Jenn Dykstra

Founder / Publisher

Jennifer is an accomplished photographer and graduate of the Western Academy of Photography (Victoria, BC). She views life as a series of memorable moments and creatively and professionally captures those moments for her valued clients. Jennifer’s philosophy is to beautifully compose her images and provide her clients with both the expected and unexpected. In turn, she thrills and inspires her clients and other photographers by showcasing people, places and relationships in a stunning way and precisely for who they are.

Jennifer finds sanctuary adventuring in the great outdoors. The Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains are her favourite playgrounds and she is also inspired by locations further afield. With her passport stamped on every page, she loves to travel and appreciates culture and diversity. Her life, relationships and work are all shaped by making the most out of life.

Jennifer divides her time between the West Coast and the Rocky Mountains, and is also available for assignments in other locations.

Connect with Jenn

openimage.ca

Volume

21

THE PERKS OF PLAYING PRETEND

Words by Curt Carbonell

and Sam Larente

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

Roleplaying games open up a world of adventure and exploration… and it’s all in the players’ imaginations. You have been...

Volume

21

HERITAGE FARMERS: JO SMITH AND HELEN NIXON

Words by Jen Groundwater

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

Think you’ve lived in the Comox Valley a long time? These women run a farm that’s been in the family since John A. Macdonald was prime...

Volume

21

SALMON AND STEWARDSHIP

Words by Lisa Levesque

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

The K’ómoks First Nation Guardian Watchmen use the bounty of the sea to help protect the forest. The late autumn sun lazily...

Volume

20

REBUILDING CHARACTER

Words by Jenn Laing

Article photo by Jenn Dykstra

Gallery photos by JoAnne McElroy

After a Cumberland home catches fire, local professionals help the owners pay homage to history. Our heritage house was built in 1895...

Volume

19

STOLEN MOMENTS

Words by David Benton

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

Time slows and memories collect and blur together while climbing amongst the Valley’s age-old terrain. Desperately pinching...

Volume

19

DEEP BLUE

Words By Tim Ennis

Photo By Jenn Dykstra

One of our community’s most crucial water sources is right under our feet. It is amazing to stand on the shores of Comox Lake and...

Volume

19

ADAPT OR DIE

Words by Jenn Dykstra

Photos by Boomer Jerritt

Boomer Jerritt’s long history with photography represents the unique combination of skills needed to succeed in a...

Volume

19

IN THE FIELD

Words by Jen Groundwater

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

MO MOSHIRI: EXPLORER “I’ve been a traveller since I was three,” says Comox-based MC, songwriter, and producer Mo Moshiri. He was born in Iran during...

Volume

19

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK

Words by Christa Petch

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

The economic boom of the early 20th century brought more than coal to the surface. This is the tight-lipped history of the Comox Valley sex...

Volume

18

IN THE FIELD

Words by Jen Groundwater

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

ERIC RUSH: EXPLORER To put it mildly, Eric Rush is pretty fond of road biking. A member of Courtenay’s Riverway Dental Racing team, he regularly puts in...

Volume

18

HOME BASE

Words by Camille Douglas

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

The history of CFB Comox tells of the West Coast’s strategic landscape and Canada’s defence strategies dating back to 1942. Under...

Volume

17

BEARING WITNESS

Words by Jen Groundwater

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

Just across the Salish Sea, only 70 kilometres from Campbell River as the crow flies, the Xwémalkwu (Homalco) people share the land with dozens of grizzly...

Volume

17

PLAYING THE LONG GAME

Words by Dave Nowak

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

A lot of change comes with the passing of multiple decades, but a committed gathering of floor hockey players shows that some good things stay the...

Volume

17

SMOOTH MOVES

Words by Ryan Stuart

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

Through hard work and distinct vision, a network of local trail builders are carving out the future of mountain biking in Cumberland....

Volume

17

WHAT MOVES US

Words by Mike Berard

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

The rivers of the Comox Valley have the power to carry us home. We are made of the place we came from. If you eat locally and don’t drink bottled water,...

Volume

16

ON ANY GIVEN THURSDAY

Words by Dave Nowak

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

Dropping in on the members of the Comox Valley Horseshoe Club, where simple pleasures are honoured and everybody’s welcome. I came...

Volume

16

STANDING TALL

Words by Roger Albert

Article photo by Jenn Dykstra

Gallery photos by Sara Kempner

Karver Everson and Randy Frank are resurrecting a style of totem pole carving traditional to the K’ómoks people. Their Guardian poles continue to be raised...

