Two Calendar Selections, One Very Familiar Sunrise Spot
Most mornings at Esquimalt Lagoon start the same way: too early, too quiet, coffee in hand, and the drone warming up while the first light hits the water. It’s become one of the places I fly the most — not because it’s convenient, but because the Lagoon never looks the same twice.
So it was a pretty great surprise to open my inbox and see a note from the City of Colwood saying that two of those sunrise flights have been selected for their community calendars, including one for the cover.
One image will represent January 2026, featuring the long stretch of Ocean Boulevard and the calm water on both sides.
The second will appear as the January 2027 calendar image — a quiet morning at the Lagoon Bridge with warm light spilling over the water.
These aren’t staged shots, or marketing pieces, or anything planned. They’re just the kind of mornings we keep showing up for in the Westshore: clean light, still water, and that moment where the sun finally edges over the treeline.
Why This Means Something
It’s not about awards or bragging rights. It’s about the fact that a place we fly constantly — a place locals love — is being shown through a perspective people don’t often see.
And honestly? That’s what Vancouver Island Drones is trying to do anyway:
show familiar places in new ways
slow things down
treat our region with a bit of care and curiosity
get up early so everyone else can enjoy the view later
Seeing two of those moments chosen to represent Colwood for consecutive years feels like a small nod that we’re on the right path.
A Westshore Story, From Above
We’re not a big production house. We’re a Westshore-based father-and-son operation chasing good coast light and trying to capture the Island the way it actually feels to live here. The Lagoon has become part of our routine, our archive, and our story.
And now a couple of those frames get to be part of Colwood’s story too.
Thank You, Colwood
Big thanks to the City of Colwood for choosing these images — and for continuing the tradition of showcasing local photography in a way that highlights our community, our coastline, and the places we return to again and again.
Related Flights & Articles
Why I Fly at Sunrise — A West Coast Morning Ritual
A look at why these early, quiet moments have become the heart of how I shoot — and why so many of my favourite frames come from first light.
Why Vancouver Island Is Perfect for Quiet, Cinematic Aerial Stories
A reflection on the rhythms, geography, and atmosphere that make this coast such a natural fit for calm, minimal aerial work.
Thinking About Prints — A First Step Into Sharing My Favourite Images
A short piece about experimenting with prints, learning what works, and leaning more intentionally into coastal imagery that translates beautifully to paper.
