KEAY PHOTO BIO

Bill & Wanda Keay's artful creations have been sold as fine art since 1984. Their work is sought after locally and internationally by art collectors. Artistically, Bill captures on film the emotion and shear essence of his subjects in the most remote regions. The combination of Wanda and Bill's - and now Serena's - different talents have created a team that makes everything work. Wanda's years of biological research helps insure a high code of ethics in order to approach wildlife closely when animals and birds are relaxed or unaware. The work takes them on exciting adventures - such as a trip to film Polar Bear that required slugging 600 kms over the frozen Arctic Ocean on a sled with an Inuit guide. The adventures were written by Wanda in their Canadian best selling book titled "The Wildlife of Bill Keay".

Wanda was born in Vancouver, BC, and raised in Gleneagles, West Vancouver. Her parents, George and Pat Barton instilled in Wanda a sense of wonder about nature. Wanda's passion for wildlife and nature came from family trips on the local coastal waterways in a boat built by her father George. With two brothers, Mark and Calvin, she explored many places in British Columbia through camping and hiking. She has taken this element of her soul to planning photographic expeditions through her company, Keay Photo Enterprise. This has led to travel to remote parts of Canada, U.S., Africa, and recently Ecuador to film wildlife.Wanda is the author of their 156 page book pulbishedin Canada in 1992 titled "The Wildlife of Bill Keay". In this book, a Canadian best seller with over 10,000 units sold, Wanda outlines the exciting adventure which results in being stranded on the frozen ocean on Northern Baffin island. Their Inuit guide Ham frantically trying to restart a broken skidoo meters away from a polar bear. Wanda & Bill now live in the village of Lions Bay, British Columbia, where they raised their two two daughters, Serena & Angela. Exhibitions of their work have hung in many prestigious galleries, and a selection toured the country in the "Best of Canadian Bird Photography" co-sponsored by the national Museum of Natural Science and the Canadian Nature Federation. Their work has been presented to three heads of state, many dignitaries, as well as a Royal Family. Bill and Wanda were asked to exhibit their photographs for Prince Philip at a World Wildlife Fund Dinner held in Vancouver. Wanda has always believed that our next generation, the children, will need this passion to save wildlife and wild places. She has donated her time through slide shows and educational presentations for over 20 years.

Bill was born in Edmonton Alberta and was raised in the small Alberta town of Castor. He is a staff photographer for the Vancouver Sun newspaper, where he has won the Canadian "National Newspaper Award" for feature photography, an "Award of Excellence" in the photograph-of-the-year competition held by the National Press Association in the United States, and 6 Canadian Press Awards. In 1994, Bill received an award from the British Columbia Council for the Family for his photographic work on a feature "Children of Poverty". He received a National Newspaper "Citation of Merit" award in Toronto for a photograph from that series. In Toronto, May l999, Bill received a "Citation of Merit" from the Toronto Press Association for taking one of the three best news pictures in Canada during 1998. In 2000, Bill won a "JACK WEBSTER AWARD" for his photography on a feature on wheat farming. In May of 2001, he was nominated for a National Newspaper Award for a feature on drugs in the inner city of Vancouver. In 2001, Bill joined with other Canadian photographers to photograph "Children of Poverty" project in Canada. The exhibition was shown in Ottawa, at The National Arts Centre... In June, 2002, the project was given the annual "Community Service Award" (by Family Service Association of Toronto) for its work in raising awareness of child poverty...

Serena Keay has joined her parents, Bill & Wanda Keay, with Keay Photo Enterprise. Serena's wildlife pictures speak for themselves. Her artful creations have been sold as fine art since June 2002. Growing up in the Keay household meant being immersed in the world of wildlife photography - which has now become her passion. Serena, as a small child, went on many wildlife photo expeditions. The work took the family on exciting adventures. Serena graduated from Film & T.V. studies at Capilano College. She spent several years working in the movie industry. Her mother, Wanda, has operated Keay Photo Enterprise since 1984. Wanda does all the research and biological homework before filming of any wildlife species. This ensures filming is done ethically. Serena lives with her daughter Ayyah & husband Keith Biddlecombe on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. They enjoy many outdoor recreation activities in the backwoods of B.C. together.

Ayyah is just learning which end of the camera is which. As the latest generation of "Keay Photo" photographers, Ayyah, 1-year-old, seems up to the task. She loves looking through birdwatching books, and her favorite word is "duck". She likes to chase after our dog "Dusty", and loves to play at the beach.

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