Volume

16

PREPARING FOR THE PRESENT

Words by Mac Newton

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

Paying attention, being aware, and having presence of mind is habitual. So is distraction. On a sunny afternoon six years ago while...

Volume

16

THINKING BEYOND BUSINESS

Words by Laurel Sliskovic

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

Much more than a local accommodation, a lodge in BC’s oldest provincial park trains outdoor educators and guides while acting as a steward to the surrounding...

Volume

16

SHUT IT DOWN

Words by Allie Jenkinson

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

I am a true introvert, my husband a true extrovert. Which means we spend a lot of time telling each other how weird we think the other one is. He gets anxious...

Volume

15

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

Words by Paula Worthington

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

Cycling opportunities in the Valley are growing, combining the best of the area’s food, wine, and scenery into a selection of man-powered...

Volume

15

GROWING CALM

Words by Ashley Hamilton-MacQuarrie

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

Local businesses team up to provide a resort sanctuary that naturally soothes and inspires. Fresh water flows through the Kingfisher...

Volume

15

FLOATING ON

Words by Allie Jenkinson

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

I don’t think I truly understood the word “bittersweet” before I became a mother. When I watch my son play with toys, whispering to himself on the floor,...

Volume

14

GRAVITATIONAL PULL

Words by Nicole Rippel

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

Straight across the strait, a manicured bike park and cycle-forward community provides a draw for amateur and experienced riders...

Volume

14

A WILDERNESS RETREAT, REIMAGINED

Words by Allie Jenkinson

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

Gallery photo by Todd MacSween

With a pair of new managers at the helm, a Comox Valley lodge switches gears to service both locals and tourists. High on the...

Volume

13

Anchored in Iceland

Words & Photos by Jenn Dykstra

An experienced traveler connects the past, present and future on a sail and ski adventure. In the late seventies, Sandra Dykstra skied...

Volume

13

The Sweet Spots

Words by Terry Folks

& Wendy Turner

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

Using Shinrin-Yoku and the beauty of our surroundings to heal during times of transition. Shinrin-yoku, sometimes known as “forest...

Volume

12

Our Church Buildings

Words by Dawn Copeman

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

Opening the doors to change. When I was a little girl in the 1960s, we’d play hand games to amuse ourselves: cat’s cradle, shadow...

Volume

12

Dairy Farming on Vancouver Island

Words by Jennifer Sieffert

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

Happy Cow Dairy, farm to table. My husband Kyle and I grew up in the Comox Valley, both of us lovingly raised on the family farms...

Volume

12

Harvest & Shadows

Words by Meaghan Cursons

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

Summer lays down to sleep in the cool woods. The crisp fall air wakens. Trails of dark wet earth wind through the forest. The prints of thirsty animals in the...

Volume

12

Weighing our options

Words by Nick Ward

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

One family's tally of their waste. I’m standing at the sink, doing the dishes, washing out the plastic yoghurt pot before tossing it...

Volume

11

Casting Light

Words by Allie Jenkinson

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

The process of illumination at the Fanny Bay Candle Company. The setting of The Fanny Bay Candle Company is pastoral. Donalda Lauzon...

Volume

11

Making an Impact

Words & diagram by John Gower

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

Building blocks of sustainability Picture a small boy sitting on a tall drafting stool, drawing rocket ships, submarines, and houses...

Volume

11

At Journey's End

Words by Dawn Copeman

Article photo by Jenn Dykstra

The radiant compassion and wisdom of Amida Buddha and the grace and forbearance of the Japanese who once lived here. It's 5:30 a.m.,...

Volume

10

If I Had A Hammer

Words by Dave Nowak

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

The Shed Tool Library & Makerspace Co-op In the 1980s, I was living in a subdivision in the suburbs just north of Toronto. On any...

Volume

10

A Closer Look At Hypnotherapy

Words by Britt Hanson

and Carly Panzenboeck

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

The inner workings of the heart & mind. So often we think of hypnosis as a magic trick or simply good for a laugh. My first experience...

Volume

9

Choral Valley

Words by Wendy Nixon Stothert

Photos by Jenn Dykstra

The joy of lifting your voice with others. Mind. Body. Heart. Spirit. The experience of communal singing nourishes them all. The Comox...

Volume

9

Caffeinated: Getting your fix in the Comox Valley

Words by Bevin Clempson

Photo by Jenn Dykstra

The coffeehouse dates back to the Middle East, with origination suggested as early as the late 1400s, where they were primarily used as a place for political...

Volume