Nature Canada

The 2017 Nature Photo Contest winner is…

Image of Grizzly Bear by Kinan Echtay

The Grizzly Bear by Kinan Echtay

It was an idyllic early spring morning, winter had not relinquished its grip on the landscape and snow still covered the ground. I was out on one of my weekly photography outings in search of some of the local wildlife and on this particular weekend, I had set my sights on the beautiful mountainscape of Kananaskis country. I had been out for many hours to no avail and had decided to call it a day. I can remember saying to myself what perfect light if only I had something to photograph, at that very moments I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye, my heart beat hastened I turned camera at the ready. My efforts had been rewarded and a large grizzly stroller out of the thick brush and began to route through the bushes in search of the fresh spring foliage to snack on after a long winter’s hibernation. He graced me with his presence for just a few moments before disappearing back into the brush, just long enough for me to capture this moment.

Photography has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember and it is for these very moments that I strive for and keep me going out whenever the opportunity presents its self.” – Kinan Echtay

A picture can mean a thousand words

What does nature mean to you? How do you articulate the feeling of being in nature?

Often times it is nearly impossible to describe the feeling of being in the presence of wildlife or surrounded by wilderness. Sometimes the best way to share these feelings with others is not necessarily through words but with a picture. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. When hoping to inspire others to feel that ineffable connection to nature, a photo is invaluable.

Thank you to everyone who submitted your amazing nature photos to the Nature Photo Contest! We were stunned by all of the beauty of nature and wildlife across Canada! On behalf of the white Snowy Owls, the Green Frogs, the Black Bear, the Red Fox and the Bluebird- thank you!

The best pictures always have certain qualities – uniqueness, great colour and balanced composition. The best pictures also have that a strong impact that inspires an emotional connection to the subject.

With over 6,500 submissions, it was incredibly difficult to select the top images to include in our 2018 Calendar. Thank you to all of our incredible judges: Honourable Nancy Greene Raine, Meg Beckel, Laura Bombier, Sandy Sharkey, Les Stroud, Michael Tayler and Michelle Valberg.

Thank you to Wild Women Expeditions for donating an incredible Canadian nature adventure. Wild Women Expeditions offers a wide variety of outdoor adventures, including canoe and kayak trips, multi-sport adventures, hiking trips and yoga retreats! Congratulations

To get your best pictures, we have partnered with Canon Canada for photo contest participants and Nature Canada members to receive an exclusive offer. From October 31- November 13 buy any T6i configuration and use the coupon code CANONNATURE to receive a bonus EOS Rebel T6i Accessory Kit including a 800 SR Bag and 1 Battery Pack. Click here for this exclusive offer. Thank you Canon Canada!

Thank you to all of our generous sponsors who donated a number of incredible prizes that will further engage people with nature across Canada. Thank you to Canon Canada; Bird Kingdom; Casa Loma; Digby Pines; Éco-Oyssée; Espace pour la vie Montréal; FortWhyte Alive; Lee Valley; MEC; Museum of Manitoba; ONE AXE Pursuits; Ripleys Aquarium; Sustainable Outdoors co; The Camera Store; Treetop Trekking; White Point Resort; Whynot Adventure; Wild Women Expeditions and Ziptrek Eco Tours!

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