Olivier Du Tré's photostream

My name is Olivier Du Tré and I was born and raised, 33 years ago in Ghent, Belgium. After graduating with a Graphic Arts degree in ’98, I picked up a camera, fell in love with photography and found my real passion.

My dad has been a photographer and painter for over 40 years. He was my inspiration for exploring this new form of art. As a kid, I would always marvel how my dad just ‘dialed in’ his Leica M3 without even measuring the available light. He just knew! I have always believed that one day, I would also be involved with art in the broadest sense of the word.

I enrolled in photography school and for three years I was immerged in black and white photography, film theoretics, dark room techniques and cameras. When I look back, that old style schooling still plays a large role in my work – even in this digital world. Combining theoretics with my extensive Photoshop knowledge, allows for a great diversity in my art.

Between 2002 and 2009, my wife and I made numerous trips to Canada. We always traveled to Western Canada because we love the mountains. In 2004, we decided to take the next big step and immigrate to Canada. In 2009, with permanent residency in hand, we arrived in this beautiful country we now call home. We now own a home in Cochrane, a little town about 30 minutes west of Calgary. Those same Rocky Mountains in view.

I was raised and lived the majority of my adult life in a large crowded city – miles away from the beautiful outdoors. I was photographing everything from rock bands to studio portraits, everything you could expect from a city photographer.

It was liberating for me to be in the mountains and close to nature. I was now finally able to pursue my life long dream of photographing what I loved most, scenic mountain landscapes.

I always feel relaxed and at ease photographing grand scenes and listening to nature. For me, being outdoors is a sensory experience. I feel aware of everything around me. As a newcomer to Canada, I believe I have a greater appreciation for the beauty that surrounds me. It still amazes me that I live and work in this picturesque place.

My goal as a photographer is to capture these emotions each time I shoot a scene. Of course, I still rely on Mother Nature to put on a good show, but I often digitally manipulate my photos to showcase a mood and emotion I had while taking the picture.

I am proud to say that I am not a photographer that simply captures a scene with his eye, but one who renders a shot with his heart. I have always believed this is what photography is all about.

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