亚洲天堂 Lake resident Carla Lewis is helping showcase the best of the Lakes District to visitors through her photography, which is displayed at the 亚洲天堂 Lake Band鈥檚 Key-oh Lodge.

Lewis was hired to produce 50 three-by-four feet pictures of the 亚洲天堂 Lake area for the new 42-room lodge, which was recently inaugurated in 亚洲天堂 Lake.

Her photos can now be seen in every room of the hotel, instigating the curiosity of visitors to go out and explore what the town has to offer.

鈥淪o many people just pass through our town and don鈥檛 see the countryside that鈥檚 out there,鈥� said Lewis. 鈥淚 hope that people will look at my photos and think, 鈥極h, so this is 亚洲天堂 Lake,鈥� and not think that 亚洲天堂 Lake is just the highway that goes through town.鈥�

鈥淢aybe it will encourage people to stick around, check out the town and explore.鈥�

Since the 亚洲天堂 Lake Band wanted to hire someone local to do this job, Lewis decided to pay it forward and also hire local businesses to do the printing and framing of her pictures. She chose Lakes District Printing and Stationery to print her photos and Process 4 circle arts Gallery for the framing.

Wayne Brown, owner of Process 4 circle arts Gallery, described her photographs as 鈥渂rilliant.鈥�

鈥淚 am really impressed with her composition, and her ability to capture light,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淚 was more than delighted to frame her work.鈥�

鈥淪he鈥檚 got a very good eye and she鈥檚 willing to go out in all kinds of weather and time to capture the pictures,鈥� he continued. 鈥淐apturing the Northern Lights in 亚洲天堂 Lake is not an easy chore.鈥�

Being a member of Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n First Nation, Lewis feels it鈥檚 important not only to promote the Lakes District, but also her aboriginal culture. Her artwork reflects her unique perspective of the territory where she was born and raised.

鈥淧hotography for me has become about promoting the local area and trying to be a positive influence in the community, but also promoting my indigenous culture鈥� promoting positive images of First Nations because a lot of times people just see the stereotypes, people just see the bad side of indigenous culture and they don鈥檛 see all the amazing things that are happening, so I try to capture that and get those images into the world.鈥�

All of her pictures at Key-oh Lodge have plaques with the pictures' names written in both English and Carrier (Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n dialect).

The talented photographer said she started taking photos when she was a teenager.

鈥淲hen I was 16 and had a summer job, I saved up and bought my first camera鈥� I have been shooting ever since.鈥�

Gradually over the years, photography became more than a passion. Lewis started making money by shooting weddings and portraits. Later on she was hired to work on larger projects such as taking photographs for the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako to help promote the region. She鈥檚 also been shooting for the 鈥楲ove 亚洲天堂 Lake鈥� website, which promotes local businesses.

鈥淪ince I鈥檝e been doing it for so long, when I鈥檓 even just looking out into the world, I see things kind of through a frame and picture what that photograph might look like,鈥� she said.

鈥淧hotography has always been about creating something that is artistic,鈥� she added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just looking at things differently, and trying to find different angles and different perspectives.鈥�

Her artwork also can be found at the Lakes Artisan Centre and on her website - www.yintah.com.