Any avid follower of the Around Town - Ladysmith Community Board on Facebook has likely seen the distinct photography of Bob Burgess.
Burgess, a 66-year-old retiree from EdsonAlberta, landed in Ladysmith three-years-ago with his wife, Dianne. The couple had gone to live in New Brunswick for five years. After a couple ‘brutal’ winters, they sought the temperate climate of Vancouver Island.
In his past life, Burgess worked for 35-years as a bank manager for the Bank of Nova Scotia, and served as a volunteer firefighter for 18-years. He has been a hobby photographer for 30-years.
“Back when film was the only thing you could get, I was straining my budget bringing in 30 rolls of film a week to the local pharmacy to do the developing,” Burgess said.
Nowadays Burgess shoots with a Nikon P1000. Rather than his regular run to the local pharmacy, Burgess posts his digital photos online.
Many of Burgess’ photos capture the early morning golden hours at Ladysmith’s Transfer Beach. Burgess said that one of his favourite things about photography in Ladysmith is the variety of wildlife, and the landscapes.
“The scenery is absolutely gorgeous,” he said.
Shortly after arriving in Ladysmith, Burgess began posting his photos on the Around Town forum. Many of his posts have garnered hundreds of likes, and several positive comments from the community.
“I wasn’t expecting that at all,” Burgess said. “I’ve got quite the following now.”
Among the most popular posts is a recent post from, Dianne, in which she elaborates what her mornings are like being married to ‘Bob the picture taking man’.
“Oh I am in heaven as I stretch and slowly open my eyes to greet the day, the clock reads 7:30 am! I have slept in! Then my eyes fly open, and I realize, sadly, that it was only a dream again the clock is really reading 4:30 am,” Dianne wrote.
“Then the sound of a truck door interrupting the morning choir of birds – a truck door slams shut, the engine roars into life – Bob is off on his morning picture taking ritual!”
