The proposed Gateway pipeline and its potential impact on the Great Bear Rainforest is a topic of concern for award-winning nature photographer Brad Hill.

This weekend Hill will provide naturalists, conservationists and photographers like himself a chance to form their own opinions about the project and what it means to the old growth forest in the province’s central and north coast.

“A lot of people are taking strong opinions without having ever been up there,” Hill said Monday. “This is to show people what really is at stake and let them make their own decisions.

The Great Bear Rainforest Slide Show and Commentary kicks off a full weekend of events hosted by Hill that includes an in-depth look at outdoor photography and a class on working in the digital medium.

The slide show takes place Friday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Alumni Theatre at Thompson Rivers University. Tickets are $15 and available at Kamloops Live! Box Office by phoning 250-374-5483 or visiting kamloopslive.ca

The outdoor field trip embarks from the TRU International Building, Room 1014, at 8 a.m. Hill will explore what to take and what to wear when location scouting. He also provides tips on what goes into capturing great images, including gear, cameras, and best camera settings.

He said the 20 spaces are filling up quick, but people are asked to email bradhillweekend@kamloopsphotoarts.ca to register.

Events wrap up Sunday with a digital workshop in Room 1014 at the TRU International Building. Hill will teach people how to squeeze the maximum quality out of their digital images, he said.

Everyone is asked to bring a laptop full of favourite pictures to work with. Space is limited to 20 people.

The field trip and digital workshop cost $75 each for Kamloops Photo Arts Club members and $100 for non-members.

Back to the Great Bear Rainforest, Hill spends a lot of his time photographing and leading tours there. Given the magnitude of storms that strike the region, he believes a pipeline spill is inevitable.

“They can’t do anything about it,” said Hill.

TRU, the Kamloops Naturalists Club and the Kamloops Photo Arts Club sponsor Brad Hill Weekend.