LaSalle photographer visits Falkland Islands

By Caleb Workman

Family enjoys time spent with wildlife

A LaSalle local went as far south as one could go to discover a new side of nature.

Wildlife photographer Jason Telasco spent his Christmas vacation on the Falkland Islands, off the southeast coast of Argentina. Telasco, along with his family, spent three weeks meeting and taking pictures of local wildlife.

“The sun came up around 4:30 a.m. and it went down around 10 p.m.,” said Telasco. “We had very busy, full days and the off-roading was fantastic. We were climbing 600 to 700 foot mountains in a land rover.”

Telasco said the experience was beyond what he expected it to be and well worth the 40-hour trip each way.

“You’re within three feet of an 11,000 pound elephant seal and you have the males that are sparring within seven or eight feet of you,” said Telasco. “If you sit down, you gain trust with the animals. The Rockhopper Penguins will come all the way around you and they’re very inquisitive. They have the best personality of any bird I’ve been around.”

Alongside of the Rockhopper Penguins, Telasco said he met four other types of penguins including King Penguins, Macaroni Penguins, Gentoo Penguins and Magellanic Penguins.

Telasco said the location where they were staying, Fox Bay East, had only 22 people living there. Telasco brought his son, 11-year-old son William, his wife, Lisa, who is from the Falkland Islands, and his father in law, Michael Knight.

The group stayed with his wife’s family and learned a lot about the culture and lifestyles of those who lived there.

“There’s no real convenience,” said Telasco. “The store there is open on Wednesdays and Sundays from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.”

Not only was the one store open for such a short time, but the prices of goods were quite high.

“A baseball-sized handful of grapes costs about $12 Canadian,” said Telasco. “Internet is also incredibly expensive so you can’t just pony on someone’s Wi-Fi.”

According to Telasco, although there was a large difference in culture, the relationships he made, the photos he got and the animals he met were well worth it.

“The wildlife was more than I could have ever expected,” said Telasco. “It was the whole trip that was special. I can’t highlight one thing, it was the whole experience.”

`               According to Telasco, the cold weather at an average of 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celcius) and high speed winds reaching up to 100 km per hour were some of the elements he fought while taking pictures.

Telasco said he is still going through and editing the 15,000 pictures he took on his trip.

He said he hopes his experience and his pictures can inspire people to go out and try something new and visit someplace different. He said those are the trips that people will remember for their lifetime.

Telasco also has a studio at his house and teaches classes on photography and Photoshop. He also custom frames and photos in his shop.