, as this elusive species remains unchecked on Waldram’s list.

It’s common for Waldram to journey across the region for photos, and last winter, he even packed his cameras to travel to Costa Rica for a bird tour. Apparently, these tours are quite popular, with numerous destinations available. He intends to return this coming March to capture some of the 900 bird species that inhabit Costa Rica.

Waldram shares his photos on social media, and they are consistently well-received by the community. It’s been an intriguing journey, as prior to his abstinence from alcohol, he hadn’t even contemplated photography, and in a short span, he’s wholeheartedly embraced the hobby.

Regarding posting his photos, “The feedback I receive from people is fantastic, because there’s so much negativity in today’s media, and individuals on social media often express complaints.”

“I just find it incredible that I can share my photos and bring joy to people.”

To view more of Waldram’s photos, discover more about his work, or purchase prints, visit his site Big Bear Adventure Photography at bigbearadventurephotography.ca. He’s also in the process of organizing small photography tours, so stay tuned for that.

David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter based at BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative receives funding from the Government of Canada.