Scouting the Timeless Landscapes
of British Columbia’s Interior
by Mary Putnam/LMGI
Photos by Mary Putnam/LMGI
I’ve been scouting the Thompson-Nicola region in British Columbia’s interior for more than eight years and it still manages to surprise me. At 44,000 square kilometers, this part of the province is vast, raw and endlessly cinematic. Rolling grasslands, wide-open skies, desert plateaus and working ranches stretch as far as the eye can see. It’s a landscape that feels both timeless and untouched, like it’s been waiting for the right story to come along.
What draws me back again and again is how the light moves here. There’s something about the way it spills across the land—soft, golden and deliberate. It warms everything it touches and brings a quiet magic to every photo.
The ranching heritage in the area runs deep. Some homesteads date back to the early
1900s, and many are still run by the descendants of those families. These ranchers have been generous with access and eager to share the beauty of their land through film. There’s history in every weathered barn and every fence line disappearing into the hills.
As a scout, I love that I’m still discovering new places. Just when I think I’ve covered it all, I turn a corner and find something unexpected, another hidden gem, another breathtaking view, another conversation with a landowner that leads to a story I’ve never heard before.
A director I worked with once told me, “The only thing missing here is John Wayne.” I think about that often. If you’re looking for landscapes that speak volumes, that bring scale, soul, and cinematic depth to the screen, this is the place.
