By james art 
BATTLEFORDS — Gilbert Katerinich got his first digital camera in 2005, and from that day on, he couldn’t put it down.
“Being able to take an unlimited number of photos and see them almost instantly on a computer screen switches things up inside of me. I’ve been doing it ever since,” says Katerinich.
The photographer grew up in the Battlefords. When he’s not taking pictures, he works full-time as a receptionist on the third floor of Battlefords Union Hospital.
Although photography is more of a side gig for Katerynych, he makes money from it. He says his main goal is to generate enough funds to sustain his passion.
His landscape photos are eye-catching and have been shared many times online and on social media.
Katerynych tells the News-Optimist about her photographic inspiration, saying, “I can’t pin it down to anything in particular—I’m drawn to different places for different reasons. I like to photograph abandoned objects, celestial objects, sunrises and sunsets, all phases of the moon, summer storms and the northern lights when they occur. I like to capture Battlefords against these events as well. It’s rewarding to give the community a view of their home that they might not otherwise see.”
Katerynych says all of his photos can be ordered from his Gilbert Katerynych Photography Facebook page and Instagram account @gilbertkaterynych.
These photos are available in a variety of sizes and formats, including prints, canvas, metal, and more. Katerynych also has many prints framed and on display at Artrageous Framing and Gallery in Battlefords.
Asked what his favorite photos might have been, the photographer says: “One of my favorite photos is a composition I took last year during the Geminid meteor shower. The Northern Lights also put on a good show tonight and I used Lepine’s twin grain elevators as my subject. I set up all my camera equipment, laid back in my gravity chair and watched the sky for hours.”
Katerinich is also proud of a special capture of the solar eclipse that took place last April. He traveled to Prince Edward Island and says that with a bit of luck the weather conditions allowed him to photograph this once-in-a-lifetime event.
The lens seeks the magic in every moment. After spotting a small moose to the right of his position above the river valley, he saw a mother moose approaching from his left. Katerynich said she went off an island in the river and her calf came down to meet her mid-stream, below the position he had been in.
“The moment I photographed recently was a mother moose and her calf reunited in the North Saskatchewan River, nose to nose. It was a good moment.”
Katerynych’s work has been used for merchandise and community promotion. The Battlefords photographer says his work has been featured on numerous business websites, realtor profiles, stationery and more.
In addition, his work is displayed in many businesses, and he has released a calendar called Battlefords and Beyond, showing his view of the community and surrounding areas. The 2025 calendar is available now.
For Katerynych, life is like a camera as his work shows his focus on capturing moments as he discovers the beauty of the world through his lens.