Award-winning photographer Catherine Babault will be exhibiting some of her artwork at the Hub Caf茅 (545 Duncan Ave., Courtenay), for the month of August. Catherine specializes in Vancouver Island鈥檚 nature and wildlife and has a keen interest in urban and abstract photography.

鈥樷�橮hotography allows me to express my love and respect for nature as well as my perception of the world,鈥� said Babault. 鈥淲hen I was a child, I enjoyed observing nature, drawing flowers, animals and landscapes; in my teenage years, I switched to oil painting and later to photography. Whenever I鈥檓 in the field, I always look for interesting elements such as tones, shapes, lines and patterns, and when I find a subject, I take time to portray it by using the light, depth of field and framing to create an overall balanced image. The composition has to reflect my emotions towards the subject.

鈥淚n a world saturated with images, I aim to distinguish my artwork by creating unique and compelling photographs. I seek to show the beauty of our planet and raise awareness about our collective responsibility for its protection.鈥欌��

Catherine Babault is a full-time photographer, she sells fine art prints to private and corporate clients, offers informal outdoor photography workshops and licenses images for advertising, editorial purposes, retail products and web use. For more information, visit www.catherinebabault.com or follow her on Twitter @catherinbabault